Very fine comic book grade

Fits the criteria for fine but with an additional defect or small accumulation of defects that detracts from the books appearance by a perceptible amount. If exceptional in other areas, could have nine of the following at least three must be 116 or less in size and the remaining must be must be 18 in size or less, small spine stress, slight corner blunting. Another way is on a tenpoint grading scale from 10. I have been a comic book fan, collector, publisher pocket comicsmars attacks 1988 and graphic artist for years necessity is the mother of invention. This step is taken to ensure that graders do not know whose books they are grading, as a further guarantee of impartiality. There is a large difference between a low grade fine comic book and a high grade very fine comic book. Advice for those who dont know how to grade comics the majority of sellers we deal with are experienced graders, either long time collectors or comic retailers. Comic book grades are given out through a company called the certified guaranty company also known as the cgc. How to determine your comic books condition sparkle city. Many well kept books from the 1970s and early 1980s are in this condition.

Have someone who is knowledgable about comic books, preferably a friend, help you. Due to the nature of paper, discoloration is expected over time. The best possible existing condition of a comic book. The book may have been opened and read, but there are no defects to the book, jacket or pages. In order for a buyer to have confidence that theyll be getting what they paid for, its absolutely essential that you fairly and accurately grade the comics you. The next major grade you need to know is very finevf. Mint mt near mint nm very fine vf fine fn very good vg good gd fair fa poor po 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. Grading rare and classic comics, marvel, dc, and dark.

We deal with hundreds of such sellers who have done thousands of transactions with us since we began buying online in 2002. A comic book is this grade has the appearance of having been carefully handled. The mid grade books can be broken into two categories very fine and fine. Fits the criteria for fine but with an additional defect or small accumulation of defects that detracts from the book s appearance by a perceptible amount. Similar to light tan to offwhite pages, but the edges of the pages are darker. Describes a book that shows some small signs of wear but no tears on either binding or paper. These are comics that have been read and enjoyed, but with care.

You can now take pride in showingoff your comic book collection to your friends at home, dealers. Chuck rozanskis grading standards mile high comics. Very fine minus vf back to top general wear, tears, creases, folds, color flaking, water stains, foxing, etc. After buying a few graded comics on ebay and starting my.

After being examined by a restoration detection professional, the comic books are placed in barcoded mylar sleeves, and separated from their original invoice. The grade of a comic book is based on its physical condition. Back to top an aboveaverage but well used comic book. A guide to grading the comic book price guide for great.

Before cgc comics, collectors were at the mercy of vendors to determine the grade and value of a comic book. The tenpoint grading scale assigns grades ranging from 10. 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 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. Thus a very fine with a missing part should grade no. The majority of sellers we deal with are experienced graders, either long time collectors or comic retailers. Determining a comic books condition is very subjective and more of an art than a science. A very fine comic book appears to have been read a few times and has been handled with care. Frequently, a fine copy with an unusual flaw is lowered to vgf. Mar 27, 2020 assess whether it might deserve a fine grade. There will be a number of minor handling andor manufacturing defects. Very fine to near mint vfnm back to top general wear, tears, creases, folds, color flaking, water stains, foxing, etc a beautiful book. Back to top fits the criteria for very fine but with an additional defect or small accumulation of defects that detracts from the book s appearance by a perceptible amount. Some of the above defects along with a small fold or crease in the cover.

The same as tan to offwhite, but the center of the pages are darker. A fr copy will have virtually no eye appeal and will display major damage. In order for a buyer to have confidence that theyll be getting what they paid for, its absolutely essential that you. This is intended to be a basic guide so that you have a general idea of the grade of your books for pricing purposes. A limited accumulation of minor binderyprinting defects is allowed. Comic book grading labels collectors condition comic. Comic book grading learn the scale and how to apply it.

Thus a very fine with a missing part should grade no more than a vg at best. Unless, of course, the bronze age book is a very important key issue and in mint condition. Comic book grading labels collectors condition comic book. It has just enough small flaws to drop it out of the near mint category. 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. A comic book in fr condition may have nonstory elements such as.

