'Superman' No. 1 becomes Most Expensive Comic Ever Sold
The highest ever graded copy of Superman No. 1 from 1939, found by a Northern California family in the attic of their late mother's home last year, now holds the record as the world's most expensive comic book after selling for $9.12 million with buyer's premium
"What a momentous day," says Heritage Auctions Vice President Lon Allen. "I'm thrilled for our consignor. Superman No. 1 is a milestone in pop culture history, and this copy is not only in unprecedented condition, but it has a movie-worthy story behind it. I was glad to see the price reflect that and am honored Heritage was entrusted with this iconic book."
Despite being protected by only a stack of old newspapers in a cardboard box, the copy earned a 9.0 on a 10-point scale by CGC, the world's largest third-party comics grading service. The $9.12 million price smashed the previous comic value record.
"This new record may someday be remembered as an early stage of popular culture collecting's trajectory into the upper reaches of the auction field," says Jim Halperin, Co-Founder of Heritage Auctions. "The value and historical importance of these objects are becoming even more well-known to collectors all over the world. And thanks in part to Heritage Auctions' reach and platform, market values have become more accessible and trackable than ever before. We're so proud of Heritage's role in helping standardize, popularize, and grow the entire collectibles hobby."
The record-holding copy is one of only seven known copies with a CGC grade of 6.0 or higher. It tops esteemed pedigreed copies including the Mile High and Davis Crippen copies and is one of fewer than 100 copies of this momentous issue in any grade, including restored examples, that Heritage has ever offered.