Thank you for this! I have Finally decided to go through MY DC Comics...from the 60s! I Did take Good Care of them, and many look Very Nice, so this will definitely help me determine their Grades! 200-300 of them! ^^X^^
Been back into the hobby about a year +, this video was really helpful on the grading aspect and how to do it.. help me understand it a lot more then I thought I did..
I just viewed your video on grading a comic. I really enjoyed it,. Me and my brother used to sell comics and attend comic book shows in SoCal many years ago and I never realized that the way one comes up with a grade is to count up the points of damage on a comic. Very nice, thanks
thank you!!! I am a newb when it comes to comics. I recently bought some late Golden and Silver age comics Dell Golden key. One fatman the human Flying saucer No. 2 no cover. how do I grade something like this? It has all the pages but the front cover. I will watch some more of your tutorials you may have already answered my question. The first thing I did was put in separate bags no boards yet that will be my next thing to do. I have at least 25 comics from Nancy & Sluggo to popeye Swing with Scooter No. 9 Dennis the menace, The Flintstones, The Archies, Betty and Veronica etal..
What is that scaled called and where do you get that scale? Defects to Grading scale. After you grade a comic book, what do you use to find out the correct current price value?
Great video! I’m a old dude who grades old school but we both came to a 3 on this book. The end result is all that matters and a grade that most everyone can agree on is a book graded with careful consideration.
Great video, however...this particular issue is missing an entire folio! Mycomicshop notes that this issue should count 36 pages (like most silver age dcs) and that there should be a Cherios ad featuring Rocky and Bullwinkle. I didn''t see that. I don't know how this book could be graded better than a fair. Sorry to let you know.
I have never seen a defect count up system employed before. What if it had only one defect such as a punch hole through the book but it was otherwise mint, would it therefore count as a nm- ? I don't think so. The book looks like a good copy all day long (CGC 2.0). I think you missed a few key points. Firstly with a standard Silver Age book, Marvel/DC etc it is a good tip to simply count 8 page wraps to the middle centrefold and then 8 more wraps to the back of the book. The quickest and most fool proof way to know that it is complete and not missing pages. Would also recommend a check on the top, bottom and side edge of the book to see if an edge is perfectly flat. It should have a diamond bevel, otherwise an edge could be trimmed to lose some signs of wear. I would also check the inside covers (often white ad spaces) for signs of amateur color touches bleeding through. These are key defects before you assign an Overstreet grade. Personally I think building experience by comparing to CGC standard grading is a good way to go. I have examples from 3.0 to 9.6 to check against. Finally if you are grading to sell a comic (ebay etc) then ask yourself would you be happy to receive that book at that grade from someone else?
If there was a punch hole through the book but it was otherwise mint, it would NOT count as a nm-, it would actually receive a very low grade using the defect count up system, shown in this video. The punch hole goes through the entire book which means every page of the book is damaged. If the book is 24 pages plus the front and back cover you are now looking at a total of 26 damage points. So you're looking at a book that's a (CGC .5) Sorry but I think the guy in the video knows what he's talking about. You, on the other hand, not so much.
hotram1 I was wondering the same thing... this guy lacks critical thinking skills that’s for sure. “What if the book had a punch hole?” Dude, seriously😂😂
@@hotram1 I was a comic book dealer for 10 years & only had two returns from hundreds of orders (1000s sold) & have submitted several comic books to CGC & only ever been half a grade out on the my estimates beforehand. This type of defect count system is bizarre, inaccurate and never to be considered by collectors/dealers who can actually assess a book properly ... if you like it then that says far more about you than me ....
@@sirpuss5887 Never seen a comic book with punch holes made in them before ?? & wtf are "26 Damage points" ?? If that's "critical thinking skills" then you & hots ^^ are welcome to it ...ever wonder why all the Third Party Graders don't use this count up system ? ... because it's a joke.
Enjoyed the vid.....interesting technique you used to establish the grading.....although I think there are other ways to come to the same grading conclusion you did as well.....as you say, an experienced grader could probably have very easily watched your vid in mute and determine from looking at it that it would grade out to a Good.......I also think that although this counting defects systems is a reasonable way of determining a grading, it does not account for the quality of the defect....as you could have a comic that has many minor defects such as this one or one that could have one major defect that completely ruins its grading.....to me, grading is an art-form and not a specific science although it has been.attempted to make it into a science...I think at the end of the day though, the idea is to get a consensus on the grade within a 1/2 point range....I also think when grading a comic especially if you intend to sell it, you should grade very conservatively to the point of even over grading...the reason is, if you are selling the book, NO ONE wants to buy one that was under graded and over pay for it......anyway, just my thoughts and that is a great Batman issue....:D
Hello. This was a really nice video to help those of us that may be new to grading. Where can I find the chart that you showed in the video? Would be good to know quantity of defects and how that results in a specific grade. Thanks again.
