Comics price guide was the first online price guide for comic books back in 1995. Kav kaviraj sent me an article on comic book restoration tips. Overstreet comic book price guide the overstreet guide is a must have if you have a lot of comics, are already a collector or plan on having a lot of comics. In general, the more restoration has been performed, the less the comic is worth compared to its apparent grade value. Trimming is sometimes so difficult to detect, that even the experts in the field have been known to mistakenly diagnose trimming from time to time. Value of restored comics silver age comic books cgc comic. In other words, it takes a dealer time to sort, bag, board and price any comic book. How to determine a value on a restored comic comic book. However, if you intend to restore your comics to keep an intact and readable collection, here are easy to follow tips on how you can handle minimal damages. Building a collection of comic books is a fun and rewarding hobby. What all collectors should be wary of is amateur attempts at restoration which have usually resulted in a. Whether you are an avid comic collector, a repeat offender one who once collected but fell by the wayside, are new to the industry, or someone who came across some old comics, welcome to the world of comics. We have values for any marvel, dc, image, idw, darkhorse, or dell comic book that is in your collection. We are proud of the work we do on comic book restoration and repair.
The reason is simple, if there are of a specific collectible in existence, the majority will normally be in average or well worn condition. Click here for the overstreet comic book price guide instant digital download. Comic book grading is the process of determining the grade or condition of a book, which directly influences its value. If you are unsure what the title is, look at the indicia small block of text inside front or rear cover. If youve stumbled across a treasure trove of comics, then take advantage of the comic book boys videos and articles to find out the value of your comics.
The premier online comics price guide free comic book values. I quickly realized that the comic had been restored. How to restore comics fixing damaged comic books, repair. In fact, the restoration lessens the value of a comic book even though it is improved because comics are. Restoration woes the comic doctor comic book pressing.
The guide to comics, where he was at the helm from 19932003. Mar 04, 2014 the thought of restored grade, also known as the dreaded purple label, has been known to make an avid comic collector or two, shudder, when they receive the assigned grade on a cgc submission. Before a comic book s value is determined, the comic book needs to have an accurate grade assigned to it. Restoration reached a fever pitch in the 80s and early 90s, evidenced by the increasing. If a high value or particularly rare comic book is in such a state that, if left alone, will continue to deteriorate to the point of being lost, then it would be sensible to save it. Comic book, marvel comic, cgc comics, crippen collection, central. Comic book grading learn the scale and how to apply it. Have we been reading the level or restoration designations and have we been assigning values in levels with the degrees of restoration or have. Join me for a discussion about comic book restoration with two representatives from cgc. Comic restoration with cgc comics matt nelson brittany. The use of an airbrush can return a faded comic book to appear close to its original version. There is no formula for determining the value of a restored book.
Even seasoned collectors may have problems attaining comics from this era. Restoration on your comics is done not only to make it more desirable to collectors, but also for the sake of our hobby where many of these great treasures are decaying and falling apart due to age and mishandling. In a mass produced product, condition is a significant factor in determining the value. Nothing makes you want to raise your fist to the heavens, and scream noooo like getting a great grade only to have the dreaded purple label. As soon as the first collectors placed value on comic books, restoration began to. Repair of comic books master restorer art restoration. Heres how much your vintage comics are now worth mashable. Because the average cost of restoration can be high anywhere from. However, goodlooking restored comics do have value.
Once restored, a comics value depends upon several factors. That is about half to a little more than half the value of an unrestored copy. Value this is one of the most important factors in determining whether restoration is feasible. Mar 27, 2020 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 a negative effect on value if noticed by a potential buyer. We monitor the fire hose of online comic book sales across various marketplaces and report on the sales of cgc and cbcs graded books in our comics price guide. A lightly restored book will be valued higher than a book with heavy restoration in. Im a big silver age collectoranything with curt swan interior arti want it. Comics are like a fine wine they only get better and more valuable with age. Theoretically, the higher the grade of the book, the more desirable the book will be.
