CONDITION

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Condition is the heart of determining "value" for a collectible. Each field has its own set of accepted grading parameters. Very Good for a Book is not the same as Very Good for a Comic Book or Very Good for a Lobby Card! If you are new to collecting in a specific area or simply want to make sure our terms mesh, please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the different grading terminologies used throughout this Web site.

BOOKS
As New / As New-: Hardbacks appear new and their dust jackets have no scuffs. Paperbacks appear unread. Some people may cross over comic book and magazine terminology and use Near Mint (NM) to Mint (M) to describe this grade. As New- books have one minor defect that pulls it out of the As New grade.

FN = Fine: Books have minor handling wear or minor scuffs, but still appear as they would on a bookstore shelf. Glossy paperback covers are still glossy. Spine is tight. Slight edge tanning may exist on some of the 25+ year old paperbacks. Some people may cross over comic book and magazine terminology and use Very Fine-Near Mint (VF/NM) to describe this grade.

VG = Very Good: Books may have cover scuffs, minor dings or some edge browning from age, but the bindings are still crisp and all pages are supple. Some people may cross over comic book and magazine terminology and use Very Fine (VF) to describe this grade.

G = Good: Books may show spine wear or have cover bends. Though wear is present, the spines are still solid and hold their integrity. Pages may show browning from age, but are not brittle. Nothing below this grade is offered.

Most of my books were carefully selected copies and are the best "off the shelf" copies I could find. Any major defects are noted per item. As an example, "FN with a lower right corner ding" means the book's overall appearance is FN, but it has the lone notable flaw which lowers the price by several grades.

DJ = Dust Jacket
HB = Hardback, hard cover books.
O/P = Out of Print, typically available only through the secondary market.
PB = Paperback, approximately the 4.5 x 7 inch standard size "pocket" book.
SB = Softback, a paperback book, but larger than the 4.5 x 7 inch standard size. 

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COMIC BOOKS / MAGAZINES
Graded by Overstreet Grading Guide Standards. Grading takes into account the whole issue, not just the cover. That may sound like a "no-brainer," but some folks do base most of their grade on the front cover, which is silly. When in doubt, refer to the Overstreet Grading Guide to see what flaws are acceptable in what grades. I always do and I've been grading comics for over 30 years. 30+ years doesn't make me perfect, but my eyes are pretty darn good at spotting defects. Here's a brief grading overview:

M = Mint (9.9 - 10.0): By nature, anything manufactured has flaws, so I find this grade difficult to assign. There are an incredibly small number of newsprint comics that I'll grade as Mint. As a result, most of my Mint comics are on high grade paper and are priced at 120% of NM 9.4 guide value.

NM/M = Near Mint/Mint (9.6 - 9.8): This is typically the highest grade I assign, but what most people refer to as Mint books. These are top of the heap for paper collectibles and are priced at 110% of NM 9.4 guide value.

NM = Near Mint (9.0 - 9.5): The issue can have a few small stress lines on the spine, a very minor corner chip or crease, tiny color flecks or bindery tear. No other defects allowed. For the most part, the minor defect comes from mechanical production. My NM comics are equal to the Overstreet 9.0 - 9.5 number grade. NM and better comics are commonly referred to as "investor grade." While I recognize comic books as investments, deep down I keep hoping people actually read them for enjoyment. This grade is priced at 100% of guide value.

VF/NM = Very Fine/Near Mint (8.8 - 8.9): This grade falls between VF and NM. These issues have a few more stress lines or a bigger bend/chip to keep them out of the NM grade. The front cover (f.c.) may not be perfectly centered, but can not be off-square by more than a quarter inch. The back cover (b.c.) or spine may have a minor scuff. I typically put NM issues with heavier stress lines at the staples into this grade. Comic book insides must be no worse than off-white, or tan for newsprint magazines. Most of my best Marvel Giant-Size issues and squarebound magazines fall into this grade because of the way they are manufactured - what I call sloppy spines. Magazines like TV Guide, National Lampoon, Penthouse, etc. may have a minor cover abrasion where the issue slid over another issue or a slight top/bottom spine bindery defect. VF/NM issues require more than a cursory look to spot defects and are still extremely collectible. For comic books, I take an additional 10% off the calculated value.

VF = Very Fine (7.6 - 8.7): An excellent copy with outstanding eye-appeal. First sign of a lack of complete flatness in an issue may be present, as well as cover wear. Slight wear at the corners or along the edges. The spine may have a few more transverse stress lines. A light half inch crease is acceptable. Pages may be yellowish/tannish. Magazines like TV Guide, National Lampoon, Penthouse, etc. may have a cover abrasion where the issue slid over another issue, but nothing severe. For comic books, I take an additional 15% off the calculated value.

F = Fine: An above average copy that shows minor wear, relatively flat, corner dings may be present, but no major creasing or serious defects. Eye appeal reduced because of noticeable surface wear and accumulation of minor defects along the spine and edges. A Fine condition issue has been read many times and has been handled with moderate care. Magazines like TV Guide, National Lampoon, Penthouse, etc. may have a noticeable cover abrasions or production ink smears. For comic books, I take an additional 20% off the calculated value.

