A rare copy of Action Comics No.1, originally published in 1938, and that was once owned by the legendary Nicolas Cage has sold for a whopping $15 million. Setting a new record for a comic book sale.
The Associated Press reported that the deal was a private sale, first made public on Friday, January 9, 2026. The previous record for an Action Comics No. 1 was $9.12 million, and was achieved in November 2025.
Cage and the missing comic
I’ve followed collectibles news for years, and this one is a top caper. Not only is Action Comics No. 1 the most expensive comic ever, the book where Superman debuts, but also this copy has a troubled history.
Back in 2000, the book disappeared from the Cage’s home during a party. It stayed missing for more than a decade before turning up in 2011 inside a California storage unit.
That’s some proper movie trivia, and an odd chain of custody for what is now the most valuable comic book ever.
Collector perspective
When it comes to most collectibles, condition and rarity are king. These elements drive value.
The Statesman points out that this copy of the rare comic book was graded 9 out of 10 by the Certified Guaranty Company. When you consider that fewer than 100 copies of Action Comics No. 1 are believed to exist at all, this super-high grade explains why the bidding world treats it like comic royalty.
The history of this book tells a compelling story of skyrocketing values. Cage reportedly bought the comic in 1996 for $150,000 and sold it after its recovery in 2011 for about $2.2 million.
The fact it’s jumped to $15 million in the 15 years since should have you all rummaging your attics and comic collections to gauge prices. However, that’s not the full story here.
The added value of notoriety
As mentioned, rarity and condition drive value, but in this comic’s case, the backstory adds to the collectibility too. Any collector knows that provenance helps massively, and when that provenance includes a celebrity A-lister, burglary, disappearance, and a lucky recovery, it all explains why the comic hit its $15 million sale price.
What’s surprising is that this comic book sale has been covered by various outlets, including the BBC, most of whom have leaned on the Nicolas Cage theft angle. Showing the book’s notoriety and pop-culture interest.
As comic book and collectibles expert Stephen Fishler highlights in The Statesman, the theft itself helped push the comic’s value higher. It’s a blunt reminder that scandals can inflate value.
Metropolis Collectibles and ComicConnect brokered the sale, and according to the company, both the buyer and seller wanted to stay anonymous. That privacy is normal at this level, but it also adds to the story.
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