‘Superman’ No. 1 Leaps to $9.12 Million at Heritage, Becomes Most Expensive Comic Ever Sold

By John Freeman on November 21, 2025 • ( 0 )

The highest-ever-graded copy of Superman No. 1 from 1939, found by a Northern California family in the attic of their late mother’s home last year, now holds the record as the world’s most expensive comic book after selling for $9.12 million with buyer’s premium yesterday, Thursday, 20th November 2025, as the headline item at Heritage’s latest Comic Books Signature Auction.

“What a momentous day,” says Heritage Auctions Vice President Lon Allen. “I’m thrilled for our consignor. 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. I was glad to see the price reflect that and am honored Heritage was entrusted with this iconic book.”

Despite being protected by only a stack of old newspapers in a cardboard box, the copy earned a 9.0 on a 10-point scale by CGC, the world’s largest third-party comics grading service. The $9.12 million price smashed the previous comic value record, set by an 8.5-graded copy of Action Comics No. 1 that sold for $6 million through Heritage Auctions in 2024.

“This new record may someday be remembered as an early stage of popular culture collecting’s trajectory into the upper reaches of the auction field,” says Jim Halperin, Co-Founder of Heritage Auctions. “The value and historical importance of these objects are becoming even more well-known to collectors all over the world. And thanks in part to Heritage Auctions’ reach and platform, market values have become more accessible and trackable than ever before. We’re so proud of Heritage’s role in helping standardize, popularise, and grow the entire collectibles hobby.”

The record-holding copy is one of only seven known copies with a CGC grade of 6.0 or higher. It tops esteemed pedigreed copies including the Mile High and Davis Crippen copies and is one of fewer than 100 copies of this momentous issue in any grade, including restored examples, that Heritage has ever offered.

The auction continues through to Saturday 22nd November.

• Find more information about available lots and sale results of the Nov. 20–22 Heritage Auctions Comic Books Signature Auction here

Heritage Auctions is the largest fine art and collectibles auction house founded in the United States, and the world’s largest collectibles auctioneer. Heritage maintains offices in New York, Dallas, Beverly Hills, Chicago, Palm Beach, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Munich, Hong Kong and Tokyo.

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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.