WHAT: A rare copy of Action Comics No. 1, the issue featuring the first appearance of Superman, brought $956,000 last month in a sale of comics and comic art at Heritage Auctions.
MORE: It is axiomatic in collecting that only the first in a popular series ends up becoming fabulously collectible and valuable. The thorn for potential investors is that no one knows what will become hot later.
Comics were cheap consumables in 1938, bought to be read, swapped, shared and ultimately tossed. The idea of preserving a first issue for the future was decades away. That’s why the few that survived intact are precious today. According to Heritage, about 100 copies of No. 1 are known to still exist.
SMART COLLECTORS KNOW: Jargon in the comic world is that top dollar goes to issues that remain “tight, white and bright.” That means that the binding remains tight, colors are bright and not faded, and the paper is still white and not yellowed or foxed.
HOT TIP: The comic cost 10 cents when it first appeared on comic racks in 1938.
BOTTOM LINE: Graded 5.5 of a possible 10, this copy came from a serious fan who bought it from a dealer in the 1990s for $26,000. The recent sale indicates serious appreciation!
OTHER NEWS: Auction house Sotheby’s plans to give the BBC, PBS and other art-friendly outlets competition. Featured on the brand’s website as well as its Apple TV channel, Sotheby’s Museum Network has created content and original programming. Sotheby’s will also create its own series, beginning with a 13-part series, “The Treasures of Chatsworth,” due in early fall.
