Comic Book Values: Prices, Guides and Record Sales

High Value Comic Books: The Most Valuable Sales on Record

Quick answer

The most valuable comic books by recorded sale: Action Comics #1 made $15 million in CGC 9.0 in January 2026, and the rest of the top ten.

Updated 2026-09-25 · Sources: cgcgrading.com, Wikipedia, withvincent.com, nostomania.com

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What are the key facts?

Record for any comic: $15 million, Action Comics #1, CGC 9.0, private sale via Metropolis Collectibles/ComicConnect, January 9, 2026 (CGC)
Highest public auction result: $9.12 million, Superman #1, CGC 9.0, Heritage Auctions, November 20, 2025 (CGC)
Highest-priced Marvel comic: $3.6 million, Amazing Fantasy #15, CGC 9.6, Heritage Auctions, 2021 (CGC list)
Most expensive book from the 1960s: Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962), ahead of Fantastic Four #1 at $2.04 million and Tales of Suspense #39 at $2 million (CGC list)
What the top ten have in common: All are 1938 to 1963 first issues or first appearances, all CGC-graded, nine of ten in CGC 9.0 or higher

The 10 most expensive comic books ever sold

Ranked by each title's highest recorded sale, from CGC's list of the most expensive comics (updated July 13, 2026). Grade, venue and year follow each price.

Action Comics #1 (1938): $15 million, CGC 9.0, private sale, 2026
Superman #1 (1939): $9.12 million, CGC 9.0, Heritage Auctions, 2025
Batman #1 (1940): $6 million, CGC 9.4, private sale, 2026
Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962): $3.6 million, CGC 9.6, Heritage Auctions, 2021
Captain America Comics #1 (1941): $3.12 million, CGC 9.4, Heritage Auctions, 2022
Marvel Comics #1 (1939): $2.4 million, CGC 9.4, ComicConnect, 2022
Detective Comics #27 (1939): $2.32 million, CGC 7.0, Heritage Auctions, 2026
Fantastic Four #1 (1961): $2.04 million, CGC 9.6, Heritage Auctions, 2024
Tales of Suspense #39 (1963): $2 million, CGC 9.8, ComicLink, 2023
All-Star Comics #8 (1941): $1.62 million, CGC 9.4, Heritage Auctions, 2022

Lists written before 2025 are out of date. A 2024 top-ten list from Vincent, for example, still has Action Comics #1 at $6 million and Superman #1 at $5.3 million.

The same comic at very different prices

The records above are for the best copies. Lower grades of the same issues sell for a fraction, as CGC's sale list shows:

Action Comics #1: $15 million in CGC 9.0 (2026), $1.5 million in CGC 4.5 (Heritage, 2026) and $1.5 million in CGC 3.0 (2023)
Detective Comics #27: $2.32 million in CGC 7.0 (Heritage, 2026), $600,000 in CGC 3.0 (Heritage, 2024)
Batman #1: $6 million in CGC 9.4 (2026), $552,000 in CGC 6.0 (Heritage, 2023)
Amazing Fantasy #15: $3.6 million in CGC 9.6 (2021), $540,000 in CGC 9.0 (Heritage, 2024)

On Amazing Fantasy #15, the step from CGC 9.0 to 9.6 was worth more than $3 million. Grade is the first thing to confirm on any headline price.

The holy grail: Action Comics #1

Collectors call Action Comics #1 the holy grail because it introduced Superman and, in Wikipedia's words, is widely considered the start of the superhero genre and the most valuable comic book in the world. It went on sale April 18, 1938, priced at 10 cents, with a print run of 200,000. Wikipedia estimates 50 to 100 original copies survive; CGC said in January 2026 that fewer than 100 are in its Population Report and only two are graded 9.0, the highest grade for the issue. Values by grade are on our Superman first appearance page.

A second ranking: value at one fixed grade

Sale records favor books that happen to have a top copy on the market. Nostomania ranks instead by estimated value in CGC 9.4, recomputed with each pricing update. When retrieved in September 2026 its top five were Action Comics #1 ($16,100,000), Detective Comics #27 ($11,000,000), Superman #1 ($9,118,620), Radio Funnies #nn ($4,470,000) and Batman #1 ($3,240,000). All-American Comics #16, New Fun Comics #1 and Action Comics #2 also appear in its top ten. These are estimates for copies in 9.4, not sales; several of these books may never have a 9.4 copy.

