Thanks for the response batman007, if i understand you, you are saying spine roll is a function of use as in reader wear and tear and not a manufacturing issue. The comic book can have rounded corners and creases in the cover. Vault grading provides grading, pressing, encapsulation, valuation, and screening services to comic book collectors. This will be a slow process but you will find some examples in the. Accurate and consistent grading only comes with experience. Hang out with the art of the comic book allstars for their testimonials, pdf examples of student work and links to their current portfolios. An example would be, you have a book that is without doubt a nm 9.
How do former students really feel about the program. Several events have impacted grading over the years. May 19, 2015 these are just a few examples that highlight the gross disparity between 9. This is why its important to have a firm handle on grading comics. The learn to grade comic books course is the most comprehensive course of its kind. 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. Only the slightest bindery or printing defects are allowed. Gp analysis lists us as a cgc the comic book grading authority online auction firm. First, is the use of a forward slash to denote a book as being between grades. Cgc uses a 10point grading scale to evaluate comics. Numerous collectors and comic fans will purchase coverless comics to either read or to obtain a filler copy of a book for their collection. As longtime users of nostomania know, the value of a comic depends strongly on grade. Chuck rozanskis grading standards mile high comics.
Im wondering how to learn to properly grade comics and to become certified by cgc or something along those lines. A comic must be relatively complete to be successfully restored. The overstreet guide to grading comics book san francisco. Again, grading comics can be very subjective and have a company like cgc give their opinion can make comic books go for much more than their cover price, especially those with high grades. The verified signature program is a cbcs exclusive service that authenticates unwitnessed signatures that have been obtained by collectors over the years. To grade a comic book, start by examining the cover through a magnifying glass for things like folds or fingerprints. Were sorry but doesnt work properly without javascript enabled. 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. Where possible, the guide will show illustrations of the same comic in different grades. Fundamental comic book media techniques include storytelling, character design, working with scripts, hand lettering, inking with brushes and dip pens, figure drawing, sketchbook practice and group critiques. Tony, i actually have been really, working hard on this grading thing and have in fact been using the official overstreet comic book grading guide very closely.
But only when the book is otherwise quite beautiful, and the tape does not in any way mar the appearance of the book. For the next 3 days use the coupon code below and get 10% off the learn to grade comics course october2017. Art of the comic book is a collegelevel studio workshop for making comics with traditional inkonpaper media. I just want to get the most out of what is probably my best comic. The market value of comic books is partly determined by a grading process. Nostomania comic book grading guide with sample images. A fr copy will have virtually no eye appeal and will display major damage. Includes sample gradings of a big pile of comics, done on camera right before your eyes. The term grade is used to describe what condition a comic book is in. Josh will bring back your comic book to its glory without using any restoration.
I would be interested in scans of any cgced books that have page colorgrade combinations not found on the chart for future inclusion. Professionals can pressclean a book with precision detail and produce consistent results. A high grade, like an a or mint, is good, while a low grade, like an f or poor, is bad. The same general ideas apply when dealing with comic books and the cgc grading scale.
There are several more comic books out there that can maximize your profits if found in the right condition. 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. The biggest and most popular third party grading company. Preventative restoration, widely used and accepted by collectors, consists of nonadditive restoration on a book with one or two major defects. 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. Lets show you some examples, so you can understand what your books grade on this scale. 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. Grading is the second investigation a comic goes through, this time to evaluate the condition of the comic cover and pages. Ive done some searches and i havent been able to come up with anything, so any. The bcw cgc graded comic book box is made of sturdy white cardboard, features double thickness handles and bottom and holds about 35 40 graded comics. The overstreet guide to grading comics includes the 10point grading system including new grades 0. 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.
There has been a recent rise in the value of cgc graded comic books. These are just a few examples that highlight the gross disparity between 9. Cvas distinctive sticker allows collectors, dealers and investors, with any level of experience, to easily identify these premiumquality examples in any grade. In it, i walk you step by step through 27 comics at every grade level from 0. This course will help me a lot in grading them and most importantly bagging them. Comic book grades are given to a book reflecting the quality of printing, storage, and upkeep of a particular book. The most difficult, contentious and eternally frustrating aspect of comic collecting is grading. While the official overstreet comic book price guide helps you learn about comic values, this third book in our new how to line teaches you the importance of condition a factor that is often the key to real collectability and how to grade accurately.
Here is a photo gallery of comic books graded cgc 2. A nice comic with a piece up to the size of a standard postage stamp torn from one corner. Here, collectors could easily compare and discuss grading with dealers. I also moderate and admin a few pressing groups on facebook, helping people learn how to pressclean comics. Cbcs comic book certification service the newest and second most popular comic book grading company. A useful exercise for any collector is to lay out one example of each of the main grades side by side for a direct comparison. The overstreet guide to grading comics latest edition.
