Posted in: Comics | Tagged: action comics 1, auction, comic connect, Comics, dc comics, jerry siegel, joe shuster, superman, vintage comics

The Action Comics #1 Found In The Wall Of An Old House Sells For $175,000

No way we could let the week of release of Man of Steel pass without a story of the sale of an Action Comics #1, could we?  You all remember this one from a few weeks back — a copy of Action Comics #1 had been found in the wall of an old house  — where it had apparently been since shortly after Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster introduced Superman to the world in 1938.

Graded CGC 1.5 by the Certified Guaranty Company, the comic has just sold at Comic Connect auction for $175,000.

This is a pretty impressive price for a low grade comic, even when that comic is an Action Comics #1.  By way of comparison, Comic Connect sold a copy in CGC 1.8 for $116,000 in 2010 and a CGC 2.0 for $175,000 in December 2012.  At the other end of the spectrum, Comic Connect has also sold the census-topping CGC 9.0 Nic Cage copy for $2,161,000 in 2011.

The most important comic book in the history of comic books. This is the introduction of the archetype of all other heroes to come. Superman transcends comic books and pop culture. He is an icon of Truth, Justice and The American Way! Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, Superman is quite possibly the most recognizable fictional character in the world. The creation of two struggling sci-fi fans from the Rust Belt, the Man of Steel became an instant icon to depression-era readers, and easily transformed into an icon of American spirit and spunk during the brutal days of WWII. Since then, he has lasted as both a beloved character and a symbol of modern hope and vigor, making this first appearance not just a piece of comics' history, but of American history as well.

Probably the most unusual copy of this comic we've ever offered, this 1938 holy grail of Superman comic books was found hidden in the wall of an abandoned home.

The owner, a humble and hardworking contractor, named Gonzales, has spent years tearing down old walls and putting up new ones for his home-renovation clients. He's made a habit of leaving a quarter or dollar bill behind them, thinking that sometime in the future, someone will find his treasure and wonder who put it there. But the "hidden treasure" in the walls of the first home he'd ever purchased and renovated on his own yielded the most unusual find he could have imagined. When renovation began on the house, which was built in 1938, he and his crew started finding old newspapers from the 1930s used as insulation in the walls. But he also found a comic book, which stood out to him, because it had Superman on the cover. Curious, Gonzales looked up the comic book online-and discovered it was Action Comics 1-Superman's first appearance.

Now free from its confines after more than seventy years, this copy, though showing the effects of its long service as insulation, boasts bright, sparkling colors and sturdy off-white pages. ComicConnect has become the undisputed industry leader in selling copies of this seminal issue, including holding sales records for the most expensive copies ever sold.

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