A Minnesota man working on a fixer-upper tore down a wall and found, among the newspapers stuffed inside to insulate it, a copy of Action Comics No. 1. That’s right, Superman’s first appearance. The birth of superhero comics. It’ll go for at least $US100,000 — but it could have sold for a lot more.
In a gobsmacking story by the Star Tribune of Minneapolis earlier this week, David Gonzalez tells of how he found the comic book, showed it to one of his in-laws, and in a heated argument that followed, tore its back cover — a defect that lopped $US75,000 off its potential value, in one appraiser’s view.
Gonzalez’s Action #1 currently has a bid of $US107,333 (Update: It’s over $US135,000 now), in an auction being run by a New York auction house through June 11. That’s still more than 10 times than the price he paid for the home where he found it, which had a torn roof and was scheduled to be demolished until he picked it up for $US10,100.
Go read the story, it’s dumbfounding that someone could still find an edition of the most valuable comic book in the world — even one graded at 1.5 out of 10 in condition — in this way, and tragic that his in-laws damaged it.
Remodeler finds comic book worth over $US100K in wall at Elbow Lake house [Star Tribune via Nerd Approved]
Comments
6 responses to “$100,000 Comic Book Found In The Wall Of A $10,000 Home”
Wow. Wish I could find such awesome stuff in houses that’s worth a small fortune to the average Joe.
Fucking in-laws, hey.
Why would you show that to anyone before getting it graded? What, did he reckon someone put a counterfeit copy in the walls of a house XX years ago?
I wonder if it was a dispute because the relative loaned the guy money to renovate or get the house loan or something?
Pretty amazing. I wonder why the comic book was hidden inside the wall though?
The house must have been in a serious state of disrepair if he got it for $10000.
A 9.2 graded Cap America 1 is $150 000
A 1.5 graded Action Comics 1 is $135 000
That’s pretty crazy
You can buy a house in the US for $10K? Bloody hell.