Sep 18, 2014 trimming is sometimes so difficult to detect, that even the experts in the field have been known to mistakenly diagnose trimming from time to time. Before comics developed value in the 60s, the purpose of restoration was void of value increase, and the methods were crude, using unsafe materials like tape and glue to repair comics. From our humble beginnings, we have grown to the largest, most complete comic book price guide with well over 1,000,000 comics in our database. A guide through both my personal philosophy approach to comics repair as well as the process and tools i use to make simple repairs to nicks, tears. For each sale discovered, we match it to the specific comic in our massive database which also includes variant covers and printings. If its minor color touch, not a massive restoration, does it just go down a little. Price guides are also important tools for collectors looking to sell their collection or determine their collections worth for insurance purposes.
Comic book grading and restoration may 19, 2016 scott robertson 25 comments comic book grading is one of the most important parts of speculating. Instead, gentle dry methods are used to remove as much. If going through the process of identifying the value of my comics is not something that appeals to you then let the comic book boys give you a free appraisal. If you have an old comic book that needs repair, you may consider restoring it. With our comic book restoration services you can take your lowgrade investment and transform it into something with fantastic eye appeal. Restoration service comic book, marvel comic, cgc comics.
The video and resources below will help you find the best way to get current prices and values of your comic books, whether you own only a couple or thousands here we go. The digital download will give you instant value and pricing access to virtually ever comic ever published. Airbrushing can return a faded comic book to looking very close to new. How to determine a value on a restored comic i recently purchased an xmen 1, sent it in for grading and discovered that it was restored.
If going through the process of identifying the value of my comics is not something that appeals to you. These generally have a negative effect on the value. Subsequently, jon became senior price guide editor for wizard. Our affordable comic book restoration includes tape removal, recreation of missing. Jan 09, 2019 join me for a discussion about comic book restoration with two representatives from cgc. A low grade copy of a very sought after book might benefit from professional restoration from a respected conservator like susan cicconi of the restoration lab. Welcome to the iguide comic book price guide iguide is proud to host the online comic book price guide by jon r. Click on any of our services below for more information and example work. Especially when dealing with collectible and rare ones. Restoration is the act of adding foreign material to a comic book through. Whether you enjoy attending comic book show and events, visiting collectible comic book stores or browsing garage sales in hopes of finding a pristine comic from years past, collecting comic books is a hobby that you can enjoy alone or one that the entire family can.
He sent the comic book to me for a quick press and clean before sending to cgc. Restoration is frowned upon by many in the comic book collecting and. As soon as the first collectors placed value on comic books, restoration began to proliferate. Generally speaking, the higher the grade the lower a percentage a restored copy brings versus an unrestored copy of the same grade. Ditch fahrenheits virtual comic collector universe archive only excellence in content. How does restoration affect the value of a comic book. The more the restoration costs, the higher value the book must be. All without the conflict of interest inherent when dealing with a dealer, collector or auction house which has hopes of securing the collection. My first restored comic book blog the comic doctor. May 16, 2016 vintage marvel comics are seen for sale at st. Comic book, marvel comic, cgc comics, crippen collection.
Look for evidence of tape or glue or other attempts to repair the book. I suppose it is possible that the store owner had no idea the comic had been restored, but i find that hard to believe anyone who owns a store should be able to recognize some obvious. Here, cbp brings you up to date on everything going on in the world of pedigrees, including the latest news on newly discovered collections, brand new offerings in our sale section, and the latest update on our forthcoming book on the greatest golden and silver a collections ever. Some of the most important and rare comic books to be published in the golden age appeared as part of allamerican comics full article. A low grade copy of a very sought after book might benefit from professional restoration from a respected. I know its really what the market will bear, but thought i would see what people think. As well, techniques from watercolor and silk screen restoration have become important parts of the criteria used to restore a comic book. Welcome to the comic book price guide that has been 25 years in the making. Newbie to cgcland here looking for people to chime in on what restoration does to the value of key silver age books like amazing fantasy. More on restoration repairing comic books has been around in our hobby. Our comic book restoration and pressing services can take your most important. Comic book appraisals and staying aware of the comic book market trends, keeps you informed about the value of your collection. In addition, the ability to remove paper discoloration and foxing will likely be necessary to elevate the work to a fine condition. Updated and added to every day, it will eventually list all significant british comics published and all marvel and dc comics that were either officially distributed or non distributed in the uk.
