Near Mint
Grading Your Comic Books
Knowing the condition of your comic book will help in knowing the value of it. Grading your comic allows you to describe the condition that it is in, and there is a universal scale which is used. Grading your own comic is subjective. The Comics Guaranty Company, or CGC, can grade your comic for a fee. Doing this will provide a third party opinion and make the grade less subjective. They use the same scale as well so it’s not always necessary to pay them to do the grading for you.
The highest grade a comic can receive is mint. If a comic is in mint condition it should look like it just came off the press. For a comic to be in mint condition there can’t be any tears, cuts or creases. The comic should be able to lay flat on a surface without any rolling or curving of the pages. The spine has to be the same way, completely straight. The staples in the spine have to look new and can’t have any rusting or unusual bending. The pages of a mint condition comic can’t have any fading or discoloration, marks or smudges, and there can’t be any rips or tears. The only accepted marking on the comic allowed is an autograph.
Not every comic can be perfect, and the next best grade it can receive is near mint. Older comics that are in near perfect condition usually receive this grade. Overall the comic should look like new, but there are a few exceptions allowed for this grade. If the cover is slightly off center it will be considered near mint. Other conditions that will give your comic a near mint grade are minor bindery tears and minor fading of the pages. All other aspects of the comic will have to be perfect.
If a comic has minor imperfections the grade usually given is very fine. Over time and use of the comic, it can be worn or damaged. However, to be graded very fine the comic can only have minor problems such as wear around the staples in the binding or a small crease on the cover. The color on the cover and pages can be slightly faded as well.
For comic books that are used and read, not just collected, the grade is usually fine. Because the comic has been open and read there are usually creases on the spine and pages. The staples can have some discoloration or show signs of unusual bending. Minor stains or tears to the pages will result in a comic being graded as fine. Fine graded comic books are above average in appearance.
The average comic book which has been read is graded as very good. A well read comic will have stress to the staples in the spine and obvious creases. The comic has to have all of the pages still intact as well. The cover and pages are allowed to have discoloration and fading, but there can’t be major tears. A small tear is allowed for this grade.
As comics start to lose value, and you can tell that they have been used and well read the grade given is either good or fair. The comic is worn down, has major defects, but it still readable. A good or fair grade will be given if the cover has been detached, has tears and creases along the cover and pages, the pages are marked or stained, and the spine is in bad condition. If pages are missing and the cover is gone the comic will be graded as poor.
Near Mint 2008 Fender Jaguar Bass Demo/Review/Jam
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FRONT MISSION 3 III RPG PLAYSTATION 1 2 3 PS1 PS2 PS3 EX+NEAR MINT RARE GAME^ $17.99 |
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U2 The Joshua Tree 1987 & INNER & INSERT NEAR MINT $12.65 |
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Action Comics #439, DC Comics 1974 VERY FINE/NEAR MINT $9.99 |
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RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN ! Lot of 3 classic Near-Mint vinyl LPs TV’s Dr. Kildare $26.00 |
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FLASHDANCE Soundtrack LP Near Mint U.S. Virgin Vinyl + shrink $6.99 |
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1995 Kenner Starting Lineup Up Baseball Cal Ripken Jr. Near Mint on Card Orioles $4.99 |
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550+qty-1981 Fleer Baseball Card Lot w/Original Counter Display-NEAR MINT CDTN $14.90 |
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Uncanny X-Men #281 Very Fine To Near Mint $2.00 |
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Action Comics #441, DC Comics 1974 VERY FINE/NEAR MINT $7.99 |
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LOT F, 10 TY BEANIE BABIES ALL IN MINT OR NEAR MINT COND. WMT/WNMT, SOME RARE $9.99 |
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LOT D, 15 TY BEANIE BABIES ALL IN MINT OR NEAR MINT COND. WMT/WNMT, SOME RARE $14.99 |
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MOUTH MUSIC SingCircle 1983 on Hyperion DIRECT METAL MASTERING near mint $4.74 |
