Though comic book grading has been around for decades, it wasnt until 2000 that a new thirdparty grading service, cgc, burst onto the scene and revolutionized the comic book collecting industry. One way comic books are graded is on the basic grading scale, which runs from mint the highest, through near mint, very fine, fine, very good, good, fair, and poor the lowest. When grading a comic book, common sense must be employed. Comic book grading mint mt near mint nm very fine vf fine fn very good vg good gd fair fa poor po. To search for specific issues, enter a range in the issue numbers field using commas and dashes. May 08, 2016 comic book grading is the process of determining the grade or condition of a book, which directly influences its value. Hopalong cassidy golden age westerns comics for sale ebay. This comic book garnered the highest ever grade for the issue a 9. Note that near mint is a comic book grading definition. Comic book grading standards near mint all the comics we receive that are in exceptional condition fall into this category. So, read on and learn how to use our free price guide to discover the value of your comic book collection. View grading tutorials for other collectible types. Conserved bluepurple a comic book that has specific repairs done to improve the structural integrity and longterm preservation.
Creating a comic book is a much more complicated process than people expect. The grading of a comic book is done by simply looking at the book and describing its condition, which may range from absolutely perfect newsstand condition mint to extremely worn, dirty, and torn poor. Collectors condition comic book raw grading labels. You can think of the grade of a comic book like a grade on a report card. The term grade is used to describe what condition a comic book is in. Comic book grading learn the scale and how to apply it. Find out about the steps the major comic book publishers go through in creating a comic book and how you can too.
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. The company was founded in 2000 and changed comic collecting and investing forever. Cgc is an independent member of the certified collectibles group of companies. The price guide is universally recognised as the most reputable,credible and widely used comic book price guide. What are the methods to select golden age westerns comics. I hope they, and the industry, as a whole will adopt this book. Comics can be thoughtprovoking, boundarybreaking, emotionally complex, and all the things that books without pictures can be. Fits the criteria for fine but with an additional defect or small accumulation of defects that detracts from the books appearance by a perceptible amount.
Apr 08, 2018 a near mint condition comic would typically align with a 9 out of 10 on the comic grading scale, whereas a mint book would score a 10. Zapkapow comics uses this scale to show raw prices for comics, grading services such as cgc, cbcs, and pgx use the same scale and criteria when slabbing comic books in their protective cases. Also note that national holidays and the fridays of a major convention are not counted as business days for submission processing. If youre a serious collector or have a lot of comic books you are learning to sell, it will pay to become efficient and accurate at grading your comic books. Metropolis comics and collectibles grading guide 1. Though at times controversial, its proven grading system has become a gold standard for those looking to have their collection appraised. These are just a few of the parameters and depending on the state of your comic gets a grade. We have an industryproven system in place that emphasizes an attention to detail in every book we grade. Egs follows the guidelines overstreet comic book grading guide in the evaluation of its comic books, as well as for definitions of condition as condition evaluation and restoration detection experts, egs inspects a wide variety of comics from every era. Since then, the comic book grading service has helped comic book collectors and sellers determine the value and worth of a particular comic book.
Cgc uses a 10point grading scale to evaluate comics. In the year 2000, the world of comic book grading was revolutionized when cgc grading burst onto the scene. Indepth look at the new cgc comic book restoration grading. Here are tips on how you can grade the condition of your comic books, including info on grading terms and definitions. Cgc will slab pages of a comic book in this manner. However, grading is an inherently subjective process and there. These are some of the best stores to scratch your comic book itch year round. Grading is a subjective endeavor, and we all have our particular flaws in a comic book that we accept with equanimity, and others that cause us to immediately downgrade the book significantly. Comic books in mint condition will bring several times the price of the same book in poor condition. When grading gets to fine, you start operating on a point system.
Fits the criteria for very good but with an additional defect or small accumulation of defects that detracts from the books appearance by a perceptible amount. Grading standards near mint nm condition very fine vf condition fine fn condition very good vg condition good gd condition fair fr condition. Numerous variables influence the evaluation of a comic book s condition. Jan 14, 2003 the ultimate authority delivers the right grade every time grading comic books is the key to successful comic book collecting, and now the leading expert on comic books, robert m. Comic book grading the journal of antiques and collectibles. To grade a comic, you need to take in to consideration a number of factors before being able to assess the correct grade.
The overstreet grading standards have been developed over decades with input from comic book dealers, collectors, historians and preservation experts. As longtime users of nostomania know, the value of a comic depends strongly on grade. A comic book is given a grade depending on its condition. Here, you can explore the key stages of the cgc grading process. 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. With over 10,000 comics captured within our free online comic book price guide, you are sure to find your comics and be able to get a ballpark figure for what they are worth. This page gives you the basic comic book grading definitions and 10 point scale, and a glossary of grading termslingo. Any kid whos ever devoured a title like anyas ghostor invisible emmieor a wrinkle in time. Collectors condition comic book raw grading labels stickers. Below are cgcs grading standards for each numeric grade. Cgc uses a proven, multistep process to certify comic books, magazines, concert posters and related collectibles. Knowing how to use a price guide is a simple but important thing.
