The following is based off of the $100,000 Club list, a catalog I have kept for more than 20 years of all the individual comic books that might sell for over $100,000. That list has grown over the years!
Unlike some lists of “the most valuable comic books” I've seen out there (in print and online) this article strive to name not only the title and issue number (as in "Action #1 is the most valuable comic book in the world") but to try to pinpoint the individual copies that make up the hobby's stratosphere.
For a real world analog, all the other lists are the equivalent of saying "Da Vinci’s paintings are among the most valuable in the world" and leaving it at that where this list is would point out that "Leonardo da Vinci's Salvator Mundi sold for $450.3 million" and would use that data to analyze the price.
All of this is the result of twenty five years of research and discussion of these top end books both in private conversation at conventions and online. Thanks to dozens of people on the CGC forum for being so knowledgeable and as into this stuff as I am.
Before anyone points it out, there are obviously holes in my data set as there are books that have slipped out of the hobby (many of the Reilly books, for example), there are books I don't have full information on (some people are less free with their knowledge than others) and there are non-pedigree books that I just don't know about (a great example is the Superman #1 CGC 9.0 which was unknown until it was listed for sale), so this list has always been a work-in-progress. For reference, three new books have been added to the list in the top six since I first wrote it.
I'm always interested in feedback on these lists. If you've got info on any of these books, or just want to talk in depth about my reasoning, feel free to drop me an email or leave a comment below.
When I originally wrote this, the cutoff for inclusion was around $550,000. That was for a top ten! There have been more than 60 sales over $550,000. That doesn’t count the MANY books locked up in private collections.
As a note, in situations where there are multiple books of the same grade that I cannot differentiate since I don’t know details of them, I’m going to collapse those books into one item on the list. In cases where there is a way to differentiate them they will be listed separately.
I've archived the original version of this article. (And here's another archived version from the mid-2010s. And this version from 2021.)
On with the show!
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Mile High/Edgar Church Copy of Action #1
The best copy of the first appearance of Superman, the single most important American comic, wins this particular horse race. This was the easiest book on the list to position (although #2 is a virtual tie in that regard.)
In the collection of a prominent Virginia Collector. The greatest collection of comic books since the Church collection was broken up.
A truly legendary comic, speculation about the value and condition of this book has been a favorite topic of conversation for hard-core collectors for decades. The current owner famously "overpaid" for this book in 1984, spending $25,000 on it.
Speculation about the book's condition is also a popular topic in today's condition-conscious, CGC world. The best estimates of its condition are anecdotal. Stephen Fischler from Metropolis Comics and Steve Borock from CGC/CBCS/Heritage/ComicLink have both seen it and have provided grade estimates. Fischler, certainly someone in position to know having owned and sold more Action #1s than anyone in the hobby (including multiple copies on this list), says that the book would be an unrestored 9.2 on CGC's ten point scale.
Steve Borock, former President and Primary Grader at CGC and founder at CBCS, says it would be a 9.4.
The book isn't going anywhere so that estimation is as good as we're going to get.
Of course, regardless of the number attached to the book, it's generally agreed that this is the best copy and if that's truly the case the technical grade is practically irrelevant. It's the best copy of the best book from the best pedigree and it's in the best collection on the planet.
It wins.
As I mentioned it last sold for $25,000 as reported in the 1984 guide. That same year the Church Marvel Comics #1 sold for $35,000. Prices have since diverged.
Strangely, this has never been the most expensive comic book ever sold.
Estimated Value: $25,000,000
This estimate is obviously speculative, but I’m basing it on a 4x multiple of the $6,000,000 the Kansas City CGC 8.5 copy sold for in 2024.
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Allentown Copy of Detective Comics #27
In the collection of a prominent Virginia Collector
If the Church Action #1 is the #1 book in the hobby, then this book is #1b. It’s my favorite comic book in the world and I’ve never seen it. I have heard a rumor that there’s a photo that was circulated around the time it was sold, so if you’ve got one, I will be your best friend forever.
I’m also completely open to trips to Virginia.
The best copy of the first appearance of Batman is in the the same collection as the Church Action #1 and it's another book we have to speculate about in terms of grade.
Graded VF/NM by Payette and MT by Fishler. I’m going with the assumption that this is at least 9.4 as Payette has said he graded it harshly in the intervening years and history has shown that his grades on the Allentown books were very tight. This could easily be a 9.6. I mean. It really could be.
This is the legendary book in the Allentown collection and one of the most incredible books in the hobby. The second best known copy is the CGC 9.2. The “other high grade copy” is in the same range 9.0-9.2 (if it’s not that same CGC 9.2 book.) The second best CGC graded is the Church copy at 8.5
Last sold for $80,000 in 1990. Not a bad buy! It was the record price paid for a comic book at the time.
Estimated Value: $22,500,000
Valuation? Ten percent less than the Action #1. That’s the way I’ve sliced these books up for many years. My heart values this at $50,000,000.
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Detective Comics #27 CGC 9.2
As I’ve described since this book first appeared, I do not know with 100% accuracy where this book came from. I've spoken to several knowledgeable people and gotten differing opinions on this book's origin and absolutely no one wants to talk about this book on the record.
I have 100% talked to people who know who owns this book. I may have talked to the owner, pretending to know the owner! I don’t know.
If you’re the owner of this book I want to help you! I’ll make you millions! Don’t you want millions?
I mean, I’m kind of joking, but this is actually true. If I can prove that this book wipes away two more books in the top 25 and means that the second best copy of Detective Comics #27 is .7 better than the next copy? That’s a big deal. This would be the best possible comic not in the collection of a prominent Virginia collector by a large margin.
Anyway, without people reaching out on the record all I can do is share my speculation and leave it at that .
I think there are four reasonable possibilities for this book.
- It's a previously unknown book graded as a 9.2.
- It's the "other high grade copy" (see #7) resurfacing 20+ years after selling for $101k. This book was listed in Overstreet as a FN68, but people who have seen it think it's much nicer- right around 9.0/9.2.
- It's the "missing" Mastronet copy returned from its vacation and pressed up to a 9.2. Looking at the book in the catalog and checking the grading notes it's a strong possibility. It was graded harshly at the time (just look at it!) and had some pressable defects (non-breaking "finger creases", etc.) so it's entirely plausible that it's this new 9.2.
