Comic book grading the basics of grading comics superworld. Comic book grading is the process of determining the grade or condition. With new expanded information, it remains the definitive reference for industrystandard comic book grading procedures. This book is a great tool for comic book aficionados, but i cant recommend it for anyone who doesnt know at least a little about grading comic books already. I would be interested in scans of any cgced books that have page colorgrade combinations not found on the chart for future inclusion. Mar 27, 2020 when grading a comic book, the first thing youll see is the cover. 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. Comic book grading is one of the most important parts of comic. In mid1942, the numbering started over again, and series 2 began. For one, if you have a really valuable book, it offers a form of protection. With new expanded information, it remains the definitive reference for. I just bought a near mint issue of marvel spotlight, with a son of satan story im particularly affectioned to, and the copy would have been better than mine, if not for some production crease, not on the cover, but on the inside pages, which breaks slightly the printed images, but is a lot more annoying. The grading label can not be removed without destroying the slab.
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. Comic book grading ri consignment a different way to. Oct 24, 2017 buying the overstreet guide which is the bible of grading standards helped me immensely since i am now purchasing comics both at comic book stores and through the internet. These records are from an impartial 3rd party source gp analysis. Who is the most reputable to help get the most value. Cgc page quality chart here is a chart of the various cgc page colors ive come across in the wild. Therefore being able to correctly determine the grade of a comic is an important skill for buyers and sellers alike. We will go into depth with the overstreet grading system. 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 title is a reference to the four basic colors used when printing comic books cyan, magenta, yellow and black at the time. Too many noticeable fingerprints downgrade a comic to very good. Paper color will have a slight effect on most high grades. This issue of comic update will define each individual grade followed with an analysis of that grade category. Newly updated, the overstreet guide to grading comics includes the 10point grading system, as well as exhaustive descriptions of primary and split grades, examples of each grade with more than 200 fullcolor images in all, articles on storage, preservation, and restoration, a look at the independent, thirdparty grading companies, and much more. Cbgc provides the only easy to use, online comic submission form. For instance, take a look at a recently featured comic book, action comics 1.
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. You then hand the book over to them, and it gets sent off to be graded. As condition evaluators and restoration detection experts, the professionals at pgx have spent decades inspecting multiple copies of a wide variety of comics from every era. The company was founded by alec born and steve borock, the latter earning a reputation in the community while working many years at cgc, and was recently purchased by beckett media. We have compiled our information from a variety of. Before you ship your comics, please read the shipping information below. Noncomic apparel toys and models posters select publisher image comics dark horse comics idw publishing dc comics marvel comics dynamite boom. Grading guide pgx comics pgx comic grading services. Comic book grading company the affordable and reliable. Pgx utilizes the overstreet comic book grading guide in its definitions of condition. Four color, also known as four color comics and one shots, was an american comic book anthology series published by dell comics between 1939 and 1962.
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. Useful for when you are unsure of the grade of a book or do not wish to grade the comic. For example, if a comic book missing a page is signed by stan lee under direct observation of a cgc representative, the book will be graded as if the page. Removal of the tape improves the value and appearance of the book. Originally produced in conjunction with the first edition of the overstreet comic book grading guide, the owl or overstreets whiteness level card is a comic book grading tool used to evaluate paper color on the reverse side is the one or overstreets numerical equivalent card, which translates the traditional letter grades into their equivalent values on a 100point numerical. A guide to grading the comic book price guide for great. Cbcs team members all share in the love of our hobby and the medium. 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. Comic grading, from bag and board grading to full cgc.
Comic book grading understand the options comic burst. Grading is the term used for the assessment of the condition of a particular comic book. As a general rule, we err on the lower side of the grading system when listing our comics for sale, to ensure that our customers are not disappointed with their comic purchase. We are proud to provide certification and grading services for collectors and hobbyist in the comic book industry. Certified guaranty company, also known as cgc, is a sarasota, florida comic book grading service. Comics with solid color covers, such as white or black, can be particularly effected by fingerprints. The company was founded by alec born and steve borock, the latter earning a reputation in the community while working many years at. 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. Piece fills are obvious at arms length, the color matching is bad, and the bleed through is evident. The two main methods of describing an overall grade are numerical, and symbol. Select category comics graphic novelstrade paperbacks magazines books games trading cards novelties.
Nov 09, 2012 comic book hot picks for 3420, cgc comment and some new vintage pick ups duration. Newly updated, the overstreet guide to grading comics includes the 10point grading system, as well as exhaustive descriptions of primary and split grades, examples of each grade with more than 200 full color images in all, articles on storage, preservation, and restoration, a look at the independent, thirdparty grading companies, and much more. Then, simply register or login to start the submission process. In this installment we will take a look at comic book certification services cbcs. Comic book grading has made a major impact on the market since 1997. Egs european grading service halo certification pgx professional grading experts vault 60 day comic grading mcg midwest comic grading.
