The most difficult, contentious and eternally frustrating aspect of comic collecting is grading. Submit comics to cgc for grading there are four ways for collectors to submit their comics for grading. As longtime users of nostomania know, the value of a comic depends strongly on grade. 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. This got the same cgc grade 98001 copy im still dumbfounded by their biased grading.
The newest and second most popular comic book grading company. First, is the use of a forward slash to denote a book as being between grades. In these rare cases, a check mark will be placed on the label by the numerical grade. These grading services assign grades on the same tenpoint grading scale used by mycomicshop. 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. Though at times controversial, its proven grading system has become a gold standard for those looking to have their collection appraised. Grading is the term used for the assessment of the condition of a particular comic book.
This book may range anywhere from poor to near mint and there is no obligation to clarify its condition. Cover shows significant wear, and may be loose or even detached at one staple. Every comic book certified by cgc is graded by the hobbys most experienced and trusted team, according to wellestablished grading standards. And in some instances even a second flaw can drop a.
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. Comic book grading learn the scale and how to apply it. Grading is an inherently subjective process and there will always be small differences in opinion. You then hand the book over to them, and it gets sent off to be graded. Last week i received my overstreet guide to grading comics 2015 edition from amazon. These records are from an impartial 3rd party source gp analysis. 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. Nov 22, 2010 this is an attempt to show the inexperienced collector a rough idea of what constitutes good, fine, near mint etc using 90s amazing spiderman comics as a reference. We are proud to provide certification and grading services for collectors and hobbyist in the comic book industry. Our company has sat well over 600 world record prices selling vintage comic books at auction. Comics guaranty company cgc cgc comics guaranty company is a business that will grade your comic book for you, for a price. The cgc comics holder is made of stateoftheart materials and is designed to meet the needs and demands of comic book collectors.
Certified guaranty company cgc is a leading thirdparty grading service for comic books, magazines and other collectibles. Preventative restoration, widely used and accepted by collectors, consists of nonadditive restoration on a book with one or two major defects. In this installment we will take a look at comic book certification services cbcs. The same as tan to offwhite, but the center of the pages are darker.
This collectibles shop page has the standard 10 point grading scale and definitions, as used in the overstreet guide. This issue of comic update will define each individual grade followed with an analysis of that grade category. Numerous collectors and comic fans will purchase coverless comics to either read or to obtain a filler copy of a book for their collection. Comic book submission cbgc provides the only easy to use, online comic submission form. Professional comic book grading eliminates concerns about grade misrepresentations by providing a professional assessment of condition and quality. How to grade your comics comic book grading labels. World class, proven, professional comic grading experts. Bends, folds, or dents that warp the shape or surface of the book, but dont affect the color. When grading gets to fine, you start operating on a point system.
I just want to get the most out of what is probably my best comic. Books that are coverless, but are otherwise complete, will receive a grade of 0. Comic grading company has a simple and affordable pricing structure without any clubs to join. You can grade the comic book yourself, or you can have another party grade it for you, like the cgc company. In rare cases, a comic book will look much better than the given grade. Is cgc really that bad at grading comics comic vine. Comic book grades are given to a book reflecting the quality of printing, storage, and upkeep of a particular book. This comic book grading scale has been used for several decades, during which time the scale has been expanded to more accurately describe a book s condition. Who is the most reputable to help get the most value.
Its only been within the last 15 years or so that the problem of bias in comic grading was amended, and it took the form of commercial grading. A couple of minor flaws might be allowable, but no more. We will go into depth with the overstreet grading system. Grading process certified guaranty company, llc cgc comics. View population reports for cgc comics, magazines and lobby cards. Specialising in back issues and finding that sought after comic, we have a large world wide base of customers and contacts through being in the comic. Comic book grading company the affordable and reliable.
