Standard Grading Scale
CGC grades comic books, magazines, concert posters and lobby cards using a highly accurate 10-point grading scale. Below are CGC’s grading standards for each numeric grade. For the similar 10-point scale used by CGC Trading Cards, click on Trading Cards above.
Gem Mint 10.0
The highest grade assigned. The collectible must have no evidence of any manufacturing or handling defects.
Mint 9.9
The collectible is nearly indistinguishable from a 10.0 but will have a very minor manufacturing defect. It will not have any evidence of handling defects.
NM/M 9.8
A nearly perfect collectible with negligible handling or manufacturing defects.
NM+ 9.6
A very well-preserved collectible with several minor manufacturing or handling defects.
NM 9.4
A very well-preserved collectible with minor wear and small manufacturing or handling defects.
NM- 9.2
A very well-preserved collectible with some wear and small manufacturing or handling defects.
VF/NM 9.0
A very well-preserved collectible with good eye appeal. There will be a number of minor handling and/or manufacturing defects.
VF+ 8.5
An attractive collectible with a moderate defect or a number of small defects.
VF 8.0
An attractive collectible with a moderate defect or an accumulation of small defects.
VF- 7.5
An above-average collectible with a moderate defect or an accumulation of small defects.
FN/VF 7.0
An above-average collectible with a major defect or an accumulation of small defects.
FN+ 6.5
An above-average collectible with a major defect and some smaller defects, or a significant accumulation of small defects.
FN 6.0
A slightly above-average collectible with a major defect and some smaller defects, or a significant accumulation of small defects.
FN- 5.5
A slightly above-average collectible with several moderate defects.
VG/FN 5.0
An average collectible with several moderate defects.
VG+ 4.5
A slightly below-average collectible with multiple moderate defects.
VG 4.0
A below-average collectible with multiple moderate defects.
VG- 3.5
A below-average collectible with several major defects or an accumulation of multiple moderate defects.
G/VG 3.0
A collectible that shows significant evidence of handling with several moderate-to-major defects.
G 2.5
A collectible that shows extensive evidence of handling with multiple moderate-to-major defects.
G 2.0
A collectible that shows extensive evidence of handling with numerous moderate-to-major defects.
G- 1.8
A collectible that shows extensive evidence of handling with numerous major defects.
Fa/G 1.5
A collectible that shows extensive evidence of handling with a heavy accumulation of major defects.
Fa 1.0
A very poorly handled collectible with a heavy accumulation of major defects.
Poor 0.5
A heavily defaced collectible with a number major defects. Some pieces will also be missing.
Restoration Grading Scale
CGC’s Restoration Grading Scale is a transparent system that is much more descriptive and accurate
than before. Every type of restoration found on each book will be individually graded for quantity and
quality, with a cumulative score determining the final restoration grade assigned.
Quality (Aesthetic) Scale
Determined by materials used and visual quality of work
A (Excellent)
- Material used: rice paper, wheat paste, acrylic or water color, leafcasting
- Color match near perfect, no bleed through
Read More...
- Piece fill seamless and correct thickness
- No fading, excessive whiteness, ripples, cockling, or ink smudges from cover or interior cleaning
- Book feels natural
- Near perfect staple alignment, or replaced exactly as they were
- Filled edges cut to look natural and even
- Cleaned staples or staples replaced with vintage staples
- Married cover/pages match in size and page quality. Professionally attached
Read Less...
B (Fine)
- Material used: pencil, crayon, chalk, re-glossing agent, piece fill from cadavers
- Piece fill obvious upon close inspection, obvious to the touch
Read More...
- Color touch obvious upon close inspection, or done with materials listed above
- Cover cleaning resulting in slight color fading or excessively white
- Interior cleaning resulting in slight puffiness, cockling, excessively white
- Enlarged staple holes, obviously crooked staples, or backwards staple insertion
- Replaced staples not vintage
- Married cover/pages do not match in size and/or page quality. Professionally attached
Read Less...
C (Poor)
- Material used: glue, pen, marker, white out, white paper to fill missing pieces
- Piece fill obvious at arm’s length
Read More...
