Collectibles
From a Dime to a Dinosaur—Here Are 8 Collectibles That Sold Big in 2024
Collectors dug deep for rarities including a Superman comic and the much-debated door from James Cameron's Titanic.
by
Sofia Hallström
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In contrast to major concerns about stability in the art market, 2024 proved to be a significant year for rare collectibles. Millions were splashed on objects from a Superman No. 1 comic to a Stegosaurus skeleton, in sales that shattered records when not capturing global attention. Here’s a revisit of the year’s biggest collectible sales, ranked by their price tags.
$44 Million: Stegosaurus Skeleton
The “Apex” Stegosaurus fossil on display at Sotheby’s New York for the “Geek Week” sales. Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images.
The $44 million Stegosaurus skeleton became the ultimate collector’s prize at Sotheby’s New York. It is about 70 percent complete, sporting 254 original bones, with 3D-printed and sculpted elements filling out the rest of the 320 or so pieces. That puts this Jurassic marvel among the most complete Stegosaurus examples in existence.
$9 Million: A Copy of the U.S. Constitution
The preamble of the copy of the U.S. Constitution which is heading for auction on Sept 28. Photo: courtesy Brunk Auctions.
A copy of the U.S. Constitution found tucked away in a filing cabinet on a North Carolina plantation sold for $9 million. Drafted during the 1787 Constitutional Convention, this remarkable artifact offers a tangible connection to the founding of the U.S. government.
$7 Million: A Biblical Masterpiece
The Shem Tov Bible was bought privately in 1994 by Swiss collector Jacqui Safra. Photo courtesy Sotheby’s.
Created in 1312, this 768-page Shem Tov Hebrew Bible fetched $7 million sale at Sotheby’s. A masterpiece of Jewish cultural heritage, this Bible showcases exquisite illustrations combining Christian and Islamic motifs. Its vibrant colors and delicate ornamentation make it a treasure of medieval craftsmanship.
Action Comics #1 (1938). Photo courtesy of Heritage Auctions.
Action Comics No. 1, the 1938 debut of Superman, set a $6 million record for the world’s most valuable comic book. The legendary issue that introduced the Man of Steel to the world, of which fewer than 100 copies are known to exist, proved to be a holy grail for collectors.
The only one-cent “Z” Grill available to collectors. Courtesy Siegel Auctions.
The rare “Blue Z-Grill” Civil War-era stamp sold for $5 million. Known for its distinctive waffle-patterned embossing, this philatelic milestone is one of the rarest stamps in American history. Its status was further solidified with this record-breaking sale.
$4.3 Million: A Legendary Baseball
Shohei Ohtani 50th home run game-used baseball. Courtesy of Goldin.
The Los Angeles Dodgers champion Shohei Ohtani hit this ball in the swing that placed him in the rare company of 32 players who have scored 50 home runs in a season. The ball, too, smashed expectations, fetching $4.4 million.
$718,750: Iconic Door From Titanic
Floating wood panel from Titanic (1997). Courtesy Heritage Auctions.
The infamous Titanic wooden door (really a fragment of a door frame) that captured the imaginations of movie fans and historians alike sold for $718,750. It had played an important role in James Cameron’s 1997 blockbuster film Titanic, which gave rise to endless debate over whether it could have accommodated both Kate Winslet’s Rose and Leonardo Di Caprio’s Jack. The eight-foot-long artifact remains a haunting symbol of the maritime tragedy—and a pop culture phenomenon.
The Roosevelt dime with other presidential coins from the 1975 proof set. Photo: GreatCollections.
An ultra-rare 1945 Roosevelt dime, struck without its signature “S” mint mark, stunned bidders when it went for $506,250. Only six such dimes are known to exist, making it a standout in numismatic circles. Its historical significance and pristine condition drove fierce competition among collectors.
