We left out two of the lowest conditions known as FAIR and POOR due to the fact that you would probably never see such a shabby product on eBay. These grades are basically the BOTTOM OF THE BARREL and should be avoided as bidder and seller.
There is also a numbering system used by The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide and CGC Graders. This numeric version is heavily used to pinpoint the exact amount of condition/age/damage/restoration of an particular item. We have provided this table is listed as well.
Please feel free to use both guides in all of your comic book collecting/selling endeavors.
Comic Book Conditions & Grading
G (Good)
A well used copy. Complete but showing a lot of wear. May have several of the following defects: pieces over half an inch missing, most or all cover shine gone, corners rounded, rusted, missing or replaced staples, tape repairs, writing on cover and/or interior pages, interior page tears, spine splits up to 2 inches, loose or detached center-folio, spine roll, stress lines, staple tears, clipped coupons, foxing, brown but not brittle pages, bindery and printing defects. GOOD is kind of a misnomer; GOOD isn’t really all that good, it’s a reader copy.
G+ (GOOD PLUS)
Some the same blemishes as a GOOD copy but fewer problems or less extreme defects that rise the overall grade above the level of GOOD condition.
G/VG (GOOD / VERY GOOD)
Considerably better appearance than GOOD condition but still a used copy showing significant wear. May have several of the following defects: pieces less than a half inch missing, much but not all cover shine gone, corners rounded, rusted or replaced staples, tape repairs, minor writing on cover, writing on interior pages, interior page tears, spine splits under 2 inches, center folio detached from one staple, moderate spine roll, stress lines, discoloration at staples, staple tears, foxing, brown but not brittle pages, bindery and printing defects.
VG- (VERY GOOD MINUS)
Some the same blemishes as a GOOD / VERY GOOD copy but fewer problems or less extreme defects that rise the overall grade above the level of GOOD / VERY GOOD condition.
VG (VERY GOOD)
An average used copy showing moderate, noticeable wear. May have some of the following defects: pieces less than one-quarter inch missing, center folio detached from one staple, low cover shine, moderate creases or dents, corners blunted, discolored staples, very minor tape repairs, store stamps and/or arrival dates on cover, a name or minor writing on interior pages, moderate interior page tears, spine splits less than an inch, center folio detached from one staple, moderate spine roll, stress lines, discoloration at staples, small staple tears, foxing, brown but not brittle pages, bindery and printing defects.
VG+ (VERY GOOD PLUS)
Some the same blemishes as a VERY GOOD copy but fewer problems or less extreme defects that rise the overall grade above the level of VERY GOOD condition.
VG/F (VERY GOOD / FINE)
An above average used copy showing moderate wear. May have some of the following defects: Small piece missing from corner or edge chipping, moderate to low cover shine, moderate creases or dents, corners blunted, discolored staples, store stamps and/or arrival dates on cover, small interior page tears, spine splits less than three-quarters of an inch, center folio loose but attached at both staples, very minor spine roll, stress lines, discoloration at staples, very minor staple tears, foxing, tan to brown but not brittle pages, bindery and printing defects.
F- (FINE MINUS)
Some the same blemishes as a VERY GOOD / FINE copy but fewer problems or less extreme defects that rise the overall grade above the level of VERY GOOD / FINE condition.
F (FINE)
An above average used copy showing light to moderate wear with no serious defects. Overall a clean, flat copy that may have some of the following defects: Very small piece missing from corner or very slight edge chipping, moderate cover shine, moderate to minor creases or dents, corners blunted, discolored staples, store stamps and/or arrival dates on cover, very small interior page tears, spine split or color break less than a quarter of an inch, center folio loose but attached at both staples, minor stress lines, slight discoloration at staples, tiny staple tears, foxing, tan pages, minor bindery or printing defects.
F+ (FINE PLUS)
Some the same blemishes as a FINE copy but fewer or more minor versions so the overall grade is above the level of FINE condition.
F/VF (FINE / VERY FINE)
Overall a very nice looking, clean, flat, above average used copy showing only light wear that may have a few of the following defects: Very slight edge chipping, bright inks with a minor loss of cover shine, minor creases or dents, corners slightly blunted, slightly discolored staples, arrival dates on cover, very small interior page tears, very minor spine color break, minor stress lines, slight discoloration at staples, tiny staple tears, light foxing, cream to tan pages, minor bindery or printing defects.
VF- (VERY FINE MINUS)
An excellent copy with some of the same blemishes as a FINE / VERY FINE copy but fewer or more minor versions so the overall grade is above the level of FINE / VERY FINE condition.
VF (VERY FINE)
An excellent, clean, flat, copy showing only light wear that may have a very few of the following defects: bright inks with very minor loss of cover shine, very minor creases or dents, minute corner blunting, slightly discolored staples, arrival dates on cover, tiny interior page tears, very minor spine color break, minor stress lines, very light foxing, cream to tan supple pages, very minor bindery or printing defects.
VF+ (VERY FINE PLUS)
An excellent copy with a couple of the same blemishes as a VERY FINE copy but fewer or more minor versions so the overall grade is above the level of VERY FINE condition.
VF/NM (VERY FINE / NEAR MINT)
An almost perfect, clean, flat, copy showing only extremely light wear that may have a very few of the following defects: bright inks with almost all cover shine retained, only minute minor creases or dents, barely observable corner blunting, slightly discolored staples, arrival dates on cover, tiny interior page tears, minute spine color break, tiny stress lines, extremely light foxing, cream to white supple pages, very minor bindery or printing defects.
NM- (NEAR MINT MINUS)
An exceptional copy with a couple of the same blemishes as a VERY FINE / NEAR MINT copy but fewer or more minor versions so the overall grade is above the level of VERY FINE / NEAR MINT condition. We’re splitting hairs here. This is just about a perfect copy.
NM (NEAR MINT)
You can’t tell it isn’t new
Overstreet & CGC Grading Scale
- Mint (MT) 9.9 - 10.0
- Near Mint/Mint (NM/M) 9.8
- Near Mint (NM) 9.2 - 9.7
- Very Fine/Near Mint (VF/NM) 9.0
- Very Fine (VF) 7.5 - 8.5
- Fine/Very Fine (FN/VF) 7.0
- Fine (FN) 5.5 - 6.5
- Very Good/Fine (VG/FN) 5.0
- Very Good (VG) 3.5 - 4.5
- Good/Very Good (GD/VG) 3.0
- Good (GD) 1.8 - 2.5
- Fair/Good (FR/GD) 1.5
- Fair (FR) 1.0
- Poor (PR) 0.5