Comic mount comic book frame, wall mount and shelf stand, invisible and adjustable, 5 pack. Make your comic grow in value, increase in eye appeal, and most importantly preserve them for the future. Feb 09, 2019 a guide through both my personal philosophy approach to comics repair as well as the process and tools i use to make simple repairs to nicks, tears and cuts in my comics. I wanted to show this comic book to you because the store owner did not disclose any restoration, yet charged the gentleman full guide value for the comic. I understand the difference between these, but whats the best way of working out the value. Comic book price guides, like overstreet, have a minimum price for comic books.
Restoration the comic book price guide for great britain. Place them away from direct light sources, heat, and humidity to preserve its now improved condition. A british comic or annual would have to be pretty high value owing to the expense incurred. As with grading all collectibles, there is a degree of subjectivity as there are many factors to consider and all of them must be weighed to determine an overall grade. Bcw starter comic book storage kit storage box, dividers, resealable bags, backing boards. A lightly restored book will be valued higher than a book with heavy restoration in the same apparent grade. Warren was creator of the overstreet update and editor of it for 10 years 19821992. Extensive restoration is their label for books where there has.
Dry cleaning is a process used to remove dirt and pencil marks from both the interior and cover a comic book, particularly in the white areas of the comic. Extent of work moderately restored comics are worth more than extensively restored ones, but extensive restoration jobs cost more to do. The comic book price guide for great britain restoration. As an archivist, i decided to share some useful tips as well that will aid in restoring your comic books. Sometimes a collectible comic is more valuable without restoration even if it has a loose page. Books that have been restored by color touch, replaced staples etc. I wanted to show this comic book to you because the store owner did not disclose any restoration, yet charged the gentleman full guide value. Comic book restoration services hero restoration llc. Comic book value guide how to value your comics in 3 easy steps.
While it is sometimes almost impossible to say definitively that a book has been trimmed, there are some telltale clues to look for when examining a book for restoration. Our pressing and comic book restoration services can take your most important and valuable comic investments to the next level. The thought of restored grade, also known as the dreaded purple label, has been known to make an avid comic collector or two, shudder, when they receive the assigned grade on a cgc submission. When done with your comic book repair, properly store your comic books. The minimum price is not a real reflection of market value. Once restored, a comic s value depends upon several factors. Such restorations should be noted upfront before attempting to sell a comic book. Comic book restoration often requires the expertise and skills of comic restoration experts and professionals. In the example above carnage part one is not part of the title. The repair of collectible and rare comics, especially ones you intend to sell in restored form, is best handled by a professional. A good rule of thumb on pricing restored books is to consider what the book sells for in the grade the book would be in if the resto were to be removed. 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 a negative. Comicbook comic book pedigrees, the first and only website dedicated to pedigreed comic books.
Make your comic grow in value, increase in eye appeal, and most importantly. This work involves many different forms of fine art restoration, including lithograph and paper conservation and techniques from silk screen and watercolor restoration. In really nice condition, any issue of this rare comic book series is worth good money. The overstreet guide is a must have if you have a lot of comics, are already a collector or plan on having a lot of comics. I can help you decide if cleanpress is a right for your book. Comic art appraisal llc provides you with all the information you need to make prudent decisions. In fact, they are among the older and more desirable comics on the market. In fact, the restoration lessens the value of a comic book even though it is improved because comics are graded based upon the condition of the unaltered original. Locate the book in the list of books you might need to change the drop list to go to another page. Comic book price guides are generally monthly, quarterly, or yearly publications which detail the changes in the resale value of a comic over a period of time. There was no consideration given to candidacy, or the effect on value. A grade represents the condition of a book in a way that collectors can understand. Restoring a comic book lessens its value rather than increase it.
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