What matters is the condition of the comic before it was stored. Last time the numeric grading system was introduced as a way to assess the condition of a comic. Cash paid for your original comc art, comics, and toys. Cgc census detailed report of the comics, magazines and lobby cards graded by cgc, with the total number of cgccertified examples in each grade. Useful for when you are unsure of the grade of a book or do not wish to grade the comic.
Similar to light tan to offwhite pages, but the edges of the pages are darker. Some comic book stores even have authorized vendors who can send your books in for you. The ultimate upside to getting your comics cgc graded is that it greatly enhances the value of your comics if they are in really good condition. Dealers and graders may often disagree with some grading classifications. We closely monitor and calibrate our staff to maintain adherence to our established standards. Midwest comic grading mcg came into existence as the grading unit of midwest comic books mcb. Nostomania comic book values, collection management, and. It is the first independent and impartial third party grading service for comic books the company was launched in early 2000 and has since gone on to become a notable part of the comic book collecting community.
These records are from an impartial 3rd party source gp analysis. Discoloration, fading, foxing, and even minor to moderate soiling is allowed. When grading a comic book, the first thing youll see is the cover. As longtime users of nostomania know, the value of a comic depends strongly on grade. Certified guaranty company, also known as cgc, is a sarasota, florida comic book grading service. Grading of comics can be subjective, although there are basic agreed upon standards within the industry. However, grading is an inherently subjective process and there. How to grade your comics comic book grading labels. We will go into depth with the overstreet grading system. 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. Below are cgcs grading standards for each numeric grade as well as the restoration grading scale. Comic book grading part 2 certified guaranty company. Who is the most reputable to help get the most value. The company was founded by alec born and steve borock, the latter earning a reputation in the community while working many years at.
Cgc uses a 10point grading scale to evaluate comics. Verify cgc certification a database of every comic book certified by cgc with grade and label description. Last week i received my overstreet guide to grading comics 2015 edition from amazon. For instance, take a look at a recently featured comic book, action comics 1. This issue of comic update will define each individual grade followed with an analysis of that grade category. The same as tan to offwhite, but the center of the pages are darker. 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. In this installment we will take a look at comic book certification services cbcs.
Dark colored pages that exhibit a uniform tint from edges to middle. 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. We are currently migrating data to our new system and conducting tests, and we are really excited for you to try it out. Research the 100 most valuable comic books, the nosto top 100 comics. A guide to grading the comic book price guide for great. 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. One area we focused on is the way you submit comics and access your account information. The real freakin comic book men greg eide has been selling comic books as his livelihood for over 42 years. Grading is the second investigation a comic goes through, this time to evaluate the condition of the comic cover and pages. A grader must comb over a book in very minute detail, looking for myriad imperfections like wear, tears, rounded corners, marks, page color e. Comic book grading has made a major impact on the market since 1997. We grade fairly and accurately and in accordance with widely accepted comic grading standards. It is the definite grading guide so if something has changed it is worth taking into account for future submissions. Chuck rozanskis grading standards mile high comics.
Buying original comic art, vintage comics, cgc graded comics and entire comic book collections, and star wars toys. 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. One of our goals for the new website is to offer an easier online experience for our customers. In recent years, grading criteria have become even tighter, especially in silver and bronze age books, due to their higher survival rate.
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. Our company has sat well over 600 world record prices selling vintage comic books at auction. The best way to understand why a specific comic book received a check mark designation is to refer to the graders notes. For books that have a signature witness, they are sealed with a special label. Grading is the term used for the assessment of the condition of a particular comic book. By requesting prescreen and specifying a minimum grade on your invoice, you will be charged grading fees only for comic books that. Comic book grading is the process of determining the grade or condition of a comic book, which directly influences its value. Furthermore, what a comic book is stored in does not have any bearing on the grade of that comic book. 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. A lightly restored book will be valued higher than a book with heavy restoration in the same apparent grade. Comic book grading is the process of determining the grade or condition of a book, which directly influences its value. Safely package your comics for secure shipment to cgc. We are proud to provide certification and grading services for collectors and hobbyist in the comic book industry. 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.
