Batman Belt Buckle

Q: I have a solid brass Batman belt buckle I think is from the 1940s. It’s marked “National Periodical Publications, Inc.” and has the number 0016 on the back. Can you tell me what year it was made?

A: Your Batman belt buckle was made in the early 1940s. National Periodical Publications published the first comic books that included original material, not reprints of comic strips. The company started out in 1934 as National Allied Publications. It has operated under various names, including Detective Comics and DC Comics. The company published the first Batman comic in 1939. Your Batman belt buckle is probably worth under $100.