A grader must comb over a book in very minute detail, looking for myriad imperfections like wear, tears, rounded corners, marks, page color e. If you have a comic book collection or youre thinking about starting one, you need this book. 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. Cgcs new restoration grading scale is a transparent system that is much more descriptive and accurate than before. A few weeks ago, i attended a local comic convention here in vancouver and i heard about the new company comic book certification service. The owlone card comes sealed in its original foil packaging. The term grade is used to describe what condition a comic book is in. 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. Comics listed for sale on johns comics and stuff are listed with the basic grading scale. In this installment we will take a look at comic book certification services cbcs. Then, simply register or login to start the submission process.
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. The company was founded by alec born and steve borock, the latter earning a reputation in the community while working many years at. 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. Cbcs offers impartial grading and certification for comic books. Long time collector and comic book enthusiast looking to share my collecting hobby with like minded collectors. 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.
Accurate appraisal of a comic book is a multiple step process, with each step leading us up the staircase to the eventual value. As longtime users of nostomania know, the value of a comic depends strongly on grade. The current system of grading a comic book is based on the 10point scale defined in the current editions of the overstreet comic. Cgcs restoration grading scale is a transparent system that is much more descriptive and accurate than before. This page gives you the basic comic book grading definitions and 10 point scale, and a glossary of grading termslingo. 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. Every type of restoration found on each book will be individually graded for quantity and quality, with a cumulative score determining the final restoration grade assigned. Comic book grades are given out through a company called the certified guaranty company also known as the cgc. These are the important catagories to grade the effectiveness of submissions to the comic book elite list. Online research and final value comic book value secrets. Who is the most reputable to help get the most value. Our facility boasts a heavily fortified, climate controlled vault. Another way is on a tenpoint grading scale from 10.
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. In addition to the issues surrounding grading, this book is your key to learning the 10point grading system. The numeric grading system based on the books condition ranges from. The best way to understand why a specific comic book received a check mark designation is to refer to the graders notes. This is intended to be a basic guide so that you have a general idea of the grade of your books for pricing purposes. Gradingskala comics nach land grading ist unsere leidenschaft. For one, if you have a really valuable book, it offers a form of protection.
A high grade, like an a or mint, is good, while a low grade. 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. The newest and second most popular comic book grading company. In rare cases, a comic book will look much better than the given grade. Comic grading company has a simple and affordable pricing structure without any clubs to join. 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. There is a numeric system which corresponds to a titled grading system.
Comic book grading learn the scale and how to apply it. Ill be bringing a mixed bag of content and hope to meet some fellow comic fans along the way. 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. Comic book grading guide and cheat sheet comicache. The grading labels fit on top of backing boards, or can be placed over sleeves. The two basic systems consist of a number scale from one to ten such as the cgc uses and. 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. May 19, 2016 third party graders have established a standard numeric grading system that most of todays collectors rely upon. The two main methods of describing an overall grade are numerical, and symbol. May 04, 2016 comic book grading part 1 certified guaranty company duration. Therefore being able to correctly determine the grade of a comic is an important skill for buyers and sellers alike. This plastic case forever seals your comic, unless you destroy the case to extract the comic.
You can think of the grade of a comic book like a grade on a report card. Aug 30, 2017 comic book grades are given out through a company called the certified guaranty company also known as the cgc. The notes help future purchasers of a comic book because they notate any hidden defects that are factored into the final grade. In the case of comics in vg or higher grades, the book is already an attractive item. Mar 27, 2020 when grading a comic book, the first thing youll see is the cover. 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. Dealers and graders may often disagree with some grading classifications. However, if you prefer to grade your comics yourself, weve provided a concise, complete comic book grading guide below, describing all grades, along with. 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 the basics of grading comics superworld. The official overstreet comic book grading guide robert m overstreet, arnold t. Preventative restoration, widely used and accepted by collectors, consists of nonadditive restoration on a book with one or two major defects.
There are eight major grades in the comic book grading scale. Grading is the second investigation a comic goes through, this time to evaluate the condition of the comic cover and pages. There are grades in between these basic grades such as finevery fine, but we want this to be a general easy. Comic grading professional comic book grading eliminates concerns about grade misrepresentations by providing a professional assessment of condition and quality. For any questions, please contact our site administrator.
Comic grading is the process of encasing a comic book in a plastic case. Comic book grading, certification process cbcs comics. Grading websites comic book elite sites best comic sites. Egs european grading service halo certification pgx professional grading experts vault 60 day comic grading mcg midwest comic grading. One way comic books are graded is on the basic grading scale, which runs from mint the highest, through near mint, very fine, fine, very good, good, fair, and poor the lowest. Comic book grading company the affordable and reliable. Though at times controversial, its proven grading system has become a gold standard for those looking to have their collection appraised. The overstreet guide to grading comics 2016 edition. Every comic book certified by cgc is graded by the hobbys most experienced and trusted team, according to wellestablished grading standards. There are different systems used by different price guides and grading companies. 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.
While the overstreet comic book price guide helps you decide what comics to look for, this new, extensively updated edition of the overstreet comic book grading guide teaches you the telltale signs of condition that are the keys to real collectibility. The grading notes are available here to help a submitter understand how we came to the consensus of the grade on the cbcs label. Grading catagories our site submission grading policy has been created to better serve those who are concerned about the content, navigation, accessibility, traffic, and safety of each website represented in the comic book elite list. Before you ship your comics, please read the shipping information below.
Certified guaranty company cgc is a leading thirdparty grading service for comic books, magazines and other collectibles. Grading of comics can be subjective, although there are basic agreed upon standards within the industry. 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. 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. We have taken every precaution to safely house your comic books while in our care. The grade of a comic book is based on its physical condition. The comic book price guide for great britain a guide to grading. Nov 15, 2017 blastoff comics owner explains why most comic book stores barely stay afloat duration. We closely monitor and calibrate our staff to maintain adherence to our established standards.
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. Although the actual process of grading a comic isnt really that difficult, it can be a bit intimidating for beginners. Grading comics accurately is essential to their figuring out their proper value and price. 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 most difficult, contentious and eternally frustrating aspect of comic collecting is grading. Gemstone publishing, inc the overstreet comic book grading. Blastoff comics owner explains why most comic book stores barely stay afloat duration.
The overstreet comic book grading guide 3rd edition. Take a close look, ideally with a magnifying glass, and make careful notes of any apparent damage, including. Restoration grading scale cgcs restoration grading scale is a transparent system that is much more descriptive and accurate than before. Comic book grading is the process of determining the grade or condition of a book, which directly influences its value. 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. 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. Raw grading labels the preprinted labels are colorcoded using the standard 10 pt. The worlds largest collectibles auctioneer comic books, vintage comics. The best possible existing condition of that comic book.
A key aspect of comic book collecting is the condition of the comic book. Vault grading provides grading, pressing, encapsulation, valuation, and screening services to comic book collectors. Comic book grading part 1 certified guaranty company duration. This collectibles shop page has the standard 10 point grading scale and definitions, as used in the overstreet guide. This company was started by steve borock, the former president of cgc so he definitely has some clout in the industry. Comic book grading labels collectors condition comic book. From the moment your books enter into our facility they are handled with the upmost care by our highly trained professional staff. Cbgc provides the only easy to use, online comic submission form. A comic must be relatively complete to be successfully restored. In these rare cases, a check mark will be placed on the label by the numerical grade.
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