Stolen Superman Debut Sells for Record $15 Million in January 2026

A new benchmark for collectible comic books was established in January 2026 when a copy of Action Comics No. 1, the 1938 issue that introduced Superman to the world, fetched an astonishing 15 million dollars in a private transaction. This monumental sale immediately eclipsed the previous worldwide record, which had been set just two months prior. That earlier benchmark involved a copy of Superman No. 1 from 1939, which commanded 9.12 million dollars at auction in November 2025.

The Manhattan-based firm Metropolis Collectibles/Comic Connect facilitated this high-stakes deal, maintaining strict confidentiality regarding the identities of both the seller and the buyer. This particular comic book boasts a notorious provenance; it is the very copy that was stolen from actor Nicolas Cage's home in the year 2000 before being recovered in 2011. The inaugural issue of Action Comics No. 1 originally hit newsstands in 1938 with a cover price of just ten cents, fundamentally launching the superhero genre and detailing the Man of Steel's origin story.

Vincent Zurzolo, President of Metropolis Collectibles/Comic Connect, estimates that only around 100 known copies of this seminal publication still exist today. Zurzolo emphasized the comic's status as one of the ultimate prizes in collecting, suggesting that without the immense popularity of Superman, iconic figures like Batman might never have materialized. Cage originally acquired this specific copy back in 1996 for a then-significant sum of 150,000 dollars. Following its recovery, he sold it at auction for 2.2 million dollars.

Stephen Fishler, CEO of Metropolis Collectibles/Comic Connect and the individual who originally brokered the sale to Cage, posits that the dramatic saga of its theft and subsequent retrieval substantially amplified both its cultural cachet and its monetary worth. Fishler drew a compelling parallel to the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre, noting how the recovery transformed the painting into a global icon. He suggests a similar trajectory for Action Comics No. 1, which he now views as an icon of American popular culture. This specific issue had already set records previously, including a sale for 2.161 million dollars in 2011 after it was located in a Southern California storage unit.

The recent 15 million dollar private sale clearly illustrates that within the elite tier of Golden Age assets, particularly copies of Action Comics No. 1 in superior grades, the documented history—the provenance—can be a decisive factor in determining the final price. The broader collectibles market is clearly experiencing robust growth, evidenced by other significant transactions. For instance, another copy of Action Comics No. 1, graded CGC 8.5, successfully sold for 6 million dollars in April 2024, confirming the sustained high demand for top-tier foundational comic books.