Each time we hear about Action Comics #1, the comic book in which the American mythic icon Superman debuted, we always do a spit take when we find out how much it sold for.

• In 1992, a copy of the book sold for $86,000 in 1992.
• Nicholas Cage bought one in 1997 for $150,000 in 1997.
• In March of 2009, a copy sold for $317,200, to John Dolmayan, drummer for the rock band “System of a Down” who also happens to be a dealer in rare comic books. The purchase was made for his anonymous client, via the internet on ComicConnect.com.
• Another copy sold in February of 2010 for a million dollars. That’s a one with six zeroes after it. The sale was made through the same internet auction site.

But it’s the most recent sale that just makes your mouth fall open, your eyes pop out and roll across the carpet: the most recent sale of the comic netted an amazing $2.16 million, setting a world record for the purchase price of any comic book, anywhere. The issue was auctioned starting Nov. 11 online at www.comicconnect.com . The starting bid was just $1 but there was a reserve price of $900,000.

There are only about a hundred copies of this legendary comic in existence, and each copy has its own individual history.

The person selling this particular copy was none other than actor Nicholas Cage.  His copy had been stolen from its security frame along with high-grade copies of Batman’s first appearance in Detective Comics No. 27 and Marvel Mystery No. 71.  The other two were recovered shortly thereafter, but Action Comics #1 was not and and presumed lost forever.  It was later found in an abandoned storage  locker in April of 2011 in California and recovered.

Not many of the copies are in good condition, but Cage’s copy was graded as a 9.0 in terms of its condition, making it one of the most perfect copies known.

Now, don’t you wish you’d kept yours?

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