Rare Superman Comic Found In Attic Sets New Auction Record
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Three brothers were clearing out their late mother's home in San Francisco in December 2024 when they stumbled upon a stash of old comic books. Among them was a copy of Superman No. 1, the first issue in which the superhero starred in his own series.
Realizing it might be valuable, they contacted Heritage Auctions. They were not disappointed. On November 21, 2025, the comic sold for a staggering $9.12 million. This shattered the previous record of $6 million set by a copy of Action Comics No. 1 — Superman’s first appearance — in 2024.
"It wasn't like we said, 'let's go find that comic book,'" the youngest brother said. "It was more like, 'let's get that dumpster and just fill it up.'"
The comic collection had a special family history. As a young girl in the late 1930s, their mother and her brother saved every spare cent to buy comics from a neighborhood newsstand, eventually building a small collection. She told her family about it, but could not recall where it was stored. As it turned out, the comics had been sitting in a box in her attic for decades, just waiting to be found.
Superman No. 1 was published in 1939, one year after Superman first appeared in Action Comics No. 1. The superhero's instant popularity led the publishers to give him his own series. The issue tells the origin story of Clark Kent. He arrived on Earth as a baby from another planet and grew up to protect humanity with his extraordinary powers.
About 500,000 copies of Superman No. 1 were printed initially. Publishers often encouraged children to cut off the covers to use as posters, and many copies were thrown away. Fewer than 500 copies are believed to exist today.
The "San Francisco copy" was in near-pristine condition with vivid colors and sharp corners. Experts believe the cool conditions in the attic helped preserve the comic and kept the paper from becoming brittle.
The brothers, who have chosen to remain anonymous, say the comic's meaning goes beyond its record-setting price. For them, it is a connection to their mother and her childhood.
"This was never just about a collectible," said the youngest brother. "This is a testament to memory, family, and the unexpected ways the past finds its way back to us."
Credit: Smithsonianmag.com, NPR.com, CNN.com
