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. Flying high dc super friends step into reading by nick eliopulos and dc comics may 27, 2008. Grading comic books, while not rocket science, is important in that the value of a comic book, like any collectible, can be dramatically impacted by its condition. While there is a standard industryrecognized grading system in place, it is ultimately a qualitative process. Some the same blemishes as a good copy but fewer problems or less extreme defects that rise the overall grade above the level of good condition.
A high grade, like an a or mint, is good, while a low grade. Conditions ungraded many of the comics sold on this site will not be officially graded by the authorities on grading, such as cbcs, cgc, and pgx. As longtime users of nostomania know, the value of a comic depends strongly on grade. The best possible existing condition of a comic book. A standard color coded raw grading tool that is exclusively designed for you the comic book collectorinvestor. For example a mint which is the best quality of comic book condition might get you the price of 5 comic books which are of poor grade. Most wellkept modern comics especially if they have been read fall into this grade. The worlds largest collectibles auctioneer comic books, vintage comics, original. How to grade comic books with complete grades list and grade definitions. Low grade comic books for sale or trade, a buy sell group. This book may range anywhere from poor to near mint and there is no obligation to clarify its condition. The value of your comic book is heavily dependent on its condition. To grade a comic book, start by examining the cover through a magnifying glass for things like folds or fingerprints. All comics are in unread condition but i do not grade them.
Professional comic book grading eliminates concerns about grade misrepresentations by providing a professional assessment of condition and quality. Storing your comic books correctly can significantly slow down the normal wearandtear process. Estimate the value of each classics illustrated comic book using a comic book price guide. How to determine your comic books condition sparkle. Comic books in mint condition will bring several times the.
How to grade the condition of your comic books liveabout. Comics guaranty company cgc cgc comics guaranty company is a business. The market value of comic books is partly determined by a grading process. Low grade comic books for sale or trade, a buy sell group by 3jjjscomics. Comic book grading learn the scale and how to apply it. Earthlight books is a family owned and operated, independent bookstore serving walla walla, washington.
How to price classic illustrated comics our pastimes. The phantom lady matt baker comics click for full article are highly soughtafter by collectors of socalled good girl art. You can then proceed to take a good look at your comic book and decide which grading terms mint, near mint, very fine, fine, very good, good, fair, or poor that best describe its condition. Every comic book certified by cgc is graded by the hobbys most experienced and trusted team, according to wellestablished grading standards.
Cbcs offers impartial grading and certification for comic books. The grade of a comic book is based on its physical condition. Comic grading company has a simple and affordable pricing structure without any clubs to join. You can grade the comic book yourself, or you can have another party grade it for you, like the cgc company. Dell walt disney bugs bunny uncle scrooge more lot 75 comic books golden silver. The two basic systems consist of a number scale from one to ten such as the cgc uses and the other one uses terms such as follows. Comics in this grade are usually soiled, faded, ragged and possibly unattractive.
To grade a comic, you need to take in to consideration a number of factors before being able to. Comic book grades are given to a book reflecting the quality of printing, storage, and upkeep of a particular book. Jon warren was the founder, creator and editor of the overstreet update from 19821992 and then senior price guide editor for wizard. A book in this condition is worn, ragged and unattractive. The book may have been opened and read, but there are no defects to the book, jacket or pages. Bowed a condition of the covers or boards of a hard cover book. Here at comic burst we use two scales for assessing comic books we offer for sale in the marketplace. They were adopted by the bookselling community and are still in use today. Comic book grading, certification process cbcs comics. From the moment your books enter into our facility they are handled with the upmost care by our highly trained professional staff. For comic books that are new, we grade them around 9. The most common problem with comic book grading is, its subjective.
Once youve finished checking the cover, count the pages of the comic to make sure none are missing. The advantages of the collectors condition comic book raw grading labeling system is. For older silver age or bronze age books, we have new books that are unread, but have imperfections that a collector may want to know about. A comic book in fr condition may have nonstory elements such as coupons, ad pages, or marvel value stamps cut or torn out of the book. A vf copy has minor defects, but is in overall excellent condition. As a result of the search i came up with the following site.
A copy of a comic in this grade has all pages and most of the covers. The professionally graded comic books often referred to as slabbed books for sale on this site have been graded by the comic guarantee corporation cgc or one of the other. It is very rare especially in older comic books pre1990 to discover a comic in either mint. This is an exceptional example of a given book the best ever seen. They are rare comic books in high grade, but in lower grades, are still worth decent money.
