Guaranty company cgc is a leading thirdparty grading service for comic books, magazines and other collectibles. May 19, 2016 once the books are graded, both cgc and pgx provide notes to explain how certain flaws affected the grade of the submitted books. It is the first independent and impartial third party grading service for comic books. When you submit a comic book to cgc, it is inspected before grading actually begins. Today, cgc is the worlds largest and most trusted thirdparty grading service for comics, magazines, concert posters and related collectibles with more than 5 million collectibles certified since 2000. Grading process certified guaranty company, llc cgc comics. Comic link the online vintage comic book and comic art. 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. The grade assigned to the book should not change, unless any damage occurred postencapsulation, in which case the grade will be adjusted accordingly. How to window bag your comic book for signatures, sketches and cgc private signing events duration.
Specialising in back issues and finding that sought after comic, we have a large world wide base of customers and contacts through being in the comic. Preventative restoration, widely used and accepted by collectors, consists of nonadditive restoration on a book with one or two major defects. I am new to many of these kinds of aspects of collecting comic books. Digital imaging for comic books submitted under any of cgcs grading and service tiers. Mint mt near mint nm very fine vf fine fn very good vg good gd fair fa poor po this comic book grading scale has been used for several decades, during which time the scale has been expanded to more accurately describe a books condition. Pgx entered the market shortly thereafter beginning in 2002. 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 collecting community. In fact, in 2007, cgc crossed the million book mark and has now graded over 2 million comic books. A comic book in a cgc holder is encapsulated in a new cgc holder. These grading services assign grades on the same tenpoint grading scale used by mycomicshop.
Today, cgc is the worlds largest and most trusted thirdparty grading service for comics, magazines, concert posters and related collectibles with more. Comic grading company has a simple and affordable pricing structure without any clubs to join. Is cgc really that bad at grading comics comic vine. Magazines, movie lobby cards, vintage photographs and concert posters are all eligible for. Depending on which graded comic mystery box you order you might get a cgc or cbcs graded book between the grade of 5. This is intended to be a basic guide so that you have a general idea of the grade of your books for pricing purposes. These comic grading services will grade a comic and then seal the comic in a hard plastic case that displays the assigned grade. I am still amazed that a company that is so vocal about being the biggest comic grading service can be so bad at what they do and not care. Hectorsquall, i definitely will not be ever using cgc again. I have only seen one, litterly one, cbcs comic that was a 9. Comiclink is the online vintage comic book and comic art auction destination featuring comic book auctions spotlighting the most desirable cgc graded examples of key comics, as well as comic art auctions featuring the biggest names in comic book illustration from the golden age to the present. Lets explore everything you need to know about this comic book grading service. Thats why it is reasonable to expect that slight variances may exist between cgc grading.
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. Aug 30, 2017 comic book grades are given out through a company called the certified guaranty company also known as the cgc. 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. 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. A comic that has not been slabbed is sometimes referred to as a raw comic, which means a regular comic not encased in a plastic slab. Therefore being able to correctly determine the grade of a comic is an important skill for buyers and sellers alike.
There are different systems used by different price guides and grading companies. Furthermore, every cgccertified comic book undergoes a thorough restoration check by leading professionals during the certification process. Founded in 2000, cgc is the first independent, impartial, thirdparty comic book grading service. Since then, the comic book grading service has helped comic book collectors and sellers determine the value and worth of a particular comic book. Your prized possession is protected in plastic so you can show all of your friends. Cgc was the very first company to grade and slab comic books beginning in 2000. The company was founded by alec born and steve borock, the latter earning a reputation in the community while working many years at. In fact, in 2007, cgc crossed the millionbook mark and has now graded over 2 million comic books. Additionally, some comics are slabbed by cgc, cbcs, or pgx.
Comic book grading company the affordable and reliable. Cgcs restoration grading scale is a transparent system that is much more descriptive and accurate than before. 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. Cgc is an independent member of the certified collectibles group of companies. 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. In all honesty, cbcs is more strict in grading than cgc. 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. The company was launched in early 2000 and has since gone on to become a notable. 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. Professional comic book grading eliminates concerns about grade misrepresentations by providing a professional assessment of condition and quality. Dallas convention center 650 south griffin street, dallas, tx, 75202, usa. View population reports for cgc comics, magazines and lobby cards. The grade of a comic book is based on its physical condition. Oct 24, 2018 in this video i highlight the stepbystep process to submit comic books to cgc for grading.
Cgc employs a team of more than twenty professional graders. To qualify, the book must still be encapsulated in its original cgc holder. But as a rule of thumb, as im deciding which comics to submit for grading i always estimate the true cost of. Comics that are submitted to cgc are graded by professional graders on a 10 point scale and then sealed inside a hard. There is also the extra cost of getting comics graded.
In the year 2000, the world of comic book grading was revolutionized when cgc grading burst onto the scene. Comic book grading learn the scale and how to apply it. In general, cgc is set up the same way as ngc and pcgs as far as the grading process. Cgc remains open, declares itself an essential business cbr.
