Man of Steel actors Henry Cavill and Amy Adams, who play Superman and Lois Lane, at the European premiere of the film in Leicester Square, central London, on Wednesday. Photo: Eddie Keog/Reuters

A rare 75-year-old comic book featuring the debut of Superman found in a Minnesota home’s wall fetched $175,000 (€131,000) at auction, comic book seller Comicconnect.com said.

The identity of the buyer in the online auction was not disclosed. The comic book, Action Comics No. 1 from June 1938, featured for the first time the all-American superhero by writer Jerry Siegel and illustrator Joe Shuster.

It had been estimated to sell for about $100,000, Comicconnect.com CEO Stephen Fishler said, adding that there are about 100 remaining copies of the 250,000 original copies.

“It’s so noteworthy because it was a historic milestone,” Fishler said. “There was no such thing as a superhero or a man in costume (in 1938).”

The comic book was sold by building contractor David Gonzalez, who discovered it among newspapers used as insulation in a wall during a home renovation in Hoffman, Minnesota, about 240km northwest of Minneapolis.

Gonzalez bought the vacant 1938 home for $10,100, Fishler said.

A mint condition copy of Action Comics No. 1 would command about $3 million

The book’s condition was graded 1.5 out of 10 because its back cover was accidentally ripped shortly after it was found.

“Conservatively, that’s a $50,000 tear, but probably more,” Fishler said.

Superman appeared for the first time in Action Comics No. 1 in June 1938.

A mint condition copy of Action Comics No. 1 would command about $3 million, Fishler said. A 9.5 graded copy of Action Comics No. 1 sold for $2.16m in 2011.

Superman gets a big-screen reboot in the movie Man of Steel, which opens in North America today.

The Eden Cinemas are hosting a special late-night screening today.