An extremely exceptional comic with only very minute printing or bindery defects. Near mint condition comic grading meaning liveabout. Collection of vintage comics, still in original bags, mostly 1980s and 1990s, mint condition. Introduction to pulp magazine grading by timothy ray dill. Condition guidelines assigning the correct condition to each product you list on amazon is the first step toward providing a great customer experience. Some collectors consider this the lowest collectible grade because comic books in lesser condition are usually incomplete andor brittle. Demand, willingness, and capability to pay fully define the value. Books with brown or brittle pages are usually not good candidates either. This page quality is most prevalent in comic books from the 30s, 40s and 50s, but also includes a significant number of silver age comic books as well. Cpg has researched the definitions and terminology used in our hobby and determined that. Mar 17, 2017 this grade is the most misused of all the comic book grades. Additionally, this position in the set means that when stacked, the card is more exposed than others and likely to wear more over time. The paper thats used to print comic books is fragile, and the cover is vulnerable to the elements. Books in this condition pre1980 are virtually nonexistent.
Comic books in pr condition may be missing up to 4 pages two spreads of story pages or display severe damage that affects the readability of the book. The condition of the dust jacket should be graded independently of the book. Paper that appears white or offwhite in the middle with aged outer edges, or exhibits an overall aged color that is more close to brown than white. About the comic mint we offer exclusive retailer variants by todays hottest artists with a commitment to top customer service at all times. Sep 30, 2014 why are mint condition comic books so expensive.
In 1979, something happened in comics that would change everything marvel made its first sales of distinct direct edition type comic books to specialty comic shops, at discounted prices but on a nonreturnable basis. Other descriptors used in conjunction with the above grading scale. If exceptional in other areas, could have six 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, miniscule tear, miniscule color flake. This will only happen if there is a market for your comic though. In rare cases, a comic was not stapled at the bindery and therefore has a missing staple. A condition where the left edge of a comic curves toward the front or back, caused by folding back each page as the comic was read. Only the most expensive books should ever be considered for page treatment. Very good vg describes a book that is worn but untorn. All of our new release comic books are brand new and in near mint condition. There are variations, but a mint condition comic essentially refers to. The pulps derive their name from the fact that they were produced on cheap pulp paper. A mint comic book is an extreme rarity, at least if the comic has been published for some amount of time. The most common problem with comic book grading is, its subjective.
Mint condition comics, a neat game about comic books by miguel. Only very minute printing and bindery defects or the. A brandnew copy with cover and original protective wrapping intact. It is important to make a careful assessment of your product before specifying its condition. Abebooks glossary of book terms abebooks shop for books. This is intended to be a basic guide so that you have a general idea of the grade of your books for pricing purposes. It is very rare, especially in older vintage comic books, to discover a comic in these grades as they are virtually nonexistent. Baseball card values and how to determine their worth. It is very rare especially in older comic books pre1990 to discover a comic in either mint or gem mint condition. If you say that something is in mint condition, you mean that it is in perfect.
An arrival date on the cover of a comic does not indicate that it is a file copy. Only the slightest bindery or printing defects are allowed. A comic book in fr condition may have nonstory elements such as coupons. Those comics that do, especially cgc graded books, can attain the highest possible market value that is out there. Its rare to find a near mint condition of marvel comics first comic book, aptly named marvel comics 1. First marvel comic book, in rare nearmint condition, gets. An exceptional example of a given book the best ever seen. In mint condition definition and meaning collins english. The set of terms below were proposed in 1949 by ab bookmans weekly. Most copies of youngblood, west coast avengers, and x will never do as well as a highly sought after spiderman, batman, or other mainstream comic book. Mint condition definition of mint condition by merriam. As new means that the book is in the state that it should have been in when it left the publisher. Please note that midtown comics definition of near mint can be seen by viewing our grading policy, which can be seen by clicking this link. What is the meaning of mint condition, and what is an.
For instance, when describing trading cards, perfect condition is used to describe the condition as it is when. Any staple can be replaced on books up to fine, but only vintage staples can be used on books from very fine to near mint. Well, mint condition is usually used to describe comic books from 20 plus years, where it has no creases, has not been damaged by the elements and is protected in a plastic sleeve. They were adopted by the bookselling community and are still in use today. The term may have a slightly different meaning in each case. The term mint condition may be used to describe a variety of collectible items, including action figures, dolls, toys, stamps, records, comic books and similar items.
