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The Million Dollar Comic Book Club
The year 2020 marks the 10th anniversary of the first two comics to sell for $1 million or more,
and despite the far-reaching economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,
this year has also witnessed another addition to the million-dollar club.
CGC 8.0 Action Comics #1 CGC 8.0 Detective Comics #27 CGC 8.5 Action Comics #1 CGC 9.0 Action Comics #1
became the first comic to sell became the first comic to top $1.5 million $2,161,000
for $1 million. $1 million ($1,075,500) 2010, ComicConnect 2011, ComicConnect
ComicConnect.com on Feb. 22, 2010 Heritage Auctions on Feb. 25, 2010
n February 22, 2010, ComicConnect.com sold The Amazing Fantasy sale is particularly noteworthy
a CGC-certified 8.0 copy of Action Comics #1, because of its relatively young age. Published in 1962,
Othe first appearance of Superman, for it’s 24 years younger than Action Comics #1 (1938) and
$1,000,000. While the market had sustained six-figure 23 years younger than Detective Comics #27 (1939). It
prices for quite some time, this sale sent shockwaves remains the “newest” member of the million-dollar club
through the industry. to this date, and the high grade should be considered a
Those shockwaves were multiplied just three days driving force in that sale.
later when Heritage Auctions sold a CGC-certified 8.0 A high grade combined with a superior quality of the
copy of Detective Comics #27, the first appearance of interior pages sparked the $3,207,852 sale of a CGC
Batman, for $1,075,500, making it the first comic book 9.0 Action Comics #1 by Pristine Comics on August 24,
to top $1 million. 2014. The transaction on eBay remains the highest doc-
Later that same year, Action Comics #1 reclaimed the umented public sale of a comic book to date. It was also
top spot when ComicConnect sold a CGC 8.5 copy for the last million-dollar sale for almost four years.
$1.5 million. Since these two issues were scarce, In June 2018, the same CGC 8.5 copy of Action
particularly in high grade, and that they presented the Comics #1 that brought $1.5 million in 2010 was sold
origins of such iconic characters, it seemed that they for $2,052,000 at ComicConnect. This set a new record
might stand alone for a while in the seven-figure club. for that issue in that grade.
2011 said otherwise. While a CGC 9.0 copy of Marvel Comics #1, originally published in 1939,
Action Comics #1 set another new record when it sold which features the origins of Namor and the Human
for $2,161,000 at ComicConnect, the company also CGC 9.6 Amazing Fantasy #15 Torch, joined the million-dollar ranks on November
turned heads when they reported the sale of a CGC- $1,100,000 24, 2019, at Heritage Auctions when a CGC-certified
certified 9.6 copy of Amazing Fantasy #15, the first 2011, ComicConnect 9.4 copy sold for $1,260,000.
appearance of Spider-Man, for $1,100,000.
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