CGC Help Center

Restoration is a treatment intended to return a comic book to a known or assumed state by adding non-original material for aesthetic purposes. Conservation is a treatment to stabilize a comic book's structural state using archivally safe materials such as rice paper and wheat paste. Detected restoration and conservation is always disclosed on the CGC certification label. Non-additive procedures, such as pressing, dry cleaning, and tape / substance / restoration removal are not classified as restoration by CGC. Trimmed books are given an apparent grade and, in accordance with CGC's policy, are encapsulated with CGC's Restored label.

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CGC has the industry's top team of restoration detection professionals. The restoration check is an integral part of the CGC grading team's review of your comic book and is included at no extra charge in the CGC tier price.

Please note that a comic book exhibiting certain flaws, such as tanned or brittle pages, a weak spine or staples, loose pieces, sticky substance, amateur restoration, or other defects may suffer damage from pressing, resulting in a lower grade. It's important to examine your comic before submission to determine if it is safe to receive any services. When in doubt, please use the CCS screening option to check your comic book before any services are rendered.

At CGC's sole discretion, comic books exhibiting very minor glue and / or color touch may be assigned a CGC Universal label. However, description of the glue or color touch, in general or specific terms, is disclosed on the CGC label. Buyers always know what they are getting with a CGC-certified comic that has been restored.