Rare Superman Comic Discovered in California Attic Sells for Record $9.12 Million
A remarkably well-preserved copy of Superman #1, discovered in the attic of a California home last Christmas, has become the most expensive comic book ever sold, fetching $9.12 million (£7 million) at auction Thursday. The June 1939 edition of the Man of Steel’s adventures shattered the previous record by $3 million.
Three brothers, who have chosen to remain anonymous, unearthed the comic – along with five others including Superman #1 – while cleaning out their late mother’s attic in 2024. the comics were found in a cardboard box under a stack of newspapers and surrounded by cobwebs. Their mother had purchased the comics with her brother between the Great Depression and the beginning of World War Two, and had always told her sons she possessed a valuable collection, though she never showed it to them.
“It’s a twist on the old ’mom threw away my comics’ story,” said Lon Allen,Vice President of Heritage Auctions,which hosted the sale. The cool Northern California climate contributed to the comic’s pristine condition, allowing it to receive a 9.0 rating from CGC, a leading comic grading service – surpassing the previous record of 8.5.
The sale price, including buyer’s premium, surpasses the $6 million paid last year for Action Comics No. 1, the 1938 comic that first introduced Superman.
“This isn’t simply a story about old paper and ink,” said the youngest brother in a statement released by Heritage Auctions. “This was never just about a collectible. This is a testament to memory, family and the unexpected ways the past finds its way back to us.”
