Stolen Superman Comic Once Owned by Nicolas Cage Sells for $15 Million
A rare copy of the 1938 comic that first introduced Superman has been sold for a staggering $15 million (£11.2 million) in a private transaction, setting a new benchmark in comic book sales.
The historic issue, Action Comics No. 1, was purchased by an anonymous collector, with the deal confirmed on Friday by New York-based brokerage Metropolis Collectibles/Comic Connect. Both the buyer and seller have chosen to remain unnamed.
The sale eclipses the previous record set in November, when a near-perfect copy of Superman No. 1 fetched $9.12 million at auction. Considering the comic originally sold for just 10 cents in 1938, the price surge highlights its enduring cultural value.
Action Comics No. 1 is widely credited with launching the superhero genre as it exists today. Fewer than 100 copies are believed to still exist, making it one of the most sought-after publications in pop culture history.
This particular edition carries an unusual backstory. It was purchased by actor Nicolas Cage in 1996 for $150,000 – a record price at the time. However, the comic was stolen during a party at his home in 2000 and remained missing for more than a decade. It was eventually recovered in 2011 from a storage unit in California.
After being reunited with the comic, Cage sold it at auction six months later for $2.2 million. Since then, its value has continued to climb.
According to Metropolis/Comic Connect CEO Stephen Fishler, the comic’s dramatic history only increased its worth. “The theft ironically ended up making Nicolas Cage a lot of money,” he said, noting how the item’s mystique grew during its years in disappearance.
Fishler likened the comic’s journey to the 1911 theft of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, which helped transform the artwork into a global icon. “Action Comics No. 1 is now an enduring symbol of American pop culture,” he said.
The copy was graded nine out of ten by Certified Guaranty Company, placing it among the highest-quality versions of the comic known to exist – another factor contributing to its record-breaking price.
