In these rare cases, a check mark will be placed on the label by the numerical grade. Gp analysis lists us as a cgc the comic book grading authority online auction firm. There are grades in between these basic grades such as fine very fine, but we want this to be a general easytofollow comic grading guide for the novice. Learn the basics of grading comic books so you can price yours accordingly. Im all for finding a great buy at a show or convention but i always worry that ill find some defect after the fact. This is a mustown key issue for any comic book collector. Comic book grading learn the scale and how to apply it. With rare exception, comic books considered for the grade of 9. Comic book grades are given to a book reflecting the quality of printing, storage, and upkeep of a particular book. Due to the nature of paper, discoloration is expected over time.
Therefore, mcg is acting both as a grading unit for mcb and trying to fill a void in both affordability and availability in the world of comic book grading. Choose a tier based on comic value and turnaround time. Very fine vf back to top general wear, tears, creases, folds, color flaking, water stains, foxing, etc. Grading standards are based on the standards laid out in the overstreet grading guide with additional experience gained from our years in the comic industry. Useful for when you are unsure of the grade of a book or do not wish to grade the comic. This is such a great investment comic in any condition, so grab yours today. How to grade your comics comic book grading labels. A limited accumulation of minor binderyprinting defects is allowed. Special thanks to our comic grading advisor steve borock, president of cbsc comic book certification service, former heritage auctions consignment director and former cgc presidentprimary grader. As longtime users of nostomania know, the value of a comic depends strongly on grade. Comic book collectors are picky, and since there is so much money at stake at the higher grades, even the almost imperceptible flaw takes away from the condition.
Our staff of friendly and dedicated employees offer over 250 years of experience in the comic book market place, and look forward to assisting you. A guide to grading the comic book price guide for great. Most novice near mints end up being very fine at best. Newly updated, the overstreet guide to grading comics includes the 10point grading system, as well as exhaustive descriptions of primary and split grades, examples of each grade with more than 200 fullcolor images in all, articles on storage, preservation, and restoration, a look at the independent, thirdparty grading companies, and much more. All professional graders, whether grading coins, currency, or comics are charged with placing your items under a microscope see logo to determine their condition and therefore value. For american comics, most of the cover lustre still remains and for british comics the cover should be flat, uniform creamy or offwhite with only a few very minor stress creases at the spine. Consider using the list vf and nm comics as vfnm option when selling. For example, fine very fine or abbreviated fnvf denotes. Comic grading company has a simple and affordable pricing structure without any clubs to join. Cgc uses a 10point grading scale to evaluate comics. Very fine vfn very slight wear beginning to show around the staples and stress points owing to the comic being opened and read carefully two or three times and stored away with some care. These records are from an impartial 3rd party source gp analysis. Cover pencils by jeff matsuda, inks by jonathan sibal. The two main methods of describing an overall grade are numerical, and symbol.
Some people will state that comic book grading is an art. The grade or condition of a comic book is the most important determination of value outside of the actual title and issue number. The highest grade any book can receive is a 10, which is labeled gem mint, or simply mint. In recent years, grading criteria have become even tighter, especially in silver and bronze age books, due to their higher survival rate. Back to top an aboveaverage copy that shows minor wear but is still relatively flat and clean with outstanding eye appeal. Comic book grading company the affordable and reliable. This grade applies to the majority of the books in the set. Our company has sat well over 600 world record prices selling vintage comic books at auction. Free shipping on many items browse your favorite brands affordable prices. We accept payment made by credit card, personal check, money order or we can send you an invoice via paypal using your paypal email address. This is an attempt to show the inexperienced collector a rough idea of what constitutes good, fine, near mint etc using 90s amazing spiderman comics as a. Abbreviated as vf beware if any older comic book is graded above this mark.
One of our goals for the new website is to offer an easier online experience for our customers. Fits the criteria for very fine but with an additional defect or small accumulation of defects that detracts from the books appearance by a perceptible amount. Mint mt near mint nm very fine vf fine fn very good vg good gd fair fa poor po this comic book grading scale has been used for several decades, during which time the scale has been expanded to more accurately describe a book s condition. Comic book grading has made a major impact on the market since 1997. Ive talked to collectors about slabbing comics and it seems there is a lot of discontent out there, directed primarily towards cgc. Comic book grading has evolved over the past several decades from a much looser interpretation of standards in the beginning to the very tight professional scrutiny in use by the market today. Collectors condition comic book raw grading labels. The 2 reputable thirdparty professional grading services both begin with c use the same scale, but not exactly the same criteria, but overstreet has collaborated with them for their newest grading guide. Automated matching of wantlist and inventory items. A small accumulation of minor binderyprinting defects is allowed.
