A very special copy of Action Comics #1 recently sold for a record-breaking $15 million in a private sale. This rare 9.0 copy is not only the first appearance of Superman, originally published in 1938, but was also once owned by Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage. The comic was stolen in 2000, then recovered more than a decade later. This copy of Action Comics #1 is one of two copies to hold a CGC 9.0 grade.
The private sale was negotiated on behalf of an anonymous buyer and owner by Metropolis Collectibles and Comic Connect of New York. This marks the first time a comic book sale has topped the most expensive baseball card ever. Surpassing the sale of Mickey Mantle’s 1952 Topps rookie card, which sold for $12.6 million back in 2022. The only other books to get close to this figure are Superman #1 CGC 9.0, sold last November 2025 for $9.12 million, and Action Comics #1 CGC 8.5, sold last April 2024 for $6 million.
Photo courtesy of Metropolis Collectibles, Inc. & Comic Connect, Corp.
Vincent Zurzolo, President of Metropolis Comics and Comic Connect, spoke with The Beat about the history and story behind this incredibly rare collectible.
“It is the holy grail of holy grails for comic books,” said Zurzolo. “And to me, the ultimate immigrant story also has its roots in biblical stories where Moses was put as a child in a raft and sent down the river. Superman is put into a spaceship and sent to Earth. He comes to America and lives the American dream. It is, to me, one of the greatest stories ever told.”
Action Comics #1 is arguably one of the most important books in the comic book medium, launching the superhero genre as we know it. Given the importance of superheroes to the art form of American comics, it’s safe to say much of the industry, including all of us here at The Beat and the rest of the comic book news-sphere, are standing on the shoulders of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster‘s creation.
“I think without that comic book being published, there’s a very good chance there’s no Batman, there’s no Wonder Woman, there’s no Flash, there’s no Spider-Man, there’s no Fantastic Four, and there’s no X Men,” added Zurzolo.
Photo courtesy of Metropolis Collectibles, Inc. & Comic Connect, Corp.
This particular copy of Action Comics #1 gained attention in a Sotheby’s auction in 1992, when it sold for $82,000, a world record at the time. Metropolis/Comic Connect then sold the book to Nicolas Cage in 1996 for a new record.
“In 1996, my partner, Stephen Fischler, sold this comic book to [Nicolas] Cage for what was then another record at $150,000.” In 2000, the comic book was stolen from Nick’s home during a party. “My partner Stephen helped with the investigation. The book didn’t resurface, but Steve told Nic that sooner or later somebody would try to sell it,” said Zurzolo.
It wouldn’t be until 2011 that it resurfaced.
“We get a call, and with somebody who has the comic book, they don’t. They can’t leave the number, but they’re going to call us back. And several hours later, they call back and say they’ll email us a picture. When we got the picture, my partner immediately recognized it was Nic’s copy,” Zurzolo explained.
“He called Nic, told him the great news, and then called the detective on the case. Steve flew out the very next day and met with a detective, and they put together a game plan for retrieving the book. They went to do a meet to buy the book. The asking price was $1 million. The story was that somebody found it in a storage unit.”
And in a scene that would be more fitting in any of Cage’s action movies, Fischler, Cage, and the detective went to meet the seller. With so much money at play, there was obviously the possibility of danger.
“The detective explained to Steve, ‘Hey, if anything goes sideways and anybody pulls out a gun or anything like that, don’t be a hero. Hit the ground.’ And my partner looked at him and said, ‘You don’t have to tell me twice. No problem.’
“So they go that day to meet with them at an industrial park in Simi Valley, California. And the representative for the book is a guy named Mark Bellello, who was part of a television show called Storage Wars. The guy who bought it in the storage unit was there, and he thought he was, you know, looking at this massive payday. And when the detective handed his business card over and explained the situation, the guy was very distraught and very sad,” said Zurzolo.
After it was returned to Cage, the book was sold at a Comic Connect auction to an anonymous buyer for $2.2 million.
“Here is the irony,” Fischler said. “During that 11-year period, it skyrocketed in value. The thief made Nicolas Cage a lot of money by stealing it.”
There is, of course, historical precedent for something similar in the fine art world.
“Mona Lisa was stolen in 1911, and kept under the thief’s bed for two years,” Fischler said. “The recovery of the painting made the Mona Lisa go from being just a great Da Vinci painting to a world icon — and that’s what Action #1 is. An icon of American pop culture.”
Photo courtesy of Metropolis Collectibles, Inc. & Comic Connect, Corp.
The book stayed in that collection until this last Friday, when Metropolis Collectibles and Comic Connect announced they had brokered a deal for the private sale.
“Both the seller and the buyer are very, very happy. And we are equally as happy, not only for making the sale for our company, but for what this means for the entire comic book. And I would even go so far as to say that the entire collectibles world is a major, major milestone. This is the first eight-figure comic book in the world,” Zurzolo explained during our conversation. “And this will give many collectors, whether they’re spending $50, $50,000, or $15 million, so much confidence that comic books are a great place to collect and invest their hard-earned money. So not only hold the value, but also increase potential for appreciation.”
Metropolis Collectibles and Comics Connect are no strangers to Action Comics #1, but this is a landmark in the world of collectibles and auctions.
“Our auction company is synonymous with Action #1. When people think of Action Comics #1, they think of our company. We have sold 73 copies of Action Comics #1 multiple times. And it should be noted that there probably are only about 100 copies known to exist in the world, Right?” boasted Zurzolo. “This sale has been a whirlwind of excitement, and we believe 2026 is going to be such a spectacular year. And we can’t wait to see what’s in store. Metropolis handles millions of dollars in private sales every year. We’ve enjoyed over 26 years of helping dedicated collectors and investors own their dream books, but it’s even more gratifying to know this copy of Action Comics #1 has found a good home.”
