RUNNEMEDE, NJ.- An incredibly rare copy of D.C. Comics "Batman" #1, one of the most important comic books of all time, was sold today by Goldin and will be offered on Rally for $1.8 million. The private sale is the second-most expensive ever for a Batman comic.

The comic was sold to Rally – a platform for buying and selling equity shares in collectible assets – ranging from rare comic books to sports memorabilia to NFTs. The rare copy of Batman #1 will be available to purchase shares for $10 on March 11th. Rally is the pioneer investing platform for blue-chip and digital collectibles with nearly 400k users, based in NY. Rally’s mission is to make anything in the world a tradable asset, and the platform has paved the way for a new class of investors who want to own a piece of history. In 2022, Rally introduced live trading, providing unprecedented liquidity to collectibles across 19 different asset classes.

“In 2021, comic books were the 2nd most popular category on Rally and accounted for 11 takeover-buyouts. We are thrilled to bring Batman #1 to Rally's platform, allowing anyone to invest in this iconic piece of comic book history,” said George Leimer, CEO of Rally. “The story around Batman captures nostalgia, and ahead of the new movie, our users are particularly drawn to this comic.”

The sale was made ahead of the release of the upcoming Batman movie on March 4, again proving The Dark Knight is one of the most culturally significant characters in the world. Featuring one of the most iconic covers from the Golden Age of comics, Batman #1 was originally released in March of 1940. The comic is sealed and graded CGC 8.0 by CGC, a remarkable grade despite the fact that comics were printed on cheaper paper during that era. The story begins with a synopsis of how Bruce Wayne became the Caped Crusader and is followed by Batman's first encounters with the Joker and Catwoman – two villains who have also been part of the cultural zeitgeist for more than 80 years.

“Batman is more than just a comic book character. Over the decades, Batman has truly evolved into a symbol and there are few superheroes – if any – that have become more impactful than The Dark Knight,” said Executive Chairman and Founder Ken Goldin. “Batman doesn’t have any powers, just determination, which is why people identify so closely with him and why collectors would love to own a piece of history as important as this one.”

Goldin has built a reputation as the trusted leader in trading cards, memorabilia and collectibles. In January of this year, the company brokered on behalf of a private client the $3.18 million sale of Action Comics #1, which features the first appearance of Superman. The deal was one of the top six most valuable single public comic book purchases of all time. In 2021, Goldin did over $330 million in sales at auction. Goldin’s new Elite Comics, Sports, TCG and Video Game auction is live now and runs through February 24. The auction boasts hundreds of rare and valuable collectible items including another copy of Batman #1.