The younger a comic, the less likely the book will increase in value significantly from restoration. After the fiasco that is known as pgx grading, i think collectors are very cautious about accepting a new grading authorities claim to rigor, transparency and honesty with the marketplace. A comic must be relatively complete to be successfully restored. 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. Before cgc comics, collectors were at the mercy of vendors to determine the grade and value of a comic book. Comic book grading learn the scale and how to apply it. Is getting the comic professionally graded up its price, or is it just nice to have it in a fancy.
As longtime users of nostomania know, the value of a comic depends strongly on grade. As condition evaluators and restoration detection experts, the professionals at pgx have spent decades inspecting multiple copies of a wide variety of comics from every era. This collectibles shop page has the standard 10 point grading scale and definitions, as used in the overstreet guide. The two main methods of describing an overall grade are numerical, and symbol. Then, simply register or login to start the submission process. 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.
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. 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 book grading is the process of determining the grade or condition of a book, which directly influences its value. So, our slabs will fit in most graded comic book boxes for long term storage. Preventative restoration, widely used and accepted by collectors, consists of nonadditive restoration on a book with one or two major defects. Please be aware that all events, dates and services are subject to change at any time. The company was launched in early 2000 and has since gone on to become a notable. We are currently migrating data to our new system and conducting tests, and we are really excited for you to try it out. Gp analysis lists us as a cgc the comic book grading authority online auction firm. Gpa has proved to be an indispensable tool in comic book investing, as.
Pressing it applies that grade to the selected comic. By requesting prescreen and specifying a minimum grade on your invoice, you will be charged grading fees only for comic books that meet or exceed your specified minimum grade. Today, cgc is the worlds largest and most trusted thirdparty grading service for comics, magazines, concert posters and related collectibles with more than 6. Aug 12, 2014 some comic book stores even have authorized vendors who can send your books in for you. Is getting the comic professionally graded up its price, or is it just nice to have it in a fancy case with a grade number. Digital imaging for comic books submitted under any of cgc grading and service tiers. Comic book supplies auctionstore venues third party grading. Take a close look, ideally with a magnifying glass, and make careful notes of any apparent damage, including.
Grading your comic books guide revel in the detail. Alrighty, here are some silver age key issues to consider getting graded at cgc or pgx if you have them in gd good or above. A guide to grading the comic book price guide for great. It contains the grade of your book and a bar code to look up additional information on your comic. 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. Our company has sat well over 600 world record prices selling vintage comic books at auction. Therefore being able to correctly determine the grade of a comic is an important skill for buyers and sellers alike. Today, cgc is the worlds largest and most trusted thirdparty grading service for comics, magazines, concert posters and related collectibles with more. Considered the authority on grading comics, the cgc will take you submitted books, grade them and then seal them in a thick plastic case also known as a slab. This book may range anywhere from poor to near mint and there is no obligation to clarify its condition. Everything you need to know about submitting comic books. Comic book grading company the affordable and reliable. 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. It is the first independent and impartial third party grading service for comic books.
Armed with this knowledge and a good understanding of the market, you should be able to make an informed decision about restoration. The fact that the comic is only nearly flat wasnt critical to the grade that particular defect is allowed on books up to very fine in grade. I think its fair to grade a book as if a mark like that is not there, then state the condition, but also state something like comic in vf condition, however there is a pen mark vc 15 front cover below hobgoblin, then the potential buyer can make up there own mind. Vault grading provides grading, pressing, encapsulation, valuation, and screening services to comic book. Certified guaranty company cgc is a leading thirdparty grading service for comic books, magazines and other collectibles. 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. 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. One area we focused on is the way you submit comics and access your account information. Vault grading provides grading, pressing, encapsulation, valuation, and screening services to comic book collectors. 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.
