The Overstreet Guide To Grading Comics – 2016 Edition

[sterlingcomics]

Third Edition finally was mailed to me via Amazon.

 

Anyone else got theirs yet? Any thoughts? I missed previous years so this will be the first edition I will be reviewing since that ill fated first edition.

[David P Hartman]

Why, was the first edition so "ill fated" when they're on their 46th edition? Maybe those drones aren't as quick as we thought? You do specify 2016 however, which was released last July/Aug? Are you referring to cover variations? Or updates?

[zosocane]

Why, was the first edition so "ill fated" when they're on their 46th edition? Maybe those drones aren't as quick as we thought? You do specify 2016 however, which was released last July/Aug? Are you referring to cover variations? Or updates?

 

OP refers to the OS grading -- not price -- guide.

 

I am curious whether this new edition has good scans that show flaws clearly, as opposed to an arrow that comments on a flaw that, upon looking carefully at the area pointed by the arrow, one sees nothing patently discernible.

[grebal]

Question stands what was so bad about first ed.?

 

I bought it around when it came out and it's only grading guide I've seen.

 

It's the only formal attention I ever paid to grading since buying it in early 90s.

 

Haven't referred to it in a long while (has Showcase 4 on cover which is nice), not being a pro, and I only once submitted to CGC around 2001, but did ok in the board grading contest predicting final CGC grades.

[ADAMANTIUM]

Saw that at Half Price Books online for under $20 this morning so thankful for the thread...

 

didn't order it, but I would want it for pricing to and to get an idea of collector's comics (key's) because I only know what may be discussed on the boards at any particular point in time

 

Is it a "good guide" for many things? such as pricing, grading etc. ?? Also would it be a "complete" way of seeing key's throughout the book to know what is popular?

 

As it only comes out once a year, I didn't know if it was "fairly" up to date or not...

[MustEatBrains]

Question stands what was so bad about first ed.?

 

I bought it around when it came out and it's only grading guide I've seen.

 

It's the only formal attention I ever paid to grading since buying it in early 90s.

 

Haven't referred to it in a long while (has Showcase 4 on cover which is nice), not being a pro, and I only once submitted to CGC around 2001, but did ok in the board grading contest predicting final CGC grades.

 

I agree, not sure what new material they would be putting in. Grading standards, I think for the most part has been pretty consistent for a while now. And yes you did do very well in the grading contest.

 

 

[David P Hartman]

I'm still more than surprised when I read a statement made, in their definition of 6.0 FINE, right there on pg 227, regular OSP. Where it states: "Any staple can be replaced on books up to fine, but only vintage staples can be used on books from very fine to near mint. Mint books must have original staples." Which seems to more than sanction/validate all kinds of 'marriages' and reconstructions, with no mention to pressing? It sounds like even original staples can be removed, as long as they are replaced (using care not t swap the top and bottom staples...?) and still be a mint book.

I would think a lot more books are disassembled than we are aware, for pressing?

I never actually have researched the 'first use' of this wording, but know it's been in place for years. Both Overstreet & CGC seem in 'agreement' on the verbiage, thus far.

Only change I ever recall seeing, was in first (few?) editions, it stated that a book could still be mint, even with arrival dates written on the cover. That statement was simply omitted after that.

I also imagine that centering, or 'registration' could or would be off enough to impact it's grade. Someone by now must have amassed highly graded (numbered) factory seconds that technically ok. But mutts none the less. (Cockeyed covers, etc.) In coins or stamps, errors are worth more. In comics we ignore them?

[Fan Boy]

I still have my first edition for grading. I believe also have the second edition as well. Now there is a third edition? I might go have a look in the new guide and see if there is any new revised updates.

[VintageComics]

I'm still more than surprised when I read a statement made, in their definition of 6.0 FINE, right there on pg 227, regular OSP. Where it states: "Any staple can be replaced on books up to fine, but only vintage staples can be used on books from very fine to near mint. Mint books must have original staples." Which seems to more than sanction/validate all kinds of 'marriages' and reconstructions, with no mention to pressing? It sounds like even original staples can be removed, as long as they are replaced (using care not t swap the top and bottom staples...?) and still be a mint book.

 

It's been that way for as long as I've remembered. Why is it a frowned on now but wasn't a decade ago?

 

 

 

[VintageComics]

I seem to remember a discussion about the 2nd edition being inferior but can't remember why.

 

I think some of the grading examples were 'out to lunch' hence the 3rd editon.

 

I've only seen the 1st edition but would add that it takes some experience with slabbed books and that the guide should only be used as a loose guide. Not as a definitive way to grade.

