Do You Own These 10 Comics? They Could Be Worth More Than Your Car
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It’s a dream of instant wealth that connects with many people today; accidentally stumbling upon a priceless collectible. In 2025, three adult siblings were cleaning out the attic of their late mother’s house. They found an old cardboard box under a pile of newspapers. Inside that old cardboard box was a priceless comic book worth more than your car.
The brothers had stumbled upon a nearly pristine 9.0 CGC grade copy of Action Comics #1 from 1938, the first appearance of Superman. The comic sold at auction for $9.12 million in November 2025.
Your chances of tripping over a multi-million-dollar comic in the attic are slim. But ordinary people, non-comics experts, find and flip collectible comics all the time now. You might find them in your attic, basement, or at a yard sale. You don’t need to be a comics expert to recognize them either.
Here is a list of 10 comics that are a treasure to collectors. They could be worth more than your car, used or brand new, if you stumble upon them. These key comics could be worth a fortune, even if slightly damaged or found in less-than-perfect condition.
1. The Incredible Hulk #180 (1974) Marvel
The first true comic appearance of Wolverine is a debate that has been dividing comic book experts for decades. Wolverine technically made his debut in The Incredible Hulk #180. However, the character only made a cameo, appearing on the last panel of the last page.
The character made his full-character debut in the very next issue, and many comic purists consider that issue to be Wolverine’s true debut. The point is that these issues are valuable to collectors. If you find either one, it could be worth more than your car.
A pristine copy of this comic with a 9.8 CGC grade is worth $13,420.
2. The Amazing Spider-Man #129 (1974) Marvel
This comic is a collectible treasure amongst serious collectors. It features the first appearances of Frank Castle, The Punisher, and the supervillain The Jackal. The Punisher was just an ordinary vigilante and Spider-Man foe at the time. It would take years before the character would morph into the tragic anti-hero fighting crime while grieving his lost family that we know today.
A 9.8 CGC grade of this comic is worth $14,000.
3. Daredevil #1 (1964) Marvel
Most modern comic book media fans know that Charlie Cox is Daredevil and Vincent D’Onofrio is the Kingpin. However, Daredevil is actually a 62-year-old comic book character. Daredevil made his debut in 1964 wearing a garish red and yellow costume. Charlie Cox wore a variation of that classic costume during his appearance on the Disney+ show She-Hulk.
This comic is an historically important key comic and definitely worth more than your car. A 9.2 CGC copy is worth almost $26,000, but a 9.8 CGC grade is worth $165,000.
4. Showcase #4 (1956) DC
Barry Allen is actually the second legacy character to become the Flash. The first Flash was Jay Garrick. However, in 1956, DC Comics would create a new Flash for the Silver Age of comics. Barry Allen is the most recognizable character known as the Flash to the public, even though several characters have used the name.
If you find this comic, hold onto it; it is worth more than your car – and maybe your house. A 6.0 CGC grade of this comic is worth $33,599.
5. The Incredible Hulk #1 (1962) Marvel
The Incredible Hulk made his debut in 1962, originally as a Cold War and Atomic War cautionary tale. Scientist Bruce Banner is caught in an atomic blast and becomes the raging Hulk. The Hulk was originally grey for the first issue, but became green by issue #2. Decades later, the Hulk would become a psychodrama; the Hulk represents the repression of Banner’s childhood physical abuse by his father.
If you find a 6.0 CGC grade of this comic, meaning it’s in so-so condition, it’s still worth about $38,700.
6. Tales of Suspense #39 (1963) Marvel
Robert Downey Jr. launched the modern comic book film boom in 2008 with the first MCU film, Iron Man. RDJ and Tony Stark are practically the same entity now to many fans, even after the character’s death in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. The world is now waiting for RDJ’s portrayal of Doom in Avengers: Doomsday.
The legend of Iron Man began in Tales of Suspense #39. The comic features Stark’s origin story, his struggles building his armor in the cave, and the debut of the grey, Mark I prototype armor.
This comic is worth $40,000 with an 8.0 CGC grade. If you find a perfect 9.8 CGC grade of this comic, it could be worth $544,000!
7. Action Comics #12 (1939) DC
It’s not Action Comics #1, but this comic is desirable to many collectors. Even though it is a #12, the cover features the first aesthetic representation of Superman breaking free after being bound by chains. A simple fact like that makes this comic very valuable to collectors.
A 6.0 CGC grade of this comic is worth $40,800.
8. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984) Mirage Studios
Comic book creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird were living humble lives in 1984. The pair would publish Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 that year through their home studio, Mirage Studios. TMNT would become a comic book marketing and licensing sensation in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. TMNT became global comic book icons without the help of Marvel or DC.
The first printings of this comic are collector’s items if you can find them. A 9.8 CGC grade of this comic is worth $43,451 on the collectibles market.
9. Fantastic Four #52 (1966) Marvel
Fantastic Four #52 features the first appearance of King T’Challa, the Black Panther, Wakanda, and the villain Ulysses Klaue. Segregationist Jim Crow laws would lapse in 1965. So, legendary creators Stan Lee and Jack Kirby would create Black Panther just one year later. 60 years later, Black Panther and the mythos of Wakanda are a globally known billion-dollar IP.
This key comic is important to Marvel Comics history. A 9.8 CGC grade of this comic is worth over $46,000.
10. The Incredible Hulk #181 (1974) Marvel
Even though this is an Incredible Hulk comic, it is an historic key comic featuring the full debut of Wolverine. The Wolverine in this comic is wildly different from the character you know today. His claws were connected to his gloves, and he had no healing factor. Wolverine had never gone through the adamantium bonding process on his skeleton.
Wolverine is just a sketch of an idea of a character in this issue. It would take decades for writers and artists to fully develop the character as we know him today.
A copy of this comic with a 9.8 CGC grade is worth $60,600, although it can sell for a lot more to the right collector.
Finding Collectible Comics Worth More Than Your Car
This list is a helpful cheat sheet if you happen to find these particular comics. However, you should not assume every old comic you find is a valuable collectible. You can research the value of old comics by checking out various comic book price guides online. The value of old comic books is determined by rarity, age, whether famous creators worked on them, vital comic book storylines, character first appearances, and so on.
The estimates on this comic book list represent the current collectibles market value. Each comic on this list could sell for a lot more to the right buyer. Always consult a comic book expert, collectibles expert, or auction house if you are certain you’ve found a comic that might be worth more than your car.
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Allen Francis is a full-time writer, prolific comic book investor and author of The Casual’s Guide: Why You Should Get Into Comic Book Investing. Allen holds a BA degree from Marymount Manhattan College and has decades of experience in comic investing and personal finance. Before becoming a writer Allen was an academic advisor, librarian, and college adjunct for many years. Allen now focuses on comic book reviews, collectible investments, and helping others collect and enjoy comics.