The Batman franchise truly is just that: a franchise. The DC comic series birthed an entire line of live-action TV and movie adaptations, each of which comes with its own sets, props, and costumes, which later become revered memorabilia. Over the years, many of the most iconic props from Batman TV shows and movies have been sold in auction, for some incredible prices.
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However, one particular piece of Batman memorabilia was sold for record price at auction, and it’s a record that is unlikely to ever be beat.
Adam West’s Batmobile Is The Most Expensive Batman Memorabilia Ever Sold (Still)
The Batmobile used in the 1966 Batman TV series starring Adam West still holds the Guinness World Record for being the “Most expensive Batman memorabilia sold at auction,” thirteen years and counting. It was sold at the Barrett-Jackson car auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, on January 19, 2013. The car sold for a record $4.62 million, a price point that still hasn’t been beat.
The Batman ’66 Batmobile was designed by George Barris, using a 1955 Lincoln Futura as the basis for the vehicle, and adding the signature Batman accoutrements, like the rocket boosters, fins, guns, and devices that were weirdly ahead of their time as vehicular feaures, like the Bat Phone and Radar. Barris himself appeared at the 2013 auction, to hand off the Batmobile to its new owner.
It’s not hard to see why the Batman ’66 Batmobile has held the record for so long. The car is the most iconic Batman vehicle besides the Batmobile used in Tim Burton’s Batman (1989). Burton’s Batmobile was a newer car model that was heavily modified for the film; the Batman ’66 version is built atop a car that is only getting rarer if not impossible to find. There’s also nothing quite as iconic and ostentatious as the Adam West Batmobile; the car has been a major staple in the lives of at least five generations of kids. This is the point in collecting where having one of the last functional models of something truly makes invaluable.
Other Batman Auction Bestsellers
For comparison, a Batmobile stunt car from Burton’s 1989 film sold for just $352,000 at auction last year. Records also indicate that at a 2022 sale had a prop car from Batman ’89 listed for $1.5 million, while this year, a footlong model used in Burton’s film sold for $47,500. Jack Nicholson’s Joker costume also sold for $125,000 in 2022
As you can see, the gap in prices means that the Batman ’66 Batmobile will remain the top seller for the foreseeable future. Let us know your favorite piece of superhero movie memoribilia on the ComicBook Forum!
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