Condition

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.

BUTTONS/ PINS
NM/Like New: Regardless of age, button/pin appears as issued new, free of nicks or scratches in paint, very minor surface wear may show from production handling (typically viewable only at an angle), backs are free of any oxidation, clasp pin is straight.

VF+/VF: Button may have minor paint nicks/scratches or surface wear (typically viewable only at an angle), back may have minor oxidation but never any corrosion or rust. These are still very nice looking collectibles. They were most likely carefully used and stored away.

I offer nothing below VF grade buttons and pins. MIP = Mint in Original Package. MOC = Mint on Original Backing Card.

CEREAL / FAST FOOD PREMIUMS
Many are NM/Like New, Still sealed, MIP = Mint in Original Package, MIB = Mint in Original Box, or MOC = Mint on Original Backing Card. "Sealed" or "Unopened" implies Mint condition for the contents. Defects are noted per item. Cards and Stickers use Trading Card grades seen below. Comics and Magazines use the grades listed below. Film premiums use the grades listed below.

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 35 years. 35+ 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 light 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 20% 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 25% 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 35% 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 45% 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 60% 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.

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.

MOVIE POSTERS / LOBBY CARDS / HANDBILLS / STILLS / PAPER PROMOS
Original theatrical one-sheet movie posters are 27 x 41 inches in size with some adult one-sheets measuring 27 x 40 inches. One-sheets have a standard three fold into eighths, unless listed as “Rolled” or folded in fourths or 16ths. Pre-1980 rolled or 4th fold posters are highly desirable and may carry a premium. If the poster is a reissue, the reissue year will be prominently listed. Movie posters that are not original theatrical one-sheets are clearly listed as such.

All lobby cards on this Web site are original issues and measure 11 x 14 inches in size. I don’t offer any lobby card reprints or reproductions.

Condition grades for Handbills, Mini-posters, Stills and paper promotional items are the same as Posters and Lobby Cards. The first two align more with posters and the latter two more with lobbies. Exhibition/Arcade cards use Trading Card grading definitions.

I use + and – clarifiers to give you an idea on where the items fall in their grade. They are used for informational purposes and have minimal, if any, effect on price. Keep in mind that on lower grade items with staple holes that one staple leaves TWO holes. When the description says “4 staple holes,” it means 8 punctures! “Double staple holes in each corner” means 4 punctures per corner.

M = Mint. Definitely unused and without any handling flaws. I reserve this grade strictly for applicable rolled posters. Mint lobbies are in their original packing sleeves or shrink-wrapping. If a poster has 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 exceptionally few Mint items.

NM = Near Mint. These items have most likely never been used or may have been used in a theater, but were very carefully handled during use. Identification stamps from the studio on the back of a poster or lobby card, that don't bleed through, have no effect on this grade. However, handwriting of any kind is unacceptable.
Posters can have very slight color registration variations. Poster folds must be square. One tiny pinhole, up to 4 and only in each corner, is allowable in this grade, but pinholes will always be noted. Very slight indentation marks from movie theater use are allowable. One-sheets, which were normally tri-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.
Lobby Cards have bright colors and solid registration. They may have very minor indentation marks visible only when the card is looked at on an angle, very minor edge wear and up to two fuzzy corners are acceptable. Movie Stills look as produced. NM items are the “crown jewels” in any film hobbyist’s collection.

VF = Very Fine. Items are bright, supple, clean and like a NM posters or lobbies may have been never used or carefully used. A slight amount of color loss is acceptable in this grade. 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.
Poster folds can be near square, but not off by more than an inch. VF posters exhibit more fold and handling wear than a NM poster, but without significant color loss in the fold area. One or two tiny pinholes in each corner is allowable in this grade, but will always be noted. Writing on the back of the poster that does not bleed through is acceptable, but will always be noted. Minor tears are allowed in this grade, but they should be less than a half inch in length, and not more than two total tears on a poster. Common areas for tears on posters are at the folds, especially the interior folds where the item may have been unfolded and then refolded. If they exist, tears will be noted. Less than an inch corner dog-ear or edge wrinkle is allowable.
Lobby Cards may have some handling wear or a minor fold near the border or a corner ding, but no folds that affect the central image. One or two pressure marks visible at an angle may exist, but nothing that detracts from direct viewing. Two top corner pinholes are acceptable, but staple holes are not. Pinholes are always noted. Like posters, writing on the back of the card that doesn’t bleed through is allowable, but will be noted. Wear marks on the back that have no effect on the front are also acceptable. One or two edge discolorations are allowable, but nothing that extends more than a half inch in from the edge or corner. These will be noted.
Movie Stills may have some minor bends (stress “minor”) from handling that are viewable of the glossy surface from an angle. Typically, when you look directly at the still, these minor defects are not visible. Edge discoloration or staining is only in the white border and doesn’t affect the image. One pinhole in the upper border is acceptable, but will always be noted.

