Predating todays commonly used 10point numerical grading scale by about 10 years, the 100point scale was an unsuccessful early attempt to apply a more. Dealers and graders may often disagree with some grading classifications. Other descriptors used in conjunction with the above grading scale. In rare cases, a comic book will look much better than the given grade. These cards are used to assist collectors in grading rare. This collectibles shop page has the standard 10 point grading scale and definitions, as used in the overstreet guide. The visual glossary is based on the first edition of the overstreet comic book grading guide 1992, by robert m. Gemstone is publishing a facsimile edition reprint of the first edition 1970. A copy usually in poor to fair condition that includes all text presented in a legible fashion. It therefore becomes obligatory for all dealers in rare books to accurately describe the. 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. Visual glossary of terms used in comic book grading this is by far the largest glossary of comic book grading and description terms, i have found online. The dust jacket should be free from loss or tears and any real faults or blemishes.
This grade carries a little age related room, it does allow for some loss of freshness and commonsense in relation to the books age. Some of the older collectors may recall this when i was a kid, as far as some oldschool dealers were concerned a book was either good, fine, or mint. The overstreet guide to grading comics 2016 edition. If the watchwords in real estate are location, location, location, the watchwords in collecting are condition, condition, condition. The term grade is used to describe what condition a comic book is in. The official overstreet comic book grading guide 2nd edition robert m. Cgcs restoration grading scale is a transparent system that is much more descriptive and accurate than before. While the official overstreet comic book price guide helps you decide what comics to look for, this new, extensively updated edition of the official overstreet comic book grading guide teaches you the telltale signs of condition that are the keys to real collectibility. Blumberg, chuck rozanski, steve borock, susan cicconikilliany, russ cochran, tom gordon, bruce hamilton, dennis kitchen, dale moore, marc nathan, matt nelson, j. The overstreet guide to grading comics includes the 10point grading system including new grades 0. The overstreet guide to grading comics latest edition. Since 1970, the name overstreet has symbolized a vast knowledge of american comic books. Avon books, new york, as well as communications with experts, and my own humble experience. Here is the standard grading system used for all books available on.
In addition to being comic book buyers and comic book sellers, metropolis also gives comic book appraisals and provides comic book valuation services of rare, old outofprint comics. For much more information on grading and restoration, as well as photographs of many major defects and conditions, consult the official overstreet comic book grading guide. Note that any defects such as missing pages, loose pages. This card was included with the overstreet comic book grading guide not the price guides, but it is often lost or missing when the books are resold. Review of the overstreet guide to grading comics youtube. Predating todays commonly used 10point numerical grading scale by about 10 years. 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. A high grade, like an a or mint, is good, while a low grade. An exceptional example of a given book the best ever seen. Official overstreet comic book grading guide by robert m. These cases, while very rare, do occasionally happen. He opened his first brick and mortar store in march of 1972. Please note that i am not a professional grader and that grading is not a science and can vary from person to person.
The book pretty much summarizes all the checking points in determining the value of a comic book, and provides extensive comic book grading scale and descriptions for each grading level. Only the slightest bindery or printing defects are allowed. Comic book grading learn the scale and how to apply it. The official overstreet comic book grading guide 2nd edition. The information below is a condensed version of what can be found in an official overstreet comic book price guide. 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. In rare cases, a comic was not stapled at the bindery and therefore has a. In these rare cases, a check mark will be placed on the label by the numerical grade. Free overstreet comic book price guide download by admin on wednesday, october 27th, 2010 8 comments i want to pass on a good deal i received from heritage auctions for a free copy of the overstreet comic book price guide 40th edition digital download. Staples must be original, centered and clean with no rust. Submitting books for pressing all cbcs submissions that require pressing have to be submitted on a separate invoice from grading submissions and sent to the cbcs pressing office at 4635 mcewen road, dallas, tx 75244.
Cbcs, pbx, and cgc are the most popular grading services in the usa. Buy the official overstreet comic book grading guide 2nd by robert m. Ab bookmans weekly, which ceased publication in 1999, was for decades the bible of the antiquarian book trade. At mycomicshop, we use the basic grading scale for most of our comics. A rare book in poor condition will sell for a fraction of the price of the same book in superb condition. The best possible existing condition of that comic book. Copies are available through all normal distribution channels or can be ordered direct from gemstone by.
Minor feathering that does not detract from the overall beauty of an otherwise higher grade copy is acceptable for this grade. Since 1970, the name overstreet has come to symbolize a vast array of intricate knowledge about american comic books. Hey guys, i just thought id share my opinions on the overstreet grading guide. Comic book grading part 1 non professional grading duration. The book should be clean, tightly bound and square. Our grading standards are based on the standards laid out in the overstreet grading. Many observers tie in the growth of the direct market distribution system and. Grading of comics can be subjective, although there are basic agreed upon standards within the industry. Visual glossary of terms used in comic book grading. Removal of the tape improves the value and appearance of the book. Comic book grading is very subjective with varying opinions. Aug 25, 2015 hey guys, i just thought id share my opinions on the overstreet grading guide. These generally have a negative effect on the value. Coverless copies of key andor rare comics are often in demand by collectors.
Comic book grades are given to a book reflecting the quality of printing, storage, and upkeep of a particular book. The evolution of grading, using the 10 point scale, diagram of a comic book and definitions. The best way to understand why a specific comic book received a check mark designation is to refer to the graders notes. Sounds crazy, i know, but in the early days that was it. Aaron albert, a collector of and an expert on comic books, has studied, taught, and written about the comic book genre for more than 20 years. Visual glossary of terms used in comic book grading comic.
