Three brothers made an incredible discovery in their mother’s attic: a rare and valuable comic of Superman #1, published by National Allied Publications (then became DC Comics) in May 1939.
Even though Superman appeared for the first time in Action Comics #1 in April 1938, this comic is special because it was the first one fully about Superman. It focused only in one character, making Superman #1 a historic and pioneer issue in the world of comics.
For collectors, first issues of popular characters like Superman, Batman, or Marvel heroes are extremely valuable, especially when they are in excellent condition. The three brothers were about to discover just how valuable their find truly was.
Why this discovery is so valuable
The comic found by the brothers was sent to the Certified Guaranty Company (CGC) to be graded.CGC grades collectibles including comics, in a scale of 0.5 to 10:
- 0.5 means it’s very damaged.
- 10 means it’s in perfect condition.
The comic the brothers found received a grade of 9.0, which is VF/NM (Very Fine/Near Mint). This means it’s very well preserved with just a few minor handling or manufacturing defects.
Because it is in excellent condition and very rare, the comic is expected to sell for about $6 million at auction. Heritage Auctions, the company selling it, said this is “the best comic ever for collectors.” They also explained that it is the highest-rated, unrestored copy they have ever sold, even better than other famous copies like the Mile High and Davis Crippen editions.
Superman #1 is extremely rare. Heritage Auctions has noted that less than 100 issues of this comic exist, including restored copies. About 60% of these are first printings from 1939, and the brothers’ copy is one of them.
Top 10 most valuable comics in 2025
What the brothers found has highlighted the value of rare comics, so let’s see which are the most valuable comics today:
- Action Comics #1
- Detective Comics #27
- Superman #1
- Captain America Comics #1
- Marvel Comics #1
- Batman #1
- All-Star Comics #8
- Detective Comics #140
- Flash Comics #1
- Phantom Lady #17
These comics are very sought after by collectors, and if the first issues are in excellent condition they can be worth millions of dollars in auctions.
The value of hidden treasures
The story of these three brothers shows valuable objects are sometimes hidden in plain sight. I mean, these brothers didn’t know they had this valuable comic up in that attic that could change their lives.
Of course, comics are not the only thing that can be incredibly valuable, collectors also look for rare baseball cards. For example, this year a man found a rare card in perfect condition in his grandfather’s attic worthed $3 million; and another woman discovered a collection of cards valued at $1 million in her great-great-grandmother’s desk.
For the brothers, finding the Superman #1 was more than a huge economic benefit, it was a connection with the past that honored their mother while finding something historically meaningful.
The story of the brothers and Superman #1
As you can see, this story is the perfect example of how treasures can be found anywhere. I mean, they had a rare Superman #1 comic all this time without having a clue about it.
This story shows that looking through family heirlooms or old collections can sometimes uncover amazing treasures. For these brothers, a simple search in their mother’s attic became a multimillion-dollar discovery and an unforgettable adventure in comic collecting. Have you ever found something valuable like the brothers did? Did you sell it, or do you still have it?