- This is the “other high grade copy” which was then graded as an 8.0 early in the CGC era, sold by Mastronet, went missing, and then pressed into a 9.2 collapsing these three books into one.
By the way, "Non-breaking finger creases!" That's like a big "press me" alert flashing in your face when you read grader's notes. You can go from 9.0 to 9.6 with books like that.
Since I know nothing for sure, I'm going to treat the three books as separate entries on the list.
As for value, this is the most valuable CGC graded book and the most valuable book that could potentially come up for sale (the first two books are not going anywhere.)
Estimated Value: $18,000,000
Because it’s the best copy that will be available any time soon, is the most valuable CGC graded book and is the best book that someone could potentially be able to buy. I think this might be conservative.
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Best Existing Superman #1
In the collection of a prominent Virginia Collector.
I talked about this book in depth in a podcast episode following the sale of the CGC 9.0 and have gone back and forth on where to place it. I don’t know anything about it other than the fact that it’s likely the best copy and that it’s in the best collection on the planet. Just to create a framework to value it, let’s imagine that it’s a well preserved 9.2 (it’s definitely better than the 8.5 Church copy, which has great preservation, so… let’s assume it’s nicer looking from a preservation perspective than the 9.0 that just sold.)
I've heard a range of grades for this book ranging from 8.0 to 9.2. Considering this is the copy he chose to keep out of all the copies available to him over the years (including the Church copy and now the CGC 9.0- it would be nice to know who bought that) I would guess that it's nearer the 9.* end of that range.
Assuming all that’s true, I’m going to say it’s worth double the book that just sold. There are a bunch of possibilities which shift the value. Here’s what I think:
- If it’s a 9.4 or better then all bets are off. It’s basically the 1c book in the hobby and tickles the top two. It’s worth over $20,000,000 and pushes UP the value of the Church Action #1 and the Allentown Detective 27
- If it’s a 9.2 it’s tickling towards 2x the price of the 9.0. This is the framework I’m going with in this version of the list.
- If it’s a nicer 9.0 (white pages and or better overall preservation than the Lee family copy) it’s worth 10-12,000,000.
- It’s the biggest mistake that our prominent Virginia collector made and it’s not the best copy. IT falls down the list and we get to hype up the Lee Family copy and the Church copy.
Estimated Value: $16,000,000
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Action Comics CGC 9.0 White
This book was purchased from the original owner by Joe Mannarino from All Star Auctions in the late 1970s. It sold to an unknown collector and sat in his collection for another 30 years until it came up for private sale in 2011. At the time, the book was graded at 8.0 by CGC. It sold to Darren Adams of Pristine Comics for somewhere north of $1,000,000. Somewhere in the intervening 3 years the book was regraded at least twice- once to 8.5 and then again at 9.0.
The 8.0 and 8.5 grades were not known to the hobby because of a since discontinued policy of hiding certain books from the CGC census.
The book, tied for highest graded with significantly better preservation, was listed on eBay (of all places) selling to Metropolis Comics for their client Ayman Hariri (and his Impossible Collection) for a whopping $3,207,852.00
Estimated Value: $15,000,000
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"Nic Cage" Action Comics CGC 9.0
What a strange history this book has had. It was sold, with Metropolis presumably waving the paddle, to actor Nic Cage at Sotheby's in 1992 for $82,500 dollars. At the time the book was graded at a 74 by the Sotheby's grading committee. Cage held onto the book in his world class comic collection until, one day in 2000 the book, along with two others, was stolen from his house. Fast forward to the year 2011. Several comics had sold for huge sums. Pent up demand had been sated with a series of big ticket sales, including a succession of golden age keys that had run the comic book sales record quickly from $1,000,000 to $1,075,000 to $1,500,000.
Then the Cage copy resurfaced.
The book was subsequently graded by CGC at 9.0 (with Cream to Off-White pages) and was listed with Comic Connect, selling at their November 30, 2011 auction for $2,161,000. A record at the time.
This book was also purchased by Ayman Hariri.
This has twice been the most expensive comic book ever sold.
Estimated Value: $14,000,000
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The "other" high grade copy of Detective Comics #27
I've had this book pretty definitively quoted as being a 9.*. Interestingly, it was listed as only a FN68 in the 24th edition of the Overstreet Price Guide. I'd love to know why there's such a discrepancy. Still, the people I've talked to about it say it's an extremely nice book and might the highest graded and best available if it were to come up for sale.
In that same guide it was listed as having sold twice in a year- once for $81,000 then again for $101,000. The latter figure, I believe, makes this the first documented six figure comic book sale. It was a record, at the time, for the most valuable comic book ever sold.
I say "documented", because John Verzyl told me that he spent over $100,000 for the Church Marvel Comics #1 when he purchased it in the 80s (!) That was the last gasp of Marvel Comics #1 being the king.
I've placed this book here, just behind the Cage copy of Action #1. This assumes it's a 9.0 copy. I had to make a choice and I chose 9.0. As I mentioned, this could be the CGC 9.2 copy. If that’s the case this disappears from the list. If it’s a 9.2 AND isn’t the CGC 9.2 copy it would reshuffle the top five. The question of the origin of the CGC 9.2 continues to kill me.
Estimated Value: $10,000,000
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Captain America Allentown CGC 9.8
Sold for $260,000 over twenty years ago now. At the time it was the most expensive comic ever sold. In the 2021 version of this list I placed this book ahead of Marvel Comics #1 Church Copy as the most valuable Timely/Marvel book for the first time. I have had a hard time with this book and the Marvel #1 since they’re both so crazy, but whatever way I slice it in the context of this list, I think this is the more valuable book. Whatever you think of the San Francisco result because of when it happened, in the heart of the pandemic, it’s still 3 million dollars for a 9.4 and, unlike Silver Age Books, Golden Age books have INCREASED in value over the past few years.
This is the highest CGC graded major Golden Age Key (although it was upgraded from a 9.6)
It’s the first appearance of CAPTAIN AMERICA.
I valued this at $10,000,000 earlier this year and I haven’t changed my mind.
By the way, I have never researched who OWNED this book before it was sold to John Verzyl.
