Therefore being able to correctly determine the grade of a comic is an important skill for buyers and sellers alike. Our company has sat well over 600 world record prices selling vintage comic books at auction. This got the same cgc grade 98001 copy im still dumbfounded by their biased grading. This is a 25% profit margin decrease if you sub this book with a new cgc case comparable to the old cgc case. 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. By the time you get to nm and better grades, a restored copy might sell for 10% of unrestored in the same grade. Some people will state that comic book grading is an art. I submit this book and again based on the 98001 copy was expecting a 9.
When cgc offered limited charter membership in july 99, it took only a few weeks for retailers and dealers to fill the one hundred slots available. 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. I would rather be more interesting in the overall quality of printing on the insides. 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. In fact, in 2007, cgc crossed the millionbook mark and has. Low grade restored books keys that is bring a higher percentage of the unrestored book value. We closely monitor and calibrate our staff to maintain adherence to our established standards. Consists of accurate highresolution images of the front and back of the book, shown encapsulated in its cgc holder. 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. There are eight major grades in the comic book grading scale. Only the slightest bindery or printing defects are allowed. Like most things i do here at the certified comic shop, im always happy to talk about the finances of operating a comic shop. After buying a few graded comics on ebay and starting my own certified. Comics listed for sale on johns comics and stuff are listed with the basic grading scale.
I just bought a near mint issue of marvel spotlight, with a son of satan story im particularly affectioned to, and the copy would have been better than mine, if not for some production crease, not on the cover, but on the inside pages, which breaks slightly the printed images, but is a lot more annoying. It looks the current market is ripe for a new challenger like cbcs. Taking into account the capricious nature of cgc grading, comics in this grade can be expected to grade out with cgc at 6. Cbgc has developed a proprietary comic book grading system with over 550 separate grading characteristics, covering over 20 grading categories. Cgc is a scam in the sense that they overprice for their services. These grading services assign grades on the same tenpoint grading scale used by mycomicshop. Cgc grading does increase the price, with some books significantly. Every comic book certified by cgc is graded by the most experienced and trusted team, according to wellestablished grading standards. The company was founded by alec born and steve borock, the latter earning a reputation in the community while working many years at. These records are from an impartial 3rd party source gp analysis.
Depending on the look of the comic, very small amounts of tape could be acceptable in this grade. Before any grading is performed, each magazine is examined by a cgc restoration detection professional. How does the comic book marketplace view cbcsgraded books. In recent years, grading criteria have become even tighter, especially in silver and bronze age books, due to their higher survival rate. 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. Theres a few reasons getting a book graded increases the price. Comic book grading company the affordable and reliable. According to cgc, certification offers many benefits for comic book collectors, dealers and retailers.
Submit your books pgx comics pgx comic grading services. If you have highly sought after books and youre confident in their condition having them cgc graded will make you money. Grading certified guaranty company, llc cgc comics. Cgc is the first independent, impartial thirdparty grading service for comics, magazines, concert posters and related collectibles with more than 6 million. Cgc comics, a guide to grading comics and the differences. Comic book grading has evolved over the past several decades from a much looser interpretation of standards in the beginning to the very tight professional scrutiny in use by the market today. Once certified by cgc, a comic book is encapsulated in a stateofthe art, tamperevident holder, providing superior protection and stability for longterm preservation. 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. Graded cgcpgx versus ungraded comics captain comics. Cgc comic book grading understand the labels comic burst. Next, the magazines pages are counted and the presence of inserts and other enclosures is recorded.
Comic book grading is basically have a team of comic experts look over you comic and give it a grade between 0 and 10. Useful for when you are unsure of the grade of a book or do not wish to grade the comic. How to submit for cgc grading, submission center uk. Certified guaranty company, also known as cgc, is a sarasota, florida comic book grading. The comics are the contestants and the experts are the. A guide to grading the comic book price guide for great. Books with slightly brittle pages cannot grade higher than 6. Cgc grading scale cgc uses a 10point grading scale to evaluate comics. Pages and inside covers could be brownish but not brittle. Lets talk comic book grading with cgcs matt nelson youtube. 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. There is a sort of inverse, linear scale to restoration and grade. 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. The numerical values on the scale will probably be the widely recognized 100 point system that is currently well established.
