Cgc comic book grading understand the labels comic burst. Below are cgcs grading standards for each numeric grade as well as the restoration grading scale. Every comic book certified by cgc is graded by the most experienced and trusted team, according to wellestablished grading standards. A high grade, like an a or mint, is good, while a low grade. Pgx was the second most popular grading company for years, due largely to their pricing being significantly cheaper than cgcs. While there is some small degree of variation on the following grading scheme within the community, the following is a representative of the general consensus on the comic book grading scale. I submit this book and again based on the 98001 copy was expecting a 9. But in a rare instance an otherwise sharp comic might have very light. Apr 04, 2016 welcome to the world of 3rd party grading. Next, the magazines pages are counted and the presence of inserts and other enclosures is recorded. Theres a few reasons getting a book graded increases the price. Cgc is a thirdparty comics book grading service that assigns a number on the scale of 1 to 10 for the comics book condition.
Zurzolo said that as he found he could not compete. Though at times controversial, its proven grading system has become a gold standard for those looking to have their. Conservation repairs are performed with the intent of preserving the structural or chemical integrity of a comic book using professional techniques and materials. It is considered tamper proof and what you see is what you get. Chuck rozanskis grading standards mile high comics. While collectors have been restoring rare comics for ages, the certified guaranty company cgc has reconditioned their grading scale for the classification of these comics. Here is the standard grading system used for all books available on. While cgc gets a lot of attentionbecoming synonymous with comic book grading in much the same way that xerox is synonymous with photocopyingpgx has managed to hold its own over the years despite operating in the shadow of its counterpart. Comic book grading part 1 certified guaranty company. It therefore becomes obligatory for all dealers in rare books to accurately describe the. You can easily identify a slabbed comic because the grades will include the name of the grading service, such as cgc 9. If the watchwords in real estate are location, location, location, the watchwords in collecting are condition, condition, condition. Ng no grade reserved for art or single comic book pages 0. Other descriptors used in conjunction with the above grading scale.
Introduction to cgc grading for new comic book collectors. The grade scale ranges from 10 which is pristine mint that is it has never been touched by human hands, down to 1 which is extremely used that is the dog might have chewed a few pages off. The best way to understand why a specific comic book received a check mark designation is to refer to the graders notes. However, the company has received some negative publicity recently due to improper grading and their graded books have plummeted in price on the secondary market. The more items you have in your book, the lower your grade. Cgc uses a 10point grading scale to evaluate comics. Who is the most reputable to help get the most value. Cgc is an independent member of the certified collectibles group of companies. Cgcs restoration grading scale is a transparent system that is much more descriptive and accurate than before. 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. Dec 24, 20 the real freakin comic book men greg eide has been selling comic books as his livelihood for over 42 years. 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. Once certified by cgc, a comic book is encapsulated in a stateofthe art, tamperevident holder, providing superior protection and stability for longterm preservation.
Grading your comic books guide revel in the detail. This collectibles shop page has the standard 10 point grading scale and definitions, as used in the overstreet guide. Cgc grading does increase the price, with some books significantly. I just want to get the most out of what is probably my best comic. The ten point system the comic book price guide for great britain. A breakdown of the new cgc restoration grading da card world. For a more detailed breakdown of our grading scale, please follow the accompanying link. These grading services assign grades on the same tenpoint grading scale used by mycomicshop. If a rare book is not in demand within the comic collecting community no amount of. Labels and colors now that we got that out of the way, let us move to cgcs label colors, which are used to convey additional information about the comic that the grade does not entail. Learn what is the comic book rating system and how a comic book is graded with. These are understandably somewhat rare, as most collectors avoid. The standard comic book grading system that is widely used today is the one developed in the official overstreet comic book grading guide. At mycomicshop, we use the basic grading scale for most of our comics.
The company was launched in early 2000 and has since gone on to become a notable. 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. 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. Jan 31, 2019 the owners and operators of comic connect also boast some great stats with their ceo, stephen fisher having created the 10 point grading scale for comics and their coo, vincent zurzolo, having founded the big apple comiccon. Complete descriptions sell more books grading book. Magazines are assigned a grade on a 10point grading scale to efficiently communicate the assessment of the magazines c. It is the first independent and impartial third party grading service for comic books.
