If we dont, add it to your want list and well notify you when its in stock. Yes, im no expert at the comic book grading scale, i wouldnt know a 9. As longtime users of nostomania know, the value of a magazine depends strongly on grade. Most comics graded using the tenpoint grading scale also have cover scans, so when youre considering purchasing a comic you can see the front and sometimes back cover scans of the exact comic being offered. The worlds largest collectibles auctioneer comic books, vintage comics, original and animation art. Cgc uses a 10point grading scale to evaluate comics. Pgx was created to meet the growing demand for professional, thirdparty comic book grading. This can include abrasions, tears, creases, bent corners, spine splits, chips, tape, glue, as well as a multitude of other types of wear we will cover in the grades noted below. You can think of the grade of a comic book like a grade on a report card. This step is taken to ensure that graders do not know whose books they are grading, as. Based on the accepted industrywide standard 10 point condition, numerical grading scale system. 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. Who is the most reputable to help get the most value. 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.
Please note that grading will always be an extremely subjective process and there will always be small differences in opinion. Since 1970, the name overstreet has symbolized a vast knowledge of american comic books. Overstreet grading definitions please note that midtown comics does not grade or consider any type of numbered grading scale when determining a comic books condition. 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. Many of the comics we sell as near mintmint would qualify as mint, but we will not try to separate them as a category. An exceptional example of a given book the best ever seen. Comic book grading is the process of determining the grade or condition of a book, which directly influences its value. Comics price guide was the first online price guide for comic books back in 1995. The most difficult, contentious and eternally frustrating aspect of comic collecting is grading. Iconic comics grading is based on the overstreet grading guide. 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.
As new means that the book is in the state that it should have been in when it left the publisher. It is considered a perfect copy and is extremely rare to find today. Learn what is the comic book rating system and how a comic book is graded with cbcs comics. Only the slightest bindery or printing defects are allowed. Truly mint condition comics, even from as recently as the 1980s, are very hard to come by. The overstreet guide to grading comics 2016 edition. 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. Predating todays commonly used 10point numerical grading scale by about 10 years, the 100point scale was an unsuccessful early attempt to apply a more scientific standard to the comic book grading process. This book has seen much better days and tends to be heavily worn and tattered. This is the equivalent of mint condition in numismatics. Comic book grades are given out through a company called the certified guaranty company also known as the cgc. 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.
Cover may be detached, and inks have lost all reflectivity. Comics listed for auction or buyitnow are listed using the 10 point grading scale. Most comics graded using the tenpoint grading scale have cover scans, so when youre considering purchasing a comic you can see the front and sometimes back cover scans of the exact comic being offered. The comic book price guide for great britain a guide to. Therefore, it is very important to be able to properly grade your books. Grading is the process of evaluating the condition and consequent value of a comic book.
As a result, we do not guarantee that any specific book will come back as a certain number grade should any customer choose to grade comics ordered from midtown. The oldest and most trusted comic book grading service is provided by certified guaranty company llc, more commonly known as cgc. The set of terms below were proposed in 1949 by ab bookmans weekly. The condition generally results from a rapid change in. Comic book grading is the process of determining the grade or condition of a comic book, which directly influences its value. 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. A comic book in fr condition may have nonstory elements such as coupons. The two basic systems consist of a number scale from one to ten such as the cgc uses and the other one uses terms such as follows.
A fr is the lowest grade a comic book can receive as long as the story and art are complete. We offer modern, bronze age, silver age, and golden age comics. There are different systems used by different price guides and grading companies. Comic book grading learn the scale and how to apply it. Bowed a condition of the covers or boards of a hard cover book.
Nostomanias grading guide for magazines coin and comic. Comic book condition examples for eightyeye samurai 300. Comic books in mint condition will bring several times the price of the same book in poor condition. Introducing the collectors condition comic book raw grading labeling system.
Grading is the term used for the assessment of the condition of a particular comic book. Grading certified guaranty company, llc cgc comics. Even professional grading services like cgc, cbcs, and pgx acknowledge that the same book may not always receive the same grade if it is submitted for grading more than once. The tenpoint grading scale assigns grades ranging from 10. This is an exceptional example of a given book the best ever seen. Below are cgcs grading standards for each numeric grade as well as the restoration grading scale. The term grade is used to describe what condition a comic book is in. Bowed covers may turn inward toward the leaves or outward away from the leaves.
