Action Comics #1, First Superman Comic, Sells Over $3 Million – The Hollywood Reporter

A copy of action comics No. 1 flew off the auction block on Thursday, selling for $3.18 million, the fourth largest sum never for a comic.

1938 action comics #1 is considered one of the most important comics of all time. Within its pages, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster introduce the world to Superman, the hero who launched the superhero genre for good. This particular copy of the DC Comics title is called “the rocket copy” because the cover features a rocket stamp put on by the 13-year-old who bought the issue at a newsstand in 1938. Heritage Auctions handled the sale.

Thursday’s Rocket Copy sale is behind a problem of amazing fantasy #15, Spider-Man’s first appearance, which sold for $3.6 million in September 2021, and two more copies of action comics #1. The Rocket Copy is rated at a 6.0 condition by the CGC, a service that authenticates the condition of comic books. The other action Comic books the numbers that sold more were an 8.5 which go for $3.25 million in April 2021, and a 9.0 that sold for $3.2 million in August 2014.

It was the first time that the Rocket Copy of action comics Number 1 has been sold. Goldin, a collectibles market, purchased the copy on behalf of a private buyer. “It was fun to bid and win a $3 million+ item. I know it goes to a big house! Ken Goldin from Goldin tweeted after winning the auction.

The purchase comes as the comic book collecting space has heated up during the pandemic, with artwork and original comics regularly hitting record high prices.

Updated to clarify that Goldin purchased the copy of action comics No. 1 on behalf of a private buyer.