Rare 1938 Action Comics No. 1 Sold Privately for $15 Million

A high-grade copy of Action Comics No. 1, the 1938 comic that introduced Superman, was sold privately to a collector for $15 million, the sale announced on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.

Vincent Zurzolo, president of Metropolis Collectibles and ComicConnect, said fewer than 100 copies are known to exist. The price makes the issue one of the most expensive comics ever sold; the auction record remains Superman No. 1 (1939), which sold for $9.12 million in November. "This is the advent of the golden age of comics, and Action Comics No. 1 is the holy grail of holy grails," Mr. Zurzolo said in an interview.

The particular copy has a noted provenance. Mr. Zurzolo said Nicolas Cage bought it from Metropolis Collectibles and ComicConnect in 1996 for $150,000. It was stolen from Mr. Cage’s home in 2000 and remained missing until 2011, when it was found in a storage unit in California. Stephen Fishler, chief executive of Metropolis and ComicConnect, said in a news release that during the 11 years it was missing the issue "skyrocketed in value." Mr. Zurzolo said the theft and recovery produced a "windfall" for Mr. Cage after he later sold the comic for $2.2 million at auction.

The Certified Guaranty Company gave the issue a 9.0 grade. Both the buyer and seller asked to remain anonymous. According to the C.G.C., at least eight copies of Action Comics No. 1 have now sold for more than $1 million.

Key Topics

Culture, Nicolas Cage, Metropolis Collectibles, Vincent Zurzolo, Certified Guaranty Company, California