The professor gave clear detail explanations with examples of each grade. The best possible existing condition of a comic book. Overstreet guide to grading comic book sc 20142016. You can think of the grade of a comic book like a grade on a report card. After your services are finished you can have josh send your comic book to a 3rd party grading company. When grading a comic book, the first thing youll see is the cover. Learning how to properly grade comics and becoming certified. Apr 05, 2020 access the pro guide to comic book coloring, comic book faces in the sketchbook, grading comic books, and much more learn from a variety of video lectures, figure designs, realworld examples, and practice exams that are designed to help you test your knowledge learn how to prepare your comic, manga or graphic while learning how to.
In general, cgc is set up the same way as ngc and pcgs as far as the grading 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. For as long as there have been comic book conventions and long before grading companies existed, fans have been getting their comic books signed by artists and writers. Then, check the spine for small tears or folds, or spine break, which is a tear near the staples. An exceptional example of a given book the best ever seen. I have pressedcleaned thousands, upon thousands of books over a 3 year period. Books that are coverless, but are otherwise complete, will receive a grade of 0. While the official overstreet comic book prize guide helps you learn about comic values, this third book in gemstones new how to line teaches you the importance of condition a factor that is often key to real collectability. A guide to grading the comic book price guide for great. Josh avery will inspect your comic books and let you know if pressing or cleaning is possible and worth it.
Our company has sat well over 600 world record prices selling vintage comic books at auction. When you submit a comic book to cgc, it is inspected before grading actually begins. In recent years, grading criteria have become even tighter, especially in silver and bronze age books, due to their higher survival rate. The overstreet guide to grading comics 2016 edition.
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. This grading process details the exact condition and completeness of a comic, allowing the seller to get an idea of how much it is worth. Certified guaranty company cgc is a leading thirdparty grading service for comic books, magazines and other collectibles. Who is the most reputable to help get the most value. Comic book cpr teaches awareness on proper comic book handling, shipping, selling, and buying tactics. For example, fine very fine or abbreviated fnvf denotes that book is graded between fine and very fine. A grader must comb over a book in very minute detail, looking for myriad imperfections like wear, tears, rounded corners, marks, page color e. Hello, im kevin volo, and id like to thank you for checking out my learn to grade comic books course. The two main methods of describing an overall grade are numerical, and symbol.
It becomes more difficult when you have a higher grade book with only one significant defect that would lower the grade, lower to what is the question. May 19, 2016 comic book grading is one of the most important parts of speculating. 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. Comic book grading learn the scale and how to apply it. I did put this book up for sale where you were talking about with 3 pictures. Collectors get excited when they find that hot book or one of their grails. It is very rare especially in older comic books pre1990 to discover a comic in either mint. Robert m overstreet since 1970, the name overstreet has symbolized a vast knowledge of american comic books. Therefore being able to correctly determine the grade of a comic is an important skill for buyers and sellers alike. Learn what is the comic book rating system and how a comic book is graded with cbcs comics grading guidelines. This is intended to be a basic guide so that you have a general idea of the grade of your books for pricing purposes. When you have completed this course and practiced, you will be able to pick up and grade any comic, whether its one in your collection or that grail book you finally found at a con. This collectibles shop page has the standard 10 point grading scale and definitions, as used in the overstreet guide.
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. Access the pro guide to comic book coloring, comic book faces in the sketchbook, grading comic books, and much more learn from a variety of video lectures, figure designs, realworld examples, and practice exams that are designed to help you test your knowledge learn how to prepare your comic, manga or graphic while learning how to. Below are cgcs grading standards for each numeric grade as well as the restoration grading scale. Comic book grading examples grading comic books is both an art and a science. We are proud to provide certification and grading services for collectors and hobbyist in the comic book industry. Verified signature program how vsp work cbcs comics. Overstreet guide to grading comic book sc 20142016 gemstone. How to grade the condition of your comic books liveabout. Since 1970, the name overstreet has symbolized a vast knowledge of american comic books. These records are from an impartial 3rd party source gp analysis. Avery comic pressing comic book pressing and cleaning. The cover can be detached and have moderate amounts of tape. A cva endorsement adds value for anyone interested in the cgc graded comic book market, buyers and sellers alike.
The comic book price guide for great britain a guide to grading. The first has to be the arrival of comic book conventions. About this book this 156 page field guide and training manual is a musthave for any comic book collector. We closely monitor and calibrate our staff to maintain adherence to our established standards. Buyers now have a very good idea as to what the condition of a comic book is. A fr is the lowest grade a comic book can receive as long as the story and art are complete. This is a fairly common trait in the very good category. Cgc page quality chart here is a chart of the various cgc page colors ive come across in the wild.