NEAR MINT (NM, Overstreet 97-90)
A nearly perfect copy with only minor
imperfection allowed. A comic falls into this condition range if it
meets all the following standards:
- Browning of Paper: No browning is acceptable except for
older comics--generally those with cover prices 20c or older.
Even then, only a modest color change is acceptable.
- Centerfold: Must be fully and properly attached to staples.
- Corner Bends : Only if hardly noticeable.
- Cover Detached at Top or Bottom Staple: Reduces an otherwise
NM copy to FN.
- Cover Scuff Marks: Must be very, very limited and hardly
noticeable.
- Distributor's Date Notation: A distributor's date stamp or a
date written in pencil or ink, if it is unobtrusive and does not
not significantly detract from the over all attractiveness of
the comic, is acceptable and is in fact valued by many
collectors (as do we) who view distributor date notations as an
interesting part of the comic's history. Date stamps typically
are found on pre-1980's comics.
- Fingerprints: If they can be seen, condition drops to Fine
or Very Good.
- Off-Center Printing: Acceptable if only to a minor degree.
- Pieces Missing: No pieces missing except for tips of pages
nicked during the production process. Note that we include
"Marvel chipping" under this definition, a phenomenon well known
to the collectors of early 1960's Marvel comics.
- Rolled Spine: None.
- Rubber Stamp Imprints: None on cover or inside.
- Spine Stress Marks: Only is very minor/hardly noticeable and
very few.
- Staples: Must be tight, clean, and centered with no rust.
- Subscription Crease/Fold: None.
- Tape: None of any type.
- Tears: None.
- Water Stains: None.
- Writing: No writing except for autographs and distributor
date notations.
VERY FINE (VF, Overstreet 89-75)
An exceptional copy with outstanding
eye appeal. Sharp, bright and clean with supple pages. Pages and
covers can be yellowish/tannish (at the most), but not brown, and
will often be off white to white. Light spine wear is acceptable. A
comic falls into this condition range if it meets all the
following standards:
- Browning of Paper: No browning is acceptable except for
older comics--generally those with cover prices 20c or older.
Even then, only a modest color change is acceptable.
- Centerfold: Must be fully and properly attached to staples.
- Corner Bends: Slightly noticeable allowed.
- Cover Detached at Top or Bottom Staple: Reduces an otherwise
VF copy to VG.
- Distributor's Date Notation: A distributor's date stamp or a
date written in pencil or ink, if it is unobtrusive and does not
not significantly detract from the overall attractiveness of the
comic, is acceptable and is in fact valued by many collectors
(as do we) who view distributor date notations as an interesting
part of the comic's history. NOTE: Date stamps typically are
found on pre-1980's comics.
- Cover Scuff Marks: Only allowed if very limited and
hardly noticeable.
- Fingerprints: If they can be seen, condition drops to Fine
or Very Good.
- Off-Center Printing: Acceptable if only to a minor degree.
- Pieces Missing: No pieces missing except for tips of pages
nicked during the production process. Note that we include
"Marvel chipping" under this definition, a phenomenon well known
to the collectors of early 1960's Marvel comics.
- Rolled Spine: None.
- Rubber Stamp Imprints: None on cover or inside.
- Spine Stress Marks: Slightly noticeable allowed.
- Staples: May be a bit loose, but must be clean,
centered with no rust.
- Subscription Crease/Fold: None.
- Tape: None of any type.
- Tears: None
- Water Stains: None.
- Writing: No writing except for autographs. Very minor pencil
note on interior OK such as a seller's old pricing.
FINE (FN, Overstreet 74-55)
An exceptional, above average copy
that show minor wear but still is relatively flat, clean and
glossy with no subscription crease or brown margins. Typical defects
include: light spine wear, minor surface wear, a light crease,
minor yellowing/tanning to interior pages. Compared to a VF,
cover inks are beginning to show a significant reduction in
reflectivity, but the comic remains highly collectible and
desirable. A comic falls into this condition range if it meets
all the following standards:
- Browning of Paper: Very slight browning is acceptable, but
there can be no brittleness in paper.
- Centerfold: May be loose or detached at one staple if comic
is otherwise VF or better. An otherwise FN copy with a
centerfold loose or detached at one staple drops to VG.
- Corner Bends: Minor noticeable bends allowed.
- Cover Detached at Top or Bottom Staple: Reduces an otherwise
FN copy to VG.