Estimated Value: $10,000,000
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Superman #1 CGC 9.0
I talked about this book in depth in multiple videos. As of this writing/recording this is the current record-holder for the most expensive comic book ever sold, selling for $9,120,000 in November of 2025 at Heritage Comics.
Discovered in an attic/closet (I feel like I’ve seen both in the coverage) by three brothers, this book (along with a handful of other books) was brought to auction with much fanfare. This “Lee Family Collection” book smashed the previous record for a comic book sold at auction by $3,120,000.
Estimated Value: $9,250,000
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Mile High/Edgar Church Copy of Marvel Comics #1
I had this copy in the top ten for a while. It’s been creeping back into the running. Marvel #1 is in much stronger shape than it's been in for many years and It’s now back in the top ten. Welcome back Marvel Comics #1!
Twice the most expensive comic book ever sold. $13,500.00 in 1979 and $35,000.00 in 1984.
For valuation…
The Windy City copy, a CGC 9.4, sold for 1.26 million in 2019.
The pay copy, a 9.2, sold for $2,427,778 in 2022, which might have been a bubble-ish result but is still 2.427 million dollars.
A 7.5 sold for $675,000 in 2023.
A 6.0 sold for $419,111 in 2025.
Those numbers are a long way from the 2000s where this book was a dog.
This particular book is supposed to be basically perfect, with perfect registration. I’ve always blithely assumed it’s a 9.8. John told a story about poring over the book when he was going to buy it trying to find ANYTHING wrong with it and he couldn’t so he had to pay full price.
In that case, and with everything we’ve seen over the past few years, I think this book is pushing towards the $10,000,000 mark. Just based on the Windy City result, I think we have a baseline of about $5,000,000 for this book now and that was six years ago. While Silver Age books, especially those associated with the MCU, have been flat or gone down over the past few years, Golden Age books are really strong. We’ve set new, ridiculous highs at the top end of the hobby multiple times over the past few years and I have no doubt that if this book were to come up for sale it would be a big deal. If the baseline is $5,000,000 and the moonshot is $10,000,000+ I’m going to split the difference for the valuation here.
Estimated Value: $8,000,000
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Kansas City Action #1 CGC 8.5
The first million dollar comic book and twice the record holder for the most expensive comic book ever sold.
For now and evermore this will be the one that broke that magical $1,000,000 barrier.
Now a CGC 8.5 in the fancy pedigree holder it was, for a while, once again the most most expensive comic book ever sold, selling for $6,000,000 at Heritage.
The 4th best Action #1 is a very cool book.
Estimated Value: $7,000,000
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Action Comics #1 CGC 8.5
For a time, this book, the rusty staple copy, was the most valuable comic ever sold, selling for $1,500,000 at ComicConnect in 2010. Then the 9.0s came along and it got bumped down a bit.
For MANY years this was the most valuable CGC graded book having been graded very early in the CGC era and only being supplanted when the two CGC 9.0 Action #1s and the Detective Comics #27 CGC 9.2 came along.
This was graded before the first CGC Census report on July 01, 2001.
This book briefly took over the top spot again, as the most expensive comic book ever sold, in 2021, selling for $3,250,000 at ComicConnect before the Amazing Fantasy 15 took the top spot later in the year.
A gorgeous copy. Without the rusted staples it would be even nicer (if that's even possible.)
As I re-discovered researching this list, this book once appeared as “the other high grade Action #1” having been mentioned in an anecdote about being shopped to our esteemed prominent Virginia collector in the 1990s.
Estimated Value: $6,500,000
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Mile High/Edgar Church Superman #1 CGC 8.5
As I often mention, I’ve seen this in person. Beautiful book.
Twice the record holder for the world’s most expensive comic.
In 1995 Bechara bought it from Red Beard at San Diego for $170,000 and then Superman #1 (Edgar Church) sold by Tony Arnold/Roy Delic for $5,300,000.00 ($5,601,645.91) in April of 2022
I’ve also got connections to both sales. I’ve known Bechara since the 1980s and Roy Delic is a CGC forum staple so I’ve been involved in MANY conversations about high end comics with him.
Both sales made quite a splash, of course. I have a funny anecdote about the 1995 sale. It made CNN and after it ran, my mother called me and said "That comic guy you know, Bechara? He was on television. He bought a comic book for some record price? Know anything about it?"
Yes I do mom. Yes I do.
Estimated Value: $6,000,000
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Detective Comics #27 Mile High/Edgar Church CGC 8.5
This book was graded in 2021. It's now tied for the best book from the Church collection in a CGC holder. I had it pegged as an 8.5 for years and it turned out to be an accurate estimate. My sources are pretty good!
Hearing about this and the Larson Action #1 CGC 8.0 getting graded were highlights of 2021 for me. Where are these books? Same collection? That would be nutty. That would already be one of the top collections on the planet with just those two books.
For perspective's sake, this book sold for $125,000 in 1994. A Detective Comics #27 CGC 8.0 sold for $1,075,000 in 2010. Things have gone a bit crazy since then. That $125,000 investment looks pretty good from where I'm sitting.
Estimated Value: $6,000,000
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Detective 27 CGC 8.0 (the missing copy)
At the dawn of the CGC era, in 2001, a sports memorabilia auctioneer Mastro (who were later investigated by the FBI, that’s fun) sold a CGC 8.0 copy of Detective Comics #27 for $278,190.00. That was, at the time, the most expensive comic book ever sold. We assumed it then just went into a collection. That was until I got the following comment on my site:
“I had and in theory still have a deal to buy the Detective 27 CGC 8.0. It's very disturbing to me but the collector who owns the book claims that he can't find it. Does anyone here believe this? If it was stolen or lost in a fire I would have an easier time dealing with it. What do you think the book is worth?”
This anecdote was backed up in the Daily News of all places as Mastro was in the papers because they were being investigated by the FBI and the commenter was mentioned in print.
As I mentioned I think this is a candidate for the source of the CGC 9.2. If it’s not it’s down here as an 8.0 that has a very pressable defect so there’d be some upwards pressure on it.