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LOT B, 14 TY BEANIE BABIES ALL IN MINT OR NEAR MINT COND. WMT/WNMT, SOME RARE $14.99 |
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Daredevil (Vol 2) #41 Near Mint $2.00 |
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1995 Kenner Starting Lineup Up Baseball Jeff Bagwell Near Mint on Card Astros $4.99 |
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Daredevil (Vol 2) #44 Near Mint $2.00 |
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LOT C, 13 TY BEANIE BABIES ALL IN MINT OR NEAR MINT COND. WMT/WNMT, SOME RARE $12.99 |
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THE SECRET POLICEMAN’S BALL-THE MUSIC 1980 NEAR MINT Townshend.Robinson.Innes. $4.74 |
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HELLO, DOLLY Original Broadway Cast ((**NEAR MINT LP**)) from 1964 $30.00 |
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SHIRLEY TEMPLE GENUINE DOLL Button Pin Back 1930′S ORIGINAL NEAR MINT IDEAL TOY $225.00 |
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EKSEPTION & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 00.04 1971 NEAR MINT textured cover $7.90 |
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ID Boise LINEN c’40 CAPITOL AUTO COURT Motel Near mint $9.59 |
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1995 Kenner Starting Lineup Up Baseball Cecil Fielder Near Mint on Card Tigers $19.99 |
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HELLSHOCK #1-4 1994 IMAGE COMICS Jae Lee Heaven/Hell Near Mint NM $4.99 |
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SWAROVSKI EUROPEAN CANDLEHOLDER 113 RET 1981 RAR NEAR MINT $449.00 |
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1991 DC COMICS COSMIC CARDS SINGLES! 8 EIGHT CARDS FOR $1!!! NEAR MINT! $1.00 |
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# The Casanovas – All Night Long CD near mint! 2006 11t $9.61 |
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1994 Kenner SLU Starting Lineup Hockey Steve Yzerman Near Mint on Card Red Wings $4.99 |
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The GRAM PARSONS Anthology – 2CDs – NEAR MINT $14.79 |
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Uncanny X-Men #401 Very Fine To Near Mint $2.00 |
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Mikaeus, the Lunarch, Innistrad, Mythic Rare, Near Mint $1.25 |
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Uncanny X-Men #403 Very Fine To Near Mint $2.00 |
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BEATLES 4 set of INFLATABLE dolls 5″ & 14 ” NEAR MINT Unused 1960s $99.99 |
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Uncanny X-Men #405 Very Fine To Near Mint $2.00 |
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Uncanny X-Men #408 Very Fine To Near Mint $2.00 |
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LEHMANN ALSO CAR CLOCKWORK MADE IN GERMANY 1930 NEAR MINT $909.00 |
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Army of the Damned, Innistrad, Mythic Rare, Near Mint $0.75 |
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5 Magic Tree House Merlin Missions PB Mary Pope Osborne Near Mint Condition $13.50 |
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Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Comic Book #3, Marvel 1997 VERY FINE/NEAR MINT $2.50 |
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LUDMILLA DRAGO ROCKY IV ACTION FIGURE *MINT/NEAR MINT* BRIDGITTE NIELSEN $7.00 |
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Kenny Rankin INSIDE (1975) Cassette Tape Near-MINT $8.99 |
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MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Soundtrack Cassette Near-MINT $5.99 |
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4 x Parallel Lives, Innistrad, Rare, Near Mint $3.25 |
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Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Comic Book #3, Marvel 1997 NEAR MINT $2.99 |
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EDDIE CAMPBELL’S BACCHUS #33 MARCH 1998 AUSTRALIAN NEAR MINT CONDITION $0.99 |
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YuGiOh! PRC1-ENV01 Elemental HERO the Shining Secret Rare Limited Ed Near Mint $3.50 |
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MADISON RAYNE TNA KNOCKOUT WRESTLING ACTION FIGURE *MINT/NEAR MINT* $17.50 |
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Dungeon Geists, Dark Ascension, Rare, Near Mint $1.25 |
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Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Comic Book #4, Marvel 1997 NEAR MINT $2.99 |
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Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Comic Book #4, Marvel 1997 VERY FINE/NEAR MINT $2.50 |