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Which fictional substance is the most valuable Marvel metal, adamantium or vibranium? Wolverine’s entire skeleton is coated with adamantium, the most dense and indestructible substance in the Marvel universe. However, the same can be said about vibranium. It’s an indestructible alien metal owned by Wakanda, a high tech African society led by the Black Panther. Vibraium absorbs sound and kinetic energy, making it stronger as it does so.
Wolverine’s skeleton is coated with adamantium and T’Challa wears a costume composed of vibranium. In Avengers #43 from May 2021 and Wolverine #8 from August 2013, the two heroes fight. However, there is never a clear winner based on the advantages of their powers or the metals that they use as tools.
However, Black Panther did kick Wolverine in the junk to win the fight in Avengers #43, so technically, Black Panther won that battle.
In comic books and even in comic book films, most heroes never win decisive battles when they fight each other. Even the epic hero battle at the airport in Captain America: Civil War technically ends in a stalemate.
So, let’s have a thought experiment on something more interesting.
Which is the more valuable Marvel metal, adamantium or vibranium?
It depends on whether you follow the comic books or the films and the point of view of the creatives telling the story.
So, let’s discuss it, and I’ll even tell you about the investment value of the comics where the concepts of these indestructible metals were first created.
The Most Valuable Marvel Metal
In the pages of Fantastic Four #607 from August 2012, its revealed that one gram of vibranium is worth over $10,000. Captain America’s shield, which is also made of vibranium, weighs about 12 pounds and worth over $54 million.
In Uncanny X-Men #126 from October 1979, Wolverine mentions that all of the adamantium fused to his body is worth over $3 million. After adjusting for inflation, that is the equivalent of $13.3 million today.
Adamantium is a man-made metal alloy, and no one knows how much is available. It should technically be rarer than vibranium therefore making it the most valuable Marvel metal.
However, T’Challa is the sovereign leader of Wakanda and controls it as a global commodity. No one knows how much of the metal he owns, so vibranium might be the most valuable Marvel metal. If Wakanda and vibranium existed in the real world, T’Challa would have a net worth of over $90.7 trillion. Money magazine said that is a real article, not me.
Technically speaking, vibranium is probably the most valuable Marvel metal. It is an exotic and rare metal that arrived on Earth as a meteorite. It crashed on Wakanda over 10,000 years ago, and is mainly available in the fictional African country.
Wakanda supposedly has an unknown quantity of vibranium ore within a mountain. Virbranium is so strong that the Wakandans must use specialized sonic tools to extract the ore.
If I have to choose one, I might pick vibranium.
Origins of the Most Valuable Marvel Metals
In the comic books, several characters use adamantium in their bodies or as weapons. Ultron’s body is made of adamantium. Sabretooth, Lady Deathstrike, Cyber, X-23, and several other characters have adamantium incorporated into their bodies like Wolverine.
Adamantium first appeared in Avengers #66 in July 1969. All of the components in adamantium are heated to 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit before being cast. It must be cast within the first 8 minutes of being heated to such a temperature.
The only weakness of adamantium is that it can melt at temperatures well over 1,500 degrees and it is very dense and heavy. Wolverine is 5’3 in the comic books but weighs over 300 pounds because of the denseness of the adamantium coated on his skeleton.
Vibranium first appeared in Daredevil #13 in February 1966. Vibranium was first discovered in Antarctica, but the history of the metal was retconned later to reveal that Wakanda housed most of it on the planet.
It would take a lot of kinetic energy to break vibranium, but it is possible. Still, adamantium might only just chip it.
Deciding which is the most valuable marvel metal depends on your point of view. However, these comics where the metals first appeared have a lot of value.
The Investment Angle
While it is true that the MCU is on the ropes now, we will see more adventures of Wolverine and the Black Panther again sometime in the future. You may want to invest in these comics to prepare in the meantime.
A copy of Avengers #66 with a 9.8 CGC grade is worth over $1,587.
When it comes to comic book investing, vibranium seems to be the most valuable Marvel metal. A copy of Daredevil #13 with a 9.8 CGC grade is worth over $2,602.
I also highly recommend that you buy Black Panther By Christopher Priest Omnibus Vol. 1. This 840-page hardcover collects the first 33 issues of the 1998 series by writer Christopher Priest. The MCU Black Panther found most of its creative inspiration from this series. For example, the Dora Milaje make their debut in this series.
Buy it now at Amazon for $58.
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Allen Francis is a full-time writer, prolific comic book investor and author of The Casual’s Guide: Why You Should Get Into Comic Book Investing. Allen holds a BA degree from Marymount Manhattan College and has decades of experience in comic investing and personal finance. Before becoming a writer Allen was an academic advisor, librarian, and college adjunct for many years. Allen now focuses on comic book reviews, collectible investments, and helping others collect and enjoy comics.