Estimated Value: $6,000,000
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Superman #1 CGC 8.0 (used to be a 7.5)
This book sold for $250,000 in 2005 and has since been upgraded. Sold by Steve Lauterbach, I only learned about this sale at a CGC Forum dinner in Chicago where he pulled me aside to tell me about it.
Estimated Value: $5,500,000
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Action #1 Larson CGC 8.0
This book was originally in my top ten. Other books pushed it off the list and I had some questions on whether or not it had some work done to it, so I ignored it in intervening iterations of this article. Well, it's been graded, an unrestored 8.0, but the universe has shifted significantly since then so it’s at the tail end of the top 20.
Graded in 2021.
Listed as “1: VF/NM (Slight spine roll; lite speckling BC at top, left margin)” in the catalog.
Estimated Value: $5,500,000
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Detective 27 CGC 8.0 (former record holder)
This book sold for $1,075,000 at Heritage on February 25, 2010 and has been nestled in a collection ever since.
It was a record for the most expensive comic book ever sold at the time.
This was one of the most exciting auctions I’ve watched live.
Estimated Value: $5,500,000
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Batman #1 Church Copy
Don’t ever sleep on Batman #1. 1st Catwoman. 1st Joker.
For a long time I didn't know the location of this book. That's surprising as it's in the same collection as the Church Action #1, the Allentown Detective #27 and the best known copy of Superman #1. Anyway, this is supposed to be the best copy out there. It was listed as a NM in the catalog so it could be anywhere from 9.0 to 9.8. I'm going to lean towards the higher end of the spectrum, knowing that it's never been upgraded in the 30 years since it last sold. Since we now have a CGC 9.4 to compare it to, I'm going to estimate the value based on it being 9.6 since I assume it’s the best copy.
If it’s a 9.8 all bets are off.
Estimated Value: $5,000,000
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Action #1 CGC 7.5
All I know about this book is that it’s in the Census. This book has been in the census since the second census update in January of 2002. If you’re the owner of this book since you graded it between July 2001 and January of 2002 you win at comics because you’ve owned an incredible comic book and you’ve made a ton of money.
Estimated Value: $5,000,000
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Detective Comics #27 CGC 7.5 (2x)
There are two of these. One (OW/W) sold on Aug 5, 2010 for: $657,250.00 at Heritage. It was graded in 2010. The other one has been in the CGC Census since July 01, 2001. If you own that other one? You’ve done well!
Estimated Value: $4,750,000
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Captain America Comics #1 Reilly/San Francisco CGC 9.4
It’s an interesting question as to whether or not this is the best book in the San Francisco/Reilly collection or the missing Detective Comics #27 (which I have pegged at 8.0 but could be better or worse) This is the known quantity and has sold twice, once for $915,000 in 2019 and then $3,120,000 in 2022
The second sale being one of the real harbinger sales of the Golden Age boom we’ve seen.
Estimated Value: $4,000,000
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Amazing Fantasy 15 CGC 9.6 (4x)
As of late 2021, one copy (serial #1071479001) was the world record comic, selling for $3,600,000. While that result was incredible and lifted the floor for Amazing Fantasy #15, silver age keys have stagnated or gone down since the heart of the pandemic so this book has dropped out of the top ten.
A 9.2 sold for 800,000 in 2023. The curator copy sold for $540,000 last year. I’ll be polite and value it at the 3.6 million it sold a few years ago. I can’t contort my brain into any value higher and would feel bad dropping it out of the top 25.
Estimated Value: $3,600,000
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Batman #1 CGC 9.4
This book sold for $2,220,000 in 2021 which would sound like a pandemic result. But… an 8.0 later sold for $1,110,000 in 2023 and 7.0s sold for $630,000 and $660,000 over the past few years. I actually think the Batman #1 CGC 9.4 has increased in value since 2021.
Estimated Value: $3,000,000
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Church All American #16 CGC 9.4
Sure it's the golden age Green Lantern and not Hal Jordan, but the book is incredibly tough, sits in the top ten by Overstreet value and we didn't riot when presented with the rumour that it sold for $1,000,000. It was a little high at the time, but for a book like this a premium is deserved.
Also, a gorgeous book. I had this valued at 1.5 million when I last did this list, so I think it’s just tracking with the rest of the books.
Estimated Value: $2,750,000
Last updated in December 2025
By jerry jacobs June 24, 2008 - 6:01 pm
the second best detective 27 was owned by me for a short time back in 1991,i sold it to oklahoma dave for 67000,who then flip it back to steve for 81000 on so on,the prob. with this book was a tiny and i mean tiny fury type of spine split at top and bottom,my guess is that it would grade a 8.5/9.0,it was alot nicer then the mile high,at the time i had a choice between the two.hands down no second thought this was better.
By Rob June 24, 2008 - 9:02 pm
hey, thanks for the info. I'm always looking for better data on this stuff.
By ashrael September 30, 2008 - 12:05 pm
Where is the All-American #16 9.4 on this list? I would probably place it in 5th or 6th place.
By fox34 June 4, 2010 - 4:17 pm
i do not know … but no joke i saw #6 at a thrift store in apollo,pa a few months ago for two dallars … if i knew what it was worth i would have bought it… when i whent back to buy it it was gone:[
By Rob September 30, 2008 - 12:08 pm
I think I would place it 5th. This list was written before that whole thing came to light and, admittedly, I (and a few other people I spoke to) underestimated the value of that book (by a factor of 2 !)
By jerry jacobs November 7, 2008 - 7:32 am
does it really warrant this list ..i mean we're talking green lantern,9 out of ten kids never heard of him
By jerry jacobs November 7, 2008 - 7:35 am
as far as the larson action 1……i know who owns it and i clearly remember him telling me years ago it has a coupon clipped from back cover/he now also owns the mile high 27
By Rob November 7, 2008 - 7:56 am
Regarding the AA16, I originally dropped it from consideration when putting together the list. Then it was CGC graded 9.4 and there was rumor as to the reason- a sale topping out over seven figures. If that's the case, then the book would be 5th on this list. The sale was never publicly confirmed, but I got the info from two reliable sources, so I'm leaning towards it as a reality.
Regarding the MH Detective 27, have you seen it?
