Action Comics #1, better known as the first ever Superman comic, is currently up for auction on eBay. With only a few days left in the auction, the bidding has already reached $1,850,101. (As of 10:30 p.m. PST on August 18th). The auction will likely exceed $2m, perhaps by a significant amount. The original price for the comic when it was released in 1938? $0.10.
Superman’s First Appearance
Long considered the “holy grail” for comic book collectors, approximately 50 – 100 copies of Action Comics #1 are thought to still be in existence. The last time the comic came to auction was in 2011 when actor Nicholas Cage sold his copy for $2.1m.
The copy up for auction is owned by comic book dealer Darren Adams, who purchased it a few years ago from a collector. That collector in turn purchased the comic from its original owner who had housed it in a cedar box since the day he purchased it in 1938. As a result, the comic is in exceptionally nice condition, rated a 9 out of 10 on a comic book rating scale.
Adams already turned down an offer for $3m for the comic book, so he is clearly anticipating a record-breaker with this eBay auction.
A portion of the sale’s proceeds will be donated to The Reeve Foundation, a charity set up by actor Christopher Reeve after a horse riding accident left him paralyzed.
Browse related collectible books:
Reprinted with permission from Fine Books & Collections, author
Get a discounted subscription to Fine Books & Collections on Biblio!
Sign up for the Fine Books & Collections free email newsletter.
Update! Action Comics #1 goes for $3.2 million on eBay! Here’s the report from Washington Post.
Rare Finds are a special feature from Biblio and the wonderful writers at Fine Books & Collections. Visit their site to see more about the rare book trade.
