The advantages of the collectors condition comic book raw grading labeling system is. Submit your books pgx comics pgx comic grading services. But only when the book is otherwise quite beautiful, and the tape does not in any way mar the appearance of the book. It is considered a perfect copy and is extremely rare to find today. 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. Several events have impacted grading over the years. This grading process details the exact condition and completeness of a comic, allowing the seller to get an idea of how much it is worth. The first has to be the arrival of comic book conventions. The generally accepted comic book grading scale, terms, and descriptions are as follows.
Here is the standard grading system used for all books available on. Gemstone mint is in every way a flawless copy of a comic book. You can think of the grade of a comic book like a grade on a report card. You then hand the book over to them, and it gets sent off to be graded. We are currently migrating data to our new system and conducting tests, and we are really excited for you to try it out. The real freakin comic book men greg eide has been selling comic books as his livelihood for over 42 years. Cgc grading scale cgc uses a 10point grading scale to evaluate comics. Below the white rank, books receive ratings of offwhite to white, offwhite, a mix of tan and cream colors, and then at the bottom are the extreme cases of dark tan or brittle pages. For one, if you have a really valuable book, it offers a form of protection. I have been a comic book fan, collector, publisher pocket comicsmars attacks 1988 and graphic artist for years necessity is the mother of invention. Books that are coverless, but are otherwise complete, will receive a grade of 0. These comic grading services will grade a comic and then seal the comic in a hard plastic case that displays the assigned grade.
Cgc prides itself on being an impartial comic grading service that provides a professional and impartial assessment of your comics quality. Although the actual process of grading a comic isnt really that difficult, it can be a bit intimidating for beginners. Slabbing a random nonkey book is often not likely to pay off in increased value, nor will slabbing books under 6. 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. Numerous collectors and comic fans will purchase coverless comics to either read or to obtain a filler copy of a book for their collection. All it takes is a quick ebay search to see that high grade cgc comics will always sell for more than their raw counterparts. The comic book industry tenpoint grading scale ranges from 10. Cbgc provides the only easy to use, online comic submission form. 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. Comic book grading company the affordable and reliable. 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. We are proud to provide certification and grading services for collectors and hobbyist in the comic book industry.
One of our goals for the new website is to offer an easier online experience for our customers. There are different systems used by different price guides and grading companies. Comic book grading learn the scale and how to apply it. In recent years, grading criteria have become even tighter, especially in silver and bronze age books, due to their higher survival rate. Comic book grading part 1 certified guaranty company.
This company was started by steve borock, the former president of cgc so he definitely has some clout in the industry. Key collector comics free mobile app is the worlds first database and price guide to focus exclusively on key issues. We closely monitor and calibrate our staff to maintain adherence to our established standards. Its a complicated process, and if you want to know more about it you can read how it works for yourself here. Any amount of wear to the cover of the book must be factored into the condition and grading of the comic. Comic grading professional comic book grading eliminates concerns about grade misrepresentations by providing a professional assessment of condition and quality. Everything you need as a collector of valuable comics or highlysought after issues including speculation books is combined into one resource. Below are cgcs grading standards for each numeric grade as well as the restoration grading scale. Cbcs comic book certification service the newest and second most popular comic book grading company.
Here, collectors could easily compare and discuss grading with dealers. The cgc comic shop, we are a buyer and seller of comics, cgc submission center, professional grader and valuer,cgc european agent, comic locating service. 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. Theoretically, the higher the grade of the book, the more desirable the book will be. Comic book grading labels collectors condition comic book. All sellers listing items on this site are required to use this grading system for a standard method understood by all.
Comic book grading labels collectors condition comic. Part of the reason is because its understood that at minimum the cost of grading the comic is added to the raw value of the book. There are grades in between these basic grades such as finevery fine, but we want this to be a general easytofollow comic grading. Grading from australia cgc registry cgc comic book. Most professional comic book graders are in doubt if. The oldest and most trusted comic book grading service is provided by certified guaranty company llc, more commonly known as cgc. These grading services assign grades on the same tenpoint grading scale used by mycomicshop. Preventative restoration, widely used and accepted by collectors, consists of nonadditive restoration on a book with one or two major defects. Overstreet comic book grading guide first edition 1992 the confident collector 5. Comic grading is the process of encasing a comic book in a plastic case. Before you ship your comics, please read the shipping information below. Iconic comics grading is based on the overstreet grading guide. In the case of comics in vg or higher grades, the book is already an attractive. The cover of a comic is what typically takes the most abuse.
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. For books that have a signature witness, they are sealed with a special label. Well be taking a look at their grading scale for the. I tried calling several times, but their phone is disconnected or its been changed. A book with white pages ranks at the top of the color scale. The market value of comic books is partly determined by a grading process. The book may have been opened and read, but there are no defects to the book, jacket or pages. The two main methods of describing an overall grade are numerical, and symbol. Describes a book that shows some small signs of wear but no tears on either binding or paper.
I got tired of using standard labels, cutting, taping, searching, and wasting time. 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. Once restored, a comics value depends upon several factors. The learn to grade comic books course is the most comprehensive course of its kind. Comic grading company has a simple and affordable pricing structure without any clubs to join. I know this is a religious debate, however i am hoping it can stay objective. Comic book grading is the process of determining the grade or condition of a book, which directly influences its value. Nov 09, 2012 my personal opinion on grading comics. The grade of a comic book is based on its physical condition. The most difficult, contentious and eternally frustrating aspect of comic collecting is grading. Who is the most reputable to help get the most value. Cgc uses a 10point grading scale to evaluate comics. This collectibles shop page has the standard 10 point grading scale and definitions, as used in the overstreet guide. Comics price guide was the first online price guide for comic books back in 1995.