A copy usually in poor to fair condition that includes all text presented in a legible fashion. An exceptional example of a given book the best ever seen. The best possible existing condition of that comic book. Staples must be original, centered and clean with no rust. Please feel free to call and ask to speak with a pedigree specialist. Browse and buy a vast selection of cgc graded comics. A book in poor condition will be worth far less than the same book in fine. If you are the current owner of an exceptional comic book collection, cgc is more than happy to discuss the potential pedigree status with you.
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. If you have a book missing these key parts you would likely not go through the expense of having it graded, and so this is an extremely rare grade to see. 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. All sellers listing items on this site are required to use this grading system for a standard method understood by all. In rare cases, a comic book will look much better than the given grade. Metropolis was founded in 1984 by stephen fishler, and merged companies in 1999 with vincent zurzolo, jr. Action figure authority collectable grading authority. He opened his first brick and mortar store in march of 1972. Comic book grading 101 for lapsed comic book collectors. It contains the grade of your book and a bar code to look up additional information on your comic.
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. The same book submitted more that one, in the same condition may come back with different grades. Indepth look at the new cgc comic book restoration grading. Dallas convention center 650 south griffin street, dallas, tx, 75202, usa. Magazine grading guide for collectors of vintage back issues. 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. Generally speaking, their system and service has provided valuable data about numbers of rare copies and grades and when a cgc book is spot on in its grade. Browse and buy a vast selection of cgc graded comics collections. As of march 2006 ive updated the guide to better reflect my actual recent gradingmy own standards havent changed and it still reads well in september 2011, but ive noticed some more common trends and language in my grading as i examine more and more issues of vintage. 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 grading learn the scale and how to apply it. If you have highly sought after books and youre confident in their condition having them cgc graded will make you money. Comic book grading is very subjective with varying opinions. Note that any defects such as missing pages, loose pages.
As longtime users of nostomania know, the value of a comic depends strongly on grade. Comiclink is the online vintage comic book and comic art auction destination featuring comic book auctions spotlighting the most desirable cgc graded examples of key comics, as well as comic art auctions featuring the biggest names in comic book illustration from the golden age to the present. If any form of restoration work is detected, this information is also logged and made available to the grading team. I say may as the grading process is not a checklist. It is very rare, especially in older vintage comic books, to discover a comic in. Before any grading is performed, each magazine is examined by a cgc restoration detection professional. When considering buying or selling a rare book for your collection, condition is key to pricing. Certified guaranty company, also known as cgc, is a sarasota, florida comic book grading service. The best way to understand why a specific comic book received a. This is my own grading guide which i use when selling my magazines.
In these rare cases, a check mark will be placed on the label by the numerical grade. All conserved grades must satisfy the cgc quality scale of a and quantity scale of 1. Cgcs purple topped and shaded labels have symbolized a restored comic for awhile now, but the new iterations from july 1 and on will feature much more description. The worlds largest collectibles auctioneer comic books, vintage comics, original and animation art. Internet grading can vary significantly from one seller to the next. Cgc s purple topped and shaded labels have symbolized a restored comic for awhile now, but the new iterations from july 1 and on will feature much more description. Cbcs, pbx, and cgc are the most popular grading services in the usa. All conserved grades must satisfy the cgc quality scale of a and. Only the slightest bindery or printing defects are allowed. Coverless copies of key andor rare comics are often in demand by collectors.
You can think of the grade of a comic book like a grade on a report card. The condition of a rare book and its dust jacket if applicable are the most important factors affecting its value and pricing. This got the same cgc grade 98001 copy im still dumbfounded by their biased grading. Though at times controversial, its proven grading system has become a gold standard for those looking to have their collection appraised. Jul 01, 2014 conservation repairs are performed with the intent of preserving the structural or chemical integrity of a comic book using professional techniques and materials. 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. Bowed a condition of the covers or boards of a hard cover book. Therefore being able to correctly determine the grade of a comic is an important skill for buyers and sellers alike.
Metropolis collectibles is a famous rare comic book dealer of vintage american comics, primarily known for its large collection of comic books originally published in the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Magazines are assigned a grade on a 10point grading scale to efficiently communicate the assessment of. Furthermore, every cgccertified comic book undergoes a thorough restoration check by. How to submit for cgc grading, submission center uk.
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