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Like watches, art, action figures, and baseball cards, comic books have become a profound part of the collectibles market. The business of comic books is indispensable—it has effectively shaped pop culture, has true historical significance, and is a unique art form with a passionate community surrounding it.

To preserve the worth of comic books, the Certified Guaranty Company (CGC) exists to authenticate and grade the condition of these books, empowering collectors worldwide with a trusted standard. The CGC assists collectors in finding rare and valuable comic book editions by providing reliable grading services, similar to the grading services offered on the sweepstake coin bonuses.

But what is it that makes comic books valuable? Is it their age? Their artistic brilliance? Their significance in pop culture? Their quality? How about all of the above? If you’re a comic book lover, you’ll want to check out this list of the most valuable comic books.

Action Comics #1

Action Comics #1 marks the first time the world was ever introduced to the archetypal superhero Superman. It also marked the inception of the superhero genre, which certainly contributes to why it’s the most valuable comic book in the world. When it was published in 1938, DC Comics sold this first issue for just 10 cents, which equated to $2 in 2023. Today, only around 100 copies exist, and one of those was sold at a historic $6 million in April of 2024. Not only was it a rare copy, but it was graded at an 8.5 out of 10 quality, hence the selling cost. Another copy that was sold for $408,000 was graded at a mere 0.5.

Amazing Fantasy #15

The landmarks of first appearances are rare and significant, as we’ve seen with Action Comics #1. Amazing Fantasy #15 is a valuable comic because it introduced us to a beloved character in the Marvel Universe, the Amazing Spider-Man, for the first time. The many comic editions before number 15 were titled Amazing Adult Fantasy, but this particular one was retitled as Amazing Fantasy—adding to its novel feel. Readers fell in love with Spider-Man, and sales soared, which led to the creation of the series The Amazing Spider-Man series just a few months later. Before the 2024 sale of the Action Comics #1 copy, Amazing Fantasy #15 held the record for the most expensive comic ever sold at $3.6 million.

Detective Comics #27

Continuing with our superhero debuts, we’ve got Detective Comics #27, the debut of socialite Bruce Wayne, also known as Bat-Man (Batman). The Detective Comics series was initially supposed to focus on original crime stories, but Bat-Man quickly took over with the debut story, “The Case of the Chemical Syndicate.” 2024 seems to be the big year for comic book sales records, as a copy of Detective Comics #27 was sold for $1.8 million. Although it was only graded a CGC score of 6.5, it’s said that of the 77 copies of this exact comic, only 8 copies are of a higher grade. If you take a look at the complete list of top-selling comics, Detective Comics #27 is listed multiple times, paired with whopping six-digit figures to complement them. To up the ante even more, the Detective Comics series is also how DC got its name.

X-Men #1

The X-Men began with X-Men #1, the comic that introduced the iconic figures of Marvel Girl, Professor X, Cyclops, Iceman, Beast, and Magneto. Published in 1963, it was meant to be a bimonthly series but later turned into a monthly one after issue #14. Legendary comic book writer Stan Lee had a 19-issue run where he introduced a collection of villains that we all know and love today—the Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, the Juggernaut, and more. In 2012, an edition of X-Men #1 was sold for $492,937, nearly half a million dollars. What was most intriguing about this copy was its incredible condition. The CGC graded it an impeccable 9.8 rating, and the combination of its grade and rarity seriously elevated its value.

Tales of Suspense #39

Genius billionaire and weapons scientist Tony Stark came to life in Tales of Suspense #39. It tells the classic story of the tycoon held captive during a government mission to fight the Viet Cong and then escaping by constructing the famed battle suit that later sparked the advent of Iron Man. This single comic led to not just the inception of the Iron Man comics but the entire Avengers team and each of their respective movies. In the same year that the X-Men #1 record was set, a copy of this Tales of Suspense edition established a world record for the most expensive Iron Man comic, selling for $375,000. The copy was rated a whopping 9.6, hinting at its near-mint condition.

Marvel Comics #1

The very first issue of Marvel Comics introduced Marvel to the comic industry, which we all know would later blossom into a one-of-a-kind entertainment powerhouse with a universe of unforgettable characters and stories. Although it was titled Marvel Comics, it was initially published by Timely Comics, which later became Marvel Entertainment. A 9.2-rated Marvel Comics #1 copy sold for $2.4 million in 2022 and boasted a sterling reputation as the “Pay Copy.” It was the copy used by the editor to account for check payments to the comic’s contributors, which is why it was so highly sought after.