FN = Fine. Fine material is still quite collectible, especially on items better than 25 years old, but wear is becoming more obvious.
Posters still have bright colors, but handling and wrinkles are more apparent. Fold wear is greater and may have produced multiple small tears, but none greater than an inch. Edges may have tears, but none greater than an inch into the border. Poster folds may not be square. Border chips may be present. I offer scant few posters below this grade.
Lobby Cards have some apparent surface handling wear or soiling. Small corner and edge tears or folds, border creases that may affect the central image, fuzzy corners, and border chips can be present. Unlike VF lobbies where the detractors are more toward the borders, FN cards show the wear encroaching on the images.
Movie Stills will have more handling wear as described in Lobby Cards, possibly noted fingerprints, scratches in the glossy coating that do NOT cut into the image may be present, pressure marks on the image visible at an angle may also be present, up to two pinholes in the top border.

VG = Very Good. This is the average used item with heavier wear. Creasing, writing, tape, dog-eared corners, or specific damage that may detract from the central images on both lobby cards and posters can be present. Edge tears are common and corners can have chips over an inch missing.
Poster fold tears can be larger than an inch, but not exceeding two inches.
Lobby Cards can have multiple pinholes or staples holes along the edges, not just at the corners.
Movie Stills may have the defects listed in Lobby Cards or writing along the borders, but never on the image.

NOTE: Any extenuating "damage" will always be detailed on all film collectibles. I’d rather be over descriptive than leave details out.

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 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.

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.

PRINTS / PORTFOLIOS / POSTERS
Signed Prints and Portfolios all are NM-M, 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.

Posters are all color and on slick paper stock, unless otherwise indicated as B&W (black & white) or Matte paper stock. Comic Book posters are all long out of print promos for various series or titles that were distributed to comic book shops or through trade magazines. Almost all the large posters were issued folded and folds are indicated by NF (no fold), 2x = in half, 4x = in quarters, 6x = in sixths, 8x = in eighths. See Movie Poster grades above for condition definitions.

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.

TRADING CARDS
Graded by Beckett standards. Please refer to the condition guide in your Beckett "Monthlies." That's my benchmark for grading. Cards fall strictly into their grades. A perfectly flat, white card with sharp registration, edges and corners that has 90/10 centering will never be listed as NM-M on this Web site (I see this on Ebay all the time!). Because of the centering, in this example, it could be graded VG/Ex at best. No matter how perfect all the other attributes are, a card can never be NM if it is O/C (off-center). When in doubt, on cards priced $5 and up, ask for a scan! I am happy to provide them. All my scans exceed the card size, so you see centering, edges and corners.

M = Mint: No printing flaws, 4 sharp corners and sides, no worse than 60/40 centering. As close to perfection as possible. Pre-1974 cards in this condition carry a premium, as they are rarely found.

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, sharp corners and sides. Pre-1974 cards in this condition carry a premium, as they are scarce.

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 or less, 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. A M bullseye centered front with an o/c back or slight diamond cut automatically drops to this grade. Cards in this condition and better are the highlights of any collection.

Ex = Excellent: Card with 4 or fewer fuzzy corners, 80/20 or better centering, rough edges, minor print spots, color or focus imperfections, minor border discoloration. More than 3 of these elements combined will drop the card from Ex to VG. Ex+ is the highest grade assigned to cards that are Ex/M - M with wax marks or back game scratches. So, the card obverse may look NM, but front waxing is something automatically giving a card an Ex+ grade at best.

VG = Very Good: Handled but not abused, may have 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 slight fading or erasure marks, but no tears, tape or ink marks. These are still nice looking cards.

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 excessive degradation will be noted.

Fr = Fair: Slightly abused card, may have 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 looks like, or for making noise in the spokes of your bike.

AS = All-Star Card	HOF = Hall of Fame Inductee
ASG = All-Star Game Insert	IA = In Action Card
CL = Checklist	L-R = Left to Right Centering
CO = Coach Card	MG = Manager
COA = Certificate of Authenticity	MIP = Mint in Original Package
COR = Corrected Error Card	MOC = Mint on Original Backing Card
DK = Diamond King Card	MVP = Most Valuable Player Card
DP = Double Print	O/C = Off-Center
DT = Dream Team Card	RC = Rookie Card
ERR = Error Card	RY = Rookie Year Card
FFC = First Fleer Card	SP = Short Print / Single Print
FPSC = First Pro Set Card	T-B = Top to Bottom Centering
FRAN = Franchise Player Card	TBC = Turn Back the Clock Card
FSC = First Score Card	TC = Team Card
FTC = First Topps Card	TCL = Team Checklist Card
HL = Highlight Card	TL = Team Leader Card
HN = High Number Card	UER = Uncorrected Error Card

Unopened or factory sealed sets, boxes and packs are sold as "implied mint." Unless each card was hand selected, there is no such thing as a truly "Mint Set." There is no way of knowing what condition a card will be in until you break the seal or open the pack. 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. "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.

Books	Original Artwork
Buttons	Prints / Portfolios / Posters
Cereal / Fast Food Premiums	Toys / Miscellaneous
Comic Books / Magazines	Trading Cards
Movie Posters / Lobby Cards / Stills	How To Order