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MinT
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Highly unlikely; only the most subtle of printing or bindery defects allowed. Cover is flat with no surface wear. Cover inks are bright, with high reflectivity and minimal fading. Corners are cut square and sharp. Small, light pencilled, stamped or inked arrival dates are acceptable as long as they are in an unobtrusive or aesthetical location. Staples must be original and are generally centred and clean with no rust. Books signed on the inside do not detract from this grade. Cover is well centred and firmly secured to interior pages. Paper is supple and like new. Spine is tight and flat.
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Near Mint
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Minor imperfections that are allowed in this grade include tiny corner creases or staple stress lines, a few colour flecks, bindery tears, tiny impact creases or a combination of the above where the overall eye appeal is less than Mint. Only the most subtle of binding and/or printing defects allowed. Cover is flat with no surface wear. Cover inks are bright with high reflectivity and minimum of fading. Corners are cut square and sharp with ever so slight blunting permitted. Staples are generally centred, clean with only light rust, and no paper discoloration or staining. Cover is well centred and firmly secured to interior pages. Paper is supple and like new. Spine is tight and flat. In rare cases a comic was not stapled at the bindery and is not considered a defect.
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Very Fine
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An excellent copy with above average eye appeal. Sharp, bright and clean with supple pages. Cover is relatively flat with minimal surface wear beginning to show. Cover inks are generally bright with moderate to high reflectivity. Slight wear beginning to show including some minute wear at corners. Staples may show some discoloration. Spine may have a few transverse stress lines but is relatively flat. A light 1/2 inch crease is acceptable. A comic book in this grade has the appearance of having been carefully handled. Pages and covers can be yellowish/tannish (at the least) but not brown.
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FiNe
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An exceptional, above average copy that has minor wear but is still relatively flat and clean with no major creasing or other serious defects. Eye appeal is somewhat reduced because of surface wear and the accumulation of small defects, especially on the spine and edges. Centrefold may be loose but not detached. A Fine condition comic book shows handling. Cover inks are beginning to show a reduction in reflectivity but is still highly collectible and desirable.
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Very Good
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The average used comic book. A comic in this grade shows moderate wear, can have a reading or centre crease or a rolled spine, but still has not accumulated enough total defects to reduce eye appeal to the point where it is not a desirable copy. Some discoloration, fading and even minor soiling is allowed. No chunks can be missing but a small piece can be missing at the corner or edge. Store stamps, name stamps, arrival dates, initials, etc. at this grade. Cover and interior pages can have minor tears and folds and the centrefold may be loose or detached. One or both staples might be loose, but cover is not completely detached. Common bindery and printing defects do not affect grade. Pages and inside covers may be brown but not brittle. Comic may have minor tape repair.
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GooD
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A copy in this grade has all pages and its cover, although there may be small pieces missing. Books in this grade are commonly creased, scuffed, abraded and soiled, but are completely readable. Often paper quality may be low but not brittle. Cover reflectivity is usually low and in some cases completely absent. Most collectors consider this the lowest collectible grade because comic books in lesser condition are often incomplete and/or brittle. Has a large accumulation of defects but still maintains its basic structural integrity.
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FaiR
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A copy in this grade has all pages and most of the covers, although there may be up to 1/3 of the front cover missing or no back cover, but not both. A comic in this grade may be soiled, ragged, unattractive, creased and/or folded. The centrefold may be missing if it does not affect a story. Spine may be split. Staples may be gone, and/or cover detached. Corners are commonly rounded or absent. Coupons may be cut. Comic books in this condition are often referred to as "reading" or "research copies." Paper quality is often low. |
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PooR
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Most comic books in this grade have been sufficiently degraded to where there is little or no collector value. Copies in this grade typically have pages and/or part of all of the front cover missing. They may have severe stains, mildew or heavy cover abrasion or having been defaced with paint, varnish, glue, oil, indelible markers or dyes. Other defects often include rips, tears, folding and creasing and even moderate to severe brittleness (where the comic book literally "falls apart" when examined). |