VG = Very Good: The average used (NOT ABUSED!) issue. Shows reading wear, spine stress, center crease, and light spine roll. Discoloration and soiling is allowed. Small piece may be missing from a corner, but no chunks from the cover are allowed. Store stamps, name stamps, arrival dates, initials, bindery and printing defects have no effect on this grade. However, I will always note if these are present. Cover and interior pages may have minor tears or folds. Cover or centerfold may be loose, but not completely detached. If minor tape repair exists, I will note it. Comic books from the 1970s that are graded VG are done so because of edge creases or corner dings, not because of excess handling. For comic books, I take an additional 25% off the calculated value.

G = Good: All pages and covers are present, though bits may be missing, but nothing that makes the issue unreadable. Cover or centerfold may be detached. Comics may be creased, scuffed, abraded, show heavy staple stress, spine roll, be marked, stamped, or taped. This grade can have a large accumulation of defects, but the issue still maintains structural integrity. This is the lowest grade accepted by many collectors. I try to note all defects. For comic books, I take an additional 30% off the calculated value.

Fr = Fair / Pr = Poor: The issue not be entirely complete (ex: missing an ad page), but should be readable. These issues are heavily worn, taped, marked, stained, and may have coupons cut. A Fr book may have up to 1/3 of the cover missing. I have a few of these listed and they are basically Golden and Silver Age reading copies. For comic books, I take an additional 50% off the calculated value.

O/C = The cover is off-center. Overstreet identifies this as a bindery defect. For me, an O/C cover will drop a NM or better issue to VF/NM providing that the cover is O/C by no more than 1/4 inch.

f.c. = front cover  /  b.c. = back cover

Store Name Stamp: The store name stamp mentioned on a number of Silver Age Marvels is 3 lines and appears on the top of the back cover, taking up approximately a 2.5 x 3/4 inch space. It reads: 
Wally's Paperback Book Exchange
2301 S. Craycroft
Tucson, Arizona

Conditional Statements: Example, VF: cover loose at bottom staple. This means the issue is in VF condition with the defect noted. It is not graded VF because of the defect and is not priced as VF. In this example, this issue would be priced at a VG value.

Issues graded F/VF or VG/F are simply done so to denote that they are slightly better in appearance than the lower grade. I don't use the plus+ or minus- system with comic books or magazines. All issues in these conditions are priced at the lower grade (ex: VG/F looks nicer than VG, but still carries a VG price). Comics from the '70s that are graded VG are done so because of edge creases and corner dings, not because of excess handling. As an example, a comic book from 1975 may look NM over 90% of the issue, but have a substantial corner ding that affects the entire book and drops it several grades to VG/F or VG.

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FILM POSTERS / LOBBY CARDS
All Original Theatrical One-sheets are size 27 x 41 inches and have a standard three fold into eighths, unless listed as rolled or folded in 4ths or 16ths. All Lobby Cards are 11 x 14 inches in size.

M = Mint. Definitely unused and without any flaws. I reserve this grade strictly for applicable rolled items. If it's been folded, then under my grading terms, it can't be Mint. A lot of people will disagree with me on this one, but that's the way the cookie crumbles. I offer few M items, but look on my NM items as what many dealers refer to as "Mint."

NM = Near Mint. The item may be "never-used" or may have been used in the theater, but was carefully preserved after use. One tiny pinhole in each corner from being displayed is allowable in this grade, but will always be noted. Very slight indentation marks from movie theater use are allowable in this grade. One-sheets, which were normally quarter-folded into eighths, may have very slight fold wear which does not significantly affect the eye appeal of the image. Folds haven't damaged the image or caused even a fine tear. Folds are square. Identification stamps on the back of the poster, that don't bleed through, have no effect on this grade. However, handwriting of any kind is unacceptable. Lobby Cards have bright colors and solid registration. Lobbies may have some very minor handling wear, but only along the edges, or producing one or two fuzzy corners.

VF = Very Fine. Posters are bright, supple, and clean. They exhibit more fold wear than a NM poster, but without significant color loss in the fold area. A slight amount of color loss is acceptable in this grade. One or two tiny pinholes in each corner is allowable in this grade, but will always be noted. No edge fraying, tape, or writing on the front of the poster is allowed in this grade. However, writing on the back of the poster that does not bleed through is acceptable, and will always be noted. Minor tears are allowed in this grade, but they should be less than 1" in length, and not more than two total tears on the item. Common areas for tears on posters are at the folds, especially the interior folds where the item may have been unfolded and then refolded. Tears will be noted. Folds will be near square. Lobby Cards may have some handling wear or a minor fold near the borders, but nothing that offers a major detraction from the central image. VF and better items are sometimes referred to as "investment quality," but take my advice and invest in what you like, not what you think will make a buck - you'll enjoy collecting much more.