Though at times controversial, its proven grading system has become a gold standard for those looking to have their collection appraised. Taking into account the capricious nature of cgc grading, comics in this grade can be expected to grade out with cgc at 6. Comic book submission cbgc provides the only easy to use, online comic submission form. Comics listed for sale on johns comics and stuff are listed with the basic grading scale. The comic may be brittle and defaced by other materials such as paint and glue. Comic grading company has a simple and affordable pricing structure without any clubs to join.
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. 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 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. A fr is the lowest grade a comic book can receive as long as the story and art are complete.
By tracking, recording, and averaging over 40 online venues, gpa does the work for you, saving you time and money. I would be interested in scans of any cgced books that have page colorgrade combinations not found on the chart for future inclusion. Although the actual process of grading a comic isnt really that difficult, it can be a bit intimidating for beginners. This applies mainly to silver age comics, as noted earlier.
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. Cgc is an independent member of the certified collectibles group of companies. Cgc page quality chart here is a chart of the various cgc page colors ive come across in the wild. Certified guaranty company, also known as cgc, is a sarasota, florida comic book grading service. I was wondering why the comic books on ebay with a cgc grading and case were worth more than the ones that only came in a plastic sleeve.
These records are from an impartial 3rd party source gp analysis. 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. One of our goals for the new website is to offer an easier online experience for our customers. Grading comics accurately is essential to their figuring out their proper value and price. The grading label can not be removed without destroying the slab. 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. 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. May 19, 2016 third party graders have established a standard numeric grading system that most of todays collectors rely upon.
The most difficult, contentious and eternally frustrating aspect of comic collecting is grading. Introduction to cgc grading for new comic book collectors. Is it worth getting comic books graded at cgc or pgx. For the most exclusive rewards, choose one of our paid yearly memberships. 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. Types of damage that place a comic in fr range include. 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 numeric grading system based on the books condition ranges from. Comic book grading screenshots, images and pictures comic vine. Apr 04, 2016 welcome to the world of 3rd party grading. Another way is on a tenpoint grading scale from 10. Cbgc provides the only easy to use, online comic submission form. If you had a comic selected when brining up the grading wizard, the apply grade button is available. Some people will not grade a comic missing its cover, but some give incomplete comics a score between 0.
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. I am new to many of these kinds of aspects of collecting comic books. The grade or condition of a comic book is the most important determination of value outside of the actual title and issue number. I just want to get the most out of what is probably my best comic. Submit your books pgx comics pgx comic grading services. Useful for when you are unsure of the grade of a book or do not wish to grade the comic. Submit comics to cgc for grading there are four ways for collectors to submit their comics for grading. 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. After buying a few graded comics on ebay and starting my.
Who is the most reputable to help get the most value. 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. Ng no grade reserved for art or single comic book pages 0. Comic book grades are given to a book reflecting the quality of printing, storage, and upkeep of a particular book. Of course it would depend on the overall condition of the book as well.
In addition, there were no quality standards for comic book grading, which meant there was much discrepancy amongst collectors about the condition of various books. The grade can literally mean a gain or loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars for a particular issue. Pgx was created to meet the growing demand for professional, thirdparty comic book grading. We are proud to provide certification and grading services for collectors and hobbyist in the comic book industry. Pgx also offers a comparable service and directly competes with cgc in the comic book grading market. Consists of accurate highresolution images of the front and back of the book, shown encapsulated in its cgc holder. 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. Before you ship your comics, please read the shipping information below. 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.
Its a complicated process, and if you want to know more about it you can read how it works for yourself here. Services certified guaranty company, llc cgc comics. Countryregion canada united kingdom of great britain and northern ireland united states stateprovince monthyear february 2020 march 2020 april 2020 may 2020. Choose a tier based on comic value and turnaround time. May 14, 2016 fixing a forklift that sat in a field for 17 years brake job and rear wheel bearings part 1 duration. Pgx utilizes the overstreet comic book grading guide in its definitions of condition. Safely package your comics for secure shipment to cgc. How does the comic book marketplace view cbcsgraded books vs. The comic book price guide for great britain a guide to grading.