- Bad color matching, use of pen or marker. Bleed through evident
- Cover cleaning resulting in washed out/speckled colors, moderate cockling and/or ripples
- New staple holes created upon reinsertion, or non-comic book staples used
- Married cover/pages poorly attached with non-professional materials
Read Less...
Quantity Scale
Determined primarily by extent of piece fill and color touch
1 (Slight)
All conservation work, re-glossing, interior lightening, piece fill no more than size of two bindery chips, light color touch in small areas like spine stress, corner crease or bindery chip fill. Married cover or interior pages/wraps (if other work is present)
2 (Slight/Moderate)
Piece fill up to the ½” x ½” and/or color touch covering up to 1” x 1”. Interior piece fill up to 1” x 1”
3 (Moderate)
Piece fill up to the size of 1” x 1” and/or color touch covering up to 2” x 2”. Interior piece fill up to 2” x 2”
4 (Moderate/Extensive)
Piece fill up to the size of 2” x 2” and/or color touch covering up to 4” x 4”. Interior piece fill up to 4” x 4”
5 (Extensive)
Any piece fill over 2” x 2” and/or color touch over 4” x 4”. Recreated interior pages or cover
Conservation Repairs
Conservation repairs are performed with the intent of preserving the structural or chemical integrity of a comic book using professional techniques and materials. It excludes aesthetic repairs such as color touch and piece fill. All conserved grades must satisfy the CGC quality scale of "A" and quantity scale of "1".
- Tear seals
- Spine split seals
- Reinforcement
- Piece reattachment
- Some cover or interior cleaning (water or solvent)
- Staples cleaned or replaced
- Some leaf casting
- De-acidification
Materials Used for Conservation Repairs:
- Rice paper
- Wheat glue
- Vintage staples
- Archival tape
Trading Cards Grading Scale
CGC Trading Cards grades Pokemon TCG and Magic: The Gathering cards using a highly accurate 10-point grading scale. Below are CGC Trading Cards’ grading standard for each numeric grade. For the similar 10-point scale used by CGC for comics, magazines, concert posters and lobby cards, click on Standard above.
Pristine 10
The highest grade assigned. The card must have perfect centering and no evidence of any manufacturing or handling defects. A card with all 10 sub-grades (sometimes called "quad 10s") will be labeled Perfect 10.
Gem Mint 9.5
The card will have excellent centering and exhibit only negligible handling or manufacturing defects.
Mint 9
The card shows at least above-average centering and only a few minor manufacturing or handling defects.
NM/Mint+ 8.5
A card with at least average-to-above-average centering. The card will show small handling defects.
NM/Mint 8
A well-preserved card with at least average centering and small-to-moderate handling defects.
NM+ 7.5
A well-preserved card with a moderate defect or a number of small defects.
NM 7
A slightly played card that has strong eye appeal but has a moderate defect or a number of small defects.
Ex/NM+ 6.5
A slightly played card with minor scuffing, indentations, soiling or fading.
Ex/NM 6
An attractive card that is still bright. It will have a moderate defect and a number of small defects.
Excellent+ 5.5
A moderately played card. It will have moderate and small defects.
Excellent 5
A played card with moderate and small defects. It may also have a light crease.
VG/Ex+ 4.5
A card with obvious signs of play with loss of sheen and whitening extending the entire border.
VG/Ex 4
A heavily played card with several moderate defects including creases.
Very Good+ 3.5
A heavily played card with a couple of major defects. There will be no tears, however.
Very Good 3
A heavily played card with several major defects as well as some moderate defects. There will be no tears, however.
Good+ 2.5
A card that exhibits major-to-extreme defects with heavy creases and significant discoloration.
Good 2
An extremely played card that has poor detail and an accumulation of major defects.
Fair 1.5
A damaged card with poor eye appeal and extreme defects.
Poor 1
An extensively damaged card with large tears and other extreme defects.
Sub-Grades
In addition to a card’s overall grade, CGC Trading Cards will assign sub-grades for Centering, Corners, Edges and Surface by request for an additional fee. The sub-grades will be determined based on the following criteria.
Centering
The registration of the card's primary front and back designs within the frame of the cardstock as intended by the original design.
Corners
The visual and structural integrity of the corners of the card.
Edges
The visual and structural integrity of the edges of the card.
Surface
The visual and structural integrity of the surface of the card.