The 2 reputable thirdparty professional grading services both begin with c use the same scale, but not exactly the same criteria, but overstreet has collaborated with them for their newest grading guide. I have a guy who is selling off my comic collection and he is a topnotch grader, but he worked with a comic book publisher, who took him under his wing and taught him what to look. This collectibles shop page has the standard 10 point grading scale and definitions, as used in the overstreet guide. Certified guaranty company, also known as cgc, is a sarasota, florida comic book grading service. In 2016, matt transitioned from president of ccs to primary grader at cgc. How does one become a professional comic book appraiser or. The two main methods of describing an overall grade are numerical, and symbol. Cbcs believes that everyone should have free access to the information our graders use to determine the grade of a book the only comic grading company to do so your books. The most difficult, contentious and eternally frustrating aspect of comic collecting is grading. Comic book grading has evolved over the past several decades from a much looser interpretation of standards in the beginning to the very tight professional scrutiny in use by the market today. Vintage graders previous comic grading experience required.
However, there is no specific course for comic book grading, so most usually get a degree in some form of art for example, the primary grader for cgc has a bfa in photography and drawing from rutgers. The lowstress way to find your next comic book job opportunity is on simplyhired. Look no further, comic book artist dustin evans has come to the rescue. As i want him to branch out from the usual batman and spider man stories i have been bringing home bags of books which feature nonliscenced superhero characters in a desperate attempt to expand his repertoire. Im wondering how to learn to properly grade comics and to become certified by cgc or something along those lines.
How much you can earn in the comic book industry money. Salary considerations will be commensurate with previous experience. Note that more sophisticated efforts to restore a comic book, such as color restoration or reglossing are often undetectable by amateur graders and sometimes even professionals, but can also have. When you are searching for a comic book, you need to know how to spot a high grade book. Everything is different for everyone of course, but these rates are pretty standard for the big three. Receivingsubmissions comic book knowledge not required. In one months time, tsc seventh grader jared juarez. Cgc is an independent member of the certified collectibles group of companies. How does one become a professional comic book appraiser or comic book grader.
Filter by location to see grader salaries in your area. Special thanks to our comic grading advisor steve borock, president of cbsc comic book certification service, former heritage auctions consignment director and former cgc presidentprimary grader. Understandably, a high grade book is the most desirable book for any collector. Draft grading standards now online for fine and above. For collector and dealer alike, it is essential to grade the condition of a comic fairly and accurately in order to determine its true value and worth. It is the first independent and impartial third party grading service for comic books the company was launched in early 2000 and has since gone on to become a notable part of the comic book. Learn about position grade levels the balance careers. However, both make a buyer a bit more secure for a buyer to buy a book or sell a book with a third party, professional grader than an unslabbed comic book. Types of damage that place a comic in fr range include. Additionally, there may be several layers of the compensation grades where the low, high and midpoint salaries vary from level to level.
We are proud to provide certification and grading services for collectors and hobbyist in the comic book industry. Therefore being able to correctly determine the grade of a comic is an important skill for buyers and sellers alike. Comic book grading company the affordable and reliable. A number of colleges around the country offer courses that can help you succeed in the comic book industry. They also provide research and webbased assets designed to educate collectors and dealers and enhance their enjoyment of the hobby in general. A spine split of up to 23 the length of the book, a missing back cover provided the front cover is still attached, severe water damage or residue damage. Comic book pre graders comic grader, modern comic grader, vintage order entry receiving customer service operations shipping cbcs offers competitive salary based on experience and excellent benefits. Every position will have its own range of salary levels, from low to high. I have been a comic book fan, collector, publisher pocket comicsmars attacks 1988 and graphic artist for years necessity is the mother of invention. Every comic book certified by cgc is graded by the hobbys most experienced and trusted team, according to wellestablished grading standards. While my 10 year old does enjoy a good superhero story, it is really my 6 year old who is obsessed with comic book superheroes. Our staff of friendly and dedicated employees offer over 250 years of experience in the comic book market place, and look forward to assisting you. The primary reason to grade a comic is that there is a direct correlation between the condition of the comic and the value of the book. Books that have been encapsulated and certified by an objective thirdparty grading service take the guesswork out of the grading process for both collectors and dealers.