The worlds largest collectibles auctioneer comic books, vintage comics, original and animation art. Take a close look, ideally with a magnifying glass, and make careful notes of any apparent damage, including. This is intended to be a basic guide so that you have a general idea of the grade of your books for pricing purposes. Our grading methods are based upon factual and measurable observations. Free shipping on many items browse your favorite brands. An aboveaverage copy that shows minor wear but is still relatively flat and clean with outstanding eye appeal. I have been thinking a lot lately about grading some of my more valuable comic books. The grade can literally mean a gain or loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars for a particular issue. There are eight major grades in the comic book grading scale. We will go into depth with the overstreet grading system.
Safely package your comics for secure shipment to cgc. This collectibles shop page has the standard 10 point grading scale and definitions, as used in the overstreet guide. The best way to understand why a specific comic book received a check mark designation is to refer to the graders notes. While a casual collector might not need to bother, its vitally important to have your comics graded if you ever plan to sell them, because the value of a comic varies widely depending on the grade it receives. The primary reason to grade a comic is that there is a direct correlation between the condition of the comic and the value of the book. Comic collectors have established standard grades to describe the condition of. Of course, when the newmen arrive, they believe that it was ripclaw who beat on their teammate and a fight ensues. Bends, folds, or dents that warp the shape or surface of the book, but dont affect the color. An attractive collectible with a moderate defect or an accumulation of small defects. For instance, take a look at a recently featured comic book, action comics 1. Cream to offwhite paper that appears white or offwhite in the middle with aged outer edges, or exhibits an overall aged color that is more close to brown than white. Cbcs looks like an ambitious company as it is set to challenge the undisputed king of comic book grading services, cgc. Fine comics in fine are priced significantly less than those in very fine and for good reason. In rare cases, a comic book will look much better than the given grade.
Lot of 14 vintage dc comic books comics original nice condition. Therefore being able to correctly determine the grade of a comic is an important skill for buyers and sellers alike. Comic book hot picks for 3420, cgc comment and some new vintage pick ups duration. In most cases, this means that the book is ineligible for grading because its missing pages or otherwise incomplete. Jeff matsuda plot, pencils by jeff matsuda, inks by jonathan sibal. Moreover, books listed as ungraded on atomic avenue can not be returned for. The company was founded by alec born and steve borock, the latter earning a reputation in the community while working many years at. When grading a comic book, the first thing youll see is the cover. Chuck rozanskis grading standards mile high comics. If you are serious about learning how to grade comics, i have to recommend the overstreet comic book grading guide.
Grading is an inherently subjective process and there will always be small differences in opinion. We are proud to provide certification and grading services for collectors and hobbyist in the comic book industry. Vault grading provides grading, pressing, encapsulation, valuation, and screening services to comic book collectors. Cover is relatively flat with minimal surface wear beginning to show, possibly including some minute wear at corners. Back to top fits the criteria for very fine but with an additional defect or small accumulation of defects that detracts from the books appearance by a perceptible amount. It looks the current market is ripe for a new challenger like cbcs. Even professional grading services like cgc, cbcs, and pgx acknowledge that the same book may not always receive the same grade if it is. Grading your comic books guide revel in the detail. Get the best deals on ungraded comic book collections when you shop the largest online selection at. In this installment we will take a look at comic book certification services cbcs. This book may range anywhere from poor to near mint and there is no obligation to clarify its condition. Cbgc has developed a proprietary comic book grading system with over 550 separate grading characteristics, covering over 20 grading categories. The best possible existing condition of that comic book. Our grading standards are based on the standards laid out in the overstreet grading guide.
The overstreet guide to grading comics 2016 edition. First, is the use of a forward slash to denote a book as being between grades. If exceptional in other areas, could have eight of the following at least three must be 116 or less in size and the remaining must be must be 18 in size or less, small spine stress, slight corner blunting, miniscule tear. Grading is the term used for the assessment of the condition of a particular comic book.
One area we focused on is the way you submit comics and access your account information. Join cgc to get direct submission privileges, 247 order tracking and more. Comic book grading the basics of grading comics superworld. We are currently migrating data to our new system and conducting tests, and we are really excited for you to try it out.
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