By jerry jacobs November 9, 2008 - 12:26 am
YES I HAVE SEEN IT MANY TIMES IT WAS OFFERED TO ME W/ THE #2 COPY IN 1992ISH I HAD A CHOICE EITHER 27 AT 47000 THE MILE HIGH IS WHAT THEY CALL A SECOND HAND COPY IT HAS THE SLASHED PENCIL MARKS ON COVER IT WOULD PROB GRADE IN THE 8.0 RANDE W/ WHITE PAGES WHILE THE #2 IS CLOSER TO A 9.0
By jerry jacobs November 9, 2008 - 3:24 am
THE AA 16 SALE DID NOT GO THROUGH!!!!!!!!!!!
By Rob November 9, 2008 - 9:12 am
Well, I'm still going to value the book more highly than I once did. The reaction to that seven figure number and the fact that serious discussions took place at that level have changed my opinion of the book. If I ever redo this article I'll have to include it somewhere.
Thanks for the info on the Tec 27s, by the way.
By jerry jacobs November 9, 2008 - 4:59 pm
MY PLEASURE…………I'M LOOKING FOR DETECTIVE #28 IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY THANKS,BY THE WAY I WAS THE GUY WHO FOUND THE PAY COPIES OF MARVEL#1 AND MOTION PICTURE FUNNIES WEEKLY .HOW COME THE MARVEL 1 IS NOT LISTED??THE AA16 SALE DID NOT GO THROUGH DUE TO THE STOCK MARKET PROBLEMS
By paul de vinny December 31, 2015 - 7:34 pm
Dear Jerry Jacobs,
You're the guy who found the Pay Copy Marvel Comics #1 and the Motion Picture Funnies Weekly?
Oh, tell me the story. And don't leave out a single detail!! paul.devinny@yahoo.com
By Dave Forman March 23, 2009 - 5:18 pm
I had and in theory still have a deal to buy the Detective 27 CGC 8.0. Its very disturbing to me but the collector who owns the book claims that he can't find it. Does anyone here believe this? If it was stolen or lost in a fire I would have an easier time dealing with it. What do you think the book is worth?
By Rob March 23, 2009 - 10:32 pm
Dave,
Wow. That's a scary anecdote. Famously, the Church Wonder Woman #1 went missing from the hobby shortly after it was uncovered, and many of the San Francisco keys are unaccounted for, but the idea that a book of that magnitude could go missing nowadays is mind-boggling.
Value? With the recent Action #1 sale in the books, I'd have to think the 8.0 Detecctive #27 would have to be at least a $400,000 book now.
By Comic Profile: Action Comics #1, 1st Appearance of Superman » It’s All Just Comics » Blog Archive March 25, 2009 - 11:32 pm
[…] Mile High/Edgar Church copy (approximate value $2,000,000- the most valuable comic book in the world) […]
By dan April 3, 2009 - 12:20 pm
Rob, the original Larson list says the following for Action 1:
"VFN (Slight sp roll; light speckling BC at top; left margin & rt sid"
Hope that's helpful, given that the back cover is specifically mentioned I doubt there's a coupon out.
By Dave Forman April 17, 2009 - 11:18 pm
Hi guys another month and the Tec 27 is still missing. What do you think of the Marvel 1 Larson CGC 8.0
By Rob April 19, 2009 - 7:46 am
I think all Marvel #1s are good buys right now. It's a book that's been beat up over the past few years in terms of absolute sales value- to the point where it's selling below guide regularly.
By In the Daily News- An Anecdote About the Missing Detective Comics #27 CGC 8.0 (a $400,000+ Comic) » It’s All Just Comics » Blog Archive July 6, 2009 - 7:53 am
[…] isn't actual news to me as I'd heard about it in the comments here a few months ago, but the Daily News picked it up as part of an article about Mastro, the auction […]
By Most Valuable Comic Books in the World October 22, 2009 - 5:00 am
[…] is worth over $350,000, and one owner of such a copy is rumored to have turned down an offer of $2 million for […]
By ednabarnes December 30, 2009 - 11:01 am
I have comics no. 136-185 marvel comics/conan in good condition and would like your estimation of thier value.
By Rob December 30, 2009 - 9:44 pm
hi, those conan comics are worth maybe .25-.50 each.
By ednabarnes December 30, 2009 - 11:04 am
I have 136-185 marvel comics\conan and need a estimate of their worth?
By Patti Jones January 6, 2010 - 10:12 pm
Rob,
My mother has a comic book entitled "Uncle Tom's Cabin." It's a collectors edition or either a classic edition (she say's,I think it's a collectors) I don't have the book right here with me ,but she said she recieved it in 1947.
Could you give me an opnion and value?
Thank you for your time.Patti
By Dan Petitpas March 19, 2022 - 5:11 pm
Uncle Tom's Cabin was published in 1852. There was a notable edition in 1887. You just have one of many reprints. It's probably worth $5 or $10.
By Lissette June 2, 2010 - 2:43 pm
I recently aquired a large box of comics. Most of them are Marvel & DC from the 70's through the early 80's. Many are in sleeves & look to have never been read, including a Star Wars 3 pack that was never opened. I'm still combing through them to asses what I have but I've noticed many of the covers of the books are cut in half right where the title & volume number would be. Do you know why that might be?
By Rob June 2, 2010 - 2:50 pm
Sounds like something like a stripped book.
For what it's worth, any comic with half the cover cut off from that era is basically worthless. There are a few books that would be worth some money (.50 to maybe $20 in the high end), but not many.
By Lissette June 3, 2010 - 6:24 am
Thanks for the quick reply Rob. The stripped book theory makes sense. That would explain why so many are either missing covers or have damaged covers. It's good to know that they may be considered stolen. I don't want to be picked up for fencing stolen goods. I think perhaps the previous owner of this collection just bought the whole box from a dealer in the hopes of finding a gem. It was handed down to me so any sales would be profit. There's at least 500 in the box. If I do find that gem, I'll write back. Since many of them are worthless, I'll enjoy reading them. Thanks again.
By John Stewart August 8, 2016 - 7:55 am
I bought a number of comic books back in the 1980's from a seller in CBG named Mickey Sullivan. He ran large ads of near mint rare books. Some he described with a " Mile High" description. I never asked, but were these Edgar Church copies. I just assumed they were. Any knowledge of Mickey Sullivan.