FN = Fine. Posters still have bright colors, but handling and wrinkles are more apparent. Fold wear is greater and may have produced multiple small tears, still no greater than an inch. Edges may have tears, but none greater than an inch into the border. Poster folds may not be square. Lobby cards also have some apparent handling wear, minor folds or small corner and edge tears. Fine material is still collectible, especially on material better than 25 years old.

VG = Very Good. This is the average used item with heavier wear, fold tears larger than an inch, writing, tape, or specific damage that may detract from the central images on both posters and lobby cards. Wear is definitely a concern here. 

NOTE: Any extenuating "damage" will always be detailed on all film collectibles.

PH = Pinholes: The one-sheet has a small pin hole in each corner of the top border, but NONE at the bottom. These two holes do not come close to the immediate image border and are noted in all cases. If you matte the borders, the holes will not show. As defined, NM posters may have pinholes, but I will always note their existence with the PH.

Miscellaneous Film and TV collectibles are described per item. If it's paper, the above grades still apply, unless the item is a book or magazine. In those cases, see the appropriate areas. If it's a toy, see the TOYS / MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS section.

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ORIGINAL ARTWORK
If you already collect production art originals, you know what they look like. Comic book pages are approximately 11 x 16 inches and magazine pages are slightly larger. Size for all other artwork is listed per piece. If you've never seen production artwork before, blue lines, white out, art tape (like a white masking tape), margin notes, zip-a-tone, paste-ups, tack holes in the corners, etc. are not uncommon. These are not defects. Coffee stains, creases or tears in the image are defects and will always be noted, though nothing I currently offer has a defect.

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PRINTS / PORTFOLIOS
Almost all are as new, as issued and have never been framed, mounted or hung. Unless noted, portfolio plates are in near mint or better condition. Envelopes may have very minor scuffing or handling, but nothing that detracts from the illustrations. Any defects will be noted per item. O/P = Out of Print, typically available only through the secondary market.

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TOYS / MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
Most are like new, sealed, MOC = Mint on Card, MIP = Mint in Package, or MIB = Mint in Original Box. "Sealed" or "Unopened" implies Mint condition for the contents. COA = Certificate of Authenticity. Any defects are noted per item.

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TRADING CARDS
Graded by Beckett standards. When in doubt, refer to the condition guide in your Beckett "Monthlies." That's my benchmark for grading.

M = Mint: No printing flaws, 4 sharp corners, no worse than 60/40 centering. Pre-1974 cards in this condition carry a premium.

NM/M = Near Mint-Mint: Card with one very minor flaw, such as a single corner with light wear, light print spots, color or focus imperfections. Still 60/40 or better centering. Pre-1974 cards in this condition carry a premium.

NM = Near Mint: Card with one minor flaw, such as one fuzzy corner or two corners with light wear, slightly rough edges, 70/30 or better centering, minor print spots, color or focus imperfections.

Ex/M = Excellent-Mint: Card with 2 or 3 fuzzy corners, 80/20 or better centering. No more than two of the following: slightly rough edges, minor print spots, color or focus imperfections, very minor border discoloration. Cards in this condition and better are the highlights of any collection.

Ex = Excellent: Card with 4 fuzzy corners, 80/20 or better centering, rough edges, minor print spots, color or focus imperfections, minor border discoloration. This is the highest grade assigned to cards that are Ex/M - M with wax marks or back game scratches.

VG = Very Good: Handled but not abused, slightly rounded corners, slight layering or notching on edges, 90/10 or better centering, hairline creases, border discoloration, print spots, color and focus imperfections, waxed. May have noted fading or erasure marks.

G = Good: Well-worn card, rounded and layered corners, no border on one side, notching, scuffing, minor creases, erasure marks. My 1950s G cards are Good, not trashed! Ink marks, tears, stains, warping may be present, but will be noted.

Fr = Fair: Slightly abused card, rounded and layered corners, miscut, notching, scuffing, creases, stains, tears, holes, written on. Basically, a place holder card.

P = Poor: Badly creased, stained, taped and mangled. Good for showing the kids what a '50s or '60s card looked like, or for making noise in the spokes of your bike.

Also seen on some card pages: MOC = Mint on Card, or MIP = Mint in Package. COA = Certificate of Authenticity.

Here are some common abbreviations used:

Unopened or sealed cards, boxes and sets are sold as "implied mint." There is no way of knowing what condition a card will be in until you break the seal or open the pack. Unless each card was hand selected, there is no such thing as a truly "Mint Set." "Average condition" for a lot means that the majority of the cards in the lot are in the stated condition or range - some cards may be better and some cards may be worse. I was recently asked if a set listed as "factory sealed" "definitely" contained a key RC. The answer I gave was honest, but didn't satisfy the person asking the question. I said: I can't "definitely" say yes, because the update set is factory sealed. It's never been opened. However, the odds of it not containing the card are about as high as it containing nothing but 132 copies of the card. That's how I honestly feel. However, if after you pay for a factory sealed set, you want me to open it and confirm a key RC exists, I will be happy to do so. If the card is not in the set, I'll return your money order/check immediately.

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