What Does High Grade Mean?

[bronze johnny]

Hello Fellow Forumites!

 

I often see books for sale on Ebay that are called high grade. I will also see some dealers refer to selling high grade books without further defining what hi-grade means. Saying a book is high grade without further specification is a vague way of describing the book. Some collectors consider 7.5 to be high grade. I've seen others call 7.0s high grade. Well let's try to define what hi-grade means in terms of the 10 point grading scale used by most comic book collectors today:

 

10.0 - Hi-Grade

9.9 - "

9.8 - "

9.4 - "

9.2 - ?

9.0 - ?

8.5 - ?

8.0 - ?

7.5 - ?

7.0 - ?

and so on...

 

Let's try to draw the line between hi-grade and mid-grade books.

 

BronzeJohnny

[october]

For me HG depends on age.

 

Modern: 9.2 or above

 

Bronze: 8.5 or above

 

Silver: 8.0 or above

 

Golden: 7.0 or above

 

that just my opinion though. However, I don't think a book below those numbers is automatically a mid-grade. I am not sure what I would call a 7.5 BA book for example. It's not HG, but it's too nice to be called mid-grade.

[blutobc]

As you say...most everyone will have their own definition.

 

For me High Grade means that there should at least be a "9.something" grade assigned to the book. Mid-Grade is 6.0 to 8.5 and Low-Grade is everything else. This doesn't mean that being low-grade is uncollectable(GA stuff) just that they are not High-Grade.

 

And of course Uber-High-Grade is 9.6 and up.

10.0 and the book is no longer a comic but money in an alternate form. A highly fragile form of money at that. Thank goodness we don't have to treat our dollar bills like our comics.

[nik]

For me, HG is 9.4 and up

[bronze johnny]

Thanks blutobc!

 

Sounds like you draw 9.0 as the clear line between Hi-grade and mid-grade.

 

Should we take the age of the comic into consideration?

 

And what about Golden Age books where nothing higher than an 8.5 or 8.0 exists?

 

BronzeJohnny

[Aces]

It depends on age.

 

Modern: 9.4+ (Ultra high grade = 9.8+)

 

Bronze: 9.0+ (Ultra high grade = 9.6+)

 

Silver: 8.0+ (Ultra high grade = 9.2+)

 

Early Silver Keys/Golden: 6.0+ (Ultra high grade = 8.0+)

 

 

Major Keys or books rare in HG may be different.

[bronze johnny]

Hello, October Fire and thanks for your insight.

 

I like your bringing age in as a factor to look at when defining hi-grade. The problem of subjectivity arises with trying to define what hi-grade means.

 

Do you think an 8.0 Silver is different than an 8.0 Bronze? I always thought an 8.0 was an 8.0> Isn't that why CGC gives a book a Universal 8.0?

 

BronzeJohnny

[uclapeterg]

For me, HG is 9.4 and up

 

Snob!

[october]

Hello, October Fire and thanks for your insight.

 

I like your bringing age in as a factor to look at when defining hi-grade. The problem of subjectivity arises with trying to define what hi-grade means.

 

Do you think an 8.0 Silver is different than an 8.0 Bronze? I always thought an 8.0 was an 8.0> Isn't that why CGC gives a book a Universal 8.0?

 

BronzeJohnny

 

Alhough they don't come right out and admit it, CGC takes age into account. Look at a modern slabbed 8.5 next to a golden age 8.5....big difference in condition.

[uclapeterg]

It depends on age.

 

Modern: 9.4+ (Ultra high grade = 9.8+)

 

Bronze: 9.0+ (Ultra high grade = 9.6+)

 

Silver: 8.0+ (Ultra high grade = 9.2+)

 

Early Silver Keys/Golden: 6.0+ (Ultra high grade = 8.0+)

 

 

Major Keys or books rare in HG may be different.

 

we're in total agreement, A.

[verygoodplus]

It depends on age.

 

Modern: 9.4+ (Ultra high grade = 9.8+)

 

Bronze: 9.0+ (Ultra high grade = 9.6+)

 

Silver: 8.0+ (Ultra high grade = 9.2+)

 

Early Silver Keys/Golden: 6.0+ (Ultra high grade = 8.0+)

 

 

Major Keys or books rare in HG may be different.

 

we're in total agreement, A.

 

Yep, I like that definition, too.

 

[nik]

For me, HG is 9.4 and up

 

Snob!

[greggy]

For me, HG is 9.4 and up

 

Snob!

[divad]

BJ - there ALL low grade if you're buyin' and they're all high grade if you're sellin'

 

Seriously, the others have sufficiently put it out there, but remember . . . "beauty is in the eye of the beholder"

[rob_react]

I am not sure what I would call a 7.5 BA book for example.

 

"Lining for your bird cage?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

No, seriously... how about "a nice reader"?

[ComicSupply]

Have you guys ever seen a grading scale for Golden books?

 

I mean, I know that CGC looks at them differently and it would be awesome to have a guide like that.

[october]

I am not sure what I would call a 7.5 BA book for example.

 

"Lining for your bird cage?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

No, seriously... how about "a nice reader"?

 

Please send me your "nice readers".

[greggy]

I am not sure what I would call a 7.5 BA book for example.

 

"Lining for your bird cage?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

No, seriously... how about "a nice reader"?

 

Please send me your "nice readers".

How much will you pay for your wantlist books?

[october]

I am not sure what I would call a 7.5 BA book for example.

 

"Lining for your bird cage?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

No, seriously... how about "a nice reader"?

 

Please send me your "nice readers".

How much will you pay for your wantlist books?

 

Depends.

[nik]

I am not sure what I would call a 7.5 BA book for example.

 

"Lining for your bird cage?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

No, seriously... how about "a nice reader"?

 

Please send me your "nice readers".

How much will you pay for your wantlist books?

 

Depends.