A 1966 Topps Batman card sold for $45,000 Thursday night at Heritage, establishing a new record for any Batman card ever sold publicly.
One of 13 examples graded PSA 9 with none higher, this sale dethroned the previous record held by another copy of the card in PSA 9 condition, which sold for $28,200 in December 2021.
Topps released the Black Bat set, featuring “The Batman” card as #1, in 1966, taking advantage of the hero’s popularity following the debut of the Batman show on ABC. Each card features artwork from Norman Saunders, an illustrator known for his work on the Mars Attacks card set, which has become known as a pioneering set in the non sports card world.
Non sports cards appear to be having a moment, as a 1940 Gum Inc. Superman #1 card sold for a record $36,250 in June.
Batman is one of the most popular superheroes in the world, with his collectibles selling for stunning prices across categories, such as the first issue of his self-titled comic series, Batman #1, which has sold for more than $2.22 million.
A box of 1966 Topps Batman card with a “The Batman” #1 showing in at least one pack sold for $93,000 in February 2024.