A rare edition of a comic book that was previously stolen from the residence of famous Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage has been sold for a groundbreaking $15 million (£11.19m).
The undisclosed transaction for “Action Comics No. 1”, originally priced at a mere 10 cents upon its 1938 release, was made public on Friday. Both the seller and the buyer have chosen to keep their identities confidential. This sale surpasses the previous record set for a comic book last November when a copy of “Superman No. 1″ was sold at auction for $9.12 million.
The negotiation was facilitated by Metropolis Collectibles/Comic Connect, a company based in Manhattan. Vincent Zurzolo, the president of the company, emphasized the comic’s historical significance, describing it as one of the most valuable comic books globally, with an estimated 100 remaining copies in existence.
Zurzolo stated: “This comic book is considered one of the most sought-after items in the comic book realm. Without the iconic Superman paving the way, characters like Batman and other superhero legends may not have existed. Its significance in the comic book community is evident in this deal, which has shattered previous records.”
The comic book was stolen from Nicolas Cage’s home in west Los Angeles in 2000 but was recovered in 2011 after being found by an individual who had purchased the contents of an old storage unit in southern California. Cage, who had acquired it for $150,000 in 1996, eventually regained possession of the comic.
Subsequently, Cage auctioned it off for $2.2 million six months after its return. Stephen Fishler, the CEO of Metropolis Collectibles/Comic Connect, highlighted the impact of the theft on the comic’s value.
Fishler noted: “During the 11-year period it was missing, the value of the comic skyrocketed. The thief inadvertently generated substantial profits for Nicolas Cage through the theft.”
Drawing a parallel, Fishler likened the incident to the theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre museum in Paris in 1911. He remarked: “It was concealed under the thief’s bed for two years.
“The recovery of the painting transformed the Mona Lisa from a remarkable Da Vinci artwork to a globally recognized icon – similar to what Action No. 1 represents, an icon of American pop culture.”
This comic book featured a collection