A US family facing the loss of their mortgaged home stumbled on a comic book in their basement that is expected to fetch up to $US250,000 ($274,000) at auction, an American television network reported.
The family, who live in the nation's south but wish to remain anonymous, found the copy of Action Comics No. 1 - the first in which Superman appeared - as they were packing up their home for sale.
"The bank was about ready to foreclose," Vincent Zurzolo, co-owner of ComicConnect.com and Metropolis Comics and Collectibles in New York told
ABC.
"Literally, this family was in tears. The family home was going to be lost and they're devastated. They can't figure out a way out of this.
"They start packing things up. They go into the basement and start sifting through boxes - trying to find packing boxes - and they stumble on eight or nine comic books.
Most of the comic books found in the house - which has been in the family since the 1950s - were valued between $10 and $30, but the Superman issue, dated June 1938, is extremely rare, Mr Zurzolo explained.
The issue shows Superman lifting a car above his head.
"It's a tremendous piece of American pop culture history," Mr Zurzolo said. "You couldn't have asked for a happier ending. Superman saved the day."
The comic is expected to fetch at least $US250,000 through an auction on ComicConnect's website on August 27.
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