What does Comic Book Grading mean?

Grading a comic book generally means sending the book into a grading company for condition evaluation and encapsulation. The company assigns a grading number to the condition of the book.

The Grading Scale: Understanding Grades .5 to 10

Grading companies use a scale of .5 to 10 for comic books. It can be hard to understand the subtle differences in the middle of the grading scale. The two largest grading companies have information available on their websites.

However CGC the largest company doesn’t give many specifics in their scale compared to CBCS the 2nd leading grading company.

10’s are very rare especially for non modern era books. 9.9 is becoming more available now that companies are offering graded 9.9 for pre-sale. 9.8 is the most common sought after graded book as the 10s and 9.9s don’t exist for almost all graded comic books.

• GCG grading scale can be found here.
• CBCS grading scale can be found here.

CBCS grading scale is quite detailed in its description for each grading number. I would also say that CGC follows the same guidelines but is less transparent about it. Though both companies do give access to grader’s notes after the item has gone through the process so you can understand the grade.

Why is Grading Important for Collectors and Sellers?

When buying and selling high value comics, it is important for both the buyer and seller to understand the condition of the comic. This is especially important when buying online and only being able to see pictures.

Having the comic graded can be an assurance that the comic is listed at a fair market value given its graded condition. Keep in mind that condition is in the eye of the grader when processing it and is only as good as the reputation of the company grading it.

CGC has a database of graded books that can be verified with the serial number on the encapsulated book.

• Related: How To Sell Comics Online

Who are the Main Comic Book Grading Companies?

CGC is the most popular grading company for comic books. They are the standard by which buyers and sellers decide value when listing and buying books. Lately CGC’s reputation has taken numerous hits after a few scandals with employees stealing and swapping books.

CBCS is the second most popular grading company and has a strong reputation as they are also owned by Beckett, the oldest card evaluation company in the business of collectibles with a stellar reputation.

PGX and EGS are the next two companies that are used in grading services. While these two companies are fairly new in the grading services world they are reputable alternatives to the two largest companies.

Factors considered in comic book grading?

Condition Factors: Pages, Cover and Binding

Evaluating Page Quality (Color, Texture, Age)

When looking at page quality before deciding to send in to grade. The older the book the more page quality issues it can have. Older books were printed on newsprint paper. Over time this paper can lose its moisture and become brittle and start to yellow.

Grading companies will evaluate the color of the page and list it as anywhere from Brittle/Brown, Off White to White and lots of conditions in between. This scale can be found here.

Assessing Cover Wear and Tear

Cover assessment is important for not only grading purposes but also presentation purposes. Some comics can grade well but not present well because of certain cover defects.

Folds or bends can affect grading but can also be pressed out to improve the grading. Older books can have chipping on the cover or edges of the cover. This happens when the paper has lost all its moisture and becomes brittle and can chip when handled improperly.

Impact of Binding Quality on Grade?

There are a few things to look for when evaluating the condition of the spine of a comic book. Spine roll can be an issue that can be corrected sometimes by pressing the book. This is when the staples and spine are rolled over to the front of the cover instead of being on the side.

Another aspect to look at is the condition of the staples. Do they show any rust? Are they still connected to the paper or are they loose? You can also look for spine ticks. Some spine ticks can be corrected with a pressing however color breaking spine ticks can be small but affect the grade by quite a bit.

How to submit your comic for Grading?

There are 3 ways to submit comics for grading. The easiest way would be to find a local comic shop that is also authorized to submit comics to CGC or CBCS. They will handle all the details and shipping.

The 2nd way is to bring your comics to a comic convention that CGC or CBCS has a table and you can submit them directly.

The third way is to sign up online with the company and fill out an online form to submit books. You would then pack and ship them out.

Step 1) Preparing Your Comic for Submission

There are few things to consider when preparing your comics for submission. You should clean the comic carefully. Remove any finger prints or dirt as this can affect the grade. You can also press a comic to flatten the pages and try to correct defects like folds, spine ticks, spine roll etc.

Pressing is something that can be done at home if you invest in a t-shirt pressing machine or you can add that to the service performed by the grading company for an extra fee.

Step 2) Filling out the Submission Form

If you are submitting them yourself, you will be required to submit an online form that lists the books you are submitting and their estimated value. Companies will charge a percentage for books that have a high value and not just a flat fee. The estimated value is also required for insurance purposes if the shipment is lost, stolen or damaged in the process.

Step 3) Sending your Comics to the Grading Company

This can be the most nerve wracking part of the process. To ensure your books arrive safely it is important to pack them securely. There are a number of videos on packing comics properly on Youtube.

Most use gem mint mailers to mail the comics while placing the mailer inside a large box with packing material to separate the boxes and give some leeway in possible damage with the larger outer box.

Step 4) Receiving your Graded Comic

Depending on the services you paid for, where you sent it and how many submissions the company is currently processing it can take days, weeks or even months for your items to be graded and shipped back to you or to the comic book shop.

How much does it cost to get a comic book Graded?

Depending on the book submitted, the desired turnaround time, era and value and company it can be as low as 22 dollars and as high as thousands of dollars depending on high value as they charge 4 percent of the fair market value as the time of grading.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I grade my comic books myself without a Company?

You can estimate a grade but unless you are a certified grading specialist it would not enhance the sale value.

How long does comic book grading take?

It depends on how much you pay. Turnaround times can be as low as the same day if you were to walk it into the grading company office but typically most people get their books back within 3 months these days. During the pandemic it was 6 months plus for most items. 

Will Grading increase the value of my comic book?

It can but not necessarily. You may estimate at a certain grade and it comes in lower after going through the process. It can also go the other way, you estimate a 9.6 and it comes in at 9.8 it raises the value.

Conclusion

Graded comic books can be used for multiple purposes. Grading can be used to protect the items you value most in sentimentality or in monetary terms. It can be used to ensure a certain value when selling while also giving you a piece of mind in preservation while on display for viewing enjoyment.