Six Figure Result for Newcastle Comic Auction as Peter Hansen Collection Makes Spectacular Debut

By John Freeman on March 13, 2026

The first instalment of the remarkable Peter Hansen Collection of British comics has achieved a six-figure result at Anderson & Garland, with Part One realising more than £100,000 including fees.

The auction, held on 11th and 12th March 2026, marked the opening chapter in what is widely regarded as the largest and most significant private collection of British comics ever assembled. Spanning decades of collecting by Newcastle born enthusiast and entrepreneur Peter Hansen, the sale attracted strong international interest from collectors, institutions and comic art enthusiasts alike.

Among the standout results was Lot 94, The Beano Annual No. 1, which sold for £3125, significantly above expectations of its £1000 to 1800 estimate.

Auctioneer John Anderson with a copy of Beano Annual No.1 - sure to attract plenty of bids — *Auctioneer John Anderson with a copy of Beano Annual No.1, which sold for £3125*

Other notable highlights included Lot 163, Marvelman No. 25 by L. Miller & Son, which achieved £1750, and a copy of the first issue of DC Thomson’s Commando sold for £780

Original comic artwork also proved highly sought after. Lot 204, an original painted artboard by celebrated comic artist Frank Bellamy for The Happy Warrior: The True Life Story of Sir Winston Churchill, sold for £1690.

The strip, written by Clifford Makins, appeared on the back page of the iconic Eagle comic during 1957 and 1958 and was later republished by Hulton Press as a standalone book in 1958, with further reprints following in 1981, 2008 and 2014.

Eagle/Happy Warrior original artwork drawn and painted by Frank Bellamy

Another work by Bellamy, Lot 205, an original art board for the Thunderbirds series published in TV Century 21 No. 111, achieved £1430.

An original artboard by artist Frank Bellamy for the Thunderbirds series 9, published in TV Century 21 Comic No. 111, pages 10 and 11 double spread, coloured inks on artboard signed by the artist, 50 x 70cms unframed.

The same price was realised by Lot 41, comprising eight pages of original artwork by David Law for the Dandy character Corporal Clott, dating from late 1969 to early 1970.

Corporal Clott, dating from late 1969 to early 1970, for the Dandy, art by David Law

John Bullock-Anderson, Head of Comics and Auctioneer at Anderson & Garland, commented:

“This result shows just how important Peter Hansen’s collection is. It represents decades of careful collecting and an extraordinary passion for British comics. The response from bidders local, nationally and internationally has been tremendous and the prices achieved reflect the historical importance of the material. And the remarkable thing is that we are only at the very start of this series of sales.”

The sale forms the first part of a landmark series that will disperse Peter Hansen’s extraordinary archive, which includes more than 40,000 comics and 20,000 pieces of original artwork charting the complete history of British comics from the early twentieth century onwards.

The next instalment of the collection will be presented by Excalibur Auctions on Saturday 9th May 2026, with Anderson & Garland scheduled to host a further sale in Summer 2026.

With such a strong opening result, the Peter Hansen Collection is already shaping up to be one of the most important comic auctions ever held in the United Kingdom.

• Anderson & Garland are online at andersonandgarland.com

• Following on from this, Excalibur Auctions, at Kings Langley, will host the second sale on Saturday 9th May 2026

• A Comics Collection for the Nation: An Interview with Peter Hansen

About the Author
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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.