Every book we sell is graded one of two ways: by CGC, sealed in a slab, or by us, as a raw book. Here's exactly what each means.
CGC-graded slabs
- Who grades them: CGC (Certified Guaranty Company), an independent grading company. We don't grade, regrade or change slabbed books.
- What CGC checks: CGC's graders examine the whole book (cover, spine, corners, pages, staples) and give one grade on the 10-point scale. They also check for restoration: a book with restoration gets a purple (or "Qualified" green) label instead of the blue Universal label. Yellow "Signature Series" labels mean a CGC witness saw the signature happen.
- Page quality: shown on the label (for example, "White pages" or "Off-white to white pages").
- Check it yourself: every slab's certification number is on its product page, with a "Verify at CGC" link to CGC's own record.
- The photos are the exact slab you'll get. Normal handling scuffs or Newton rings on the plastic case don't change the grade.
Raw books (graded by us)
We grade raw books on the Overstreet 10-point scale, the standard collectors and CGC use.
What we check, on every book:
- Cover: gloss, color, creases (color-breaking or not), tears, stains, writing, fading.
- Spine: stress lines, rolls, splits, color breaks.
- Corners and edges: blunting, chips, dings.
- Staples: rust, tightness, centering, pops.
- Pages: color (white, off-white, cream, tan), brittleness, tears, missing pieces or coupons.
- Centerfold: attached at both staples, tears, detachment.
- Restoration and alterations: if we see or suspect restoration (color touch, pressing marks, trimming, glue), we say so in the listing. We never call a restored book unrestored.
We grade conservatively. When a book sits between two grades, we give it the lower one. Our goal is that a book looks as good or better in hand than the grade we gave it.
Photos, every raw book: 1. the front cover, 2. the back cover, 3. the interior centerfold, plus close-ups of any defect we mention.
Our grades are our professional opinion, not a promise of what CGC, CBCS or another grader would give. If you believe a raw book was significantly misgraded or has a hidden defect not shown in the listing, email us at nerdalertcc@gmail.com within 3 days of delivery (see our Refund Policy).
Every raw book gets an exact number
Some sellers use a short scale (Near Mint, Fine, Good) for cheaper books and save exact numbers for valuable ones. We give every raw book an exact 10-point grade, whatever its price, so you always know what you're getting.
Newsstand or direct edition
From the late 1970s to the 2000s, many comics came in two versions: newsstand copies sold at newsstands, drugstores and supermarkets (a barcode on the cover), and direct copies sold in comic shops (often a logo or picture where the barcode would be). Newsstand copies were printed in smaller numbers and handled more roughly, so high-grade ones are scarcer. We name the edition in the title or description whenever it matters. The grade itself works the same for both.
The 10-point scale, in short
| Grade | Name | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| 10.0 | Gem Mint | Perfect. Essentially never seen. |
| 9.8 | Near Mint/Mint | Nearly perfect; tiny, hard-to-see flaws only. |
| 9.6 / 9.4 | Near Mint | Sharp corners, flat and glossy; a few very small flaws. |
| 9.2 – 9.0 | Very Fine/Near Mint | Excellent with minor wear. |
| 8.5 – 7.5 | Very Fine | Above average; light wear, small stress lines. |
| 7.0 – 5.5 | Fine | Average-plus; visible wear, slight creases. |
| 5.0 – 3.5 | Very Good | Well read; rolls, creases, small tears. |
| 3.0 – 1.8 | Good | Heavily used but complete. |
| 1.5 – 0.5 | Fair / Poor | Major wear; may have pieces missing (stated). |
Questions about a book's grade before you buy? Email nerdalertcc@gmail.com and we'll send more photos.