High value comics from the 1970s and 1980s

Most readers will never hold a Golden Age key, but later keys can still be worth hundreds or thousands. PriceCharting CGC values, retrieved September 25, 2026 (CGC 2.0 to CGC 9.4 unless noted):

House of Secrets #92 (1971), first Swamp Thing: $591 to $13,200
The Incredible Hulk #181 (1974), first full Wolverine: $1,399 to $10,000
The Amazing Spider-Man #129 (1974), first Punisher: $730 to $4,422
Giant-Size X-Men #1 (1975), first new X-Men team: $1,000 to $5,440
Avengers Annual #10 (1981), first Rogue: $33 to $200
The Amazing Spider-Man #252 (1984), first black costume: $290 in CGC 9.2 and $1,446 in CGC 9.8
The Amazing Spider-Man #300 (1988), first full Venom: $162 to $725, and $3,144 in CGC 9.8

How to tell if your comic is one of the valuable ones

Check the cover price and date against the issue. Action Comics #1 sold for 10 cents in 1938; a modern price or barcode on an old-looking cover means a reprint or facsimile.
Confirm the key. Look the issue up in our first appearances list or the key issue guide.
Look for restoration. CGC puts restored books on a purple label and books with conservation repairs on a blue-and-purple label; restored copies sell below unrestored ones. See spot a fake or restored comic.
Then price it by grade with the steps on our comic book value page.

FAQ

What is the holy grail of comic books?

Action Comics #1 (June 1938), the first appearance of Superman. A CGC 9.0 copy sold for $15 million in January 2026, the highest price ever paid for a comic (CGC).

What are the 10 most expensive comic books?

Action Comics #1 ($15 million), Superman #1 ($9.12 million), Batman #1 ($6 million), Amazing Fantasy #15 ($3.6 million), Captain America Comics #1 ($3.12 million), Marvel Comics #1 ($2.4 million), Detective Comics #27 ($2.32 million), Fantastic Four #1 ($2.04 million), Tales of Suspense #39 ($2 million) and All-Star Comics #8 ($1.62 million), per CGC's list updated July 13, 2026.

How do I tell if my comic book is worth money?

Confirm it is an original printing of a key issue, check for restoration, estimate the grade, then compare recent sold prices for that grade. Most value sits in first appearances and high grades.

Which 1980s comic books are worth money?

First appearances lead. The Amazing Spider-Man #300 (1988) is $162 to $725 across CGC 2.0 to 9.4 and $3,144 in CGC 9.8; The Amazing Spider-Man #252 (1984) is $1,446 in CGC 9.8; Avengers Annual #10 (1981) is $33 to $200 (PriceCharting, September 25, 2026).

How rich was Stan Lee when he died?

No official figure was published. Celebrity Net Worth estimates $20 million at his death on November 12, 2018, and notes that a 1998 lifetime agreement with Marvel paid him $1 million a year. Other estimates vary widely.

How to tell what comics are worth money?

Start with the issue number and the indicia, then check it against a key issue list. If it is a key, grade it and look up sold prices; if it is not, it is most likely worth cover-price money or a few dollars.

Are 1970s comics worth anything?

The keys are. The Incredible Hulk #181 (1974) is $1,399 to $10,000, Giant-Size X-Men #1 (1975) $1,000 to $5,440 and House of Secrets #92 (1971) $591 to $13,200 across CGC 2.0 to 9.4 (PriceCharting, September 25, 2026).

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Sources

cgcgrading.comwww.cgcgrading.com/news/articles/most-valuable-comics-2XRk8PeU7nANJKgpJFEzIS/
cgcgrading.comwww.cgcgrading.com/news/articles/action-comics-superman-record-6qZRvkTFzJ8mfQgWM
cgcgrading.comwww.cgcgrading.com/news/articles/superman-heritage-sale-45XNw4KhzzrUytpTfbWGBB/
Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_Comics_1
withvincent.comwww.withvincent.com/research/10-most-expensive-comic-books
nostomania.comwww.nostomania.com/servlets/com.nostomania.CatPage?name=Top100ComicsMain
pricecharting.comwww.pricecharting.com/game/comic-books-incredible-hulk/the-incredible-hulk-181-1
pricecharting.comwww.pricecharting.com/game/comic-books-amazing-spider-man/amazing-spider-man-252
pricecharting.comwww.pricecharting.com/game/comic-books-amazing-spider-man/amazing-spider-man-300
Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Certified_Guaranty_Company
celebritynetworth.comwww.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/authors/stan-lee-net-worth/

Compiled by the ComicLens editorial team

Every fact on this page is taken from the sources listed above; numbers and prices are copied from the source, and prices name the guide or auction and its date. Research and drafting were assisted by AI, and each claim was then checked against the cited sources. Checked 2026-09-25. We do not buy, sell or grade items; the app identifies what you photograph and points you to these references.