As longtime users of nostomania know, the value of a comic depends strongly on grade. Though at times controversial, its proven grading system has become a gold standard for those looking to have their collection appraised. Cgc comic grading ultimate guide to certifying your comics. That said, a few changes to how the company does things are being made. Comics that are submitted to cgc are graded by professional graders on a 10 point scale and then sealed inside a hard plastic cotainer to prevent tampering. In a statement, cgc explained that both its headquarters in sarasota, florida and its office in across the pond in.
A proven and respected commitment to integrity, accuracy, consistency and impartiality has made cgc the leader in its field. 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. A comic must be relatively complete to be successfully restored. You can easily identify a slabbed comic because the grades will include the name of the grading service, such as cgc 9. 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. After being examined by a restoration detection professional, the comic books are placed in barcoded mylar sleeves, and separated from their original invoice. I am not very happy with the grades, but still love the books. For return shipping directly to your homeoffice from cgc. For each sale discovered, we match it to the specific comic in our massive database which also includes variant covers and printings. Cgc charges a cost for every comic book graded, and not every comic book is going to be worth it, not even after it is graded. We monitor the fire hose of online comic book sales across various marketplaces and report on the sales of cgc and cbcs graded books in our comics price guide. Grading process certified guaranty company, llc cgc. It also guarantees a consistent grade for the comic, which makes it easier to resell.
The two basic systems consist of a number scale from one to ten such as the cgc uses and. A european agent for cgc comics with full advice on submitting your comics and handling the complete service. Today, cgc is the worlds largest and most trusted thirdparty grading service for comics, magazines, concert posters and related collectibles with more than 6 million collectibles certified since 2000. One comic book out of your collection isnt a big deal, but when you have thousands of comics, like me, the cost in justifying getting every single comic book. Cgc prides itself on being an impartial comic grading service that provides a professional and impartial assessment of your comics quality. Jan 09, 2017 for a long time, cgc was the premier comic book grading company. Mail submissions to cgc headquarters paid collectors society members and authorized dealers can complete submission forms online and send collectibles directly to the cgc headquarters. Read on to discover everything you need to know about the cgc. In this installment we will take a look at comic book certification services cbcs. Every comic book certified by cgc is graded by the hobbys most experienced and trusted team, according to. Comic grading professional comic book grading eliminates concerns about grade misrepresentations by providing a professional assessment of condition and quality. There are grades in between these basic grades such as finevery fine, but we want this to be a general easy. Cgc realizes that comic book grading is an art that develops from years of experience, and while a consistently applied standard of grading eliminates much of the subjectivity and risk, grading itself is not an exact science and remains subjective. How to submit books to cgc stepbystep process comic.
Today, cgc is the worlds largest and most trusted thirdparty grading service for comics, magazines, concert posters and related collectibles with more than 6 million collectibles certified. It is an independent member of the certified collectibles group of companies and the first independent and impartial third party grading service for comic books. While the company plans to resume operations amid the covid19 pandemic, other facets of the comic book industry have been hit hard. 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. The cpg team has put together our grading standards based upon market standards in the hobby as well as included extensive research into cgc grading. Below are cgcs grading standards for each numeric grade as well as the restoration grading scale.
This step is taken to ensure that graders do not know whose books they are grading, as a further guarantee of impartiality. Certified guaranty company cgc is a third party comic book grading service located in sarasota, florida. Feb 06, 2012 i for one still send a lot of books to cgc, because i know i can now take my 9. Ever wonder what it takes to send your comic books to cgc to be graded. Every comic book certified by cgc is graded by the hobbys most experienced and trusted team, according to wellestablished grading standards. Cgc is the first independent, impartial thirdparty grading service for comics, magazines, concert posters and related collectibles with more than 6 million. 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. As the name of the implies, this is a perfect or near perfect book. The comic book grading company gcg the certified guaranty company has declared itself an essential business, explaining it will remain open and fully operational amid the coronavirus covid19 pandemic. Alpha comics is acting as the broker for your cgc interaction. Today, cgc is the worlds largest and most trusted thirdparty grading service for comics, magazines, concert posters and related collectibles. The product quality is great, there are a variety of labels that meet the conditions of different books e. 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. We are a comic seller, comic buyer, grader and advisor and locator of rare comics.
Cgc uses a 10point grading scale to evaluate comics. Blumberg, has set the standard for grading the condition of comic books. 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. This book has been requested a few times and i finally got around to creating this video. 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. We are proud to provide certification and grading services for collectors and hobbyist in the comic book industry. There are eight major grades in the comic book grading scale. Founded in 2000, cgc is an independent thirdparty grading service that assesses the condition and quality of physical comic books, then grades them accordingly and encases them in plastic slabs for collectors. There are four ways for collectors to submit their comics for grading. Cgc, a leading thirdparty grading service for comic books, magazines and other.
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