Comic book condition scale

The slightest bindery defects andor printing flaws may be seen only upon very close inspection. Restoration grading scale cgcs restoration grading scale is a transparent system that is much more descriptive and accurate than before. Whether you are an avid comic collector, a repeat offender one who once collected but fell by the wayside, are new to the industry, or someone who came across some old comics, welcome to the world of comics. This step is taken to ensure that graders do not know whose books they are grading, as a further guarantee of impartiality. This book may range anywhere from poor to near mint and there is no obligation to clarify its condition. As comic book sales continued to drop during the 1950s, production values were lowered resulting in cheaply printed comics. As new means that the book is in the state that it should have been in when it left the publisher. The two basic systems consist of a number scale from one to ten such as the cgc uses and. The learn to grade comic books course is the most comprehensive course of its kind. The two basic systemsconsistof a number scale from one to ten such as thecgcuses and the other one uses termssuch as follows. While the overstreet comic book price guide helps you learn about comic values, this third book in our new how to line teaches you the importance of condition a factor that is often the key to real collectability and how to grade accurately. It is very rare, especially in older vintage comic books, to discover a comic in these grades as they are virtually nonexistent.

We have values for any marvel, dc, image, idw, darkhorse, or dell comic book that is in your collection. Many atlas and marvel comics have chipping along the trimmed edges marvel chipping, which reduces the number of surviving high grade copies even more. Books in this condition generally have all pages and most of the covers, although there may be up to 14 of the front cover missing or no back cover, but not both. The overall look is as if it has never been handled or released for purchase. Comic book grading is the process of determining the grade or condition of a comic book, which directly influences its value.

For this reason, high grade copies are extremely rare. A book in this condition is worn, ragged and unattractive. Sold by big robs books and ships from amazon fulfillment. Below are cgcs grading standards for each numeric grade as well as the restoration grading scale. Comic book condition examples of what im willing to buy spoilers. Comic book grading learn the scale and how to apply it. There are grades in between these basic grades such as finevery fine, but we want this to be a general easytofollow comic grading guide for the novice. From our humble beginnings, we have grown to the largest, most complete comic book price guide with well over 1,000,000 comics in our database. Aaron albert, a collector of and an expert on comic books, has studied, taught, and written about the comic book genre for more than 20 years. Some collectors consider this the lowest collectible grade because comic books in lesser condition are usually incomplete andor brittle.

Gemstone mint is in every way a flawless copy of a comic book. Movies are sending some comics values skyrocketing. The cover of a comic is what typically takes the most abuse. The best possible existing condition of that comic book. Comic books in pr condition may be missing up to 4 pages two spreads of story pages or display severe damage that affects the readability of the book. This is intended to be a basic guide so that you have a general idea of the grade of your books for pricing purposes.

It is considered a perfect copy and is extremely rare to find today. It is important to make a careful assessment of your product before specifying its condition. The worlds largest collectibles auctioneer comic books, vintage comics. As with grading all collectibles, there is a degree of subjectivity as there are many factors to consider and all of them must be weighed to determine an overall grade. May 04, 2016 the test i sent 1 comic book to cgc cbcs pgx 3 separate comic grading companies shocking results duration.

Assigning the correct condition to each product you list on amazon is the first step toward providing a great customer experience. 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. Mar 25, 2018 comic book condition examples of what im willing to buy spoilers. Comic book grading screenshots, images and pictures comic vine. A high grade, like an a or mint, is good, while a low grade. Comic book grades are given to a book reflecting the quality of printing, storage, and upkeep of a particular book. You can think of the grade of a comic book like a grade on a report card.

The grade of a comic book is based on its physical condition. Comic book value packs are a great way to pick up a lot of comics cheaply. They grade on a 10point scale, with 10 being a comic in absolutely perfect condition. This collectibles shop page has the standard 10 point grading scale and definitions, as used in the overstreet guide. Truly mint condition comics, even from as recently as the 1980s, are very hard to come by. How to determine your comic books condition sparkle city. They were adopted by the bookselling community and are still in use today.

