Magazine Grading

POOR (P or RAG)
CGC .5
Overstreet 1-4
- Extreme abrasion and wear
- Front cover may be missing
- Moderate to extreme brittleness to pages
- Extreme soiling, fading and staining
- Large chunks may be missing
- Paint and/ or oil stains
- Heavy mildew damage
- Severe rips, tears, folding and creasing
Notes:
- Many times bought as "parts" to restore another issue with, or as "filler-issues"
- Comics in this grade will have an accumulation of the above defects and not all of them. The final grade depends on the amount and severity of defects

FAIR (FA)
CGC 1.0 - 1.5
Overstreet 5-14
- Heavy wear, but basically still readable
- Discoloration, fading, and soiling
- Some pieces may be missing
- Up to 1/3 of the cover may be missing
- Back cover may be missing
- Cover may be detached
- Staples may be degraded or gone
- Coupons may be cut or removed
- Spine may be split
- Pages may be brittle around the edges
- Tape or other forms of repair are more common
- Spine roll common
- Non-story Centerfold may be missing
Notes:
- Some of the much older, more collectable comics are more rarely found in better grade
- Comics in this grade will have an accumulation of the above defects and not all of them. The final grade depends on the amount and severity of defects
- In-Between grade such as FA/G include "gray" areas of grading and are acceptable

GOOD (G)
CGC 1.5 -3.0
Overstreet 15-34
- Shows substantial wear, but still readable
- Discoloration, fading, and soiling likely
- Small pieces may be missing
- Staples may be degraded, absent, or replaced
- Cover may be detached
- Coupon may be detached from back cover or non-story page
- Pages may be brown, but not brittle
- Tape and other forms of repair may be present
Notes:
- Some of the older, more collectable comics are more rarely found in better grade
- Lowest price listed in most price guides
- Comics in this grade will have an accumulation of the above defects and not all of them. The final grade depends on the amount and severity of defects
- In-Between grades such as G/VG and FA/G include "gray" areas of grading and are acceptable

VERY GOOD (VG)
CGC 3.0 - 5.0
Overstreet 35-54
- Show significant wear
- Book-length creases
- Spine roll
- Some discoloration, fading, and soiling
- Small piece can be out of an otherwise Finer copy
- Staples may be discolored or rusted
- Centerfold may be detached
- Pages may be brown, but not brittle
- Minor tape repair on an otherwise Finer copy
Notes:
- Restored comics often fall into this grade
- Comics in this grade will have an accumulation of the above defects and not all of them. The final grade depends on the amount and severity of defects
- In-Between grades such as VG/F and G/VG include "gray" areas of grading and are acceptable

FINE (F or FI)
CGC 5.0 - 7.0
Overstreet 55-74
- Average eye appeal
- Minor wear and creasing allowed
- Accumulation of small defects on spine and edges
- Blunted corners more common
- Staples may show moderate discoloration and tearing
- Interior pages may have small tears or blunted corners
- Spines may have transverse stress creases
- Interior pages can be tan or brown, but not brittle
- Minor spine roll allowed
Notes:
- Historically the hardest grade to identify
- The highest grade which allows a wide range of defects to occur
- In-Between grades such as F/VF and VG/F include "gray" areas of grading and are acceptable

VERY FINE (VF)
CGC 7.0 - 9.0
Overstreet 75-89
- Outstanding eye appeal
- Minor printing and bindery defects allowed
- Cover is relatively flat with very little surface wear
- Some slight wear at spine and at corners allowed
- Staples may show some discoloration
- Spine is relatively flat with few transverse stress lines
- No soiling, staining, or discoloration
- Pages can be yellowish/ Tannish, but not brown
Notes:
- Usually the highest grade offered for sale
- In-Between grades such as VF/NM and F/VF include "gray" areas of grading and are acceptable

NEAR MINT (NM)

CGC 9.0 - 9.6
Overstreet 90-97
- Only minor imperfections allowed
- Almost no printing or bindery defects allowed
- Only small, inconspicuously placed arrival dates and initials on cover
- Cover flat and bright
- Spine is flat and tight
- Minute color fading allowed
- No soiling, staining, or discoloration
- Appearance of a newsstand comic read maybe once or twice
Notes:
- Scarce among older comics
- Watch for restoration. Restored comics cannot be Mint

MINT (M)
CGC 9.8 - 10.0
Overstreet 98-100
- Near perfect in every way
- No printing or bindery defects
- Cover flat and bright
- Spine is flat and tight
- No soiling, staining, or discoloration
- All 4 corners are sharp
- Appearance of a "newsstand fresh" comic
Notes:
- Extremely scarce, even with newsstand issues
- Watch for restoration. Restored comics cannot be Mint