A copy of Detective Comics #1 with a CGC Grade of 8.5 has recently sold at auction for $638,250, becoming the most valuable copy of the comic ever to sell.
Dating back to 1937, Detective Comics #1 was one of the earliest issues from what would become global comics powerhouse DC Comics — it’s where DC gets its name from. The anthology series introduced some cult and beloved characters, not least Slam Bradley, co-created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, who would go on to create Superman. Of course, Detective Comics became legendary following the debut of Batman in issue #27.
There are only a few surviving copies of Detective Comics #1 out there, and a lot of them are beaten up warranting lower-value CGC grades. While extremely rare and sought-after by both Platinum and Golden Age collectors, it doesn’t quite fetch the multi-million price tags of other comics, involving legendary superheroes Superman and Spider-Man.
Over the years, a few copies of Detective Comics #1 have sold at varying price points. Back in 2004, a copy sold at auction for around $14,000. A few years down the line, when comic books reached another boom thanks to movies, the value shot up enormously. By 2022, a CGC 5.0 copy sold for around $108,000, which was a record at the time. Then that was smashed by $228,000 for a CGC 6.5 copy in April 2025.
The latest sale, as reported by CGC, has set the record even higher. From March 15-18, 2026, the comic — with a CGC Grade of 8.5 — was offered on a ComicConnect auction, where it realized $638,250. There were other comics being auctioned too, including a copy of Action Comics #10 graded CGC 8.0, which realized $431,250. The issue is famous for being just the third appearance of Superman.
Other comics sold at the auction fetched eye-watering prices, too. These include Flash Comics #1 graded CGC 6.5 ($195,500), Wonder Woman #1 graded CGC 7.5 ($73,600), Amazing Fantasy #15 graded CGC 5.5 ($54,165), and Captain America Comics #1 graded CGC 6.5 Restored ($67, 850).
Whether Detective Comics #1 will ever reach the million-dollar milestone remains to be seen, but its value continues to soar. And if higher-grade copies continue to appear, it could cross the million mark in the next few years. Wondering what the most valuable comics of all-time are? We’ve written about that here.
You don't need the original copies to enjoy 'Detective Comics' -- a lot of them are available for purchase digitally here.Disclaimer: Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