That chart is in the Overstreet Comic Book Grading Guide. You can find it on eBay or Amazon, I would get a good used copy as opposed to a brand new one, they basically have the same information year after year.
Open by Chance i have two questions. I store my comics (Silver and Bronze) in deep draws that i built into my entertainment center. My books are stored in 2mil mylar bags with a half back backing board and Micro chamber paper place in the back, front and middle of each comic. I then place that into a 4mil archival Mylar. They are all from E Gerber. I live in the Caribbean and the sun is very hot during the day. Even though my house has curtains i know that my entertainment area gets hot during the midday hours. Will this hurt my books even though i have them encased in mylar the way i have them. I also want to get your advice on buying raw books from My Comic Shop. Are they any good and can i accept what they say their grades are? Since i live in the Caribbean i have to rely on online sales for comics as their are not too many comic shops that carry the back issues i am looking for. I am not thinking of buying the entire run of the Invaders from My Comic Shop in the Mid range grade 6.5 to 8. Your advice please. thanks
Be careful of humidity, especially since the comics are bagged and boarded, (they can trap moisture). Think cool/dry/dark when storing. Some museums keep fans going in areas with items that are made of wood or pulp to control the humidity. If you are buying online I would check feedback on the seller to be sure they are on the level with their grading standards. You also may want to pick up a grading guide for yourself so that you can verify items when they come in.
Upon seeing the front cover of this book I thought it was a 3.0 if the rest of the book matched the cover and perhaps a 2.5 on the low scale assuming that it was complete
hi,if the staples are not in the center of the comic,they are not rusty but not in the middle of the two center pages,they are placed liitle left in the one of the two central pages?it's from the factory pressing.besides that the issue is a nearmint-vf issue.how would you grade this issue? thanks!
FWIW, a 3.0 on the 10-point grading system is a Good/Very Good -- not a Good. A Good would be a 2.0. That said, just looking at the cover my thought was 3.0 also -- heavy spine wear, but cover in nice shape with no tears or noticeable pieces missing. Viewers should be aware that you are using the Overstreet grading guide, which is notoriously strict and inflexible with its grading criteria. I agree with the comment from Wilkinson, that using CGC and CBCS grading standards -- which one learns via years of experience through examples, your own submissions, etc. -- is a good way to grade. I think with this comic, CGC would give it a 3.0, and on Overstreet it would be a 2.0. Thanks for doing this.
Hey man, how's it going? I'm sorry my previous comments disappeared from your videos. My UA-cam account was recently hacked and I had to make a new one. I know your specialty is comic grading, so I wanted to ask you something. I managed to get my hands on some J Scott Campbell variant covers for The Amazing Spider-Man. They are overall in excellent condition, but I want your professional opinion. Is there any way that I can send you some pictures of the comics? Do you have a twitter or an email address I can send them to you on? Cheers bro
I grade my comics the same way as you. But if I see a major flaw, I will take my initial flaw score and dock it down an entire point down. So let's say I call the tear on one of the letters a major flaw, maybe I would dock it down to 2.0. But I also will dock a comic book up too (only for comics with 1 major flaw). After I get my grade I ask myself, if I saw this comic for two seconds and looked at the cover would I say, wow that looks good. If I say yes, that would bring it up to a 2.5, if no than 2.0 would stand. This one, with that corner bend, would be very noticeable in two seconds. If CGC gave this a 3.0, I would say that is fair. But if someone tried to sell this to me, I would only pay a 2.0 price.
I like to ask about the grading system. do they consider all defects equal . Take 1 point off for each defect or can certain defects be less or more. ?
You cant just count number of defects and grade that way. Page color, what kinds of defects affect it differently. Some defects dont count against a grade because a certain grade will allow say a crease of a certain length and if its under that then it can still be that grade
CGC has removed themselves from actual collectors by requiring a degree in graphic arts and insisting that their graders don't own any comics themselves. But yeah, that would be nice...
