The thought of restored grade, also known as the dreaded purple label, has been known to make an avid comic collector or two, shudder, when they receive the assigned grade on a cgc submission. 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. Grading process certified guaranty company, llc cgc comics. Indepth look at the new cgc comic book restoration grading. Cgc comics the things you need to know about certifying your.
Each book is then sealed in a protective mylar sleeve, labeled, and placed in a temperaturecontrolled room. Comicbook comic book pedigrees, the first and only website dedicated to pedigreed comic books. 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. The cgc comic book shop offer as well as full cgc grading and slabbing we offer the following popular service. I think we found a good balance between the books grade, while keeping as. After your services are finished you can have josh send your comic book to a 3rd party grading company. Mar 04, 2014 the thought of restored grade, also known as the dreaded purple label, has been known to make an avid comic collector or two, shudder, when they receive the assigned grade on a cgc submission. 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. Typically the owner of a freshlygraded, purplelabeled comic opens the shipping package and immediately slumps into a pile, with much wailing and gnashing of teeth. An indepth comparison of green label and blue label grading. Once restored, a comics value depends upon several factors. In general, cgc is set up the same way as ngc and pcgs as far as the grading process. Weve broken down all of the attributes of the new grading scale to help understand the new process.
Nothing makes you want to raise your fist to the heavens, and scream noooo like getting a great grade only to have the dreaded purple label. Note that this is really the slightest degree of a defect and any more than that, cgc would. Certified guaranty company cgc is a leading thirdparty grading service for comic books, magazines and other collectibles. It also guarantees a consistent grade for the comic, which makes it easier to resell. Comic grading company has a simple and affordable pricing structure without any clubs to join. Cgc is the first independent, impartial thirdparty grading service for comics, magazines, concert posters and related collectibles with more than 6. With a cgc comics graded book, buyers will know what theyre getting and may become more confident and aggressive bidders. Here, cbp brings you up to date on everything going on in the world of pedigrees, including the latest news on newly discovered collections, brand new offerings in our sale section, and the latest update on our forthcoming book on the greatest golden and silver a. The most difficult, contentious and eternally frustrating aspect of comic collecting is grading. Furthermore, every cgc certified comic book undergoes a thorough restoration check by leading professionals during the certification process. Once restored, a comic s value depends upon several factors. 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. Certified guaranty company cgc, launched in early 2000, is a comic book grading service that can help you determine whether a comic book you are considering for purchase is restored or conserved.
A proven and respected commitment to integrity, accuracy, consistency and impartiality has made cgc the leader in its field. The hobby was new and older comics were still relatively cheap, so value, age, and grade were not significant factors for candidacy. Ditch fahrenheits virtual comic collector universe archive only excellence in content. This is intended to be a basic guide so that you have a general idea of the grade of your books for pricing purposes. 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. Avery comic pressing professional comic book pressing. This page gives you the basic comic book grading definitions and 10 point scale, and a glossary of grading termslingo. A forum for discussing comic book grading, conservation, and restoration issues. 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. Comic grading 101 with cgc live stream comic books.
Do third part grading services like cgc and cbcs consider pressing and minor dry cleaning restoration. As of july 1st, 2014 cgc has released new restored comic book grading for all comics that not only include the overall quantity of grading, but the overall quality as well. Comic book grading company the affordable and reliable. 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. Founded in 2000, cgc is the first independent, impartial, thirdparty comic book grading service.
Restoration on your comics is done not only to make it more desirable to collectors, but also for the sake of our hobby where many of these great treasures are decaying and falling apart due to age and mishandling. A lightly restored book will be valued higher than a book with heavy restoration in the same apparent grade. Our comic book restoration and pressing services can take your most important and valuable comic investments to the next level. Because of the destructive nature of tape, cgc believes that is should never be used on a comic book for any reason. When should a collector consider having a comic book pressed. I was wondering why the comic books on ebay with a cgc grading and case were worth more than the ones that only came in a plastic sleeve.
No water, peroxides or solvents of any kind are used. Professional comic book grading provides expert assessment of condition and eliminates concerns about grade misrepresentation. Is getting the comic professionally graded up its price, or is it just nice to have it in a fancy case with a grade number. Graders notes are usually provided for a small fee or every so often for free to the submitter it really depends on what you ask for when you submit the books for grading.
The two main methods of describing an overall grade are numerical, and symbol. Therefore being able to correctly determine the grade of a comic is an important skill for buyers and sellers alike. We offers both cgc and cbcs submission services as a convenient way of getting your books graded and encapsulated. For a certain price, a team of cgc comic book grading experts will examine your comics minutely according to wellestablished grading standards.
