Spec Copies

Spec copies are copies of a fanzine or apa sent out free on spec — in hopes the recipients will loc, subscribe or contribute to the zine or join the apa. They are usually made from surplus stock.

In the days when both prozines and fanzines printed their correspondents’ addresses, hopeful faneds would often comb the lettercols looking for likely mailing-list additions. Or an interested fan could request a spec copy with a sticky quarter.