[KPR Comics]

I'm still more than surprised when I read a statement made, in their definition of 6.0 FINE, right there on pg 227, regular OSP. Where it states: "Any staple can be replaced on books up to fine, but only vintage staples can be used on books from very fine to near mint. Mint books must have original staples." Which seems to more than sanction/validate all kinds of 'marriages' and reconstructions, with no mention to pressing? It sounds like even original staples can be removed, as long as they are replaced (using care not t swap the top and bottom staples...?) and still be a mint book.

I would think a lot more books are disassembled than we are aware, for pressing?

I never actually have researched the 'first use' of this wording, but know it's been in place for years. Both Overstreet & CGC seem in 'agreement' on the verbiage, thus far.

Only change I ever recall seeing, was in first (few?) editions, it stated that a book could still be mint, even with arrival dates written on the cover. That statement was simply omitted after that.

I also imagine that centering, or 'registration' could or would be off enough to impact it's grade. Someone by now must have amassed highly graded (numbered) factory seconds that technically ok. But mutts none the less. (Cockeyed covers, etc.) In coins or stamps, errors are worth more. In comics we ignore them?

I understand nothing of what was said here. How do you make the leap from staples to sanctioning married pages and pressing?

[VintageComics]

Actually, any industry that grows financially will have offshoot industries.

 

It's simply because comics became more valuable that people apply more scrutiny to the rules.

 

Even CGC is just a product of comics becoming more expensive. If comes were still $1 each and $200 for a copy of Action #1 there would be no certification industry.

 

 

[mrc]

So, I have the official overstreet comic book grading guide third edition (2006). How is this different to the overstreet guide to grading comics third edition (2016)?

[Elwinmonseyjr]

$13.89 today from Target, for anybody interested.

 

http://www.target.com/p/overstreet-guide-to-grading-comics-2016-paperback-robert-m/-/A-51875283

[zosocane]

How is this 2016 Guide different from the 2014 Guide? The major flaw with the 2014 Guide an the prior versions is that the scans are not good. You can't detect the flaws pointed out by the editors with the arrows and written descriptions. These are the same scans from the earlier editions of the Guide.

 

I would be curious to know whether the 2016 Guide is truly an overhaul with new, good scans of different books.

[Dormian]

I have the original and I always thought the pages should be magazine size in order to show details. Amazon lists the new version as 10 x 6.6 inches. Does anyone have an opinion of the new version? What is different and new?

[Tony S]

I'm still more than surprised when I read a statement made, in their definition of 6.0 FINE, right there on pg 227, regular OSP. Where it states: "Any staple can be replaced on books up to fine, but only vintage staples can be used on books from very fine to near mint. Mint books must have original staples." Which seems to more than sanction/validate all kinds of 'marriages' and reconstructions, with no mention to pressing? It sounds like even original staples can be removed, as long as they are replaced (using care not t swap the top and bottom staples...?) and still be a mint book.

I would think a lot more books are disassembled than we are aware, for pressing?

I never actually have researched the 'first use' of this wording, but know it's been in place for years. Both Overstreet & CGC seem in 'agreement' on the verbiage, thus far.

Only change I ever recall seeing, was in first (few?) editions, it stated that a book could still be mint, even with arrival dates written on the cover. That statement was simply omitted after that.

I also imagine that centering, or 'registration' could or would be off enough to impact it's grade. Someone by now must have amassed highly graded (numbered) factory seconds that technically ok. But mutts none the less. (Cockeyed covers, etc.) In coins or stamps, errors are worth more. In comics we ignore them?

 

This is kind of a complicated post and a bit hard to follow But I'll try to touch on a few things mentioned....

 

It should be noted the Overstreet Comic Book Grading Guide is only a guide for RAW comics. There are no grading guides for CGC comics. And there are a few areas of significant difference in grading standards. . The staple issue you speak of is one such. Overstreet has always allowed for staples to be replaced in a comic with vintage staples. Well into the higher grades. This centers around the belief that if staples are rusted, they should be replaced. The grading company(s) view replaced staples as....something not good. Restoration, conservation. Or at CGC in the past getting a Green Label qualified grade.

 

The staple replacement thing has nothing to do with pressing. Overstreet allowed replacement of staples with vintage staples decades before pressing became a thing. And professional pressers don't disassemble books for pressing.

 

Comics with printing errors are seldom worth more than well printed books because for the first 60 years, printing errors were common. Coins and stamps are minted at much, MUCH higher quality control standards. It wasn't until the 90's - more like the late 90's - that comic books started having real attempts at quality control and used better quality paper. Prior to that, if the book didn't fall apart when it came off the print line, it was good enough to ship and sell.

[MBFan]

My new copy of the 2016 Overstreet Guide to Grading Comics arrived. There's barely any difference between it and the 2014 edition. All of the cover photos are exactly the same, with no improvement in clarity.

 

If someone wants to do a grading guide right, they'll publish one with pages large enough to reproduce high quality cover scans in actual comic book size.