I think the big white "snatch" on the yellow "A" would count more than a minor corner crumble , right ? Surely , if a tyke colored in the eyes of the characters on the cover , this would pretty much destroy the value entirely . Now for the stories themselves , it can be MISSING the cover but still have "value" , just not monetary value . As for the grading system here employed , it just seems to simplistic....A 1/4" crease should not be worth 1 point , if a 1/4" TEAR is also 1 point . Just imo !
@@gno_b_neno7182 Count the pages. According to Mycomicshop, there should be 36 pages. They also note there should be a Rocky and Bullwinkle ad for Cherios; not present in this issue in the video.The copy in this video is missing an entire folio, so I'd grade it no better than a fair.
@@rodneyfavors4395 Count the pages. According to Mycomicshop, there should be 36 pages. They also note there should be a Rocky and Bullwinkle ad for Cherios; not present in this issue in the video.The copy in this video is missing an entire folio, so I'd grade it no better than a fair.
Thank you for this! I have Finally decided to go through MY DC Comics...from the 60s! I Did take Good Care of them, and many look Very Nice, so this will definitely help me determine their Grades! 200-300 of them! ^^X^^
This is the old way, but it's simple for getting an idea.
Thanks for taking the time to do this! Awesome tutorial!
Glad it was helpful!
Been back into the hobby about a year +, this video was really helpful on the grading aspect and how to do it.. help me understand it a lot more then I thought I did..
Glad you found it helpful!
I just viewed your video on grading a comic. I really enjoyed it,. Me and my brother used to sell comics and attend comic book shows in SoCal many years ago and I never realized that the way one comes up with a grade is to count up the points of damage on a comic. Very nice, thanks
It's the older way of doing it, but you typically come up with the same results. Glad you found it helpful.
thank you!!! I am a newb when it comes to comics. I recently bought some late Golden and Silver age comics Dell Golden key. One fatman the human Flying saucer No. 2 no cover. how do I grade something like this? It has all the pages but the front cover. I will watch some more of your tutorials you may have already answered my question. The first thing I did was put in separate bags no boards yet that will be my next thing to do. I have at least 25 comics from Nancy & Sluggo to popeye Swing with Scooter No. 9 Dennis the menace, The Flintstones, The Archies, Betty and Veronica etal..
Another great and simple to follow tutorial, thanks for this!
Thanks, trying to keep it easy.
Thanks so much! This helps me so much, I've been too harsh when grading some books.
It's the old way of doing it, but it does work. Glad you found it helpful!
What is that scaled called and where do you get that scale? Defects to Grading scale. After you grade a comic book, what do you use to find out the correct current price value?
Thank you.
Any advice on bag & board size for silver age annuals or super sized comics? Seem to not fit in normal silver age bags & boards.
No, they never seem to fit properly...
Great video! I’m a old dude who grades old school but we both came to a 3 on this book. The end result is all that matters and a grade that most everyone can agree on is a book graded with careful consideration.
Yeah, I did it the old way, you basically get the same results but many people turn up their noses at it.
Great video, however...this particular issue is missing an entire folio! Mycomicshop notes that this issue should count 36 pages (like most silver age dcs) and that there should be a Cherios ad featuring Rocky and Bullwinkle. I didn''t see that. I don't know how this book could be graded better than a fair. Sorry to let you know.
Was this ever verified regarding your page count vs the 36 page count with ads?
@@Craig-tw4wk Yes. I obtained a copy myself. 36 pages. There really is a Bullwinkle Cheerios ad, too!
😀 a very good and interesting video for grading comics.
Full of helpful tricks.
Thanks for making it.
Glad you found it helpful!
That was a terrific and basic guide to point out defects.
Glad you found it helpful!
I have never seen a defect count up system employed before. What if it had only one defect such as a punch hole through the book but it was otherwise mint, would it therefore count as a nm- ? I don't think so. The book looks like a good copy all day long (CGC 2.0). I think you missed a few key points. Firstly with a standard Silver Age book, Marvel/DC etc it is a good tip to simply count 8 page wraps to the middle centrefold and then 8 more wraps to the back of the book. The quickest and most fool proof way to know that it is complete and not missing pages. Would also recommend a check on the top, bottom and side edge of the book to see if an edge is perfectly flat. It should have a diamond bevel, otherwise an edge could be trimmed to lose some signs of wear. I would also check the inside covers (often white ad spaces) for signs of amateur color touches bleeding through. These are key defects before you assign an Overstreet grade. Personally I think building experience by comparing to CGC standard grading is a good way to go. I have examples from 3.0 to 9.6 to check against. Finally if you are grading to sell a comic (ebay etc) then ask yourself would you be happy to receive that book at that grade from someone else?
