What are the general cutoff points for high, mid and low grade? 2 2

[comicdonna]

2 minutes ago, VintageComics said:

Or staple and paper drives during WW 2

Yep.  Also, mom's throwing out collections.  The list goes on and on.  That's why only existing books should count in a discussion like this.  That's my opinion anyways. 

[valiantman]

On 11/9/2017 at 8:18 PM, VintageComics said:

It depends on why they are thrown out. I would agree that many were thrown out because they were low grade but not all were.

My parents threw out comics because they gave me nightmares. Some were thrown out because they were throw away items.

Right, but that wouldn't be specific to any particular grades. Those reasons would eliminate comics of all conditions. Low grade comics were thrown out for an additional reason that isn't applicable to mid and high grades. It's why the population numbers are "middle heavy"... low grade didn't survive the eyeball test as often.

[valiantman]

On 11/10/2017 at 4:48 PM, comicdonna said:

Yep.  Also, mom's throwing out collections.  The list goes on and on.  That's why only existing books should count in a discussion like this.  That's my opinion anyways. 

If the original number of copies was 1,000,000 for some Golden Age book and if it was originally 100,000 for another Golden Age book of the same age... the number existing today is heavily impacted by what used to exist. You can't just ignore the starting points.

[VintageComics]

1 hour ago, valiantman said:

On 11/9/2017 at 9:18 PM, VintageComics said:

It depends on why they are thrown out. I would agree that many were thrown out because they were low grade but not all were.

My parents threw out comics because they gave me nightmares. Some were thrown out because they were throw away items.

Right, but that wouldn't be specific to any particular grades. Those reasons would eliminate comics of all conditions. Low grade comics were thrown out for an additional reason that isn't applicable to mid and high grades. It's why the population numbers are "middle heavy"... low grade didn't survive the eyeball test as often.

Great point.

[comicdonna]

1 hour ago, valiantman said:

If the original number of copies was 1,000,000 for some Golden Age book and if it was originally 100,000 for another Golden Age book of the same age... the number existing today is heavily impacted by what used to exist. You can't just ignore the starting points.

I have no problem agreeing with that.  I just don't see how we can say virtually all GA comics are low grade.  I would be willing to bet more mid to high grade comics were lost in one way or another, than low grade.  That's beside the point, seems they don't exist.  What we do have is a majority of mid grade books.  Maybe there's something I'm missing. 

 

[marvelcollector]

On 11/7/2017 at 9:18 PM, FSF said:

For the record, and I know this isn't one of those factual things but prone to perception and varying opinions, but I would have thought:

High - 8.0+

Mid - 5.0-7.5

Low - 4.5 and below

 

That's exactly what I've always thought.

Regardless of era.

[s14roller]

I suppose the answer to the OP is, as we've seen from this thread it depends on collector.  For me:

Low = 0.0-3.5

Mid = 4.0 - 6.5

High = 8.0+

Problem is, what do I call 7.0-7.5?    Seems too high to be called mid-grade, and too low to be called high-grade.  

 

[oakman29]

31 minutes ago, s14roller said:

I suppose the answer to the OP is, as we've seen from this thread it depends on collector.  For me:

Low = 0.0-3.5

Mid = 4.0 - 6.5

High = 8.0+

Problem is, what do I call 7.0-7.5?    Seems too high to be called mid-grade, and too low to be called high-grade.  

 

that's called the sweet spot.

[valiantman]

On 11/11/2017 at 6:26 PM, comicdonna said:

On 11/11/2017 at 4:52 PM, valiantman said:

If the original number of copies was 1,000,000 for some Golden Age book and if it was originally 100,000 for another Golden Age book of the same age... the number existing today is heavily impacted by what used to exist. You can't just ignore the starting points.

I have no problem agreeing with that.  I just don't see how we can say virtually all GA comics are low grade.  I would be willing to bet more mid to high grade comics were lost in one way or another, than low grade.  That's beside the point, seems they don't exist.  What we do have is a majority of mid grade books.  Maybe there's something I'm missing. 

I don't think either of us was saying that the majority of GA comics are low grade.  That was someone else.

[comicdonna]

 

Ok, I'll give my input grades.

 

.5 to 3.5 low grade

4.0 to 7.5 mid grade

8.0 to 10.0 high grade.

[Senormac]

7 minutes ago, comicdonna said:

 

Ok, I'll give my input grades.

 

.5 to 3.5 low grade

4.0 to 7.5 mid grade

8.0 to 10.0 high grade.

I'm close to you Mike, but agree more with Roy..... for all books before 1963 or so. 

I think high grade for any books up to 1963 is 7.0 up

mid grade 4.0 to 6.5

and low grade is 3.5 and below. 

However, I think high grade from 1964 on is on a sliding scale.

By 1970 high grade was probably more like 8.0

By 1980 high grade was like 9.0 and up.

Since then, hg has been fractionized into single points.  9.0,...... 9..2 ,........ 9.4......., 9.6 ........ 9.8. 

[comicdonna]

That's cool, Mike.  For me, I don't think the age of the book matters. 

[Senormac]

2 minutes ago, comicdonna said:

That's cool, Mike.  For me, I don't think the age of the book matters. 

  I grew up on Good - Fine - and Mint so all the other grades have had to migrate towads these three pillars. 

I guess VF seems high to me

[Passport Comics]

For me, VF (8.0) or higher is considered 'higher' grade, and the more difficult to find with older books. 5.0-7.5 is mid grade, and below 5.0 is lower grade.

[VintageComics]

On 11/12/2017 at 11:17 AM, oakman29 said:

On 11/12/2017 at 10:46 AM, s14roller said:

Problem is, what do I call 7.0-7.5?    Seems too high to be called mid-grade, and too low to be called high-grade.  

 

that's called the sweet spot.

I generally call 7.0 and 7.5 books high grade, because at arm's length they do look high grade.

They're definitely not low grade and most of them don't look mid grade.

But to each their own.

Edited November 14, 2017 by VintageComics

[mysterio]

16 hours ago, Senormac said:

I'm close to you Mike, but agree more with Roy..... for all books before 1963 or so. 

I think high grade for any books up to 1963 is 7.0 up

mid grade 4.0 to 6.5

and low grade is 3.5 and below. 

However, I think high grade from 1964 on is on a sliding scale.

By 1970 high grade was probably more like 8.0

By 1980 high grade was like 9.0 and up.

Since then, hg has been fractionized into single points.  9.0,...... 9..2 ,........ 9.4......., 9.6 ........ 9.8. 

This is conflating “high grade” and “desirable”. An 8.0 book from 1962 is both, while an 8.0 book from 1995 is high grade but not desirable. I’m in the camp that “high grade” is not dependent on the age of the book. 

[s14roller]

On 11/12/2017 at 11:17 AM, oakman29 said:

that's called the sweet spot.

Haha true that

[Senormac]

Q. ?  What do you all think of subscription creases ? 

Personally I hate them and feel (to me) that they knock the grade down to the lowest of g-vg.  It's a damage that touches every page plus both covers

Second is probably big ugly grease pencil markings on cover.  Give me a nice flat book with a corner piece out any day

Edited November 14, 2017 by Senormac

[oakman29]

15 hours ago, VintageComics said:

I generally call 7.0 and 7.5 books high grade, because at arm's length they do look high grade.

They're definitely not low grade and most of them don't look mid grade.

But to each their own.

I am all about the 7.5\8.0 books. A lot of bang for your buck.

[towards2112]

Appearantly I can't help you with this old quandry.

I looked thru the emoticons, and didn't find the little brown turd icon. 

Obviously CGCMod2 needs to update the emoticon inventory.