Comic book grading and restoration may 19, 2016 scott robertson 25 comments comic book grading is one of the most important parts of speculating. Similar to light tan to offwhite pages, but the edges of the pages are darker. Additionally, some comics are slabbed by cgc, cbcs, or pgx. Avid comics collector brian pants christman and pro retailer chris eberle wildpig. Egs european grading service halo certification pgx professional grading experts vault 60 day comic grading mcg midwest comic grading. 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. Well, it appears there is another thirdparty comic book grading company trying to establish credibility in the comic book industry. Cgc is an independent member of the certified collectibles group of companies. Books are carefully handled and tracked through the grading process, and always fully insured while on our premises. The two main methods of describing an overall grade are numerical, and symbol. 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.
A guide to grading the comic book price guide for great. I submit this book and again based on the 98001 copy was expecting a 9. We accept payment made by credit card, personal check, money order or we can send you an invoice via paypal using your paypal email address. Discoloration, fading, foxing, and even minor to moderate soiling is allowed. 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. Once certified by cgc, a comic book is encapsulated in a stateofthe art, tamperevident holder, providing superior protection and stability for longterm preservation.
The company was founded by alec born and steve borock, the latter earning a reputation in the community while working many years at. Every comic book certified by cgc is graded by the most experienced and trusted team, according to wellestablished grading standards. Grading standards are based on the standards laid out in the overstreet grading guide with additional experience gained from our years in the comic industry. The best possible existing condition of that comic book.
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. Comic books are sent to cgc for grading and encapsulation either directly by the owner through cgcs website or through an. Comics that are submitted to cgc are graded by professional graders on a 10 point scale and then sealed inside a hard plastic cotainer to prevent tampering. 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. 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 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. Certified guaranty company, also known as cgc, is a sarasota, florida comic book grading service. 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.
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. Types of damage that place a comic in fr range include. To my mind, the gap between your grading and cgcs grading is the biggest obstacle to the growth of your company. How to submit for cgc grading, submission center uk. After buying a few graded comics on ebay and starting my own certified. This is an exceptional example of a given book the best ever seen. A comic must be relatively complete to be successfully restored.
These comic grading services will grade a comic and then seal the comic in a hard plastic case that displays the assigned grade. Comic book grading has made a major impact on the market since 1997. Even professional grading services like cgc, cbcs, and pgx acknowledge that the same book may not always receive the same grade if it is. Therefore being able to correctly determine the grade of a comic is an important skill for buyers and sellers alike. When grading a comic book, the first thing youll see is the cover. 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. 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. Our grading increases the value of your collectibles, protects the condition, and improves their display quality. Vault grading provides grading, pressing, encapsulation, valuation, and screening services to comic book collectors. 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 cpg team has put together our grading standards based upon market standards in the hobby as well as included extensive research into cgc grading. Dark colored pages that exhibit a uniform tint from edges to middle. Comic grading professional comic book grading eliminates concerns about grade misrepresentations by providing a professional assessment of condition and quality. Both of these requirements were lacking for much of comic book history, and in the absence of a reliable method of achieving this, access to the culture was stifled and progress was delayed. The best grade a comic book can achieve with this page quality is 7. Back in 2012 or so, i discovered graded comics from cgc comics guaranty corporation an independent third party that professionally grades a comic book and securely encapsulates said comic in a sealed plastic slab with a label that details key information and the actual grade of the comic whew, thats a mouthful. Theres a widespread belief that cbcs consistently grades higher than cgc. We need to emphasize, however, that not more than two of the above mentioned flaws can appear in the same comic. 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. Submit your books pgx comics pgx comic grading services. Comic book certification service cbcs was started by professional comic book hobbyists and provides certification and grading services for collectors and. This is an attempt to show the inexperienced collector a rough idea of what constitutes good, fine, near mint etc using 90s amazing spiderman comics as a. Useful for when you are unsure of the grade of a book or do not wish to grade the comic. Grading your comic books guide revel in the detail.
For books that have a signature witness, they are sealed with a special label. 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. A european agent for cgc comics with full advice on submitting your comics and handling the complete service. Gp analysis lists us as a cgc the comic book grading authority online auction firm. We are a comic seller, comic buyer, grader and advisor and locator of rare comics. Every comic book certified by cgc is graded by the hobbys most experienced and trusted team, according to. The best way to understand why a specific comic book received a check mark designation is to refer to the graders notes. Take a close look, ideally with a magnifying glass, and make careful notes of any apparent damage, including.
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