Comics Grading Chart

Here are 2 different charts meant to help a collector measure the same concept: how to assign (a value to) the Grade of a book (from Poor to Mint). It may take a few viewings to reconcile the 2 charts. To assist in "keeping it straight" , both charts use the same major color scheme for the folllowing groupings:

New Ten Point Grading System (in Overstreet Price Guide)

Example below: a Book may receive a grade of "G/VG" 3.0, but the market price would not approach 30% of the Guide NM price; perhaps closer to 10-15%. A "Fine-Plus 6.5" may market price at 30-33% of the NM Guide price. Without this understanding, you may overpay for a book based on its Overstreet ten-point grade! To learn more about this variance, see Ed's Grading Methodology (click here)

Example: book was graded as a G/VG ; NM $ is $100

OS Grade Scale	As a ratio to NM
3.0	$30 (or 30%) wrong!
Ed's Grade to Price Scale	As a ratio to NM
10-15%	$10-15 correct!

Here is an example as shown in (Ed's) "Beginner's Guide to Grading":

Superman 199 VG+ 4.5, NM = $300

OS Grade Scale 4.5	As a ratio to NM = $135 (or 45%) WRONG!!
Ed's Grade to Price Scale	As a ratio to NM =$60-90 (or 20-30%!) CORRECT!
click for larger image	use this book as a sample: If a NM 9.4 is priced $300+/- and a VG 4.0 price would be $50; the plus+ (in this case, a very vivid cover) adds about $15 (or 5% of $300 NM price!); the book is valued at about $65. FN would be valued at $70-75, so this seems reasonable.

Ed's "Grade to Price" Chart

Use the "Crazy Ed" chart to minimize the discrepancy between grading %'s and pricing $$'s: Ed designed this chart in 1996 as a rule for grading/pricing. (Then, the Overstreet grading guide followed a 100 point scale). Ed continues to use the "scale of 100" because it is simple to convert a grade; 1st to percentages (%) and then, to Dollars ($$)!The notes in this chart (usually highlighted blue) if applied consistently as a tool, help value the "incremental" or "plus" features of a book, can help a collector "fine-tune" the price of a book that falls between grades "Good" and "Fine", and between "Fine" and "Very Fine" or better. Also read "How to Grade."

CONDITION (see Abbreviations)	COMPARE  TO  WHICH OS PRICE?	APPLIC.
		%
HIGH GRADE
NM/MT	NM	100-150%
NM	NM	100-125	H
			I
NM-	NM	95-100	G
			H
VF/NM	NM	90-95
* VF++	NM	85-90	G
Note: add 5% of NM Value for each "+"			R
* VF+	NM	80-85	A
*see notes on "+" below			D
			E
VF	NM   OR	70-75
VF-NEW OS STANDARD	(NM + F) / 2 = VF
VF-	VF (NM + F / 2=)	65
(To Compute VF -) NM X + F / 2=
Upper - Mid Grades
F/VF 'A' (Fine to Very Fine, But nicer 'eye appeal') 'A' = (closer to VF-)		50-60	U
('A' is for 'apparently' hi-grade, but w/defect (stain,fox,NOC,miscut)			P
e.g. "would be vf/nm but for sm. stain on bc!"			P
(To Compute F/VF 'A') NM  + F / 2=F/VF 'A'
			E
F/VF 'B' (Fine to Very Fine, wear has reduced the 'eye appeal') 'B' = (closer to F+)		45-50	R
('B' is for 'near hi-grade', but not VF from general wear			/
e.g. "near to VF, but has 2 rounded corners!"			M
(To Compute F/VF 'B') 1st Compute VF (NM + F / 2)=VF; then compute(VF + F / 2) = F/VF 'B'			I
			D
F+++	F	up to 45;
Note: its possible to have up to 3 plus features in a Fine grade		F++, 40 ;	R
"+" (a plus implies something extra-like white pages; extra vivid, sharp corners, etc.)		F+, 35	A
			N
Note: add 5% of NM Value for each "+"			G
F/F+		33	E
Mid to Lower Grades			M
F	NEW OS STANDARD	30	I
Note: for certain key books, F = 15-20% of NM	To learn about the 'new' OS standards for G & F click		D
(see Amaz. SM 2-20; FF 2-13 for examples)
F- (or VG/F)		25-30	to
VG+ or VG++ (commonly interchangable for Fine- or VG/F)		20-30
Note: its possible to have up to 2 plus features in a VG grade
Note: add 5% of NM Value for each "+"	(SEE "+" ABOVE)		L
VG		15	O
To Compute: F + G / 2 =NEW OS STANDARD FOR VG			W
Reader Grades
GD/VG, G+, or VG- (used interchangably)		10-15
Note: add 5% of NM Value for each "+"	(SEE "+" ABOVE)		R
GD	NEW OS STANDARD	10	E
			A
Note: for certain key books, Gd = 7-8% of NM	To learn about the 'new' OS standards for G & F click		D
(see Amaz. SM 2-20; FF 2-13 for examples)			E
FAIR	1/2 TO 2/3 OF OS GD	5-6	R
(applied loosely on silver dell, rough DC's)
POOR or	1/2 of Fair (2-3% of NM)	Filler Grades
Coverless	no more than 1% of NM!

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