By Rob August 8, 2016 - 7:56 am
I don't know that dealer, but yes, Mile High = Edgar Church. email me at rob.react@gmailo.com if you have more questions about the books. I'd be curious to know what you have.
By James Huff January 10, 2020 - 9:08 pm
John,
Mickey Sullivan owned the Canton Skateland roller skating rink at the Stark County fairgrounds in Canton, Ohio. He was big on the U.S. Ping Pong circuit back in the mid-to-late 1970's. Mickey owned several very rare comics, including first editions of Superman (DC /Dell Comics) and would show them to us once in a while. I was on the speed skating team at Canton Skateland at the time. From the time frame you state, this would probably be the same Mickey Sullivan.
I hope this helps. I collect coins when I can, but not comics. Best of luck.
By Rob Larsen January 10, 2020 - 10:14 pm
That's great info. Thanks so much
By Lissette June 5, 2010 - 1:18 pm
Hey Rob, I've gone through 250 of my comics thus far & I have some questions.
1: Why is it that Spider-man appears in the box where a UPC code should be on so many different Marvel comics? I've noticed that many have different versions of Spidey & others just have the UPC #'s.
2: So I think I have some gems, like the first 10 Conan the Barbarian in great shape. Do I NEED to get a CGC certification/grade if I wish to sell them? I'm
wondering if that is the industry standard on grading & that's the only avenue if I wish to get a fair price.
You're insight would be most helpful. Thank you.
By Rob June 6, 2010 - 7:47 am
1. There are two types of comics. "Direct Sales," which go to comic book shops and "newsstand" copies, which go to newsstands.
2. If the Conan's are in truly great shape, then you need to get them CGC graded to get maximum value. The thing is, what you might think of as "great shape" might only be a 6.0 (out of 10) on CGC's scale. At which point you'd have a hard time getting your money back on all but issue #1. if you've got a high resolution photo of the two or three best copies I can advise.
By CW August 17, 2010 - 9:17 pm
Very nice article with great information. I have one of the rarest comics, and yes it's worth a lot but I wish it was a million dollar one. I was lucky enough to get a 1930's copy of mickey mouse Christmas variant in fine or better condition with no missing pages, white pages and no fading. Price guide mentions only one known copy, well now there are two. Hope to see a million on it some day, there are only two known copies and books for $12000. I am sure it would bring many times book but that's not anywhere near the prices above. thanks for you're work and research. CW
By patricia October 30, 2010 - 10:19 pm
I would like a list to print out on the most valueable comic boks. I can get them all the time but don't have a clue as to the value. Does anyone have one that is printable? I thank you much…
By Rob October 31, 2010 - 8:12 am
Hi,
I'm not sure what you're looking for.
Thanks,
Rob
By Herb Knee January 2, 2017 - 6:05 pm
Patricia..you can get an Overstreet Price guide and it has a section for the most valuable comics from the different time eras..golden age..silver age..etc..of course condition and rarity is everything..combined with what someone will pay for a particular book at any given time..during downturn times in the economy..the people with the "real" money will still buy comics..actually..the higher price the comic..the easier it is to sell (the demand factor)..
By Cory December 26, 2010 - 11:05 pm
Hey Rob,
I was wondering if you knew the highest graded copies for Uncanny X-men #1, Avengers #1, Incredible Hulk #1. Thank You!
By Rob December 26, 2010 - 11:56 pm
The top Hulk #1 is a 9.4. There are 2 Avengers #1 in 9.6 (here's one of them at Pedigree Comics) and there are 2 9.8 X-Men #1s (here's one, also at Pedigree Comics)
By philip fletcher March 31, 2011 - 6:47 pm
I have a copy of Fantastic four 100 cgc 9.6 ow/w what is the fair value for this copy.
By John September 14, 2011 - 7:17 am
I believe a gentleman called Ian Levine has a complete DC comic collection with all majors all in 8+ condition.
Do you know anybody else who has this?
By Rob September 14, 2011 - 8:11 pm
Ian's keys aren't all that nice and I'm pretty sure there's some restoration present (I could look it up on the CGC forums, but it would take a while.) He was the second person to complete the full DC collection.
By pops November 29, 2011 - 1:46 pm
im only 16 and could care less bout comics but is this shit real cuz i have some comics that have been past down to me (72) and i have a lot of superman and batman dateiing to 1930-1960, there in near mint condition. but i cant see them being woth as much as they be sayin, i have a few miilion $ if so though
By Rob November 29, 2011 - 9:58 pm
Feel free to email me a list of what you have at rob.react@gmail.com
By Herb Knee January 2, 2017 - 6:11 pm
well..Superman didnt come out till 1938 and Batman came out approximately 1 year later..books from the 30's the the 60's are certainly in demand..the condition will determine the price..and with books of that age..you have to evaluate nearly every page of the books to get the true value..and a professional at determining defects of a book will certainly come up with a different conditional value than the onwer of the book in most cases.
By Better Late Than Never. New Record Sale for a Comic Book (Yeah, I Was In Florida) » It's All Just Comics » Blog Archive December 6, 2011 - 7:56 am
[…] got to update this post again, […]
By vfighter December 17, 2011 - 6:40 am
What about the Showcase #4 9.6? I know it has been years since it was generally thought of to be worth as much as AF15, but surely it could top FF1?
By Rob December 17, 2011 - 8:39 am
The 9.6 Showcase #4 sold for less than a 9.4 Fantastic Four #1 and less than 2/5 my estimated value for the 9.6 Fantastic Four #1. Right or wrong it's not even in the picture.
By vfighter December 17, 2011 - 10:47 am
That is a damn shame. Not just from a historical perspective, it did start the Silver Age after all, but it looks so nice, and those colors looking that good ain't easy to come by.
By Rob December 18, 2011 - 10:28 am
Oh, I agree with you 100%. I'm a fan of Showcase #4 (admittedly, I'm a bigger fan of FF#1.) The results just haven't been there.
By Mitch February 24, 2012 - 10:56 am
I’m in my 60’s and no longer have any of my comics from childhood. They seemed so flimsy and cheap; even the paper they were printed on was so quick to yellow and turn brittle. Who knew they would ever be worth anything? I find it fascinating that they have become so valuable. Meanwhile, the fancy hardcover books that I valued, paid a lot for, and preserved (think encyclopedias, coffee table books, etc), are now worth nothing.
