The cover says it all - "First time in any magazine FULL COLOR the famous MARILYN MONROE NUDE." That was the hook for the very first issue of Playboy Magazine in 1953, and readers around the world were reeled in. Hugh Hefner purchased the rights to a 1949 nude calendar photo of Monroe and made her the "Sweetheart of the Month" (a precursor to the modern-day Playmate of the Month and a single page instead of a full fold-out), along with other content such as fiction stories, adult humor, and much more that boosted the publication to mainstream popularity. Slight paper loss at bottom and light toning to the cover put this in the VG condition category, but it is close to EX and one of the best of the several copies we've handled over the years, with all pages present, cover attached, and no visible folds or creases. Even so many years later, her images remain breathtaking, speaking to the lasting phenomenon that was Marilyn Monroe.