In order for a comic to be graded and slabbed by cgc, one must submit their books through one of cgcs dealers or internet partners such as auctions, ebay, and wizard. Many customers choose to ship their comic books to cgc for grading and evaluation. Though at times controversial, its proven grading system has become a gold standard for those looking to have their collection appraised. If there is disagreement among the graders, there will be a discussion with other graders until a final determination is made. Staples must be original, centered and clean with no rust. 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. I personally like the look of the cgc slab a bit better so i tend to continue to only send books to them to grade and the extra 510% resale value doesnt hurt. Ive always had an issue with cgc and their grading. The book is then forwarded to the encapsulation department for sealing. In this installment we will take a look at comic book certification services cbcs. 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. 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. Last time the numeric grading system was introduced as a way to assess the condition of a comic. 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.
The current proposal details to be provided as soon as they are available calls for an official american association of comicbook collectors aacc recognized grading scale and accompanying code of ethics. And up until now cbcs slabs did not have a sales venue comparable to the cgc message boards so i felt it was limiting to get cbcs slabs. But the higher the grade, the more that percent of value shrinks. This book may range anywhere from poor to near mint and there is no obligation to clarify its condition. Ngc international uk limited ngc uk is the uk affiliate of certified guaranty company cgc, a leading thirdparty grading service for comic books. Its a long story, but safe to say the grading varies greatly from one to the next.
A proven and respected commitment to integrity, accuracy, consistency and impartiality has made cgc the leader in its field. Founded in 2000, cgc is the first independent, impartial, thirdparty comic book grading service. Six reasons why you should get comics graded cgc, cbcs. We are proud to provide certification and grading services for collectors and hobbyist in the comic book industry. The higher the grade of a comic book the higher the value.
Cgc uses a 10point grading scale to evaluate comics. Gp analysis lists us as a cgc the comic book grading authority online auction firm. At mycomicshop, we use the basic grading scale for most of our comics. Pgx utilizes the overstreet comic book grading guide in its definitions of condition. Ive talked to collectors about slabbing comics and it seems there is a lot of discontent out there, directed primarily towards cgc.
Grading your comic books guide revel in the detail. Even professional grading services like cgc, cbcs, and pgx acknowledge that the. You can easily identify a slabbed comic because the grades will include the name of the grading service, such as cgc 9. Certified guaranty company, also known as cgc, is a sarasota, florida comic book grading service. To grade a comic, you need to take in to consideration a number of factors before being able to assess the correct grade. 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. Have comics purchased from us or from your personal collection graded by cgc. It is considered tamper proof and what you see is what you get. 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.
Cbcs looks like an ambitious company as it is set to challenge the undisputed king of comic book grading services, cgc. 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. Our grading methods are based upon factual and measurable observations. As longtime users of nostomania know, the value of a comic depends strongly on grade. 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. In fact, in 2007, cgc crossed the millionbook mark and has now graded over 2 million comic.
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. Lets talk comic book grading with cgcs matt nelson. 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. If all grades are in agreement or are very close, the book will be assigned a final grade. Cgc is an independent member of the certified collectibles group of companies. The most difficult, contentious and eternally frustrating aspect of comic collecting is grading. This collectibles shop page has the standard 10 point grading scale and definitions, as used in the overstreet guide. Magazines are assigned a grade on a 10point grading scale to efficiently communicate the assessment of. Comic grading company has a simple and affordable pricing structure without any clubs to join. Comic book grading is the process of determining the grade or condition of a book, which directly influences its value. Below are cgcs grading standards for each numeric grade as well as the restoration grading scale. Digital imaging for comic books submitted under any of cgc grading and service tiers. If so, be sure to check out this video where i give you a few things to consider.
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