Superman #1 CGC 9.0 Sells for $9.12M at Heritage; Sets New World Record

by Amanda Sheriff and J.C. Vaughn

The record for the most valuable comic book has been reset. Heritage has sold Superman #1 CGC 9.0—the highest-graded copy of the book—for $9.12 million. The comic was the
headliner in Heritage’s Comic Books Signature Auction, held November 20-22, 2025.

Not only did it set a new record for the most valuable comic, it also surpassed the previous benchmark. Prior to this sale, the highest price paid for a comic was $6 million for Action Comics #1 CGC 8.5 Kansas City Pedigree, which Heritage sold in April 2024. That copy is one of only seven known to have a grade of CGC 6.0 or higher.

Superman #1 is among the most important comics in the hobby. The book features the origin of Superman, the debuts of Ma and Pa Kent, the first mention of Krypton in comics, and a Superman pin-up on the back cover. It is Superman’s first self-titled book, with a story by co-creator Jerry Siegel and cover art by co-creator Joe Shuster.

This particular copy also comes with a memorable backstory. During the 2024 holiday season, three brothers from Northern California discovered it while going through items in their late mother’s attic. The brothers found six comic books that she and her brother had purchased between the Great Depression and World War II, including Superman #1. Despite decades of storage in an attic, the book was exceptionally well preserved and received a CGC 9.0 grade.
“This new record may someday be remembered as an early stage of popular culture collecting’s trajectory into the upper reaches of the auction field,” Heritage co-founder Jim Halperin said. “The value and historical importance of these objects are becoming even more well known to collectors all over the world. Thanks, in part, to Heritage Auctions’ reach and platform, market values have become more accessible and trackable than ever before. We’re proud of Heritage’s role in helping standardize, popularize, and grow the entire collectibles hobby.”

X-Men #1 CGC 9.2 Tops Hake’s $2.3 Million Auction
The X-Men, a 1920 campaign button, the Grateful Dead, Star Wars, and Mickey Mouse led Hake’s Auction #245 to a total of $2.3 million. The eclectic mix of 1,592 pop-culture and historical collectibles closed November 18-19, 2025.

X-Men #1 CGC 9.2, featuring the first appearances of Professor X, Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Iceman, Beast, and Angel, along with their greatest nemesis, Magneto, realized $131,334. Through the X-Men, creators Jack Kirby and Stan Lee introduced the concept of mutation, opening the door to limitless character designs and power sets.

The top Star Wars sale was the Power of the Force Luke Skywalker (Imperial Stormtrooper) first-shot/photo-sample action figure AFA 75, which realized $33,748, surpassing its $20,000 estimate and setting a world record. The first-shot Kenner figure, featuring the light-brown hair variety with a prototype rubber Stormtrooper helmet, was used for photography purposes.

This rare first-shot/photo-sample combination is considered the most desirable from the Power of the Force line and is the only AFA-graded example known.

The Grateful Dead 1966 “Skeleton & Roses” first-printing Family Dog concert poster CGC 9.8 achieved $59,059. Designers Stanley Mouse and Alton Kelley based the image on a 19th-century illustration by Edward Joseph Sullivan from the Arabian poetry publication The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. The poster is the most recognizable of the Family Dog series and a defining image of the San Francisco psychedelic music scene of the 1960s.

The Mickey and Minnie Mouse on Motorcycle tin wind-up toy cruised to $58,410, well above its $35,000 estimate. The classic 1930 Tipp & Co. toy is widely regarded as the most desirable Disney toy, coveted not only by Disneyana collectors but also by motorcycle and wind-up enthusiasts. The example offered was complete and original, aside from two small touch-ups to the Mickey Mouse figure. Fewer than 10 examples are known in original condition.

Mickey Mouse toys accounted for several additional strong prices, including a rare 1930s Mickey and Minnie “Mickey the Musical Mouse” tin toy that sold for $27,258. The very rare 1930s “Mickey Mouse Scooter” wind-up celluloid and tin toy realized $25,960. A Mickey Mouse chariot pulled by Horace Horsecollar, a 1930s celluloid wind-up toy, brought $22,983.

The Transformers Series 1 Optimus Prime AFA 85 exceeded its $10,000 estimate when it sold for $15,340. The Autobot Commander is boxed with the registered logo and is considered among the most desirable Transformers toys. The Series 2 Shockwave AFA 80, one of the most sought-after figures from that series, realized $11,449.

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Amanda Sheriff is the Editor-Digital for Gemstone Publishing. J.C. Vaughn is Gemstone’s President.