Sell my comic books presents a basic guide to comic book grading. A copy usually in poor to fair condition that includes all text presented in a legible fashion. Its a good idea to understand the grading scale used by most comics collectors to help ensure that your expectations are met when you purchase comics. This is a numerical grading guide based on a tenpoint system which takes several points of condition into consideration. While the overstreet comic book price guide helps you learn about comic values, this third book in our new how to line teaches you the importance of condition a factor that is often the key to real collectability and how to grade accurately the overstreet guide to grading comics. Although the actual process of grading a comic isnt really that difficult, it can be a bit intimidating for beginners. The learn to grade comic books course is the most comprehensive course of its kind. At mycomicshop, we use the basic grading scale for most of our comics priced. Other descriptors used in conjunction with the above grading scale. Therefore being able to correctly determine the grade of a comic is an important skill for buyers and sellers alike. A high grade, like an a or mint, is good, while a low grade, like an f or poor, is bad. The owlone card comes sealed in its original foil packaging. The best possible existing condition of a comic book.
Comic book condition examples of what im willing to buy spoilers. Not with most grading services though, perfect means perfect. Some collectors consider this the lowest collectible grade because comic books in lesser condition are usually incomplete andor brittle. A detailed explanation of how to determine a comic book s condition based on the established grades is generally included in a comic book pricing guide. Comics should be graded from the exterior the covers to the interior the pages and thoroughly examined before assigning a final grade. The premier online comics price guide free comic book values. Overstreet comic book grading guide first edition 1992 the confident collector 5. Any amount of wear to the cover of the book must be factored into the condition and grading of the comic. The best possible existing condition of that comic book. Collectors condition comic book raw grading labels.
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. Useful for when you are unsure of the grade of a book or do not wish to grade the comic. The generally accepted comic book grading scale, terms, and descriptions are as follows. I just want to get the most out of what is probably my best comic. A copy of a comic in this grade has all pages and most of the covers. 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.
As longtime users of nostomania know, the value of a comic depends strongly on grade. Every comic book certified by cgc is graded by the hobbys most experienced and trusted team, according to wellestablished grading standards. In it, i walk you step by step through 27 comics at every grade level from 0. Magazine grading guide for collectors of vintage back issues. If youre looking for a hard to find back issue, we probably have it. Tape and other forms of amateur repair are more common.
We have values for any marvel, dc, image, idw, darkhorse, or dell comic book that is in your collection. Mint we do not offer to sell comics in mint condition. Grading comics accurately is essential to their figuring out their proper value and price. This is intended to be a basic guide so that you have a general idea of the grade of your books for pricing purposes. A book in this condition is worn, ragged and unattractive. The market value of comic books is partly determined by a grading process.
Gemstone mint is in every way a flawless copy of a comic book. It is very rare especially in older comic books pre1990 to discover a comic in either mint. 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. This book may range anywhere from poor to near mint and there is no obligation to clarify its condition. Well be taking a look at their grading scale for the. Comic books, so please feel free to bookmark or copy my guide and use it yourself. The overstreet guide to grading comics latest edition. Comic book values typically depend on a number of factors, including how hard to find a particular issue is and the condition of the comic book. Books in this condition generally have all pages and most of the covers, although there may be up to 14 of the front cover missing or no back cover, but not both.
Some collectors consider this the lowest collectible grade because comic books in lesser condition are usually. The two basic systems consist of a number scale from one to ten such as the cgc uses and the other one. The grade of a comic book is based on its physical condition. After being examined by a restoration detection professional, the comic books are placed in barcoded mylar sleeves, and separated from their original invoice. Because mint is a standard that is too difficult to define. We are proud to provide certification and grading services for collectors and hobbyist in the comic book industry. Comics listed for sale on johns comics and stuff are listed with the basic grading scale. Youre supposed to consider the condition of the whole book too, not just the. Most grading companies or individual professional graders use the standardized comic book grading system that involves a number scale from one to ten and its corresponding comic book grading terms that best describe the condition of a comic book. Comic grading professional comic book grading eliminates concerns about grade misrepresentations by providing a professional assessment of condition and quality. They were adopted by the bookselling community and are still in use today. A comic book in fr condition may have nonstory elements such as coupons, ad pages, or marvel value.