A copy of Action Comics #1 in very good condition has gone on the auction block and set a new record with its price tag. The issue belonged to actor Nicolas Cage and is reportedly one of the best preserved copies of the famous introduction of Superman.
The price tag for the comic was $2,161,000 at a recent auction. That breaks the record for a single issue of comic set earlier.
Stolen from actor Nicolas Cage in 2000, the comic was recovered in April of 2011, found inside a storage locker in the San Fernando Valley by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Art Theft Detail. Fewer than 10 copies of the precious book exist in this condition. The famed specimen is the highest officially graded edition in the census, weighing in at 9.0 Very Fine/Near Mint, inspected by Certified Guaranty Company in New Jersey, the gold standard of comic book grading services.
Cage purchased the storied comic in 1997 for a then-astounding $150,000, solidifying his rank as a self-described comic book geek. He eventually settled for his lost “national treasure” and was paid off by the insurance company 10 years ago when it was first stolen.
ComicConnect Corporation in New York City hosted the auction and will take a 10 percent commission on the final sale.
Owner and COO Vincent Zurzolo was thrilled to have the opportunity to sell this once-in-a-lifetime piece of history.
“This copy of Action Comics #1 is the Holy Grail of all comics, and we’re proud to be auctioning it off here at ComicConnect,” he said. “We were fortunate enough to sell the former world-record holder, Action Comics #1 in 8.5 back in March of 2010, and this current copy is unequaled. This is a historic day, and we’re very excited to see where this lands.”
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