Grading comics accurately is essential to their figuring out their proper value and price. That way, anyone can compare their raw or slabbed books to consistent grading standards. 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. The premier online comics price guide free comic book values. We have values for any marvel, dc, image, idw, darkhorse, or dell comic book that is in your collection. Digital imaging for comic books submitted under any of cgcs grading and service tiers. Comic book grades are given to a book reflecting the quality of printing, storage, and upkeep of a particular book. Likely not the only scale book youll own, but probably the only one youd need. A highly consistent, descriptive and illustrated extensively grading guide on the web which will be a free service to the collecting community. Consists of accurate highresolution images of the front and back of the book, shown encapsulated in its cgc holder. A high grade, like an a or mint, is good, while a low grade, like an f or poor, is bad. Select what condition your comic is by using the cgc and cbcs grading scale. Even though youd think cgc should have comic grading in it it actually stands for certificate guaranty company.
Also, pressing is a very delicate process, so please be aware that it may add time to the express and next day grading services. The term grade is used to describe what condition a comic book is in. In it, i walk you step by step through 27 comics at every grade level from 0. Please note that we can only ship up to 30 books in one box so you will need to take this into account when submitting larger orders. 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. If we dont, add it to your want list and well notify you when its in stock. In this installment we will take a look at comic book certification services cbcs. The comic book price guide for great britain a guide to grading.
Every comic book certified by cgc is graded by the hobbys most experienced and trusted team, according to wellestablished grading standards. Pgx was established in 2002 to meet the growing demand for impartial, thirdparty grading and continues to be the fastest, most affordable grading service in the industry. Unlike a lot of scale books and i have ownedown several, this one seems to flow well from beginning to end, starting with patterns that one is more likely to know and moving forward in a logical direction to more complicated scales and those less likely encountered. The grading scale that we are familiar with in the coin market, regardless of the service that a coin has been submitted to, is known as the sheldon scale.
New comic book heat press pressed comics for better. In an effort to highlight the most well received comic book trades, weve set up a real time list of the best comic book trades of the past three months. As longtime users of nostomania know, the value of a comic depends strongly on grade. After your comics arrive at cgc, up to three graders will inspect your comic before a final grade is given. Or are you just interested in the world of collecting. A fr copy will have virtually no eye appeal and will display major damage. The two basic systems consist of a number scale from one to ten such as the cgc uses and. A grader must comb over a book in very minute detail, looking for myriad imperfections like wear, tears, rounded corners, marks, page color e.
These records are from an impartial 3rd party source gp analysis. Then, simply register or login to start the submission process. 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. The ratings displayed are the average ratings for the. Everything you need to know about submitting comic books. There are eight major grades in the comic book grading scale.
This is a fairly common trait in the very good category. 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. 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. In general, the more restoration has been performed, the less the comic is worth compared to its apparent grade value. A fr is the lowest grade a comic book can receive as long as the story and art are complete. I have heard from the lcbs that they think cbcs is grading. Learn what is the comic book rating system and how a comic book is graded with cbcs comics grading guidelines. High grade books are great candidates, as are keys e. I just want to get the most out of what is probably my best comic.
A lightly restored book will be valued higher than a book with heavy restoration in the same apparent grade. Catalog your inventory or build a wish list of key issues. Comic book realm use our database to track your comic. When initially looking at a comic book the first thing one will notice is the cover of the book. Additionally, some comics are slabbed by cgc, cbcs, or pgx. A nice comic with a piece up to the size of a standard postage stamp torn from one corner. Comic book grades are given out through a company called the certified guaranty company also known as the cgc. Grading is the second investigation a comic goes through, this time to evaluate the condition of the comic cover and pages. You can also connect with others in the comic industry to further and enhance everyones comic experience.
We offer modern, bronze age, silver age, and golden age comics. Were sorry but doesnt work properly without javascript enabled. Pgx was created to meet the growing demand for professional, thirdparty comic book grading. This plastic case forever seals your comic, unless you destroy the case to extract the comic. The higher the grade of a comic book the higher the value. This book may range anywhere from poor to near mint and there is no obligation to clarify its condition. Before a comic books value is determined, the comic book needs to have an accurate grade assigned to it. Gp analysis lists us as a cgc the comic book grading authority online auction firm. If youre looking for a hard to find back issue, we probably have it. A standard color coded raw grading tool that is exclusively designed for you the comic book collectorinvestor. 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. The comic book price guide for great britain a guide to. One area we focused on is the way you submit comics and access your account information.
Therefore being able to correctly determine the grade of a comic is an important skill for buyers and sellers alike. 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. A comic must be relatively complete to be successfully restored. Remember you are invited to participate in the process. Because our location is in the midwest, we feel that offers comic lovers a better choice than other grading, appraisal and brokerage services. Our company has sat well over 600 world record prices selling vintage comic books at auction. The biggest and most popular third party grading company. Our grading increases the value of your collectibles, protects the condition, and improves their display quality.
Useful for when you are unsure of the grade of a book or do not wish to grade the comic. Vault grading received my comic in september of 2016. No bindery tears are allowed, although on golden age books bindery tears of up. Chuck rozanskis grading standards mile high comics. Gradingskala comics nach land grading ist unsere leidenschaft. A fine book approaches the condition of as new, but without being crisp. A grade represents the condition of a book in a way that collectors can understand.
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