An Old Comic Book Just Made These Three Brothers Millionaires
Saatchi and Saatchi. on Wikimedia
Imagine finding an old object in a cardboard box in a family member's attic and instantly becoming a millionaire. No, it wasn't a rare gem or a string of diamonds—it was a comic book from 1939, Superman #1. Rare and highly collectible, this is the first comic fully about Superman.
While all first issues centered around a popular superhero are valuable, the one the brothers found blew the rest out of the water, breaking records for the most expensive comic book ever sold. At an auction in Texas last week, it went for an impressive $9.12 million, surpassing expectations.
What's the story?
The comic was discovered by three brothers when they were clearing out their deceased mother's attic in San Francisco last year. It was kept alongside several other rare vintage comics that she had collected before the start of WWII. She knew it was valuable and told her children about it, but they had never seen it until they put her house up for sale and started leafing through her belongings.
"It's a twist on the old 'Mom threw away my comics' story," Lon Allen, the vice president of comics at Heritage Auctions, told the BBC.
As soon as the brothers uncovered the box full of comics, they sent a message to the auction company, which flew out Allen to appraise them.
"It was just in an attic, sitting in a box — could have easily been thrown away, could've easily been destroyed in a thousand different ways," Allen told ABC News, adding that the cool California climate helped preserve it.
"If it had been in an attic here in Texas, it would have been ruined," he said.
Why is it so valuable?
As opposed to being ruined, the comics were found in exceptionally pristine condition. Before they go to auction, all potentially valuable collectibles are rated by the Certified Guaranty Company (CGC). Comics get graded on a scale of 1.5 to 10. The brothers' Superman #1 was given a 9.0 rating, beating the previous record of 8.5. This means it only showed very slight signs of wear.
Its rarity is also a factor. The brothers' copy was identified by experts as being one of 500,000 first edition Superman #1s, only 500 of which are thought to be in existence today.
Heritage Auctions estimated the comic would sell for $6 million, stating this is “the best comic ever for collectors,” and that it's the highest-rated, unrestored comic they had ever sold. They could never have estimated that it would reach the $9 million mark, however.
Previously, the most expensive comic book ever sold was a copy of Action Comics #1, which was bought for $6 million last year. Before that, another Superman #1 sold for $5.3 million in 2022.
"As the years unfolded, life brought about a series of losses and changes," the brothers, who did not want their names made public, said in a press release. "The demands of everyday survival took centre stage, and the box of comics, once set aside with care and intention, was forgotten. Until last Christmas."
"This isn't simply a story about old paper and ink. This was never just about a collectible. This is a testament to memory, family, and the unexpected ways the past finds its way back to us."
