Many toys and collectibles from the 1970s, 1980s, and even 1990s have appreciated in value and can actually be worth a lot of money today. From beanie babies to old CDs, collectors are willing to pay heaps for some of these nostalgic toys.
Comic books used to cost no more than a few cents, but as time has gone on, some vintage comics can now earn you a small fortune. Depending on the edition and quality, some comic books have earned more than $1 Million at auction.
We’ve collected a list of some of the most coveted and rare comics that are also the most valuable. Whether you have one of these in your own personal collection or want to be on the lookout for valuable editions at garage sales, check out the rare comic books that are worth a pretty penny.
Disclaimer: The value estimates in this article are based on auction selling prices.
Detective Comics #27
Value: About $2.1 Million
The 20th century was the booming age for comic books when they only cost a few cents. Detective Comics #27 was the first comic to introduce Batman way back in 1939. Since Batman has remained a popular and evolving character across comic books and film, the original comics that introduced him are notably popular.
It is estimated that there are as few as 200 copies of Detective Comics #27 lying around, making it one of the most rare and desired comics of all time. It has earned over $2 Million at auction.
Batman #1
Value: About $2.2 Million
After the meteoric success of Batman in the Detective Comics in 1939, Batman was granted his very own comic one year later. It was this 1940 comic book that introduced Joker, Robin, and Catwoman to the universe and the popularity for comics only grew.
Many collectors seek to own the entire Batman set of comics and it is the most rare edition of the Batman set, making it incredibly valuable. In 2021, it sold for $2.2 Million at auction.
Captain America #1
Value: About $3.1 Million
True comic lovers know that Captain America was beloved long before Chris Evans brought the character onscreen. The original comic was published in 1941. The cover for this comic was difficult to forget, featuring Captain America fighting Adolf Hitler. It also introduced important characters like Red Skull and Bucky, so it became a quick success.
In 2022, a pristine edition sold at auction for just over $3 Million. Even editions of this comic book that are not in tip-top shape sell for tens of thousands of dollars. The comic has only increased in appreciation and a low to midgrade copy even sold for $132,000 within the past few years.
Action Comic #1
Value: About $6 Million
Obviously, first-edition comics tend to be the most sought-after and therefore the most valuable. So it’s not entirely surprising that the first edition of Action Comic is the most rare and most expensive. It was published in 1938 and was the first comic to introduce Superman.
Although the comic only cost 10 cents when it was first published, it has now sold for over $3 Million at auction. With only about 100 still in circulation, pristine versions of this comic are extremely hard to come by. This year, it set a record when it was sold at auction for $6 Million, officially making it the most valuable comic in the world.