The grade or condition of a comic book is the most important determination of value outside of the actual title and issue number. Comic book certification service cbcs was started by professional comic book hobbyists and provides certification and grading services for collectors and. For collector and dealer alike, it is essential to grade the condition of a comic fairly and accurately in order to determine its true value and worth. The online form will allow you to easily submit any number of comics, and then you can print a copy of the form to be included in your shipment. You then hand the book over to them, and it gets sent off to be graded. A high grade, like an a or mint, is good, while a low grade.
In rare cases, a comic book will look much better than the given grade. Types of damage that place a comic in fr range include. Pgx also offers a comparable service and directly competes with cgc in the comic book grading market. In general, the more restoration has been performed, the less the comic is worth compared to its apparent grade value.
We need to emphasize, however, that not more than two of the above mentioned flaws can appear in the same comic. 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. However, we also desired to offer comic books lovers, collectors, buyers and sellers lower cost options to just hard shell grading. 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. You can think of the grade of a comic book like a grade on a report card. This collectibles shop page has the standard 10 point grading scale and definitions, as used in the overstreet guide. I feel the companies that offer only that form of encapsulation do a good job but many people own newer, highergrade comics that may want to get them graded.
Therefore being able to correctly determine the grade of a comic is an important skill for buyers and sellers alike. Choose a tier based on comic value and turnaround time. Sometimes i see people argue over if a piece of the cover missing would get a comic a 0. The term grade is used to describe what condition a comic book is in. Visitors to the cgc website can access these valuable research tools. I just want to get the most out of what is probably my best comic. Cover shows significant wear, and may be loose or even detached at one staple. Comic book grades are given to a book reflecting the quality of printing, storage, and upkeep of a particular book.
Cgc is an independent member of the certified collectibles group of companies. Grading your comic books guide revel in the detail. Cgc comic book grading understand the labels comic burst. Comic book grading company the affordable and reliable. 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. 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. A couple of minor flaws might be allowable, but no more. Discuss topics of interest with other users on the forums. A comic must be relatively complete to be successfully restored. The most difficult, contentious and eternally frustrating aspect of comic collecting is grading. Preventative restoration, widely used and accepted by collectors, consists of nonadditive restoration on a book with one or two major defects. This is an exceptional example of a given book the best ever seen. Advice for those who dont know how to grade comics. 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 submission cbgc provides the only easy to use, online comic submission form. Egs european grading service halo certification pgx professional grading experts vault 60 day comic grading mcg midwest comic grading. Pgx was created to meet the growing demand for professional, thirdparty comic book grading. In these rare cases, a check mark will be placed on the label by the numerical grade. When grading gets to fine, you start operating on a point system. Both of these requirements were lacking for much of comic book history, and in the absence of a reliable method of achieving this, access to the culture was stifled and progress was delayed.
Comic grading company has a simple and affordable pricing structure without any clubs to join. This book may range anywhere from poor to near mint and there is no obligation to clarify its condition. Its only been within the last 15 years or so that the problem of bias in comic grading was amended, and it took the form of commercial grading. Comic book grading learn the scale and how to apply it. The newest and second most popular comic book grading company.
Comic grading professional comic book grading eliminates concerns about grade misrepresentations by providing a professional assessment of condition and quality. Gp analysis lists us as a cgc the comic book grading authority online auction firm. 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. And in some instances even a second flaw can drop a.
A spine split of up to 23 the length of the book, a. The best possible existing condition of that comic book. A fr copy will have virtually no eye appeal and will display major damage. The two main methods of describing an overall grade are numerical, and symbol. Vault grading provides grading, pressing, encapsulation, valuation, and screening services to comic book collectors. By requesting prescreen and specifying a minimum grade on your invoice, you will be charged grading fees only for comic books that meet or exceed your specified minimum grade. There is a numeric system which corresponds to a titled grading system. The comic book grading companies will offer witnesses, so a representative from the grading company will stand with you as you get a book signed.
Once restored, a comic s value depends upon several factors. My lists manage your collection, wantlist, or for sale list. Mint we do not offer to sell comics in mint condition. Every comic book certified by cgc is graded by the hobbys most experienced and trusted team, according to wellestablished grading standards. Join cgc to get direct submission privileges, 247 order tracking and 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. The grade can literally mean a gain or loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars for a particular issue. Take a close look, ideally with a magnifying glass, and make careful notes of any apparent damage, including.
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