It is very rare especially in older comic books pre1990 to discover a comic in either mint or gem mint 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. 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. However, grading is an inherently subjective process and there. The higher the grade of a comic book the higher the value. Blumberg, has set the standard for grading the condition of comic books. Submit comics for grading and signature authentication, no membership required. It is the first independent and impartial third party grading service for comic books. But as a rule of thumb, as im deciding which comics to submit for grading i always estimate the true cost of. Cover may be detached, and inks have lost all reflectivity. You can think of the grade of a comic book like a grade on a report card. 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.
We closely monitor and calibrate our staff to maintain adherence to our established standards. Comic book grading part 1 certified guaranty company duration. A high grade, like an a or mint, is good, while a low grade. Every comic book certified by cgc is graded by the hobbys most experienced and trusted team, according to. Take a close look, ideally with a magnifying glass, and make careful notes of any apparent damage, including.
Books in this condition pre1980 are virtually nonexistent. Mar 27, 2020 when grading a comic book, the first thing youll see is the cover. 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. He opened his first brick and mortar store in march of 1972. In these rare cases, a check mark will be placed on the label by the numerical grade. The basic grading scale, also known as letter grades, uses the grades from near mint highest to poor lowest. Comic grading is the process of encasing a comic book in a plastic case. Comic grading company has a simple and affordable pricing structure without any clubs to join. We need to emphasize, however, that not more than two of the above mentioned flaws can appear in the same comic.
Grading rare and classic comics, marvel, dc, and dark. At the moment, there are two different types of grading that you will find. The higher the grade, the better the condition the comic book is in. Comic book grading learn the scale and how to apply it. Egs provides graders notes on all certified services at no additional cost. In recent years, grading criteria have become even tighter, especially in silver and bronze age books, due to their higher survival rate. I just want to get the most out of what is probably my best comic. Certified guaranty company, also known as cgc, is a sarasota, florida comic book grading service. Cgc set the standard for thirdparty comic book, magazine, lobby card and vintage photograph grading, and its independent affiliate ccs performs expert pressing, restoration and restoration removal services for comic books. The most difficult, contentious and eternally frustrating aspect of comic collecting is grading. Who is the most reputable to help get the most value. Pgx was created to meet the growing demand for professional, thirdparty comic book grading.
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. Since 1970, the name overstreet has symbolized a vast knowledge of american comic books. Grading is the second investigation a comic goes through, this time to evaluate the condition of the comic cover and pages. Preventative restoration, widely used and accepted by collectors, consists of nonadditive restoration on a book with one or two major defects.
Every comic book certified by cgc is graded by the hobbys most experienced and trusted team and according to wellestablished grading standards. To grade a comic, you need to take in to consideration a number of factors before being able to assess the correct grade. Comic book grades are given to a book reflecting the quality of printing, storage, and upkeep of a particular book. Certified guaranty company cgc revolutionized the comic book marketplace when it was founded in 2000 by providing clear, objective and impartial assessments of authenticity and grade. A grader must comb over a book in very minute detail, looking for myriad imperfections like wear, tears, rounded corners, marks, page color e. The comic book price guide for great britain a guide to grading. Comic book grading is the process of determining the grade or condition of a book, which directly influences its value. Finally, we gather supportive information about the individual sale including when and where it was sold, how the sale can be identified at the remote venue, the format of the sale. 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. Therefore being able to correctly determine the grade of a comic is an important skill for buyers and sellers alike. Though at times controversial, its proven grading system has become a gold standard for those looking to have their collection appraised. Mail submissions to cgc headquarters paid collectors society members and authorized dealers can complete submission forms online and send collectibles directly to the cgc headquarters. The grade of a comic book is very similar to a report card grade. Comics guaranty company cgc cgc comics guaranty company is a business.
Today, cgc is the worlds largest and most trusted thirdparty grading service for comics, magazines, concert posters and related collectibles with more. Cgc is an independent member of the certified collectibles group of companies. Dec 24, 20 the real freakin comic book men greg eide has been selling comic books as his livelihood for over 42 years. Cgc is the industry leader in professional comic book certification and has pioneered its well respected signature series program, a certification service that assures the signature on a collectible. May 04, 2016 comic book grading part 1 certified guaranty company duration. The ultimate authority delivers the right grade every time grading comic books is the key to successful comic book collecting, and now the leading expert on comic books, robert m. The tenpoint grading scale assigns grades ranging from 10. The best way to understand why a specific comic book received a check mark designation is to refer to the graders notes. 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. The term grade is used to describe what condition a comic book is in. As we match the sale we record the comic grading company, holderlabel type and the assigned grade. Vault grading provides grading, pressing, encapsulation, valuation, and screening services to comic book collectors. Theoretically, the higher the grade of the book, the more desirable the book will be.
Submit comics to cgc for grading there are four ways for collectors to submit their comics for grading. Submit your books pgx comics pgx comic grading services. 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. The official overstreet comic book grading guide 2nd edition by robert m. A guide to grading the comic book price guide for great. The real freakin comic book men greg eide has been selling comic books as his livelihood for over 42 years. Jun 21, 2017 the term grading refers to finding the condition that a comic book is in. The overstreet guide to grading comics latest edition. A couple of minor flaws might be allowable, but no more. When grading gets to fine, you start operating on a point system. A grade represents the condition of a book in a way that collectors can understand.
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. Egs provides you with superior customer service from start to finish. Cover shows significant wear, and may be loose or even detached at one staple. The book pretty much summarizes all the checking points in determining the value of a comic book, and provides extensive comic book grading scale and descriptions for each grading level. How to grade the condition of your comic books types of grading. Today, cgc is the worlds largest and most trusted thirdparty grading service for comics, magazines, concert posters and related collectibles with more than 5 million collectibles certified since 2000. And in some instances even a second flaw can drop a.
How to grade your comics comic book grading labels. When you go to buy a car, an antique, house, or other purchases, you want to know what kind of shape it is in. There are grades in between these basic grades such as finevery fine, but we want this to be a general easy. 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. This plastic case forever seals your comic, unless you destroy the case to extract the comic. Comic book grading part 1 certified guaranty company.
There has been a recent rise in the value of cgc graded. You also benefit from a 14 businessday maximum turnaround time for your 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. The standard comic book grading system that is widely used today is the one developed in the official overstreet comic book grading guide. Before a comic books value is determined, the comic book needs to have an accurate grade assigned to it. How to grade comic books examining the cover and spine look for cover damage. 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. 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. When grading a comic book, the first thing youll see is the cover. The company was launched in early 2000 and has since gone on to become a notable. For a certain price, a team of cgc comic book grading experts will examine your comics minutely according to wellestablished grading standards. Comic book grading company the affordable and reliable. Comic grading professional comic book grading eliminates concerns about grade misrepresentations by providing a professional assessment of condition and quality.
Every comic book certified by cgc is graded by the hobbys most experienced and trusted team, according to wellestablished grading standards. The best possible existing condition of that comic book. Some collectors consider this the lowest collectible grade because comic books in lesser condition are usually incomplete andor brittle. The two main methods of describing an overall grade are numerical, and symbol.