Suggestions for selecting comics for grading

Note : These steps assume you are dealing with Near Mint- or better Modern age books. Identifying grading candidates in older books is not only a factor of condition, but of value.

• Check the spine
• Check for production and shipping defects
• Scan the cover

Check the spine

Hold the book so you can look directly at the edge of the spine. This is an important first step to perform when searching through dozens or hundreds of new books. Look for spine wear or cracking along the spine. While this is very common on Modern books, the less cracking the better. Let light reflect across cover and spine, examine for damage, defects, or fingerprints.

Look for any splitting of the paper on the top and bottom of the spine. This can lower a book's grade quickly. Also, look for the splitting of the paper along the whole spine. This goes beyond just the paper cracking to layers of the paper being split open. If this is present it could potentially lower the grade a book could receive.



While letting light reflect across the cover of the book, move the book slightly back and forth while looking up and down the spine. This will reveal any creases, stress lines, and stress marks.



When looking at the corners of the spine, look for any creasing, production tears, chips, or paper flecks. While production defects are common on many of the books out there, finding books with the least amount of defects can go a long ways towards a book achieving the best grade possible.



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Check for production and shipping defects

Check for any shipping damage that may have occurred or any damage that may have been caused by anyone that handled the books prior. Looking at the corners and along the edges should show any damage that has occurred. Discard books that now fall outside the grade trying to be achieved.

Some minor damage can easily be corrected such as a bent corner. Simply bend the corner in the opposite direction to the same degree, hold for a second and release. Although this is easy to do, it may not be advisable to attempt this without having some experience.

While looking at the cover head on, check for any production tears, creases that break color and any other visible defects.



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Scan the cover

Hold the book up to eye level letting light reflect across the cover of the book. This can pull out many hidden defects which may not be seen looking directly at the cover. Roll the book slightly in a circle to let the light move across the cover. This method can help see defects like fingerprints, thumb bends/creases, corner creases, scratches, cover creases, and productions defects that might affect the grade a book can achieve.



If you begin doing this you may notice a lot more production type defects. Although production defects usually do not affect the grade of a book as greatly as other defects, finding books with the least number of production defects is always ideal.




While these steps can take time to get good at, done correctly they will save time and help avoid unexpected or lower grades. This method can allow you to locate the highest graded books quickly and allow you to search hundreds of books in a small amount of time. Following these steps will help assure getting the grades you are wanting when sending your books in for grading. Remember to package your books safely when shipping. Check out our packaging tips for suggestions on this.

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The PGX Gallery
Full Slab Scans!
Examples from 2.0-10.0!

Star Wars : Dark Empire #4
Near Mint / Mint (9.8)
Dark Horse Comics, 1991