- Cover Scuff Marks: Light scuffing is allowed, but must be
minor. You'll see this defect more often on comics with dark
covers.
- Distributor's Date Notation: A distributor's date stamp or a
date written in pencil or ink, if it is unobtrusive and does not
not significantly detract from the over all attractiveness of
the comic, is acceptable and is in fact valued by many
collectors (as do we) who view distributor date notations as an
interesting part of the comic's history. NOTE: Date stamps
typically are found on pre-1980's comics.
- Fingerprints: There can be fingerprints, but if
excessive or distracting (ugly), they drop the grade to Very
Good.
- Off-Center Printing: Slight deviance is acceptable.
- Pieces Missing: No pieces missing except for tips of pages
nicked during the production process. Note that we include
"Marvel chipping" under this definition, a phenomenon well known
to the collectors of early 1960's Marvel comics.
- Rolled Spine: None.
- Rubber Stamp Imprints: None on cover or inside.
- Spine Stress Marks: Minor noticeable stress marks allowed.
- Staples: May be a bit loose, but must be clean,
centered with no rust.
- Subscription Crease/Fold: A crease (color break) is not
acceptable. A fold is acceptable if there is no color break, the
fold has all but disappeared, and is otherwise VF-NM.
- Tape: None of any type.
- Tears: None
- Water Stains: None.
- Writing: No writing except for autographs on cover.
Very minor pencil note on interior OK such as a seller's old
pricing.
VERY GOOD (VG, Overstreet 54-35)
Generally, this condition represents
the average used comic book, one that has not been taken care of.
These comics show moderate wear but eye appeal has not been reduced
to the point that the comic ceases to be collectible. One or two
minor markings on the cover or minor spine roll are
allowed. These comics may be lightly creased along the spine or
other edges, or have a minor piece or pieces missing. A comic falls
into this condition range if it meets all the following standards:
- Browning of Paper: Browning is acceptable, but there can be
no brittleness in paper.
- Centerfold: May be loose or detached at one staple.
- Corner Bends: Allowed if not excessive.
- Cover Detached at Top or Bottom Staple: Reduces an otherwise
VG copy to GD.
- Cover Scuff Marks: Must be minor.
- Distributor's Date Notation: Allowed.
- Fingerprints: There can be fingerprints.
- Folds: The cover may have some folds, but the comic must not
have been bent in half.
- Off-Center Printing: Allowed.
- Pieces Missing: No pieces missing except for tips of pages
nicked during the production process. Note that we include
"Marvel chipping" under this definition, a phenomenon well known
to the collectors of early 1960's Marvel comics.
- Rolled Spine: Only if very minor.
- Rubber Stamp Imprints: None on cover except distributor date
stamps. Name and store stamp are allowed on back cover if done
in reasonably neat way.
- Spine Stress Marks: Always allowed and can be very
evident.
- Staples: Clean, centered with no rust, but may be loose, but
still must be joined to all pages. No tearing at staples
acceptable.
- Subscription Crease/Fold: A fold or light crease is
acceptable if the comic is flat and would otherwise grade FN or
better.
- Tape: None of any type.
- Tears: Several minor tears or one major tear up to an inch
in length.
- Water Stains: Water stain allowed only if barely
noticeable. Area affected must be as smooth and flat as rest of
comic.
- Writing: Minor marking on cover acceptable if copy is
otherwise FN or better. No marker writing allowed.
GOOD (GD, Overstreet 34-15)
Comics in this condition have all pages
and covers, although there may be small rips or tears. These
still very readable copies are commonly creased, scuffed, abraded,
and soiled. Paper quality is low, but not brittle. A comic
falls into this condition range if it meets all the following
standards:
- Browning of Paper: Browning is allowed, but paper may be
only slightly brittle.
- Corner Bends: Allowed and fairly to very evident.
- Centerfold: May be loose or detached at one or both
staples.
- Cover Detached at Top or Bottom Staple: Allowed.
- Cover Scuff Marks: Allowed.
- Distributor's Date Notation: Allowed.
- Fingerprints: There can be fingerprints.
- Folds: Allowed.
- Off-Center Printing: Allowed.
- Pieces Missing: May have a postage stamp-sized piece missing
from cover and/or interior piece missing of same size. This does
not apply to insert coupons (not a part of the regular comic)
that were intended for the redemption of a free comic or other
publisher offer. These may be missing altogether.