The accepted grades of condition for comics are listed below. Within that spectrum of personal deviance from the norm, however, there are certain overall generalities to which most people subscribe. An easy way to think of this grade is that it is much like one you would receive in school. A comic book that is in such bad shape that cgc will not give it a grade, only verify that it is an actual original comic book. Jun 14, 2018 as with most collectibles, with comic books condition is king. If you were to receive a grade on a book you purchased from us, after january 1, 2003, that was graded as nm that came in below 8. There is no longer any guessing when it comes to determining the grade of a comic. This collectibles shop page has the standard 10 point grading scale and definitions, as used in the overstreet guide. The overstreet comic book price guide was initially published in 1970. Mar 06, 2021 certified guaranty company, also known as cgc, is a sarasota, florida comic book grading service. Cover shows significant wear, and may be loose or even detached at one staple. Coverless comic books in comic book discussion group 08242018. A couple of minor flaws might be allowable, but no more.
In each video, we move up the grading scale, first examining the cgc graded comic, and then we look at two different comics with the same grade to compare and contrast. We closely monitor and calibrate our staff to maintain adherence to our established standards. Mar 02, 2019 the term grade is used to describe what condition a comic book is in. Some comic books dont just have science in them, but actually go so far as to teach science concepts. Back to top an aboveaverage but well used comic book. 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. Reading is important for kids of all ages, whether theyre reading on their own or hearing stories from teachers, parents and the other adults in their lives. The official overstreet comic book grading guide 2nd. The comic book price guide for great britain a guide to grading. The state of the cover, any wear, and tear to the comic, the status of staples, the condition of the corners, etc.
Only the slightest bindery or printing defects are allowed. Below are cgcs grading standards for each numeric grade as well as the restoration grading scale. Blumberg, has set the standard for grading the condition of comic books. Landing a role in a comic book movie is a big deal in hollywood today. Actors who played more than one comic book character in their careers. Numerous variables influence the evaluation of a comic books condition. Like the qwerty keyboard, it doesnt matter if there are better systems out there, this one has been around the longest and is what the vast majority of comic retailers use. A comic with torn pages and a bent cover is unlikely to get a very good grade.
The one place to see tons of examples, the written criteria for each grade, and picture examples is the overstreet grading guide. 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. The higher the grade of a comic book the higher the value. Comic books are now encased, or slabbed, in a hard archival plastic case to be preserved forever. There are a couple ways to accomplish this, but if you are looking for title specific searches, this is what you would do. You can think of the grade of a comic book like a g. Another way is on a tenpoint grading scale from 10. A universally excepted grading criteria would be great for the industry especially now that the pro graders. Fits the criteria for very fine but with an additional virtue or small accumulation of virtues that improves the book s appearance by a perceptible amount. The numerical values on the scale will probably be the widely recognized 100 point system that is currently well established.
Find out how to use a comic book price guide, which is used to determine the monetary value of a comic book. In all comic books, the better the condition, the more desirable and valuable the book. Therefore being able to correctly determine the grade of a comic is an important skill for buyers and sellers alike. Pgx was created to meet the growing demand for professional, thirdparty comic book grading. An accumulation of binderyprinting defects is allowed. The collectors condition is offering free for a limited time only to nostomania members an exclusive opportunity to signup and receive actual working samples of our revolutionary comic book raw grading labels to try out. Cgc grades comic books, magazines, concert posters and lobby cards using a highly accurate 10point grading scale. Subjective interpretation lends disparity between any 2 peoples grades, but the more experience that you have, the better equiped that you are to make qualified decisions about a book s grade. Jun 06, 2002 the current proposal details to be provided as soon as they are available calls for an official american association of comicbook collectors aacc recognized grading scale and accompanying code of ethics. Fits the criteria for very good but with an additional defect or small accumulation of defects that detracts from the book s appearance by a perceptible amount. Boulder, colorado somerville, massachusetts clearwater, florida chicago, illinois norfolk, virginia denton, texas mesa, arizona goodyear, arizona.
An exceptional example of a given book the best ever seen. An a would be considered mint while an f would be given the grade poor. In recent years, grading criteria have become even tighter, especially in silver and bronze age books, due to their higher survival rate. Please remember that cgc does not return mylars or backing boards sent in with comic books. 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. Comic book grading is the most difficult component of the comics collecting business side of the equation. Lets explore everything you need to know about this comic book grading service. Any changes made to grading can be detrimental though, so hopefully theres none of that. When it comes to comic book grading services, cgc is the big daddy of them all. The most commonly used grading standard for comics is the overstreet standard one overstreet numerical equivalency grading system. The comic book landscape is as diverse as any other medium when it comes to subject matter, narrative, and artistry often times the easiest way. Selecting comics for entertainment and collecting can involve many criteria.
Always collectables uses the overstreet grading definitions 2019 gemstone publishing, inc. Cgc comic grading ultimate guide to certifying your comics. Beckett cbcs offices will be closed for walkin dropoffs and pickups, effective july 27, 2020. This is intended to be a basic guide so that you have a general idea of the grade of your books for pricing purposes.
Im a fan of science fiction and even science fiction comic books, like iron man and fantastic four, but its the rare comic book which a. Grading comics in this way is perhaps more applicable to american comics as they have the distinct advantage of all being more or less the same size. A universally excepted grading criteria would be great for the industry especially now that the pro graders are out there. Dick ayers celebrates 64 years as a comic book artist at albany comic con attention nostomania members. The only real complaint that i know of from most collectors is that the cgc has never published their grading standards.
The official overstreet comic book grading guide 2nd edition. 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. It is a comic book grading service and an independent member of the certified collectibles group. Sometimes i see people argue over if a piece of the cover missing would get a comic a 0. 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. Apr 20, 2019 a comic book is given a grade depending on its condition. We hope this has enlightened you as to what basic criteria we use and train. An anomaly with nothing wrong, perfect cut, perfect paper, perfect color. For the similar 10point scale used by cgc trading cards, click on trading cards above. Its especially important for first graders because theyre still learning langua.
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