Comic book grading and restoration issues cgc comic book. Description universal blue a standard comic book universal blue no grade ng a comic book that is in such poor condition that cgc will not give it a grade, but merely verify that it is an actual original comic book. Cgc is an independent member of the certified collectibles group of companies. May 04, 2016 comic book grading tutorial comicgeekspeak. As longtime users of nostomania know, the value of a comic depends strongly on grade. 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. Cgc tends to give these comics a blue or universal unrestored label. Certified guaranty company, also known as cgc, is a sarasota, florida comic book grading service. 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. Have comics purchased from us or from your personal collection graded by cgc. Restoration the comic book price guide for great britain. This collectibles shop page has the standard 10 point grading scale and definitions, as used in the overstreet guide. Cgcs restoration grading scale is a transparent system that is much more descriptive and accurate than before.
Because our location is in the midwest, we feel that offers comic lovers a better choice than other grading, appraisal and brokerage services. Indepth look at the new cgc comic book restoration. 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. Join me for a discussion about comic book grading with two representatives from cgc. Josh will bring back your comic book to its glory without using any restoration. When you submit a comic book to cgc, it is inspected before grading actually begins. Blumberg, has set the standard for grading the condition of comic books.
Classic collectible services ccs is a leading comic book pressing, restoration and restoration removal company. The ultimate authority delivers the right grade every time grading comic books is the key to successful comic book collecting, and now the leading expert on comic books, robert m. Cgc does not refer to pressing and dry cleaning as restoration. When restoration is detected, it is fully noted on the certification label. The gentle removal of contamination from the white areas of the comic book including interior pages, back and front cover. Certified guaranty company cgc revolutionized the comic book marketplace when it was founded in 2000 by providing clear, objective and impartial assessments of authenticity and grade. 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. We closely monitor and calibrate our staff to maintain adherence to our established standards.
Every comic book certified by cgc is graded by the hobbys most experienced and trusted team, according to wellestablished grading standards. While tape could be considered restoration because it is usually used to repair defects, its prevalence on comic books has led collectors to accept tape as a defect rather than restoration. Comic book grading and restoration may 19, 2016 scott robertson 25 comments comic book grading is one of the most important parts of speculating. Today, cgc is the worlds largest and most trusted thirdparty grading service for comics, magazines, concert posters and related collectibles with more than 6. Today, cgc is the worlds largest and most trusted thirdparty grading service for comics, magazines, concert posters and related collectibles.
Some comics just need a little love and a cleaning. How does the comic book marketplace view cbcsgraded books. Is cgc really that bad at grading comics comic vine. Prior to cgc, the grading of comic books was left up to the individual.
In fact, in 2007, cgc crossed the millionbook mark and has now graded over. Furthermore, every cgccertified comic book undergoes a thorough restoration check by leading professionals during the certification process. Any obvious signs of restoration are noted and the comic book is given tracking information so that the exact comic book you sent can be located at any. Any attempt, whether professional or amateur, to enhance the appearance of an aging or damaged comic book. This is all done before the grading process begins. Comic book, marvel comic, cgc comics, crippen collection. While collectors have been restoring rare comics for ages, the certified guaranty company cgc has reconditioned their grading scale for the classification of. Independent grading companies such as cgccbcs do not consider pressing to be restoration. Grading is the second investigation a comic goes through, this time to evaluate the condition of the comic cover and pages.
Comic book restoration services hero restoration llc. How does the comic book marketplace view cbcsgraded books vs. Once the books are graded, both cgc and pgx provide notes to explain how certain flaws affected the grade of the submitted books. We are proud to provide certification and grading services for collectors and hobbyist in the comic book industry. Paul litch, cgc primary grader, stated the following new cgc restoration scale is a transparent system that is much more descriptive and accurate. Comic grading, from bag and board grading to full cgc. Before a comic book is cgc certified, it must be graded by at least two comic professionals according to well established standards that ensure integrity, quality, confidentiality and consistency. Should i even bother getting the comic book graded if i plan to sell some of them. Josh avery will inspect your comic books and let you know if pressing or cleaning is possible and worth it. Jan 30, 2019 join me for a discussion about comic book grading with two representatives from cgc. Restoration comic book, marvel comic, cgc comics, crippen. These procedures may include any or all of the following. A grader must comb over a book in very minute detail, looking for myriad imperfections like wear, tears, rounded corners, marks, page color e.
Restoration is any alteration made to a comic book that attempts to. As such, cgc does not recognize tape as restoration, rather downgrading a comic book accordingly if it is present. The new restoration labels will provide comic collectors with more detailed information about the work done and the materials that were used in restoring the comic. Every comic book certified by cgc is graded by the most experienced and trusted team, according to wellestablished grading standards. I had heard stories about cgc playing favors by giving harder.