A novel intermetallic superconductor with surprisingly high transition temperature is disclosed. The material comprises B and C, and can form a bulk superconductor. Exemplary of the novel superconductors is material of nominal composition YPd.sub.5 B.sub.3 C.sub.x, with x chosen such that the C:B ratio is in the range 0.05-2. An exemplary bulk sample of such composition has T, (onset) of 22.5 K, with more than 15 volume % of the sample being superconducting.