1940 Superman Card Certified by CGC Cards Tops $10,000 in Hake's Auction

Two ultra-rare Superman cards that are certified by CGC Cards™ were each auctioned for thousands of dollars in the Hake’s Premier Auction #241 on July 31, 2024. The cards represent some of the earliest collectibles of the Golden Age superhero.

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According the Kandor Archives website: In the summer of 1940, the Leader Novelty Candy Co. launched a 36-card series featured on the backs of Superman Candy & Surprise toy boxes. These red box panels mark the debut of Superman trading cards. Each perforated panel, measuring around 2.375 x 3 inches — slightly smaller than a modern trading card — could be separated from the box, providing both a picture card and a "Valuable Superman Premium Coupon." These coupons could be redeemed for a premium Superman ring, a copy of Superman, membership in the Supermen of America Club or a Supermen of America felt patch. The artwork on cards #1-24 also appeared in “The Adventures of Superman” board game by Milton Bradley and the “Superman Paint Set” by American Toy Works.

Included in this auction was a Superman (1940) Through the Flames, Leader Novelty Candy Company #1 graded CGC 1.5 Fair (item 2069), which realized $10,187, and a Superman (1940) Fumes of Doom Leader Novelty Candy Company #6 graded CGC 2.5 Good+ (item 2070), which realized $2,596.

These are the very first cards from the set recorded in the CGC Cards Population Report, which also includes two examples of the coupons.

The auction also included issues 1-100 of the original Superman comic book series by DC Comics, including a Superman #1 graded CGC .5 that realized $84,370. For more about that sale, and other CGC-certified comics in this auction, click here.

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About CGC

Since revolutionizing comic book grading in 2000, CGC has grown to include certification services for a vast variety of pop culture collectibles. These divisions include CGC Cards, CGC Video Games and CGC Home Video. CGC Cards provides expert card grading for TCGs, sports cards and non-sports cards. CGC Video Games is dedicated to video game grading for the most popular consoles, including Nintendo, Sega, Atari, PlayStation and more. The newest division of CGC, CGC Home Video, provides expert VHS grading in addition to other types of home media, including Betamax tapes, DVDs and Blu-ray discs.