- As of 2023, the most expensive comic book sale of all time is a copy of Superman #1 at $5.30 million.
- The record-selling comic had a quality of CGC 8.0 (very fine) and is tied for the issue’s highest grade certified (CGC is a respected 3rd party that rates comic book conditions out of 10, with 10 being the highest quality).
- The copy was part of the Edgar Church/Mile High pedigree collection, known as the greatest selection of comic books ever found and now seen as the benchmark.
- The Edgar Church/Mile High pedigree collection contains almost 15,000 comics including nearly all of the key issues from the Golden Age and almost complete runs of each title.
- Chuck Rozanski purchased the collection for around $1,800 in 1977 but the comics have since been re-sold many times over.
- By 2011 the entire collection was estimated to be worth in excess of $50 million, with the expectation to grow further in valuation.
- The second highest valued issue sold is a copy of Amazing Fantasy #15 at $3.60 million, known for the introduction of Spiderman.
- The copy had a quality rating of 9.6 (near mint +) greatly increasing its valuation and is one of only 4 copies of its condition.
- Although the record sale of Action Comics #1 (introduction of Superman) had a quality of CGC 6.0 (fine), it is still the third highest selling issue at $3.55 million.
- The copy is known for having a red rocket stamp marking on the front cover caused by an earlier owner, affecting its quality score.
Comic issues by record sale
- As of 2023, the most expensive comic book sale of all time is Superman #1 ($5.30 million).
- Superman #1 is also the only comic edition to break the $5 million barrier.
- The issue was the beginning of Superman’s own comic title following his appearances within Action Comics.
- The record sale for Superman #1 is $1.70 million more expensive than the second ranked Amazing Fantasy #15 ($3.60 million).
- Amazing Fantasy #15, Action Comics #1 and Captain America Comics #1 each have record sales exceeding $3 million.
- Amazing Fantasy #15 was the first comic to introduce the character of Spiderman and Action Comics #1 was the first comic introducing Superman.
- Marvel Comics #1 and Batman #1 each have record sales exceeding $2 million.
- Marvel Comics #1 is valuable due to being a pay copy, including handwritten notes from the publisher and giving details on how much each contributor was paid.
- Detective Comics #27, All Star Comics #8 and Fantastic Four #1 all have values equal to or exceeding $1.50 million.
- Detective Comics #27 features the first appearance of Batman and All Star Comics #8 was the introduction to Wonder Woman.
- For the given list, the top 15 comic issues by record sale are split between DC (60%) and Marvel (40%).
| # | Title | Record sale* | Quality | Publisher | Year of sale |
| 1 | Superman #1 | $5.30 million | CGC 8.0 | DC Comics | 2022 |
| 2 | Amazing Fantasy #15 | $3.60 million | CGC 9.6 | Marvel Comics | 2021 |
| 3 | Action Comics #1 | $3.55 million | CGC 6.0 | DC Comics | 2023 |
| 4 | Captain America Comics #1 | $3.12 million | CGC 9.4 | Marvel Comics | 2022 |
| 5 | Marvel Comics #1 | $2.40 million | CGC 9.4 | Marvel Comics | 2022 |
| 6 | Batman #1 | $2.22 million | CGC 9.4 | DC Comics | 2021 |
| 7 | Detective Comics #27 | $1.74 million | CGC 6.5 | DC Comics | 2021 |
| 8 | All Star Comics #8 | $1.62 million | CGC 9.4 | DC Comics | 2022 |
| 9 | Fantastic Four #1 | $1.50 million | CGC 9.2 | Marvel Comics | 2022 |
| 10 | X-Men #1 | $0.81 million | CGC 9.6 | Marvel Comics | 2021 |
| 11 | The Brave and The Bold #28 | $0.75 million | CGC 9.6 | DC Comics | 2022 |
| 12 | Incredible Hulk #1 | $0.49 million | CGC 9.0 | Marvel Comics | 2022 |
| 13 | Detective Comics #140 | $0.46 million | CGC 9.6 | DC Comics | 2021 |
| = | Phantom Lady #17 | $0.46 million | CGC 9.6 | DC Comics | 2021 |
| 15 | Flash Comics #1 | $0.45 million | CGC 9.6 | DC Comics | 2010 |
CGC recognized pedigree comic book collections
- Exceptional collections of comic books can become recognized as a pedigree by CGC.
- Pedigree collections indicate to buyers, sellers and fans that its comics meet high quality standards.
- Although most pedigree collections must consist of at least 1,000 comics, there are some pedigrees that have fewer titles.
- Pedigree collections with less than 1,000 titles must include extremely key or rare material.
- As of 2023, the CGC recognizes 61 comic pedigree collections:
- Allentown
- Aurora
- Bethlehem
- Big Apple
- Billy Wright
- Boston
- Bowling Green
- Carson City
- Central Valley
- Chicago
- Chinatown
- Circle 8
- Cookeville
- Cosmic Aeroplane
- Crowley
- Curator
- Davis Crippen “D”
- Denver
- Don Rosa
- Don/Maggie Thompson
- Edgar Church/Mile High
- Eldon
- Gaines
- Green River
- Haight-Ashbury
- Harold Curtis
- Hawkeye
- John G. Fantucchio
- Kansas City
- Larson
- Lost Valley
- Mass Copy
- Mohawk Valley
- Murphy Anderson File Copy
- New Hampshire
- Northford
- Northland
- Nova Scotia
- Oakland
- Ohio
- Okajima
- Pacific Coast
- Palo Alto
- Pennsylvania
- Promise
- Recil Macon
- River City
- Rockford
- Rocky Mountain
- Salida
- San Francisco/Tom Reilly
- Savannah
- Spokane
- Suscha News
- Twilight
- Twin Cities
- Vancouver
- Western Penn
- White Mountain
- Windy City
- Winnipeg
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Most expensive comic books FAQ
What makes a comic book valuable?
- Many factors can contribute to the overall value of a comic book copy.
- The first appearances of a character, key storylines, limited print runs and age can significantly increase the value of comics.
- Comic book valuations vary greatly over time and require buyers and sellers to keep informed.
How to find comic book value?
- To find the value of a comic, it is important to identify the comic book correctly, understand its condition and research similar copies using online price guides.
- Additionally, comic book owners looking to value their comics can check recent sales of similar issues, to determine an appropriate price for their item.