Even professional grading services like cgc and cbcs acknowledge that the same book. This grade has all pages and covers, but there will probably be small chunks missing from the cover. Visual glossary of terms used in comic book grading. Free shipping on many items browse your favorite brands affordable prices.
Overstreet comic book grading guide or the guide below. A high grade, like an a or mint, is good, while a low grade, like an f or poor, is bad. 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. The collectible is nearly indistinguishable from a 10. This is intended to be a basic guide so that you have a general idea of the grade of your books for pricing purposes. 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. Actors who played more than one comic book character in their careers. Cover shows moderate to significant wear, and may be loose but not completely detached. Comic book grading standards your new and collectible comic.
Rubber gloves to keep your oily fingers off the books 3. 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. As longtime users of nostomania know, the value of a comic depends strongly on grade. Still a desirable copy that has been handled with some care. Boulder, colorado somerville, massachusetts clearwater, florida chicago, illinois norfolk, virginia denton, texas mesa, arizona goodyear, arizona. Tape on the comic is considered a defect in this grade.
Useful for when you are unsure of the grade of a book or do not wish to grade the comic. These films rake in huge bucks at the box office, and the stars in them have padded their bank accounts and become household names. There are eight major grades in the comic book grading scale. Feb 15, 2021 when grading a comic book, the first thing youll see is the cover. 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. Certified guaranty company cgc is a leading thirdparty grading service for comic books, trading cards, magazines and other collectibles. Light tan to cream similar to light tan to offwhite, but the center of each page exhibits a cream color, while the edges are darker. To decide if your comic book is in mint condition take a look at it and decide if it fits these criteria.
Comic book grading company the affordable and reliable. You can think of the grade of a comic book like a g. The worlds largest collectibles auctioneer comic books, vintage comics. Knowing how to use a price guide is a simple but important thing.
Comic book cgc grading scale captured collectibles. How to determine your comic books condition sparkle city. Even professional grading services like cgc and cbcs acknowledge that the same book may not always rec. The basic grading scale, also known as letter grades, uses the grades from near mint highest to poor lowest. The tenpoint grading scaleassigns grades ranging from 10. Most older comic books that were read a few times and changed hands a few times are in very good vg. Find out about the steps the major comic book publishers go through in creating a comic book and how you can too. The higher the grade of a comic book the higher the value. Visual glossary of terms used in comic book grading comic.
Our grading methods are based upon factual and measurable observations. Pgx was created to meet the growing demand for professional, thirdparty comic book grading. Landing a role in a comic book movie is a big deal in hollywood today. Books with slightly brittle pages cannot grade higher than 6.
The highest possible grade that will allow any type of nonarchival tape, but only in the smallest of quantities, and to a book that would grade fine or better otherwise. May include extreme edge of corner or cover area around corner. Collectors condition comic book raw grading labels stickers. One or two minor markings on the cover or minor spine roll are allowed. Cgc uses a proven, multistep process to certify comic books, magazines, concert posters and related collectibles. There are grades in between these basic grades such as finevery fine, but we want this to be a general easy. Grading rare and classic comics, marvel, dc, and dark. 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. Most comics that come out of garages and attics are in this grade and the damper. However, grading is an inherently subjective process and there will always be small differences in opinion. The term grade is used to describe what condition a comic book is in. Some people will state that comic book grading is an art. A nice collectable copy, that may show a few signs of wear. 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.
The price guide will help you do just that and is an indispensabl. Comic book grading labels raw collectors condition starter kit buy now. Comic book grading the journal of antiques and collectibles. A comic in vg condition shows some significant wear, but has not accumulated enough total defects to reduce eye appeal to the point. Any kid whos ever devoured a title like anyas ghostor invisible emmieor a wrinkle in time. Some comic books dont just have science in them, but actually go so far as to teach science concepts. Take a close look, ideally with a magnifying glass, and make careful notes of any apparent damage, including. To grade a comic, you need to take in to consideration a number of factors before being able to. Apr 20, 2019 this is the rarest grade for comic books, and the highest grade on the comic book grading scale. Comic book grading learn the scale and how to apply it. Comic book grading mint mt near mint nm very fine vf fine fn very good vg good gd fair fa poor po. Here, you can explore the key stages of the cgc grading process. May 08, 2016 there are eight major grades in the comic book grading scale.
