In 1938, when Action Comics No. 1 introduced Superman to the world, a copy sold for 10 cents. Yesterday, after 50 bids, a pristine example sold for $2.16m in an online auction, becoming the most valuable comic book ever sold. Its provenance may be as interesting as its record price. Was it the copy that was stolen from actor Nicholas Cage back in 2000?
An identical copy, also carrying the ultra-rare 9.0 grade on a scale of ten, was pilfered from Cage’s home in 2000. The actor had paid $150,000 for it in 1997. Earlier this year, an unidentified man contacted ComicConnect.com, which handled the online auction. He claimed he’d bought the contents of a storage locker, and found the comic inside. In yesterday’s sale, neither the seller’s identity nor the buyer’s was revealed. Last year, a lower rated copy of Action Comics No. 1 sold for $1.5m.
