Brothers found a 1939 first-edition Superman comic priced at 10 cents in their late mother’s attic — and their lives changed overnight
Someone's personal treasure can turn into an actual treasure at some point. Three brothers experienced that in real time when their late mother's old first edition Superman comic copy sold for nine million dollars. The comic book, bought in 1939, was originally bought for just 10 cents, according to PEOPLE. It also became the most expensive comic ever sold for $9.12 million, according to a press release from Heritage Auctions. The copy of Superman No. 1 found in Northern California was also in a really good condition.
The family was simply going through their late mother's belongings in the attic when they stumbled upon the comic. It was sold on November 20 and was a big moment for pop culture history, according to Lon Allen, the vice president of Heritage Auctions. "What a momentous day. 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." The comic was also found in really great condition, even after just being protected by a stack of newspapers and being kept in a cardboard box.
The comic received a high 9 on 10 score by CGC, a world-renowned comic grading service. So the auction house was glad to see the comic get a great price as well. "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. 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, popularize, and grow the entire collectibles hobby," Jim Halperin, the co-founder of the auction house, commented.
The previous record for the comic copy sold for the highest value was held by a copy of Action Comics No. 1 sold for $6 million by the same auction house in 2024. The copy had received a grade of 8.5. There are only seven known copies of comics with a CGC grade of 6.0 or higher, according to Heritage Auctions. The brothers were cleaning their mom's house back in late 2024 when they found the copy, per PEOPLE. They shared that their mother and her brother were huge fans of comic books and even continued buying them during the Great Depression and World War II.
The issue told the story of Superman's life as Clark Kent and also depicted his origin story. The mom had already told the brothers that she had a really valuable comic collection, but they had never checked it before. The siblings had chosen to stay anonymous. The youngest brother explained that the comic meant a lot more to the family. "This is a testament to memory, family and the unexpected ways the past finds its way back to us." He added, "As the years unfolded, life brought about a series of losses and changes. The demands of everyday survival took center stage and the box of comics, once set aside with care and intention, was forgotten. Until last Christmas."