Comic book grading the basics of grading comics superworld. Raw grading labels the preprinted labels are colorcoded using the standard 10 pt. Fits the criteria for very good but with an additional virtue or small accumulation of virtues that improves the books appearance by a perceptible amount. 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. Cover shows significant wear, and may be loose or even detached at one. Pages and inside covers could be brownish but not brittle. At arms length it should look nearly new, but on closer inspection, you may spot small faults. Its especially important for first graders because theyre still learning langua. Creating a comic book is a much more complicated process than people expect. Comic book grading our grading standards are based on the standards laid out in the overstreet grading guide. Very good vg, overstreet 5435 generally, this condition represents the average used comic book, one that has not been taken care of.
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 grading labels fit on top of backing boards, or can be placed over sleeves. This book may range anywhere from poor to near mint and there is no obligation to clarify its condition. A slightly aboveaverage collectible with several moderate defects. Grading guide pgx comics pgx comic grading services. These comics show moderate wear but eye appeal has not been reduced to the point that the comic ceases to be collectible. Grading information and pictures provided by duncan mcalpine from.
Cgc grades comic books, magazines, concert posters and lobby cards using a. Oct 02, 2017 these are very minor details but are important to identify and note when determining a comic book s condition. Very good this is the most common grade that we see comics in that are from the 1970s and early 1980s. It is said that some of the rarest comic books are never found in conditions better than vg. A large proportion of british and american comics that you see for sale will be in vg condition or less. Metropolis comics and collectibles grading guide 1. The collectible must have no evidence of any manufacturing or handling defects. Grades near mint nm very fine vf fine f very good vg good g fair f poor p. Collectors condition comic book raw grading labels. Comics can be thoughtprovoking, boundarybreaking, emotionally complex, and all the things that books without pictures can be. Therefore being able to correctly determine the grade of a comic is an important skill for buyers and sellers alike. These are abbreviations for mint near mint highest, very fine, fine, very good, good, fair, and poor lowest. Mar 02, 2019 the term grade is used to describe what condition a comic book is in.
Dec 19, 2002 visual glossary of terms used in comic grading and description abraded corner corner area is rough. Cover shows significant wear, and may be loose or even detached at one staple. These are some of the best stores to scratch your comic book itch year round. Grading, particularly by a reputable source is often used to gauge the value of a particular book, and grading by certain companies that authenticate and certify comics books for condition and.
How to determine your comic books condition sparkle. In the case of comics in vg or higher grades, the book is already an attractive item. The cgc comic book grading scale numerical mint mt 9. Here are tips on how you can grade the condition of your comic books, including info on grading terms and definitions. Only the tiniest 18 of spine splitting is allowed at top or bottom but not both. Abrasion an area of a cover or spine has been roughened by rubbing against a rough surface. 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 books condition. Find out how to use a comic book price guide, which is used to determine the monetary value of a comic book. 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. Back to top 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. A comic in this grade shows some wear, can have a reading or center crease or a moderately rolled spine, but has not accumulated enough total defects to reduce eye appeal to the point that it is not a desirable copy. Cbgc has developed a proprietary comic book grading system with over 550 separate grading characteristics, covering over 20 grading categories. You can think of the grade of a comic book like a grade on a report card. The cgc grading process is designed to ensure consistency, accuracy and integrity while safeguarding your valuable collectibles.
It has not accumulated enough total defects to reduce eye appeal to the point that it is not a desirable copy. They are not significantly damaged in any way and are still a nice collectible. A comic book in this grade shows some wear, can have a reading or center crease or a moderately rolled spine. Details about 25 vintage archie comics comic books. To grade a comic, you need to take in to consideration a number of factors before being able to assess the correct grade. There are a couple ways to accomplish this, but if you are looking for title specific searches, this is what you would do. Back to top a used comic book showing some substantial wear. As with grading all collectibles, there is a degree of subjectivity as there are many factors to consider and all of them must. Books in this grade are almost always creased, scuffed, abraded and soiled, but completely readable. Back to top 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. The tenpoint grading scale assigns grades ranging from 10. Depending on the look of the comic, very small amounts of tape could be acceptable in this grade. There are some generally accepted grades for comic books, which helps standardize the grading system.
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