$9.12 million Superman comic: Three brothers discover first edition in family attic; most expensive copy ever sold

An original first-edition copy of the 1939 Superman comic book has sold for over $9 million, after spending decades tucked away in a family attic. The comic book fetched $9.12 million last Thursday, making it the most expensive comic book ever sold.

Heritage Auctions called it “the pinnacle of comic collecting” and said it is the “highest-graded unrestored copy” they have ever offered. The sale broke the previous record set last year by Action Comics, a 1938 edition that introduced Superman, which sold for $6 million. The comic was graded 9.0 out of 10 by CGC, the world’s largest third-party comic grading service, for its rarity, bright colours, sharp corners, and tight spine. Three brothers from Northern California discovered the eight-decade-old comic while sorting through their late mother’s belongings. It had been tucked in a box under cobwebs in the family attic and forgotten until last Christmas.

The brothers, now in their 50s and 60s, found five early Action Comics issues, with Superman standing out. Their mother and uncle had bought the comics between the Great Depression and World War II, back when National Allied Publications became Detective Comics, now DC.

“This was never just about a collectible. It is a testament to memory, family, and the unexpected ways the past finds its way back to us,” the youngest brother said in a statement to the auction house. He added that comics were a treasured refuge growing up in a small apartment with few luxuries. Heritage Auctions vice president Lon Allen said the comic’s story and condition made it unique. “Superman is a milestone in pop culture history. This copy is in unprecedented condition and has a movie-worthy story,” he said. Allen added that Northern California’s climate helped preserve the comic, unlike the hotter, damper conditions of Dallas, Texas, where the auction house is based.