how to become a certified comic book grader

The system is as follows: Near Mint (NM) = A comic book that is almost perfect. Make sure there are no missing pages in the comic book. Here is the 10-point grading scale in full: Now youre armed with all this information, if youve decided to go ahead and submit your comics to CGC for grading, how can you go about it? There are a few things to consider before getting your comics graded. Most people would consider these to be perfect, but the trained eye may notice tiny imperfections. Over at CGC, primary grader Matt Nelson echoes Borock's call for consistency and more. This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. "wikiHow shares with the world a detailed and non-confusing explanation of what we are looking for. What is the best comic book grading company. However, there are some drawbacks to CGC grading. Some comic book graders also work for themselves. Those who are new to the field may start out earning a lower salary, but with experience, they can eventually earn a higher salary. With experience, they can grade up to 25 books per hour. Do you have any questions about buying or selling valuable vintage comics? "People can make so much money in the market right now. This can be done by checking online databases or by consulting with a comic book expert. Make note of how many pages (or "wraps") are detached, either fully or partially. The main one is the cost. Comic grading is the process of evaluating and assigning a grade to a comic book. My guess is that you have something in the higher 9-range. CGC's primary grader, Matt Nelson, takes us along as he grades a vintage Hulk #181 comic book in this CGC Insider: Grading Comic Books - No. What grade would it be if I wrote my name on the cover, but the comic condition is good to fair? There are a number of these services available, and they all have their own grading criteria. You can also follow @McLauchlin on Twitter. The CCG companies have certified more than 60 million collectibles since 1987, becoming a well-established industry leader with a global presence. Lets explore everything you need to know about this comic book grading service. Home; SUBMIT YOUR BOOKS. Another downside to CGC grading is the time it takes. Ultimately, whether or not comic grading is worth it depends on your individual needs and interests. Still, the volume is overwhelming. Submit your books today with our new interactive form! "I'm working 6-7 days a week, and we still can't keep up with the volume that's coming in. Some may make more, depending on their skills and abilities, while others may make less. Comic Books Book Stores Collectibles. Generally speaking, your comic should be worth $200 or more to justify the costs of getting it certified. Yellow When the label color is yellow, it means that a representative of CGC has physically witnessed a signature by the signer. You can check out our website for any available grader positions and the requirements for those positions here:List of Available Positions | CCG (collectiblesgroup.com). Our expert comic team is here to help get to know us. Becoming a CGC grader is not an easy task. Second, the grading process can be expensive. Were always on the lookout for vintage comic collections. Get the best comic news, insights, opinions, analysis and more! A 9.2 indicates only the very minor wear, typically a minimal stress mark on the spine (non-color breaking) or other similar marks. 28. These grades describe comics that are in somewhat worse condition than the "Very Good" grades. Some defects cannot be completely repaired and made invisible, such as creases, stains and writing. It is important to understand the differences between the standards so that you can accurately grade cards. But now youre wondering, should you get it graded? You will see hundreds and thousands of cards, but you need to stay concentrated on the nuances of each one to be a good grader. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Terms All in all, you'll probably pay a little over $100 to get your comic book graded. thank you :) . Tears, creases, or cuts (such as clipped coupons), Tape, glue, or other attempts to repair pages, Water damage, often leading to a stiffness or rippling of the paper, Staple migration, a condition that occurs when the rust from staples stains the paper around it. Spine stress/bindery tears, small creases, folds, or tears (under 1/4 inch) running perpendicular to the spine, Spine roll, a curvature of the left edge of a comic toward the front or back, caused by folding back each page of the comic as it was read, Spine break, spine stress that has become a full tear (usually through multiple pages), typically found near the staples, Spine split, a clean, even separation at the fold, usually (but not always) right above or below a staple. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. I reach out to people I know from time to time. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f3\/Grade-Comic-Books-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Grade-Comic-Books-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/f3\/Grade-Comic-Books-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid1407183-v4-728px-Grade-Comic-Books-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"