Action Comics #1 Sells for Record Amount at Auction

A copy of Action Comics #1, the 1938 comic book that introduced Superman to the world, sold for $6 million Thursday at Heritage Auctions. The sale took place during the first session of Heritage's four-day Comics & Comic Art Signature Auction. Graded at 8.5 by CGC, the issue marks one of the best-condition copies known to exist in the world. According to a statement from Heritage, only two previous copies have ever been graded higher. This is also only the second comic ever to sell for over $5 million and -- surprise! -- the previous record-holder was also a copy of Action Comics #1 from back in 2022.

A second copy of Action Comics sold at the same auction, breaking a different record -- professionally restored to "an apparent grade" of 8.0, per Heritage, the comic sold for $576,000. That's the most ever for a restored comic.

"The first three lots today would be tough to beat when it comes to exciting bidding wars – the all-time record for a comic book, bracketed by two absolutely stunning surprises," said Heritage Auctions Vice President Barry Sandoval in a press-release. "We're thrilled to have made history today with an auction that's rich in history, encompassing everything from a pre-Golden Age Superman artifact to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. We couldn't be happier for our consignors and those winning bidders who acquired items without equal."

There are 78 copies of Action Comics No. 1 in CGC's population report, with the grading service estimating there are only about 100 surviving copies of the comic at all. In September of last year, Heritage sold an issue graded CGC 0.5 for $408,000.

Thursday also saw the sale of Jerry Siegel's historic 1934 letter to comic strip artist Russell Keaton, which described The Man of Steel who would have been a time-traveler from the distant future. The artifact realized $264,000 to open the four-day Comics & Comic Art event.

Heritage's Comics & Comic Art Signature Auction continues here through April 7.