It seems to me that there is a deeper truth here: Look around you. The things you see everywhere and that don’t seem worth saving are the very things which everyone else is also throwing away. If these items have the extra quality of bringing back fond memories of childhood (like the old comics do) they will someday in the distant future become sought after and valuable. The trick is to figure out which items to save. I am guessing 45’s and LP’s are a good bet. Any thoughts?
By ED June 16, 2012 - 12:39 am
rob i have a collection of all kinds of comic books golden silver and etc. the special editions etc. years and years of collections. i have one that i need information on its a action 1 1938 large size its larger than the regular comic.never seen one like it. super man lifting the voltzwagon what kind of price are talking about nice shape appreciate an answer if you will. ED
By Allison June 22, 2012 - 9:52 am
Hey Rob! You talk about the DC #27 being sold for so much money. What do you know about the 1984 reprint of it that says free on it and was used in the Oreo Cookie giveaway?
Thanks!
By Brandon July 31, 2012 - 12:55 pm
Hey Rob,
I was in a comic book shop in 1985 back when i was into comics. i purchased a few expensive comics (well seemed expensive at the time (20 to 40 bucks) and i remember sing Superman #1 under glass in Near Mint condition selling for $2000. I thought it was plain ridiculous. Although i did understand how cool Superman was as Christopher Reeves Superman Movies made Superman a word renowned icon to kids my age. I remember when we lined up in the movie theater to see Superman 2 and the theater owner told everyone waiting outside (hundreds of people) that the sound is not working and is very muffled and goes off and on. Everyone still stayed in line…lol crazy hey!
Anyways I was watching comic book men early in 2012 and got this weird sensation to go back to collecting comics. I figured that since we are all in a poor economic state with so many Americans losing their homes and Canadians tighter than ever…the cost of comics must still be at 2002 to 2004 prices or perhaps lower. Once the economy picks up and all the new rich people start spending ridiculous amounts of money on pleasure items such as comics, boats, cars etc. then comis may skyrocket like never before. i am thinking anytime between 2014 and 2020. i find it always in a 10 to 15 year cycle.
I have beencashing my mutual funds (which haven't done anything in years) and picking up key #1 comics or first appearances from the the silver age CGC rated at 7.5 to 9.4 (not golden age as they are just to expensive for me" do you think i am nuts?
also there are affordable copies of Golden age comics such as Superman Issues from 7 to 25 or Wonder Woman (which i have found to be one of the hardest to find) 15 to 30. do you think it is pretty much a waste of money to buy into these comics? i know the wonder woman movie is coming out, which i think is going to be extremely hard to make with that kind of out fit and lasso…lol buti figure if they really aren't going for that much now…is it really going to appreciate much in the future.
By Herb Knee January 2, 2017 - 6:39 pm
Brandon..as far as cashing out your mutual funds to buy comics..that must be a personal decision..balance and moderation is always prudent..also..a good rule is to never put all your eggs in 1 basket..Wonder Woman..the first series is always a good investment..early issues are difficult to find especially in high condition..All Star Comics # 8 was WW first appearance..Sensation Comics #1 was WW continued from ASC #8..these are great books also..Early Superman books are of great interest to many collectors..the better condition books bring a lot of money..buy what you can afford..but dont get caught up in a mind over matter frenzy..its easy to get carried away with buying high dollar books..believe me I know..the DC books sell(demand wise) in a smaller ratio than the Marvel books..but over the last few years..demand for the DC books have increased..there were many less high grade copies turning up than marvel..due to a variety of factors..an interesting note is that during World War 2..a lot of comics were sent overseas to soldiers who read the books for entertainment..most of these books were DC because Marvel wasnt around till later which evolved from the Timely brand of comics..a lot of DC books were destroyed during the war era..people threw away the books after reading them because the entertainment value was used up..I think I remember the print run of Action Comics #1 was around 200,000………as far as investment goes..and I am not an investment counselor..the higher price the book..the more it tends to go up in value..better to have a handful of high dollar books that to have boxes of…lets say $100 books..or $1000 books.enjoyment of the hobby is a must for a lot of people..the investment potential is always an added benefit.
By The Action #1 CGC 9.0 Auction Starts Tonight | It's All Just Comics August 14, 2014 - 9:13 am
[…] get your popcorn ready. Once this book sells, I'm going to bite the bullet and revamp my list of the world's most valuable comic books with new estimates. Should be […]
By Jeff August 26, 2014 - 11:34 pm
What are some of these "10 million dollar" comics that aren't on the list? I am very curious.
By Rob August 27, 2014 - 6:46 am
I'll rewrite the sentence. There are ten (or more) comics worth more than $1,000,000 that didn't make the list.
By There is a Detective Comics 27 CGC 9.2 in the CGC Census | It's All Just Comics September 1, 2014 - 8:35 am
[…] this the "other" high grade Detective 27 pulled out of the woodwork (the 5th most valuable comic book in the world) by the white page Action #1? Is it a new copy and therefore a new 4th or 5th most valuable comic? […]
By September 2014 Comic Market Report: Meet the New Boss | It's All Just Comics October 1, 2014 - 9:27 am
[…] as a FN68, but people who have seen it think it's much nicer- right around 9.2. I've had it on the World's Most Valuable Comic Books list for ages. If it is that copy, I would move it from #5 to #3 on the list. I think a 9.2 […]
By Andythecomicguy October 30, 2014 - 6:45 pm
Hi Rob,
I just posted on the boards yesterday, but there may be a new Highest value contender out there! There was a Fantastic Four #1 9.8 that has been signed by Stan Lee just posted on the census recently. Could this be another million dollar book??
Andy
By Andythecomicguy October 30, 2014 - 6:46 pm
If this is real it is the single highest grade FF #1
By October 2014 Comic Market Report: Let's Talk About Two Things That Didn't Happen | It's All Just Comics November 5, 2014 - 1:02 pm
[…] and especially in the CGC era, intense interest and large sums of money have been lavished on the "best of the best" condition comics. Pretending that there's no difference between a Fantastic Four #1 CGC 4.5 and […]
By sheila ross March 22, 2015 - 1:24 pm
the incredible hulk vol 1 issue 234 1979 marvel comics group how much is it wo rth
By Rob March 27, 2015 - 9:44 am
depending on the condition up to $10-15. In the likeliest condition it's probably $5.