As new means that the book is in the state that it should have been in. Pretty much any issues of marvel mystery comics have value. Grading process certified guaranty company, llc cgc comics. We do not professionally grade comic books, all comics are in decent condition unless stated otherwise. A guide to grading the comic book price guide for great. There are different systems used by different price guides and grading companies. A fine book approaches the condition of as new, but without being crisp. Every comic book certified by cgc is graded by the hobbys most experienced and trusted team, according to. You can think of the grade of a comic book like a grade on a report card. The set of terms below were proposed in 1949 by ab bookmans weekly. The higher the grade of a comic book the higher the value. Use the guidelines below to help assess and grade your collection.
This is natural but also preventable with proper storage. Visual glossary of terms used in comic book grading. All it takes is a quick ebay search to see that highgrade cgc comics will always sell for more than their raw counterparts. It is very rare, especially in older vintage comic books, to discover a comic in. This book has seen much better days and tends to be heavily worn and tattered. At the moment, there are two different types of grading that you will find. Classics illustrated comic books are priced according to the print edition and the overall physical condition. Some collectors consider this the lowest collectible grade because comic books in lesser condition are usually incomplete andor brittle. Consider sending valuable classics illustrated comic books to a professional grading service for a more precise evaluation. Lets dive into each one of these reasons why you might want to have your comics graded graded vs.
In this case we provide an estimate on the condition, which will be listed as the comics condition. How to grade the condition of your comic books types of grading. Most people see a comic from the 1980s in a plastic bag and. Only very minute printing and bindery defects or the. This grading process details the exact condition and. There are grades in between these basic grades such as finevery fine, but we want this to be a general easy.
However, the very fine near mint book will have no more than 6 total defects. Comic book grading is the process of determining the grade or condition of a book, which directly influences its value. The most difficult, contentious and eternally frustrating aspect of comic collecting is grading. The mid grade books can be broken into two categories very fine and fine. There is a large difference between a low grade fine comic book and a high grade very fine comic book. The two main methods of describing an overall grade are numerical, and symbol. In all cases, the better the condition of the comic, the more desirable and valuable the book will be.
Therefore being able to correctly determine the grade of a comic is an important skill for buyers and sellers alike. There has been a recent rise in the value of cgc graded. Describes a book that shows some small signs of wear but no tears on either binding or paper. The official overstreet comic book grading guide, 3rd edition by robert m overstreet and arnold t. Only very minute printing and bindery defects or the most barely noticeable handling defects present. But knowing the condition of the edges helps determine the overall condition of the comic book. Booksellers use standard terms to describe the condition of the used books that they sell. If youre interested in establishing a grade for your comic books because youre. Comic grading professional comic book grading eliminates concerns about grade misrepresentations by providing a professional assessment of condition and quality. Books that have been encapsulated and certified by an objective thirdparty grading service take the guesswork out of the grading process for both collectors and dealers.
Then, check the spine for small tears or folds, or spine break, which is a tear near the staples. Ideally, grading comic books should be done by the professionals. Before a comic books true value can be assessed, its condition or state of preservation must be determined. How to grade your comics collectors condition comic. Our facility boasts a heavily fortified, climate controlled vault. A fr copy will have virtually no eye appeal and will display major damage. The best possible existing condition of that comic book. A professional grader will assess a particular comic book from its cover, the interior pages, quality of the paper, to any visible sign of wear, tear, and other form of defects. Some have complained about the inconsistency in cgc comics grading.
A fr is the lowest grade a comic book can receive as long as the story and art are complete. How to grade comic books by condition literature visual stories. Useful for when you are unsure of the grade of a book or do not wish to grade the comic. Visual glossary of terms used in comic book grading this. Comic book grading company the affordable and reliable. Check out all my other auctions with the halloween comic books. Comic book grading labels collectors condition comic. This is intended to be a basic guide so that you have a general idea of the grade of your books for pricing purposes. Pgx was created to meet the growing demand for professional, thirdparty comic book grading. Cover may be detached, and inks have lost all reflectivity. Comic book grades are given out through a company called the certified guaranty company also known as the cgc. What are the comic book grades sparkle city comics.