DC · Golden Age · 1938

Action Comics #1

DC · 1938

Noted for: Superman

KEY ISSUE

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CGC 9.8 CGC 9.6 CGC 9.4 CBCS 9.8

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What is Action Comics #1 worth?

The Action Comics #1 is a DC 1938 graded comic. Based on 1 verified eBay sold listing in the stored historical sample, graded examples sold for $31. Recorded sales include a PSA 9 at $31.

Before you buy

Verify the issue and printing, check the grader certification, review restoration notes, and compare recorded sales and current asking prices in the same grade.

Grading guides

The Action Comics #1 in context

Why collectors care

Action Comics #1 (1938) is the first appearance of Superman and the book that launched the superhero genre. It is the most valuable comic in existence, with record sales in the millions, and a genuine copy is a generational asset.

How to identify it

A real 1938 first printing, not the 1974/1976 reprints, the Famous First Edition replica, or a facsimile. Only graded copies with airtight provenance transact at the top of the market.

Common mistakes

Reprints and replicas are constantly confused with the original. Restoration is widespread on the few surviving copies and must be graded and disclosed.

Grade considerations

Only around a hundred copies are believed to survive, most in low grade. Census position, restoration status, and provenance define value far more than small grade differences.

Recorded sales by grade

1 recorded eBay sale, grouped by grade. Historical prices, not current asking prices.

Source: eBay sold listings
Sample: 1 sale
Record: Historical sale sample
Newest recorded sale: Sep 14, 2026

How we compile comps →

Grade	Sales	Median	Range
PSA 9	1	$31	N/A

Recorded sales by grade · how this summary is built+

Newest recorded sale: 2026-09-14. This summary describes stored history.

Inclusion

All 1 recorded eBay sold (completed) listings in this historical sample, grouped by grader and grade. Asking prices and active listings are never counted.

Outlier handling

Within any grade that has four or more sales, a price below one-third of, or above three times, the within-grade median is set aside before the median is taken. No sales were set aside on this rule for this item.

A comic sale that sold for under a third of the median of this issue's lower-grade sales is also set aside as a probable reprint, facsimile, later printing or restored copy, since a higher grade of the same book should not sell for less. No sales were set aside on this rule for this item.

Grade	Sales	Included	Set aside
PSA 9	1	1	0

Shipping and fees

Figures are the sale prices as recorded by the marketplace. They are not adjusted for shipping, taxes, or seller fees, so treat them as sale-price reference points, not net-to-seller or all-in buyer costs.

Provenance

Every sale in this summary was a completed eBay sale, listed by date, grade and price in the sales table lower on this page. Individual listings are not linked. Methodology version 2026.4. Read the full methodology.

Action Comics #1 value FAQ

What is Action Comics #1 worth?+

Based on 1 verified eBay sold listing in the stored historical sample, graded examples sold for $31.

What grade sells most often for Action Comics #1?+

PSA 9 is the most actively traded grade in the recorded sample, with 1 sale and a recent median around $31.

What is the highest median grade for Action Comics #1?+

PSA 9 has the highest median in the recorded sample at about $31. Treat this as a sold-comp snapshot, not a guaranteed sale price.

Is Action Comics #1 worth grading?+

For this comic, compare the likely raw value, grading fees, shipping, and the median for the grade you realistically expect. Grading usually makes sense only when the expected graded value clears those costs.