- A rare 1938 Action Comics No.1 — the first appearance of Superman — sold privately for $15m to an anonymous collector.
- The copy was once stolen from actor Nicolas Cage in 2000, recovered in 2011 and briefly returned to Cage.
- Graded 9.0 by Certified Guaranty Company (CGC), the comic is one of fewer than 100 known copies and is tied for the highest grade.
- The sale was brokered by Metropolis Collectibles/ComicConnect, eclipsing previous comic-sale records.
H2: Rare 1938 Action Comics No.1 fetches $15m
A near-mint copy of Action Comics No.1, the 1938 issue that introduced Superman, has sold privately for $15m (£11.2m). The New York-based broker Metropolis Collectibles/ComicConnect announced the deal, saying both buyer and seller chose to remain anonymous.
H3: The comic’s Hollywood connection — Nicolas Cage
This particular copy is notable for its time in the ownership of actor Nicolas Cage. Cage paid about $150,000 for the issue in 1996 — a then-record price for a comic book — before it was stolen from his home during a 2000 party. The book resurfaced in 2011 inside a California storage unit and was returned to Cage. He later sold that recovered copy at auction for $2.2m.
H3: Grading and provenance lift value
The copy was graded 9.0 out of 10 by the Certified Guaranty Company (CGC), making it one of the highest-scoring examples known. Fewer than 100 copies of Action Comics No.1 are believed to exist, and condition plus provenance significantly drive prices in the rare-comic market.
Metropolis Collectibles said the comic’s history — including its theft and recovery while owned by a major Hollywood star — helped inflate its market value. “During that 11-year period, it skyrocketed in value,” Metropolis/ComicConnect CEO Stephen Fishler said, noting the theft indirectly increased the issue’s fame.
H4: How this sale compares to recent records
This private sale surpasses the previous public auction record for a single comic, set in November when a pristine copy of the same issue sold for $9.12m. Both sales vastly exceed Action Comics No.1’s original 10-cent cover price (roughly $2.25 in today’s dollars) and underline the booming market for landmark pop-culture collectibles.
H4: Why collectors pay top dollar
Collectors prize Action Comics No.1 for its cultural significance: it is widely credited with shaping the modern superhero genre. Provenance, rarity, and condition are the three main value drivers — and this copy checks all three boxes.
The private $15m transaction again highlights how historic comic books have become headline-grabbing assets within the wider collectibles market, attracting both private buyers and institutional attention.
Image Referance: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly95lpwl1ro
