CGC Featured Card of the Month: 1966 Topps Batman #1 The Batman

Set: 1966 Topps Batman

Set: Black Bat

Card: #1 The Batman

What makes it special? Representing the inaugural Batman trading cards, the 1966 Topps Batman "Black Bat" cards are historically important, as they brought together comic books, television, and collectible culture in one set. When the set released in 1966, it coincided with the debut of the Batman live-action television series on ABC starring Adam West (Bruce Wayne/Batman) and Burt Ward (Dick Grayson/Robin), with the cards reflecting similar adventures of the two crime-fighting heroes defending Gotham City against several archvillains.

The Black Bat set consists of 55 cards that showcase colorful illustrations by renowned artist Norman Saunders, with #1 The Batman being the most coveted and valuable of any series. The card depicts Batman flying toward the viewer on a vibrant red background, as the Bat-Signal shines high in the sky, marking the Caped Crusader's entry into mainstream card collecting. Since the #1 The Batman is highly sought after, prices can range from a few hundred dollars for a raw copy to tens of thousands of dollars for high-graded copies, which are extremely rare. In December 2025, a high-grade #1 The Batman broke records when it sold for $131,250 through Heritage Auctions.

Did you know? Several sets of Topps Batman cards released in 1966, with the three main series each identified by a different color bat logo: Black, Red, or Blue. Although the Black Bat set is the most popular and valuable of the three series, the 44-card Red Bat and 44-card Blue Bat sets have some unique and fun characteristics that are not found in the Black series.

The backs of Red Bat cards form six different character puzzles: Batman (10-piece puzzle), Robin (10-piece puzzle), The Joker (6-piece puzzle), The Riddler (6-piece puzzle), The Penguin (6-piece puzzle), and Catwoman (6-piece puzzle). Meanwhile, the Blue Bat backs featured both puzzle backs and descriptive backs, which combine a mix of storytelling and collectible puzzles.

Total graded by CGC: As of August 2026, CGC has certified 80 examples of the 1966 Topps Batman #1 The Batman from the Black Bat series. In addition, CGC has certified four examples of its Canadian counterpart: the 1966 O-Pee-Chee Batman #1 The Batman from the same Black Bat series.

CGC median grade: CGC 3 (across both sets)

CGC highest grade: CGC 7.5 (Topps), CGC 2.5 (O-Pee-Chee)

Sales highlights: Three examples of the 1966 Topps Batman #1 The Batman have sold through Fanatics Collect. The same copy graded CGC 3.5 sold twice last year, realizing $150 in June 2025 before realizing the same price in October 2025. In July 2026, two other copies sold through Fanatics Collect, as a CGC Authentic copy realized $234 and a copy graded CGC 2 realized $255.

CGC Cards Registry: There are currently no examples of the 1966 Topps Batman #1 The Batman in the CGC Cards Registry. The CGC Cards Registry is a free online platform where collectors can register and display CGC-certified cards, compete with other collectors, and get inspired to create their own collections. There is a DC section on the CGC Cards Registry — go here to explore your options for adding cards to a set there!