If there was a punch hole through the book but it was otherwise mint, it would NOT count as a nm-, it would actually receive a very low grade using the defect count up system, shown in this video. The punch hole goes through the entire book which means every page of the book is damaged. If the book is 24 pages plus the front and back cover you are now looking at a total of 26 damage points. So you're looking at a book that's a (CGC .5) Sorry but I think the guy in the video knows what he's talking about. You, on the other hand, not so much.
hotram1
I was wondering the same thing... this guy lacks critical thinking skills that’s for sure. “What if the book had a punch hole?”
Dude, seriously😂😂
@@hotram1 I was a comic book dealer for 10 years & only had two returns from hundreds of orders (1000s sold) & have submitted several comic books to CGC & only ever been half a grade out on the my estimates beforehand.
This type of defect count system is bizarre, inaccurate and never to be considered by collectors/dealers who can actually assess a book properly ... if you like it then that says far more about you than me ....
@@sirpuss5887 Never seen a comic book with punch holes made in them before ?? & wtf are "26 Damage points" ?? If that's "critical thinking skills" then you & hots ^^ are welcome to it ...ever wonder why all the Third Party Graders don't use this count up system ? ... because it's a joke.
@@stevenwilkinson1265 Name calling from a former comic book dealer, seriously??? That's the real joke!!
I missed how many points were awarded for the slightly off color/tanned pages. How did those figure in? Thanks!
Enjoyed the vid.....interesting technique you used to establish the grading.....although I think there are other ways to come to the same grading conclusion you did as well.....as you say, an experienced grader could probably have very easily watched your vid in mute and determine from looking at it that it would grade out to a Good.......I also think that although this counting defects systems is a reasonable way of determining a grading, it does not account for the quality of the defect....as you could have a comic that has many minor defects such as this one or one that could have one major defect that completely ruins its grading.....to me, grading is an art-form and not a specific science although it has been.attempted to make it into a science...I think at the end of the day though, the idea is to get a consensus on the grade within a 1/2 point range....I also think when grading a comic especially if you intend to sell it, you should grade very conservatively to the point of even over grading...the reason is, if you are selling the book, NO ONE wants to buy one that was under graded and over pay for it......anyway, just my thoughts and that is a great Batman issue....:D
That's the old method. I used to grade for New England Comics back in the 90's.
Great video, thanks for this, very informative. Now I know just enough to be dangerous and grade my own comics.
It's the old way, but it still seems to work
I’ve always wondered how the older silver age books get those small ‘holes’ at the bottom of the interior pages. What causes these?
the small uniform holes that look like pin holes? the teeth from the press where it grips to cut and pull the page.
Hello. This was a really nice video to help those of us that may be new to grading. Where can I find the chart that you showed in the video? Would be good to know quantity of defects and how that results in a specific grade. Thanks again.
That chart is in the Overstreet Comic Book Grading Guide. You can find it on eBay or Amazon, I would get a good used copy as opposed to a brand new one, they basically have the same information year after year.
Open by Chance i have two questions.
I store my comics (Silver and Bronze) in deep draws that i built into my entertainment center. My books are stored in 2mil mylar bags with a half back backing board and Micro chamber paper place in the back, front and middle of each comic. I then place that into a 4mil archival Mylar. They are all from E Gerber. I live in the Caribbean and the sun is very hot during the day. Even though my house has curtains i know that my entertainment area gets hot during the midday hours. Will this hurt my books even though i have them encased in mylar the way i have them.
I also want to get your advice on buying raw books from My Comic Shop. Are they any good and can i accept what they say their grades are? Since i live in the Caribbean i have to rely on online sales for comics as their are not too many comic shops that carry the back issues i am looking for. I am not thinking of buying the entire run of the Invaders from My Comic Shop in the Mid range grade 6.5 to 8. Your advice please. thanks
Be careful of humidity, especially since the comics are bagged and boarded, (they can trap moisture). Think cool/dry/dark when storing. Some museums keep fans going in areas with items that are made of wood or pulp to control the humidity. If you are buying online I would check feedback on the seller to be sure they are on the level with their grading standards. You also may want to pick up a grading guide for yourself so that you can verify items when they come in.
I wished I head seen this video earlier when I first decided to get my books graded!
@Joseph Barbera . Were you selling your books? Otherwise might I inquire about the reason you chose to get them graded?