Newly updated, the overstreet guide to grading comics includes the 10point grading system, as well as exhaustive descriptions of primary and split grades, examples of each grade with more than 200 fullcolor images in all, articles on storage, preservation, and restoration, a look at the independent, thirdparty grading companies, and much more. You can think of the grade of a comic book like a grade on a report card. When considering the purchase of a book for your collection, the condition and, if applicable, the dust jacket are the most important factors affecting the value. Overstreet, the undisputed expert in the field of comic collections, it shows collectors. Home rare books book collecting guide a guide to book conditions. Nearly perfect with only minor imperfections that keep it from the next higher grade.
How a comic book price guide created the comics industry. As a result of the search i came up with the following site. Last week i received my overstreet guide to grading comics 2015 edition from amazon. Bowed a condition of the covers or boards of a hard cover book. The comic book industry tenpoint grading scale ranges from 10. On the reverse side is the one or overstreet s numerical equivalent card, which translates the traditional letter grades into their equivalent values on a 100point numerical grading scale. The official overstreet indian arrowhead identification online database showcases over 1,000 individual point types, 60,000 photographs, and much more. The thing that has changed most over time is how refined the grading scale has become. Grading your comic books guide revel in the detail. Look for evidence of tape or glue or other attempts to repair the book. After grade 9, which means that the book is in near mint or mint condition, comics books condition is graded with. Rethinking the grading of old books by the bookworm on april 1, 2016 book care and conservation, the book trade since 1949, ab bookmans weekly, which ceased publication 50 years later, strived to establish the criteria for grading the condition of used books. 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.
The condition of a rare book and its dust jacket if applicable are the most important factors affecting its value and pricing. It is not the practice, however, to use numbers other than those in this scale so you wouldnt see a book graded 6. Comic book grading part 1 certified guaranty company. Browse the overstreet database to identify arrowheads of all shapes and sizes from nine different regions.
Included in every issue ab bookmans after 1949 was a set of criteria for grading the condition of used books. This 10point comic book grading scale is widely used now and you will often see people grade by simply putting the number value on the book with the classic descriptive grade. The overstreet comic book price guide is an annually published comic book price guide widely considered the primary authority on the subject of american comic book grading and pricing in the hobbyindustry. The overstreet short for overstreet comic book price guide and overstreet comic book grading guide is one of the largest and most trusted names in comic book grading and appraisal. Originally produced in conjunction with the first edition of the overstreet comic book grading guide, the owl or overstreets whiteness level card is a comic book grading tool used to evaluate paper color on the reverse side is the one or overstreets numerical equivalent card, which translates the traditional letter grades into their equivalent values on a 100point numerical. Overstreet whiteness level comic book gradingassist card, originally. If your interested in viewing a comparison of page.
Dec 24, 20 the real freakin comic book men greg eide has been selling comic books as his livelihood for over 42 years. There is a numeric system which corresponds to a titled grading system. After the grading scale section theres a glossary list of common terms used for. All sellers listing items on this site are required to use this grading system for a standard method understood by all. The numerical values on the scale will probably be the widely recognized 100 point system that is currently well established. In the rare case where the buyer may be in disagreement, at least they may form this opinion based on the scans and make their purchase based on their own grading opinion. The evolution of comic book collecting started with a single price guide and lead to. When considering buying or selling a rare book for your collection, condition is key to pricing. Preventative restoration, widely used and accepted by collectors, consists of nonadditive restoration on a book with one or two major defects.
Over the years, metropolis collectibles has grown from being a comicbook mailorder company to maintaining a major online retail presence. Note that more sophisticated efforts to restore a comic book, such as color restoration or reglossing are often undetectable by amateur graders and sometimes even professionals, but can also have a negative. I grade very conservatively using the 10 point grading scale per the overstreet price guide. Restoration grading scale cgcs restoration grading scale is a transparent system that is much more descriptive and accurate than before. The two main methods of describing an overall grade are numerical, and symbol.
The worlds largest collectibles auctioneer comic books, vintage comics, original and animation art. The goal at back in time is to offer a few that meet our collecting interests andor crossover into realms that we just plain enjoy. Comic books are truly a business unto themselves as we all know. Rethinking the grading of old books rare books digest. Quite frequently when i am in the process of obtaining oz books from a private individual and ask him or her about the book condition, i get a reply that the books are in very good condition. Fine comics in fine are priced significantly less than those in very fine and for good reason. We closely monitor and calibrate our staff to maintain adherence to our established standards.
Below is the book grading scale used to identify the condition of comics. Overstreet, the undisputed expert in the field of comic collections, it shows collectors how to grade and value any comic book. While the 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 the overstreet guide to grading comics includes. 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.
The official overstreet comic book grading guide robert m overstreet, arnold t. Complete descriptions sell more books grading book. Blumberg, has set the standard for grading the condition of comic books. The vermont antiquarian booksellers association vermont. The real freakin comic book men greg eide has been selling comic books as his livelihood for over 42 years. Book grading is one of the most ambiguous factors in collectible books. Grading books how to describe condition at bookseller world. The standard comic book grading system that is widely used today is the one developed in the official overstreet comic book grading guide. The official overstreet comic book grading guide 2nd. This is a very hard to find robert overstreet owl card with a related one card on the flip side. The evolution of grading gives the novice an overview about how the comic book hobby got to where we are now in grading. A book in poor condition will be worth far less than the same book in fine. This groundbreaking first edition of the overstreet comic book grading guide introduces an exciting numerical grading scale that sets a brandnew standard for the industry. Originally produced in conjunction with the first edition of the overstreet comic book grading guide, the owl or overstreet s whiteness level card is a comic book grading tool used to evaluate paper color on the reverse side is the one or overstreet s numerical equivalent card, which translates the traditional letter grades into their equivalent values on a 100point numerical.
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