What is common practice to determine “low, medium, high” grade classification? 1 1

[Haupia]

I’m sure this question has popped up a many time before, but I’m unable to pull this up from the search engine. 

 

What grade determines the class of condition a graded comic would be placed in?

 

Low grade - anything 4.0 and below 

Mid grade - 4.5 to 7.5

High grade - anything 8.0 and above

 

Above is just a guess. What is common practice among the comic community? I’d like to have a general idea, so when I refer to comics and their given grade I’ll be able to categorize each book in the correct “condition classification”.

Edited October 29, 2018 by Haupia

[comicdonna]

7 minutes ago, Haupia said:

 

 

Low grade - anything 4.0 and below 

Mid grade - 4.5 to 7.5

High grade - anything 8.0 and above

 

 

This is the formula I use.  

[Mayor006]

It's all subjective, but personally mine falls more like this:

Low grade - anything 4.5 and below

Mid grade - 5.0 - 8.5

High grade - 9.0 up

 

[marvelmaniac]

The grading standards list books as...

4.0 VERY GOOD (VG): 
The average used comic book.

Up To And Including...7.0 FINE/VERY FINE (FN/VF): 
An above-average copy...

8.0 VERY FINE (VF): 
An excellent copy...

Up To And Including...9.9 MINT (MT):  Back to Top
Near perfect...

 

[shadroch]

A  8.5 Action #1 is high grade. A 8.5 Spawn #45, not so much.

 

[Artboy99]

On ‎2018‎/‎10‎/‎29 at 4:29 AM, Haupia said:

I’m sure this question has popped up a many time before, but I’m unable to pull this up from the search engine. 

 

What grade determines the class of condition a graded comic would be placed in?

 

Low grade - anything 4.0 and below 

Mid grade - 4.5 to 7.5

High grade - anything 8.0 and above

 

Above is just a guess. What is common practice among the comic community? I’d like to have a general idea, so when I refer to comics and their given grade I’ll be able to categorize each book in the correct “condition classification”.

I used to do this, but in my opinion "Mid grade" is extremely vague if we are going to accept that the grades for what is considered to fall in that category are 4.5-7.5.

Now I tend to prefer actually giving it a grade or a much small variance. "That book is 3.5 to 4.0", or "VG minus to VG"

[comicdonna]

4 hours ago, shadroch said:

A  8.5 Action #1 is high grade. A 8.5 Spawn #45, not so much.

 

This has been the argument for years.  Age of book affecting grade classification or not.  

[Haupia]

Thanks for your reply. ... The situation is that I’ve been selling comics on eBay (eBay link). I don’t give a specific grade to each book because it’s all subjective and a personal opinion on a given grade. I’d just like to provide a general idea in my description of the comic condition so the buyer has an idea as to what they are getting. 

[thehumantorch]

4 hours ago, shadroch said:

A  8.5 Action #1 is high grade. A 8.5 Spawn #45, not so much.

 

Agreed, purely from a grade standpoint it's easy to pick arbitrary numbers, but from a rarity in grade perspective if a book is very rare and the highest known grade is a 5.0 I'd consider that 'high grade'.

[Bomber-Bob]

4 hours ago, Haupia said:

Thanks for your reply. ... The situation is that I’ve been selling comics on eBay (eBay link). I don’t give a specific grade to each book because it’s all subjective and a personal opinion on a given grade. I’d just like to provide a general idea in my description of the comic condition so the buyer has an idea as to what they are getting. 

Why not give a grade range ? Instead of saying mid grade, say 4.5 - 7.5 = your interpretation of mid grade. While I concur with your definition of low, mid, and high grade, others may differ. Another thought, go ahead and use your definition of low,mid, and high grade but explain your definition in the narrative.

[Jeffro.]

Condition is not comic specific or age specific or rarity specific. A 5.0 is never high grade.

[Jeffro.]

13 hours ago, thehumantorch said:

Agreed, purely from a grade standpoint it's easy to pick arbitrary numbers, but from a rarity in grade perspective if a book is very rare and the highest known grade is a 5.0 I'd consider that 'high grade'.

Condition should not be comic specific or age specific or rarity specific. A 5.0 is never high grade. It might be highest grade known for a particular comic but it's not a high grade classification. There's nothing high grade about a comic that has enough flaws and defects to warrant a 5.0 grade

[The Lions Den]

14 hours ago, Haupia said:

Thanks for your reply. ... The situation is that I’ve been selling comics on eBay (eBay link). I don’t give a specific grade to each book because it’s all subjective and a personal opinion on a given grade. I’d just like to provide a general idea in my description of the comic condition so the buyer has an idea as to what they are getting. 

I do appreciate any effort that a seller makes to describe the condition of a book, but I've seen books designated as NM/M 9.8 that weren't even close to that grade. A picture really is worth a thousand words...

[shadroch]

If I tell my broker to buy a hi grade Action #1, I'd be very happy if he came back with a 5.0. Now that we have a census to work with, I have no issue calling a book in the top twenty percent for a particular book as high grade for that  issue.

An 8.0 Avengers 1 from 1963 is high grade. An 8.0 Avengers 1 from 1994, not so much.

I'm of the opinion that while age and rarity don't affect a books grade, all three factor into determining if a book is hi grade or not.

It's subjective. Other opinions vary.

[Ride the Tiger]

OK you just sold a book to someone listed as Mid Grade. They receive the book and complain that its a Low Grade in their opinion. You explain that you asked the experts on the CGC Boards the difference between Low, Mid and High grade. They don't care and want a refund. See where this is going? Its all subjective. 

[Dr. Love]

1 hour ago, ERTO said:

Bingo. I remember years ago arguing with Richie Bedrock because he contended that a coverless book could still be high grade 

Bedrock will show up and school you again if you dont watch out. Dont mess with the Zohan!

[comicdonna]

8 hours ago, Jerkfro said:

Condition should not be comic specific or age specific or rarity specific. A 5.0 is never high grade. It might be highest grade known for a particular comic but it's not a high grade classification. There's nothing high grade about a comic that has enough flaws and defects to warrant a 5.0 grade

I agree.

[Jeffro.]

2 hours ago, Ride the Tiger said:

OK you just sold a book to someone listed as Mid Grade. They receive the book and complain that its a Low Grade in their opinion. You explain that you asked the experts on the CGC Boards the difference between Low, Mid and High grade. They don't care and want a refund. See where this is going? Its all subjective. 

So why have grades at all then. It's all subjective!!

 

[shadroch]

To give people something to argue over.

[Artboy99]

I think the OP should make an effort and learn how to grade. That way if I buy one of his books and I think the grade is pretty close I am comfortable buying more books from him. Saying "this book is mid grade and might be a 4.5-7.5" doesn't fill me with confidence to make a purchase. I would likely have to assume all mid grade books are VG's and pay accordingly.