A remarkable piece of comic book history has soared to unprecedented heights after a pristine copy of Superman No 1 from 1939 sold for a staggering $9.12 million (£6.96 million) at auction, setting a new world record for the most expensive comic book ever sold.
From Attic Obscurity to Auction Stardom
The extraordinary journey of this comic book began in northern California, where three brothers made an incredible discovery while sorting through their late mother's attic in 2024. Hidden beneath a stack of old newspapers in a simple cardboard box, they found the cultural treasure that would later make auction history.
According to the brothers, who have chosen to remain anonymous, their mother had originally purchased the comic when she was just nine years old and living in San Francisco. "She had always told us she had 'rare comics somewhere,' but we never found them until after she passed away," they revealed.
A Comic in Unprecedented Condition
Despite spending decades stored in an attic, the 86-year-old publication emerged in exceptional condition, earning a remarkable grade of 9.0 on the industry's 10-point grading scale for comic book preservation. This achievement makes it the highest-graded copy of Superman No 1 ever documented.
The comic's survival is particularly noteworthy given historical circumstances. While half a million copies were initially printed in 1939, followed by additional print runs of 250,000 and 150,000, intact examples are exceptionally rare today. This scarcity is partly explained by the comic's original design, which included an invitation for children to cut the cover off and use it as a poster.
This record-breaking copy stands as one of only seven known copies to achieve a grade of 6.0 or higher, placing it among the most perfectly preserved examples of this landmark publication.
Smashing Records in Pop Culture History
The $9.12 million sale price, including buyer's fees, comfortably surpasses the previous record set just last year when an 8.5-graded copy of Action Comics No 1 sold for $6 million. That 1938 publication featured Superman's very first appearance, while Superman No 1 marked the character's inaugural solo title.
Lon Allen, Vice-President of Heritage Auctions, which handled the historic sale, described the event as "a momentous day" for collectors and pop culture enthusiasts alike. "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," Allen commented. "I was glad to see the price reflect that and am honoured Heritage was entrusted with this iconic book."
Superman No 1 holds a prestigious position among collectors as one of the "big three" comics, sharing this honour with Action Comics No 1 and Detective Comics No 27, which featured Batman's debut appearance.
The creation of Superman itself represents another remarkable story. The character was conceived in 1933 by two Cleveland teenagers, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, who ultimately sold the rights to DC Comics for just $130, receiving merely $10 for each page they drew—a decision that would later seem astonishing given the character's multi-billion dollar legacy.