The generally accepted comic book grading scale, terms, and descriptions are as follows. After being examined by a restoration detection professional, the comic books are placed in barcoded mylar sleeves, and separated from their original invoice. 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. Other descriptors used in conjunction with the above grading scale. Based on the accepted industrywide standard 10 point condition, numerical grading scale system. Therefore being able to correctly determine the grade of a comic is an important skill for buyers and sellers alike. Its necessary to know if the way youre storing it is appropriate. Rare and key comic books that are coverless in many cases may sell for a percentage of guide value depending on the specific comic title and issue number. Aug 30, 2017 comic book grades are given out through a company called the certified guaranty company also known as the cgc.

Only very minute printing and bindery defects or the most barely noticeable handling defects present. The set of terms below were proposed in 1949 by ab bookmans weekly. In it, i walk you step by step through 27 comics at every grade level from 0. Sell my comic books presents a basic guide to comic book grading. The two main methods of describing an overall grade are numerical, and symbol. A spine split of up to 23 the length of the book, a missing back cover provided the front cover is still attached, severe water damage or residue damage. A detailed explanation of how to determine a comic books condition based on the established grades is generally included in a comic book pricing guide. The overstreet guide to grading comics latest edition.

Mint near mint very fine fine very good good fair poor. Preventative restoration, widely used and accepted by collectors, consists of nonadditive restoration on a book with one or two major defects. Comic book grading the basics of grading comics superworld. Here are some tips and guidelines to help you through the process. Some basic descriptive terms are used by booksellers to communicate book condition.

Types of damage that place a comic in fr range include. A copy usually in poor to fair condition that includes all text presented in a legible fashion. A comic must be relatively complete to be successfully restored. Comic book grading labels collectors condition comic book. When initially looking at a comic book the first thing one will notice is the cover of the book. Tape and other forms of amateur repair are more common. There are different systems used by different price guides and grading companies. Each pack is grouped around a particular character or theme, and there is no duplication within any pack. Comic book condition examples for eightyeye samurai 300 sub. 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. Most comics graded using the tenpoint grading scale have cover scans, so when youre considering purchasing a comic you can see the front and sometimes back cover scans of the exact comic being offered. Any amount of wear to the cover of the book must be factored into the condition and grading of the comic. This book has seen much better days and tends to be heavily worn and tattered. 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.

Its necessary to determine an accurate appraisal value. The book is new, unread, and unused in perfect condition with no missing or damaged pages. Useful for when you are unsure of the grade of a book or do not wish to grade the comic. Learn what is the comic book rating system and how a comic book is graded with cbcs comics. The term grade is used to describe what condition a comic book is in. Coverless books will typically sell for a percentage of the good condition value. Oct 02, 2017 knowing your comic books condition is very useful. Comic book condition examples for eightyeye samurai 300. Determining a comic books condition is very subjective and more of an art than a science. I just want to get the most out of what is probably my best comic. A high grade, like an a or mint, is good, while a low grade, like an f or poor, is bad. This is an exceptional example of a given book the best ever seen. This is the equivalent of mint condition in numismatics.

The cover has no visible wear, and the dust jacket if applicable is included for hard covers. Who is the most reputable to help get the most value. Bowed a condition of the covers or boards of a hard cover book. Comics price guide was the first online price guide for comic books back in 1995.

The premier online comics price guide free comic book values. Grading is the process of evaluating the condition and consequent value of a comic book. For information about selecting a condition for your product, see selecting conditions. Comic book grading is the process of determining the grade or condition of a book, which directly influences its value. We are proud to provide certification and grading services for collectors and hobbyist in the comic book industry. Introducing the collectors condition comic book raw grading labeling system. Most professional comic book graders are in doubt if such copy of gem mint old comics exists today. A copy of a comic in this grade has all pages and most of the covers. Although the grading of books is not a precise science, collectors should familiarize themselves with these terms. At mycomicshop, we use the basic grading scale for most of our comics priced. Cgc uses a 10point grading scale to evaluate comics. Since 1970, the name overstreet has symbolized a vast knowledge of american comic books. A comic book in fr condition may have nonstory elements such as coupons. As longtime users of nostomania know, the value of a comic depends strongly on grade.