Effective with the 4th edition, published in 2014, the overstreet comic book grading guide has been retitled as the overstreet guide to grading comics, and has been published in a new larger format. Comic book grading basics what you need to know by admin on thursday, october 15th, 2009 4 comments the grade or condition of a comic book is the most important determination of value outside of the actual title and issue number. This article will help you understand our grading system and how we rate our comics. You can tell that this comic has been stored properly and looks almost as new as the. I just want to get the most out of what is probably my best comic. 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. It was always my understanding upon the release of the first overstreet grading guide that grading a comic structurally via the numeric system 1 to 100 back then, now 1 to 10, poor to mint was kind of separate from grading a comics page color.
Our grading increases the value of your collectibles, protects the condition, and improves their display quality. This book may range anywhere from poor to near mint and there is no obligation to clarify its condition. The worlds largest collectibles auctioneer comic books, vintage comics, original and. Comic book certification service cbcs was started by professional comic book hobbyists with the intent of protecting our fellow hobbyists when buying and selling comic books. The cover cleaning has resulted in washed outspeckled colors. Comic book hot picks for 3420, cgc comment and some new vintage pick ups duration. Spine is almost completely flat with a possible minor color break. Comic book grading screenshots, images and pictures comic vine. 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.
This company was started by steve borock, the former president of cgc so he definitely has some clout in the industry. The overstreet guide to grading comics 2016 edition. The cgc comic book shop offer as well as full cgc grading and slabbing we offer the following popular service. So, our slabs will fit in most graded comic book boxes for long term storage.
Take a close look, ideally with a magnifying glass, and make careful notes of any apparent damage, including. Therefore, mcg is acting both as a grading unit for mcb and trying to fill a void in both affordability and availability in the world of comic book grading. A 12 inch color breaking crease can drop the grade of a book by one full point. 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. Cerebus, for example, is a comic that often has fingerprint marks due to the heavy inks used in printing the covers.
This plastic case forever seals your comic, unless you destroy the case to extract the comic. Though at times controversial, its proven grading system has become a gold standard for those looking to have their collection appraised. May 27, 2016 paper color will have a slight effect on most high grades. The grade can literally mean a gain or loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars for a particular issue. Comic book supplies auctionstore venues third party grading. 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. Comic grading is the process of encasing a comic book in a plastic case. Comic book grades are given to a book reflecting the quality of printing, storage, and upkeep of a particular book. The lower the book is on the owl color chart, the lower the grade will be. For books that have a signature witness, they are sealed with a special label. Originally produced in conjunction with the first edition of the overstreet comic book grading guide, the owl or overstreets whiteness level card is a comic book grading tool used to evaluate paper color. The pages will be white or nearly white and will feel supple and like new.
Black color touches seem to be the most popular, because most people have access to a black marker and think that if they color in the worn black section of a comic book that no one will notice. I would rather be more interesting in the overall quality of printing on the insides. The newest and second most popular comic book grading company. Grading taking into account paper color collecting. Learn what is the comic book rating system and how a comic book is graded with cbcs. The grade or condition of a comic book is the most important determination of value outside of the actual title and issue number. May 19, 2016 color touches are usually on the cover of a comic book, and rarely on the inside of a comic book. 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. Books that have been restored by color touch, replaced staples etc. Types of damage that place a comic in fr range include. When grading a comic book, the first thing youll see is the cover.
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. You have to know the basics of grading comics to determine whether sellers are under and over charging based on their subjective standards. Comic grading, from bag and board grading to full cgc submission. Gp analysis lists us as a cgc the comic book grading authority online auction firm. This collectibles shop page has the standard 10 point grading scale and definitions, as used in the overstreet guide. I sent over 100 books into cbcs this year what i noticed was all the grading companies have long wait times.
Cgc is an independent member of the certified collectibles group of companies. Send us your comics along with payment, we will bag, board and grade the comics for. Vault grading provides grading, pressing, encapsulation, valuation, and screening services to comic book collectors. Some people are better than others at touching up colors. 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.
Indepth look at the new cgc comic book restoration grading. Jul 16, 2014 a few weeks ago, i attended a local comic convention here in vancouver and i heard about the new company comic book certification service. To determine the color of a books pages, hold the owl card beside the pages in question and simply select the color on the card that is the closest to the color of the books interior pages. Interior pages must be white in color and supple to the touch. At ri consignment, we sell a variety of comic books for sale in our online store. So back then, a comic might be graded an 87 on the numeric scale, and be given an owl rating of 8. In recent years, grading criteria have become even tighter, especially in silver and bronze age books, due to their higher survival rate. Submit your books pgx comics pgx comic grading services.
While we cannot guarantee that a book graded twice will receive the same. Our company has sat well over 600 world record prices selling vintage comic books at auction. As longtime users of nostomania know, the value of a comic depends strongly on grade. The comic book price guide for great britain a guide to grading. The process is cheap and quick, and nothing is added to the comic, such as japan paper or color touch see the glossary for definitions. The most difficult, contentious and eternally frustrating aspect of comic collecting is grading.
99 1286 334 1271 673 1523 900 209 1239 1076 276 1448 52 1291 633 432 633 1496 1558 12 432 722 1364 954 1341 1484 1161 1103 399 1026 1259 204 610 134 1339 953 1115 1167