Before You Throw Away Old Comic Books, Check For These 9 Famous Issues

That stack of yellowed comic books in the attic might be junk. It might also be the thing that pays for a new roof. The only way to know is to look at the covers before the box goes to the curb.

Let’s be clear up front: the sales below are record-setting copies in top grade, graded by CGC, and most old comics found in a closet are worth far less. But every one of these issues was once just a cheap thing a kid bought at a newsstand. Here are nine famous issues, with the sold prices reported in a 2026 collectibles.com roundup of the biggest comic sales ever.

Action Comics #1 Hit $15 Million In A Private Sale

This is the 1938 issue that introduced Superman, and it sits at the top of the list. According to collectibles.com’s 2026 roundup, a CGC 9.0 copy sold for $15 million in January 2026 in a private sale handled through Metropolis Collectibles and ComicConnect.

The same issue also appears lower on the list. A CGC 8.5 copy sold for $6 million at Heritage Auctions in April 2024, so even a notch down in condition meant a staggering price.

Superman #1 Brought $9.12 Million At Heritage

Superman got his own book in 1939, and collectors have never forgotten it. Collectibles.com reports that a CGC 9.0 copy sold for $9.12 million at Heritage Auctions in November 2025.

Notice the pattern already. The first appearances and first issues are what the big money chases.

Amazing Fantasy #15 Sold For $3.6 Million

This is where Spider-Man swung into the world in 1962. Collectibles.com lists a CGC 9.6 copy selling for $3.6 million at Heritage Auctions in September 2021.

Artnet, in its own roundup of comic auction records, notes that the issue originally sold for 12 cents. That is a fair reminder of how little these books cost when they were new.

Marvel Comics #1 Fetched $2.4 Million

The 1939 issue that started the Marvel line is another heavyweight. Collectibles.com says a CGC 9.2 copy sold for $2.4 million through ComicConnect in March 2022.

Artnet has also written that a 9.2 copy of Marvel Comics #1 sold through Comic Connect after 33 bids, topping the earlier title record of $1.26 million set at Heritage in November 2019 by a 9.4 copy. Records on this title keep getting broken.

Batman #1 Reached $2.22 Million

Batman’s first solo comic came out in 1940. Collectibles.com reports that a CGC 9.4 copy sold at Heritage Auctions in January 2021 for $2.2 million, and the article’s body text puts the exact figure at $2.22 million.

If you have an old Batman book with a number one on the cover, that is worth a careful look. If it is a reprint or a later reissue, though, the story is very different, so check the date and the printing.

Fantastic Four #1 Sold For $2.04 Million

The 1961 issue that launched Marvel’s first family has its own seven-figure record. Per collectibles.com, a CGC 9.6 copy sold for $2.04 million at Heritage Auctions in September 2024.

Artnet also lists a Fantastic Four #1 among the top comic sales in its auction-record roundup. This is one of the books that turns up in estate sales more often than people expect.

Detective Comics #27 Sold For $1.825 Million

This 1939 issue is the debut of Batman. Collectibles.com lists a CGC 6.5 copy selling for $1.8 million through ComicConnect in March 2024, and gives the precise figure in its text as $1.825 million.

Artnet tells a story that makes collectors smile. It reports that Billy T. Gates bought his copy of this issue for $3,000 in 1979, and it notes that other copies have sold at Heritage for $1.5 million in November 2020 and $1.14 million in January 2022.

All-Star Comics #8 Brought $1.62 Million

Wonder Woman first appeared in this 1941 issue. Collectibles.com says a CGC 9.4 copy sold for $1.62 million at Heritage Auctions in June 2022.

Artnet also reported a record auction price for a title tied to the Wonder Woman first appearance in a 9.4 copy. A first appearance of a famous hero is often what collectors hunt for.

The Amazing Spider-Man #1 Sold For $1.38 Million

Spider-Man’s own series began in 1963, and the number one issue earned its place on the list. Collectibles.com reports a CGC 9.8 copy sold for $1.38 million at Heritage Auctions in January 2024.

Notice the grade on this one: 9.8 is nearly perfect. The price reflects a copy that looks almost as fresh as the day it left the newsstand.

So what should you do before you toss a single comic? First, check the cover for the title and number, and look at the date. The famous issues above are mostly first appearances and first issues, so those are the books to set aside.

Second, do not clean, tape or press the comic. Condition drives the price on every sale listed here, and the grades range from 6.5 to 9.8 on the CGC scale.

Third, if you think you have one of these, get it graded and appraised by a professional before you sell. The prices in this article are top-grade sales from named auction houses and private deals, and a worn copy will bring far less.

Finally, remember the odds. Most comics sitting in an attic are not on this list, and many are worth only a few dollars. Still, the few minutes it takes to flip through a box is a small price to pay for the chance of finding a book like these.

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