In his study of the comic book market and the value of individual comics, Robert M. Overstreet also compares issues and titles against others from their comic age or genre. In 1990’s The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #20, he collated a list of the most valuable Golden Age books based on Near Mint condition. The meteoric rise in value of these books over the last 30-plus years is an interesting aspect of the list.

#1 – Action Comics #1 – $32,500
#1 – Detective Comics #27 – $32,500
#3 – Marvel Comics #1 – $27,500
#4 – Superman #1 – $26,000
#5 – Whiz Comics #1 – $18,200
#6 – Batman #1 – $14,500
#7 – Detective Comics #1 – $11,400
#8 – All American Comics #16 – $10,000
#9 – More Fun Comics #52 – $9,600
#10 – Captain America #1 – $9,000
#11 – All Star Comics #3 – $7,500
#12 – New Fun Comics #1 – $7,200
#13 – Captain Marvel Adventures – $7,000
#13 – Detective Comics #38 – $7,000
#13 – Flash Comics #1 – $7,000
#16 – Detective Comics #33 – $6,500
#16 – Double Action Comics #2 – $6,500
#18 – More Fun Comics #53 – $6,200
#19 – New Fun Comics #2 – $5,040
#20 – Detective Comics #29 – $5,000
#20 – Detective Comics #31 – $5,000
#20 – Motion Picture Funnies Weekly – $5,000
#20 – Wow Comics #1 – $5,000
#24 – Action Comics #2 – $4,800
#25 – Detective Comics #28 – $4,600