The most expensive comic books ever sold: documented record sales
Published Sep 14, 2026 · Updated Oct 11, 2026 · Event date Apr 3, 2024 · 2 min read
Short answerThe record for a single comic is 6 million dollars, paid for a CGC 8.5 copy of Action Comics #1 (1938) at Heritage Auctions in April 2024. Other documented milestone sales include a CGC 7.0 Superman #1 at 5.3 million dollars (private sale, 2022), a CGC 9.6 Amazing Fantasy #15 at 3.6 million dollars (Heritage, September 2021), a CGC 8.5 Action Comics #1 at 3.25 million dollars (ComicConnect, April 2021) and a CGC 9.4 Captain America Comics #1 at 3.12 million dollars (Heritage, April 2022).
Documented record sales
All figures are the reported hammer price including buyer's premium where the auction house reported it that way, in U.S. dollars.
| Date | Book | Grade | Price | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2024 | Action Comics #1 (1938) | CGC 8.5 | $6,000,000 | Heritage Auctions |
| 2022 (announced December) | Superman #1 (1939) | CGC 7.0 | $5,300,000 | Private sale via Heritage |
| September 2021 | Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962) | CGC 9.6 | $3,600,000 | Heritage Auctions |
| April 2021 | Action Comics #1 (1938) | CGC 8.5 | $3,250,000 | ComicConnect |
| April 2022 | Captain America Comics #1 (1941) | CGC 9.4 | $3,120,000 | Heritage Auctions |
| August 2014 | Action Comics #1 (1938) | CGC 9.0 | $3,207,852 | eBay (Pristine Comics) |
| March 2022 | Marvel Comics #1 (1939) | CGC 9.4 | $2,427,000 | Heritage Auctions |
| January 2021 | Batman #1 (1940) | CGC 9.4 | $2,220,000 | Heritage Auctions |
| November 2011 | Action Comics #1 (1938) | CGC 9.0 | $2,161,000 | ComicConnect |
| January 2022 | Detective Comics #27 (1939) | CGC 8.0 | $1,500,000 | Heritage Auctions |
| March 2011 | Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962) | CGC 9.4 | $1,100,000 | ComicConnect |
What the list tells you
- Golden Age origins dominate. Superman, Batman and Captain America's first appearances and first solo issues account for most of the top ten. The supply of high-grade copies is tiny and demand is global.
- Amazing Fantasy #15 is the Silver Age exception. It is the only post-1950 book in the top tier, because Spider-Man's audience is as large as Superman's and 9.6 copies are almost non-existent.
- Grade drives the multiple. The 9.0 Action Comics #1 in 2014 and the 8.5 copies in 2021 and 2024 show the same book at similar grades appreciating with time and venue.
- Records cluster in 2021–2024. The pandemic-era collectibles boom produced most of the entries above; the 2024 Action Comics sale showed that the very top of the market held up.
How to read a record
A record sale is one buyer's decision on one day for one copy — usually a pedigree copy or a top-of-census copy with a story. It sets a ceiling, not a price for every copy of the issue. For pricing an ordinary copy, see How to use realised sales data.
This list is limited to sales publicly reported by the auction house or platform involved and will be extended as new records are set.
Sources and further reading
Written by the Rare Comics Collectors grading team. Spotted an error or have a question this guide does not answer? Tell us.