By Jason February 17, 2016 - 12:22 am
As a teenage collector in the late 80's, I found a CB's ad about a few books for sale. I called this guy to talk.
He had many old books. The key issue I acquire was a super clean Strange Tales #110. Also Tales Of the Expected #40 and #43. Dr. Solar #1. Won a FF 48 in 9.4 grade and later sold to a kid in San Francisco in 91. I bought many books, but moved these after quitting my job at the comic shop.
At a comic show, I met a dealer who I acquired a high grade Hawkman #1. I also had good copies of BB 34 and Showcase 34. Hawkman 1 was in super great condition. The buyer from a mail order labeled this Hawkman as an extremely great book. He didn't hesitate to buy.
What do you think a Strange Tales in 9.0-9.2 is worth these days?
I started revisiting comics again. It was a fun pastime. Enjoyed viewing the list of the best books ever. Read the Mile High story. Thanks.
By Rob March 9, 2016 - 9:22 pm
A Strange Tales 110 in 9.0 is a $10,000-$15,000 book.
By Anthony Ho December 30, 2016 - 4:12 pm
Uhh, I don't even have a comic book like these ones.
By Herb Knee January 2, 2017 - 7:14 pm
This is my first time here and thanks for all the comments about the "real" comics that I care about..my brother and I started collecting as young kids around 1961..we only collected for about 5 or 6 years..but during that time we bought all the superhero books we could get our hands on..and then Marvel came out with Fantastic Four #1 and Amazing Fantasy #15..and all the other hero books..let me tell you..we bought every issue of every title for those short years..at a little lean-to comics store on the sidewalk outside a drugstore..well..my brother and I read the books and carefully put them away..in the early 80's..we sold all the books to a collector..during those days we hardly knew about comic book value..although the overstreet price guide had been out for a few years..we had about 2000 books..and sold them for $22,000..I still have my list of those comics..todays value would be around 4 to 5 million dollars…….from the original collection..we each kept 4 books..My brother kept Showcase 22..23..24..and Fantastic Four 1….and I kept Amazing Fantasy 15..Avengers 1..and Journey Into Mystery 83..and 84..ohhhhhhhhhhh…..if I had a time machine my life would be different today..!!..I started recollecting books just a couple of years after selling that collection..buying mostly back issues..the last newer books I bought was the Mcfarlane spiderman book series from the early 90's..I bought the first 50 issues..(bought about 50 #1's of all varieties)..I have 2 platinum editions of #1 that have a 10K print run..but they sure havent gone up in value..paid $350 for each when they came out..then prices on that book dropped..and have only inched back up..I think a 9.2 is only $160 in the guide today..I do have 80% of Amazing Spiderman books from issue #11 to issue #400 (the death of Aunt May)..still like messing around with comics..its fun for me..I am buying small collections from people from time to time when they come available..only to acquire those back issues that I really like..would like to liquidate all my lower price books and convert that cash to a handful of high price "out of sight and out of mind" books..I have started selling off a few books..gotta start ramping it up..I have about 4000 books..so game on..
By Mile High/Edgar Church pedigree – Good Girl Comics December 25, 2019 - 1:29 pm
[…] less than three of the top ten most valuable comics in the world come from the Mile High/Edgar Church Pedigree. In addition to the Action #1, […]
By The 'Hidden' Truth of the Most Valuable Comic Book in the World - Samachar Central April 14, 2021 - 4:40 am
[…] being the most valuable comic book PERIOD, but while getting images for this piece, I came across a great Rob Larsen article where he concedes that the comic book that I’M thinking of for tops overall as being the 1A […]
By vfighter February 25, 2022 - 3:42 pm
There is a scan of the 9.2 Det #27 at CGC's website.
https://www.cgccomics.com/grading/about-cgc/
By vfighter March 9, 2022 - 9:28 am
The S/N on that 9.2 Det #27 isn't real. Does that mean the whole scan isn't real? Why would they post a fake scan? Or an altered/Photoshopped scan? Doesn't instill trust in the website that's for sure.
By Rob Larsen March 9, 2022 - 2:15 pm
It's faked. Sorry, I didn't see your previous comment on this scan. It's the missing Mastro copy photoshopped into a fake holder. It's super corny.
By vfighter March 10, 2022 - 5:13 pm
Why the hell would they do something like that? Really puts there reputation on the line.
By vfighter March 10, 2022 - 5:13 pm
their*
By Ben M April 13, 2022 - 9:04 pm
Hi Rob. Do you have any info about the Action #1 that supposedly sold for $4.5m in Jan 2022? At first it was reported by Key Collector as the Edgar Church copy, but there was some suggestion it was a different ungraded copy. Cheers!
By Rob Larsen April 14, 2022 - 5:13 am
It was definitely not the Church copy. I can't imagine that book trading hands for any amount, to be honest. But if it were to sell it would be for ridiculous money-$25,000,000 or something. Not 4.5 million
By vfighter April 18, 2022 - 9:09 am
https://blog.gocollect.com/superman-1s-record-5-3-million-sale/
Superman #1, $5.3M
By vfighter April 18, 2022 - 9:20 am
Church copy of Superman #1, so probably a bit of miscommunication/wires crossed as the story went around the web.
By Rob Larsen April 18, 2022 - 8:40 pm
Yeah, things make a lot more sense now.
By JKSmith March 20, 2024 - 2:47 pm
Hey Rob, the Captain America #1 you have listed on your $100,000 Comics page was resold in April 2021 at a Heritage Auctions event for $3.12 million!
By Allen Francis January 8, 2025 - 9:26 pm
Someone sold a copy of Amazing Fantasy #15 for $3.6 million in 2021. An Ohio couple inherited a copy of AF #15 after a relative passed away and they went to a local comic store that is trying to sell it for $32K last I checked. I have over 2,500 comics in long boxes, but no key issues of value like this – how I wish I could stumble in my attic and find one like that.