- Rolled Spine: Allowed.
- Rubber Stamp Imprints: Allowed on covers and interior if not
excessive.
- Spine Stress Marks: Spine can have some tears, usually
occurring around the staples. These tears must be less than 1/4
inch.
- Staples: Staples may be loose and may show some rust.
- Subscription Crease/Fold: A fold or crease is acceptable.
- Tape: Only if a very small piece or two. Must be clear
tape.
- Tears: Extensive tear acceptable, or several that together
equal a major tear.
- Water Stains: Acceptable if not excessive and comic remains
smooth.
- Writing: Most writing acceptable, even on cover, but not if
excessive (Magic Marker, for example), or otherwise distracting
from story readability.
FAIR (FR, Overstreet 14-5)
Comics in this condition are very
heavily read and soiled, but still complete. Damaged
beyond collectible for many collectors but not all, fair comics
typically bring 30 to 50 percent of the good price, but can command
more where better condition copies are not available at affordable
prices. A comic falls into this condition range if it meets all the
following standards:
- Browning of Paper: May be both brown and brittle.
- Centerfold: May be loose or detached at one or both
staples.
- Cover Detached at Top, Bottom or Both Staples: Allowed.
- Cover Scuff Marks: Allowed
- Corner Bends: Can be very obvious.
- Distributor's Date Notation: Allowed.
- Fingerprints: There can be fingerprints.
- Folds: Allowed.
- Off-Center Printing: Allowed.
- Page Missing: All pages present although a coupon or small
part of a page may be missing.
- Pieces Missing: Pieces of cover and even interior, including
a coupon, may be missing so long as story remains readable.
- Rubber Stamp Imprints: Allowed on covers and interior if not
excessive.
- Spine Stress Marks: Spine can have some tears, usually
occurring around the staples. These tears must be less than one
inch.
- Staples: Staples may be loose and may have rust.
- Tears: Very extensive tear acceptable, or multiple tears
that together equal one or two major tear.
- Subscription Crease/Fold: A fold or crease is acceptable.
- Tape: May be taped if not excessive or tape type inherently
inappropriate such as masking tape or duct tape.
- Water Stains: Acceptable and there may be some
warping/wrinkling.
- Writing: Most writing acceptable, even on cover, but not if
excessive (Magic Marker, for example), or otherwise distracting
from story readability.
POOR (PR, Overstreet 4-1)
Comics in this condition have an
aggregate of defects so extensive as to render them all but
uncollectible in most cases. Poor comics are often severely stained,
abraded, defaced, or otherwise damaged, and may in rare cases have a
page or centerfold missing. Even a poor copy, however, can be sought
by readers and even collectors when better condition copies are not
available at affordable prices. A comic falls into this condition
range if it meets all the following standards:
- Browning of Paper: May be both brown and/or brittle.
- Centerfold: May be loose, detached at one or both staples,
or missing altogether (missing centerfold occurs with less than
1 in 200 PR copies).
- Corner Bends: Usually very evident.
- Cover Detached at Top, Bottom or Both Staples: Allowed.
- Cover Scuff Marks: Allowed.
- Distributor's Date Notation: Allowed.
- Fingerprints: There can be fingerprints.
- Folds: Allowed.
- Off-Center Printing: Allowed.
- Pieces Missing: Pieces of cover and even interior may be
missing so long as story remains readable. Coupons may be
clipped out.
- Page Missing: Allowed. One or two pages may be missing,
interior or back cover. Your odds of getting a PR copy with a
page or centerfold missing is about 1 in 200 as the vast
majority of our PR copies, while in rough shape, are still
complete and readable.
- Rolled Spine: Allowed.
- Rubber Stamp Imprints: Allowed on covers and interior if not
excessive.
- Spine Stress Marks: Spine can have some tears, usually
occurring around the staples. These tears must be less than one
inch.
- Staples: Staples may be loose or disconnected from book to
some degree and may have rust.
- Subscription Crease/Fold: A fold or crease is acceptable.
- Tape: May be taped if not excessive or tape type inherently
inappropriate such as masking tape or (yuk!) duct tape!
- Tears: Allowed, short of the comic being torn in half.
- Water Stains: Acceptable and there may be moderate
warping/wrinkling, but comic remains entirely readable.
- Writing: Most writing acceptable, even on cover, but not if
excessive or distracts from story readability.
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