Upon seeing the front cover of this book I thought it was a 3.0 if the rest of the book matched the cover and perhaps a 2.5 on the low scale assuming that it was complete
hi,if the staples are not in the center of the comic,they are not rusty but not in the middle of the two center pages,they are placed liitle left in the one of the two central pages?it's from the factory pressing.besides that the issue is a nearmint-vf issue.how would you grade this issue?
thanks!
Does it distort the shape of the book overall, is their overlapping?
hi my friend,thank you for your quick response.the shape of the book is not distorted,what do you mean by overlapping?
FWIW, a 3.0 on the 10-point grading system is a Good/Very Good -- not a Good. A Good would be a 2.0. That said, just looking at the cover my thought was 3.0 also -- heavy spine wear, but cover in nice shape with no tears or noticeable pieces missing. Viewers should be aware that you are using the Overstreet grading guide, which is notoriously strict and inflexible with its grading criteria. I agree with the comment from Wilkinson, that using CGC and CBCS grading standards -- which one learns via years of experience through examples, your own submissions, etc. -- is a good way to grade. I think with this comic, CGC would give it a 3.0, and on Overstreet it would be a 2.0.
Thanks for doing this.
Hey man, how's it going? I'm sorry my previous comments disappeared from your videos. My UA-cam account was recently hacked and I had to make a new one. I know your specialty is comic grading, so I wanted to ask you something.
I managed to get my hands on some J Scott Campbell variant covers for The Amazing Spider-Man. They are overall in excellent condition, but I want your professional opinion. Is there any way that I can send you some pictures of the comics? Do you have a twitter or an email address I can send them to you on? Cheers bro
You can reach us at AtomicCandyProductions@gmail.com
@@OpenByChance thanks man (:
I grade my comics the same way as you. But if I see a major flaw, I will take my initial flaw score and dock it down an entire point down. So let's say I call the tear on one of the letters a major flaw, maybe I would dock it down to 2.0. But I also will dock a comic book up too (only for comics with 1 major flaw). After I get my grade I ask myself, if I saw this comic for two seconds and looked at the cover would I say, wow that looks good. If I say yes, that would bring it up to a 2.5, if no than 2.0 would stand. This one, with that corner bend, would be very noticeable in two seconds. If CGC gave this a 3.0, I would say that is fair. But if someone tried to sell this to me, I would only pay a 2.0 price.
I like to ask about the grading system. do they consider all defects equal . Take 1 point off for each defect or can certain defects be less or more. ?
There are some guidelines of acceptable damage within a grade that would be demonstrated with graded examples in the book.
How about feeder tears or gripper holes?
Very nice. Really helpful!
Thank you!
You cant just count number of defects and grade that way. Page color, what kinds of defects affect it differently. Some defects dont count against a grade because a certain grade will allow say a crease of a certain length and if its under that then it can still be that grade
You should be a grader at CGC, nice vid.
CGC has removed themselves from actual collectors by requiring a degree in graphic arts and insisting that their graders don't own any comics themselves. But yeah, that would be nice...
what do water stains do to a comic in lowering the grade?
Good question, I hear CGC is pretty harsh on water damaged books.
I think the big white "snatch" on the yellow "A" would count more than a minor corner crumble , right ? Surely , if a tyke colored in the eyes of the characters on the cover , this would pretty much destroy the value entirely . Now for the stories themselves , it can be MISSING the cover but still have "value" , just not monetary value . As for the grading system here employed , it just seems to simplistic....A 1/4" crease should not be worth 1 point , if a 1/4" TEAR is also 1 point . Just imo !
What kind of gloves did you use?
White inspection gloves. You can buy them in bulk from eBay for a low price.
the famous Action Number 1 screw up. The book was graded as complete but was actually missing pages when the newest buyer cracked it open
I can imagine how embarrassing that was!
Based on what you've shown here, I would grade it a Fair. I believe you missed something important here. Did anybody else notice??
???
You would be wrong if you did.
@@gno_b_neno7182 Count the pages. According to Mycomicshop, there should be 36 pages. They also note there should be a Rocky and Bullwinkle ad for Cherios; not present in this issue in the video.The copy in this video is missing an entire folio, so I'd grade it no better than a fair.
@@rodneyfavors4395 Count the pages. According to Mycomicshop, there should be 36 pages. They also note there should be a Rocky and Bullwinkle ad for Cherios; not present in this issue in the video.The copy in this video is missing an entire folio, so I'd grade it no better than a fair.