Many people want their comic book to be better than it is, but few attain this high of a mark. The higher the grade of a comic book the higher the value. Weve been selling comics since 1961 our first sale. Books in this condition generally have all pages and most of the covers, although there may be up to 14 of the front cover missing or no back cover, but not both. The cover has no visible wear, and the dust jacket if applicable is included for hard covers. This term has carried over to be used for other items a seller wishes to describe as new condition, even though the item is no. Cbcs comics comic book certification service cbcs was started by professional comic book hobbyists with the intent of protecting our fellow hobbyists when buying and selling comic books.
Introduction grading definitions scarcity of comics. In addition to the general condition guidelines, the following guidelines apply. This means we will pay to cover the shipping and custom expense to get rewards to international distribution centers. Bowed a condition of the covers or boards of a hard cover book. The minimum price is not a real reflection of market value. Near mint is a bit more achievable, albeit still a great score for your comic book. Bleaching and other treatments can be used, but are expensive, frowned upon and not very effective. Analysis, continually collect data from dealers and auction houses about the sales of comic books. Whereas mint is dependent on the absence of even the tiniest imperfection, a near mint condition comic allows for slight imperfections, such as a slight, barely perceptible curve in the spine, or a very small less than 18 inch page tear. Before the 1980s, the production of baseball cards was. The book is new, unread, and unused in perfect condition with no missing or damaged pages. A copy usually in poor to fair condition that includes all text presented in a legible fashion. Books, pamphlets, calendars, and indulgences printed, not handwritten, before 1501 in europe.
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 possible existing condition of a comic book. Storage tips for comic books abound on the internet. In other words, it takes a dealer time to sort, bag, board and price any comic book. For electronics, it can mean that it is relatively new, it being used, however, it has not received any damage, such as it falling to the floor, scratched, etc. Comic books are unlikely to be worth much unless you have the whole collection in mint. Mint condition is an expression used to denote the quality of a preowned good as displaying. Supply the definitions you use to grade your comic books for consideration and possible incorporation into the definitions to appear at this site and you will be considered a charter contributor and receive a free email or web link on this site once the final definitions are published. This is the equivalent of mint condition in numismatics. Oct 11, 2016 a coin factory is a mint, so a new coin leaving the factory is said to be in mint condition, meaning new condition.
Only very minute printing and bindery defects or the most barely noticeable handling defects present. The best possible existing condition of that comic book. This is an exceptional example of a given book the best ever seen. The paper was definitely not meant to withstand the years. Fine f or fn is as new but allowing for the normal effects of time on an unused book that has been protected.
One client had roughly every copy of sports illustrated. For many collectors this is the minimum acceptable condition for all but the rarest items. Cbcs team members all share in the love of our hobby and the medium. The worlds largest collectibles auctioneer comic books, vintage comics, original and animation art. The holy grail of comic books hid in plain site at new. Featuring thousands of products at wholesale pricing with no need for a special wholesale account. Early 60s comics are rare in near mint to mint condition.
Feb 09, 2019 im a personal property appraiser and ive had the opportunity to evaluate some rather large magazine collections. The date 1501 holds not distinct significance other than being a convenient round figure directly after johannes gutenbergs development of the printing press in mid 15th century, as such works printed shortly after the 1501 cutoff are often described as post incunable. Comic book price guides, like overstreet, have a minimum price for comic books. Labels are enclosed with the book to identify features and remarks on the condition of the book including the. Even though them comic will look better, its page quality will still rate a lower grade. Therefore being able to correctly determine the grade of a comic is an important skill for buyers and sellers alike. Even in mint condition, raw, it is unlikely any of those books fetch more than cover price and, in reality, likely less. The list of comic books graded by cgc that shows scarcity between books and also relative scarcity of grade. Most people see a comic from the 1980s in a plastic bag and.
1055 573 1122 1375 1374 1032 1309 483 1100 48 429 1378 1082 228 119 474 24 440 306 1064 1121 490 74 1115 667 122 1020 917 81 325 1171 1045 1357 993 568 1048 704 1084 1038 1251 203