An accumulation of binderyprinting defects is allowed. Take your comic books to a comic book store and ask for someone to help you. People who are new to the hobby often mistakenly grade their very fine books as near mint. There are grades in between these basic grades such as finevery fine, but we want this to be a general easytofollow comic grading guide for the novice. The best grade a comic book can achieve with this page quality is 7. A fr is the lowest grade a comic book can receive as long as the story and art are complete. Good g describes the condition of an average used worn book that is complete.

Here are some tips and guidelines to help you through the process. Clicking a text link or image marked check live prices will take you to ebay. Books in this condition pre1980 are virtually nonexistent. The two main methods of describing an overall grade are numerical, and symbol. 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.

The other less standardized rating system uses terms like fair and very good. These grades allow for some more defects than higher grades. Apr 04, 2016 welcome to the world of 3rd party grading. Back to top fits the criteria for very fine but with an additional defect or small accumulation of defects that detracts from the books appearance by a perceptible amount. 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. Back to top an aboveaverage copy that shows minor wear but is still relatively flat and clean with outstanding eye appeal.

Comic collectors have established standard grades to describe the condition of the comics theyre buying and selling. Free delivery and returns on ebay plus items for plus members. A very minor spine roll on an otherwise clean and uncreased copy is permitted in this grade. There are eight major grades in the comic book grading scale. Within the grades, there might also be descriptive notes because comics with the same technical grade may have different reasons for that grade and many collectors have their own biases of what flaws are more acceptable than. An extremely exceptional comic with only very minute printing or bindery defects. However, the very fine near mint book will have no more than 6 total defects. Jul 14, 2016 the mid grade books can be broken into two categories very fine and fine.

We use ebay to provide references to live prices of comic books. Slip the comic book onto the backing board and into the protective sleeve, or place label over the comic book sleeve. Grade them yourself via assistance from the book overstreets comic book price guide. The term grade is used to describe what condition a comic book is in. How to determine your comic books condition sparkle. Oct 02, 2017 knowing your comic books condition is very useful. Its necessary to determine an accurate appraisal value. Overall an above average copy and still very collectible. In recent years, grading criteria have become even tighter, especially in silver and bronze age books, due to their higher survival rate. You can think of the grade of a comic book like a grade on a report card. Truly rare comic books may come along once or twice in a lifetime. Comic book grades are given to a book reflecting the quality of printing, storage, and upkeep of a particular book. The comic book price guide for great britain a guide to grading. A high grade, like an a or mint, is good, while a low grade.

A fine book approaches the condition of as new, but without being crisp. The cgc is a company that offers impartial ratings of comic books. Poor, fair, good, very good, fine, very fine, and near mint to mint. A very fine comic book is considered high grade for older books not modern comics. Grading guide pgx comics pgx comic grading services. A comic which is well preserved but not mint is typically described as fine or very fine. If a comic, british or american, appears otherwise very high grade, a missing coupon or panel would devalue it. Organize your collection the way you want it to be. Very good vg describes a book that is worn but untorn.

A small coupon or story panel by at least a couple of grades, a half page out by perhaps three overall grades. This is the typical condition of a nice newstand mint comic book. A very wellpreserved collectible with good eye appeal. Ng no grade reserved for art or single comic book pages 0. A few very fine spine stress lines are allowable in this grade. I got tired of using standard labels, cutting, taping, searching, and wasting time. They may have some discoloration, but pages should still be supple and the cover should still be glossy and attractive. A very fine comic book appears to have been read a few times and has been handled with some care. There are grades in between these basic grades such as fine very fine, but we want this to be a general easytofollow comic grading guide for the novice. Very fine grade copy, some nonhorrible edgewear and interior tannning, otherwise super nice, minor wear common to this grade. It is very rare especially in older comic books pre1990 to discover a comic in either mint or gem mint condition. Introduction to cgc grading for new comic book collectors. For many collectors this is the minimum acceptable condition for all but the rarest items.