Respected as a figure of leadership and power in both his superhero persona and his real life identity, The Black Panther is one of the most enduring and regally depicted Black superheroes to emerge in the mainstream. As T’Challa, he was leader of the fictional African territory of Wakanda, but as Black Panther, he was a scientific hobbyist with superhuman strength, keen tracking ability, agility, and heightened senses.

The Black Panther debuted in Fantastic Four #52 (July 1966) with a cover price of 12¢. Four years later, when Robert M. Overstreet published The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #1, a Near Mint copy of his first appearance was valued at 80¢. In 1980’s the Guide #10, it showed solid growth to $7.50, then 10 years later it doubled to $15 for the Guide #20.

Black Panther’s debut saw a big increase over the next decade, landing at $120 in 2000’s the Guide #30. It more than quintupled by the Guide #40, coming in at $650. The momentum continued from there with the Guide #45 pricing it at $2,000. In the next five years, it tripled to $6,000 in the Guide’s milestone 50th edition. Just three years later, a Near Mint copy of Black Panther’s first appearance was up to $11,000 in 2023’s Guide #53.