If you live in the United States, it might be the perfect time to rummage through your attic or basement, because you might have a comic book from your grandfather hidden away that could set you up for life. Comics are expensive now (check any specialty store), but if you’re aiming to get your hands on the 1938 Action Comics #1 in good condition, your money better be like Monopoly money because you’re going to have to spend a fortune. And it’s not the only one! Let’s take a look at those comics that have been sold for absurd amounts.
1-Superman #1 (1939): $5.3 million
The first comic featuring Superman in its title contained 5 short stories narrating different adventures of the Man of Steel. In fact, it was supposed to be a one-shot comic, but it sold so well that they ended up making it a regular series. It has now surpassed 850 issues, so it hasn’t done too shabby. This comic, in a grade of 8.0, cost a fortune. If you have a slightly worn copy, you’re not going home empty-handed either: a comic graded at just 5.0 was sold for a whopping $720,000.
2-Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962): $3.6 million
Who would have thought that the final issue of a failed and secondary series from a publisher that wasn’t even called Marvel yet would become the debut of Spider-Man, one of the most powerful superheroes in history? The comic had three other not-so-great stories, but if you have a copy in perfect condition, beware: with a grade of 9.6, it has been valued at $3.6 million. A bit worse, with a grade of 6.5, can make you the owner of $225,000. That’s nearly $10,000 per page, not something to complain about.
3-Action Comics #1 (1938): $3.4 million
Few comics illustrate the absurd inflation in the world of collectors better than Superman’s first appearance in a panel. In 2010, a high-quality copy (8.5) sold for $1.5 million. By 2021, the price had risen to $3.25 million for a similar one. But hold on, because last year, $3.4 million was shelled out for a grade 6 copy. Granted, it’s believed that only a hundred of these exist worldwide, so this astronomical price might not be as surprising as it seems, relatively speaking.
4-Captain America Comics #1 (1941): $3.12 million
Captain America punching Hitler in the face! One of the most iconic covers in comic book history that is currently selling, in another example of absurd inflation, for $3.12 million for a grade 9.4 comic. The same comic sold for… $915,000 in 2019. It seems like if you have a comic, you have a treasure. Literally.
