Bends, folds, or dents that warp the shape or surface of the book, but don’t affect the color Coackling, a bubbling effect on the cover usually caused by printing defects Creases, more severe folds that remove ink or otherwise create distortions in the coloring Tears Moisture, water damage, or “foxing” (bacterial or fungal growth on the paper) Fading, lack of gloss, or “dust shadow” (partial exposure to dust or air resulting in uneven fading) Fingerprints, especially those which in which skin oils have led to discoloration of the ink Chew (rodent damage) Writing or other soiling of the cover.
Note that more sophisticated efforts to restore a comic book, such as color restoration or re-glossing are often undetectable by amateur graders (and sometimes even professionals), but can also have a negative effect on value if noticed by a potential buyer. Such restorations should be noted upfront before attempting to sell a comic book. [3] X Research source
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
Look for signs of rust on the staples, as well as “popped” staples. A popped staple occurs when one side of a cover has torn right next to the staple, but remains attached by the paper beneath the staple. This condition can easily lead to detached staples.
Make sure there are no missing pages in the comic book. Missing pages severely impact a comic’s value. [6] X Research source
Make note of how many pages (or “wraps”) are detached, either fully or partially.
Tears, creases, or cuts (such as clipped coupons) Tape, glue, or other attempts to repair pages Writing or other soil to the 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
Look for discoloration or brittleness. Especially in comics from the 1980s and earlier, the paper can become yellow or tan as it oxidizes, and loses some of it’s structural integrity. A certain amount of discoloration is expected and acceptable in very old comics, but the less the better.
“Mint” grades include “Perfect/Gem Mint” (10. 0) and “Mint” (9. 9). These describe comics that have no detectable imperfections. A 10. 0 book is absolutely perfect in every way. Very few comics meet this criteria, even those still sitting on the shelves in a comic store. [13] X Research source “Near Mint+/Mint” grades include “Near Mint/Mint” (9. 8) and “Near Mint+” (9. 6). These grades describe comics that have only the slightest wear. A small number of stress lines and very slight discoloration are acceptable defects. Most people would consider these to be perfect, but the trained eye may notice tiny imperfections. “Near Mint” (9. 4) and “Near Mint-” (9. 2) describe comics that have minimal stress lines and discoloration. The spine and cover are flat. The cover may have a small amount of surface wear, but the colors are still bright. A 9. 4 Near Mint book is the standard condition of a new book sold at a comic store as is considered “new” condition. A 9. 2 indicates only the very minor wear, typically a minimal stress mark on the spine (non-color breaking) or other similar marks.
“Very Fine/Near Mint” (9. 0), “Very Fine+” (8. 5), “Very Fine” (8. 0), and “Very Fine-” (7. 5) are grades that allow for some wear, as they have typically been read a few times. A few stress lines are acceptable. While the cover can have some wear, it should still retain its original glossiness. “Fine” grades include “Fine/Very Fine” (7. 0), “Fine+” (6. 5), “Fine” (6. 0), and “Fine-” (5. 5). These grades describe comics with a fair amount of stress lines and creases. A low number of small tears and missing pieces, usually 1/8 to 1/4 inch (about 3. 1 to 6. 3 mm) in length is also acceptable at this grade level.
“Very Good” grades include “Very Good/Fine” (5. 0), “Very Good+” (4. 5), “Very Good” (4. 0), and “Very Good-” (3. 5). These grades describe a comic that has all of its pages but is noticeably creased, rolled, and scuffed. Missing pieces on the cover can be as large as 1/4 to 1/2 inch (about 6. 3 to 12. 5 mm). “Good” grades include “Good/Very Good” (3. 0), “Good+” (2. 5), “Good” (2. 0), and “Good-” (1. 8). These grades describe comics that are in somewhat worse condition than the “Very Good” grades. The cover may have some missing pieces and the book is generally scuffed, abraded, and faded. Moderate spine split is permissible. The comic still has all of its pages, however.
“Fair” grades include “Fair/Good” (1. 5) and “Fair” (1. 0). These grades describe comics that are worn and in general disarray. Despite their condition, they still retain all of the pages and most of the covers. These comics may be torn, stained, faded, and brittle.
“Poor” (0. 5) describes comic books that are missing pages and up to 1/3 of the cover. The comic may be brittle and defaced by other materials such as paint and glue. Some people will not grade a comic missing it’s cover, but some give “Incomplete” comics a score between 0. 1 and 0. 3.
If you plan to have a comic professionally sealed (or “slabbed”), a professional grading is recommended, since any potential buyers will not be able to open the comic and assess it for themselves. Professional graders included the Certified Guarantee Company (CGC) and Professional Grading Experts (PGX).