A comic book in fr condition may have nonstory elements such as coupons, ad pages, or marvel value stamps cut or torn out of the book. These positions are located in our cbcs facility in st. Comic book writer salary the united states salaryexpert. His handling of hundreds of thousands of high end comics, including the most valuable comics ever sold, plus an intimate knowledge of their history and pedigrees gives matt the skill set required to accurately assess any comic book he holds. Comic grading company has a simple and affordable pricing structure without any clubs to join. Mural of marvels stan lee showcases a tsc 7th graders talents. Cgc is currently seeking experienced comic graders to join our expanding grading team. Preventative restoration, widely used and accepted by collectors, consists of nonadditive restoration on a book with one or two major defects. Salaries posted anonymously by dc comics employees. In this salary story, youll learn how to be a comic book artist and about the factors that affect a comic book artist salary. In recent years, grading criteria have become even tighter, especially in silver and bronze age books, due to their higher survival rate. As longtime users of nostomania know, the value of a comic depends strongly on grade. We feel the companies that offer that form of encapsulation do a good job but many people own newer, highergrade comics that may want to get them graded, but dont want to pay a higher price to have them placed inside an.
Visit payscale to research freelance writer hourly pay by city, experience, skill, employer and more. These generally have a negative effect on the value. It really is a very small portion of the overall comic book supply that is valued at that amount. A free inside look at dc comics salary trends based on 30 salaries wages for 25 jobs at dc comics. Comic book grading labels collectors condition comic. The best college degrees for the comic book industry.
Pgx was created to meet the growing demand for professional, thirdparty comic book grading. A comic must be relatively complete to be successfully restored. Apply to designer, writer, freelance writer and more. Furthermore, every cgccertified comic book undergoes. Hourly pay posted anonymously by lone star comics employees.
Comic book grading is a precise procedure that can make it easy to sell or buy comics for what theyre worth. Why should the factors that influence the grade on your book be a mystery. The regular collector now has a bargaining chip against weasel comic dealers who try to swindle. Ccg companies help create confident buyers and sellers in the collectible markets they serve. I got tired of using standard labels, cutting, taping, searching, and wasting time. Cgc career opportunities cgc announcements cgc comic. Apply to grader, research specialist, medical writer and more. In some cases it is possible for a comic shipped brand new from the publisher, or purchased new from a comic stores.
Learning how to properly grade comics and becoming certified. Professional comic book grading eliminates concerns about grade misrepresentations by providing a professional assessment of condition and quality. Position grade levels are usually governed by a set of compensation parameters described as a compensation grade level. Ive done some searches and i havent been able to come up with anything, so any. You then hand the book over to them, and it gets sent off to be graded. In many cases, youll make far more than the executive salaries at the biggest comic book publishers. Look for evidence of tape or glue or other attempts to repair the book.
However, we also desire to offer comic book lovers, collectors, buyers and sellers options to just hard shell grading. Many hobbyists grade comics in an attempt to invest value into their books. For books that have a signature witness, they are sealed with a special label. In this part two of four in the graders notes article series, we will explore high grade comic books and the graders notes from cbcs for those books. Is it worth getting comic books graded at cgc or pgx. Comic book grades are given to a book reflecting the quality of printing, storage, and upkeep of a particular book. Certified guaranty company, also known as cgc, is a sarasota, florida comic book grading. Click a salary below to compare with comic book store salaries. Salary estimates based on salary survey data collected directly from employers and anonymous employees in united states. Drawing or writing well is usually all a comic book publisher requires of its staff and freelancers, though earning a bachelors degree in a field related to your specialty, such as writing or drawing, can help. Though comic book grading has been around for decades, it wasnt until 2000 that a new thirdparty grading service, cgc, burst onto the scene and revolutionized the comic book collecting industry. A guide to grading the comic book price guide for great. The comic book grading companies will offer witnesses, so a representative from the grading company will stand with you as you get a book signed.
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