The Vancouver Pedigree Collection, a group of comics known for their exceptional quality, has been consigned to Heritage Auctions' August 7-9 Comics & Comic Art Signature Auction in Dallas.

This is the highest-graded example of the comic, with only five known

The discovery was made by Heritage's director of comics, Barry Sandoval, on receiving a consignment of top-quality Golden Age comic books from Canada.

"When I opened up the box and started grading the books, knowing nothing about them, I was shocked by the amazingly white page quality, which immediately reminded me of the Vancouver pedigree collection which is very well-known in the comic book hobby," he said.

"Then I noticed that the mix of titles was exactly the same as in the previously known Vancouver books, namely Classic Comics/Classics Illustrated, Magazine Enterprises comics, oddball funny animal books and Westerns, plus Canadian comics and coloring books. Only then did I look up the consignor and see that he was from Vancouver, Canada."

The collection was purchased at an estate auction of the previous owner by two Canadian dealers, Peter Turcotte and Bob Klettke, with Turcotte the owner of Big Pete's Collectibles in Vancouver.

Almost 30 comics from the Vancouver collection will be sold in the event, with highlights including a Large Feature Comic (Series II) #8 Bugs Bunny in Near Mint 9.2 condition at more than $4,000, while Classic Comics #4 Last of the Mohicans will sell in Near Mint+ 9.6 condition for $5,000+.

Paul Fraser Collectibles has a great signed drawing of Bugs Bunny by creator Friz Freleng, as well as more comic and illustration art.