SHORTBOX COMICS
Comic Grading Guide
Every pre-owned comic sold by Shortbox Comics is individually inspected and assigned a condition grade. This guide explains what you can reasonably expect from each grade.
View the grading scaleHOW WE GRADE
A clear assessment of every comic
We visually inspect the front cover, back cover, spine, corners, edges, staples, centre pages and overall presentation of each comic.
We also consider manufacturing imperfections, handling wear, spine stress, creases, tears, staining, discolouration and other visible defects.
THE SHORTBOX SCALE
Our complete grading scale
Swipe sideways to view the full scale.
EXCELLENT–MINT STATE
Near Mint / Mint
A nearly perfect collectible with exceptional eye appeal and only negligible manufacturing or handling imperfections.
What you may expect
- Excellent colour, gloss and overall presentation
- Sharp corners and clean edges
- Almost no visible spine stress
- Firmly attached cover, staples and pages
- Only extremely small production or handling marks
EXCELLENT–MINT STATE
Near Mint Plus
A very well-preserved collectible with excellent eye appeal and only several very small imperfections.
What you may expect
- Excellent colour, gloss and presentation
- Very minor corner or edge wear
- One or two unobtrusive spine stresses
- No significant creases, tears or staining
- Complete and firmly attached
NEAR MINT–MINT STATE
Near Mint
A very well-preserved collectible with minor wear and a small number of manufacturing or handling defects.
What you may expect
- A fresh and highly attractive appearance
- A few very small spine stresses
- Minimal corner or edge wear
- No major folds, tears or staining
- Secure cover, staples and pages
NEAR MINT
Near Mint Minus
A very well-preserved collectible with some minor wear and several small manufacturing or handling defects.
What you may expect
- Strong overall eye appeal
- Several small spine stresses
- Minor corner rounding or edge wear
- A small light bend may be present
- No serious structural defects
NEAR MINT
Very Fine / Near Mint
A well-preserved collectible with good eye appeal and a number of minor defects.
What you may expect
- Clean and attractive presentation
- A number of small spine stresses
- Light corner, edge or surface wear
- A small crease or impression may be present
- Complete and structurally sound
AVERAGE MINT STATE
Very Fine Plus
An attractive collectible with one moderate defect or a combination of several smaller defects.
What you may expect
- Good colour and attractive presentation
- Noticeable but limited spine stress
- Light edge or corner wear
- A moderate bend or crease may be present
- Cover and pages remain securely attached
VERY GOOD–EXCELLENT
Very Fine
An attractive collectible with moderate wear or an accumulation of several small defects.
What you may expect
- Several visible spine stresses
- Minor corner and edge wear
- A small crease or colour-breaking defect
- Slight loss of original gloss
- Complete and structurally secure
VERY GOOD–EXCELLENT
Very Fine Minus
An above-average collectible with one moderate defect or a noticeable accumulation of smaller defects.
What you may expect
- Visible but not excessive spine wear
- Several colour-breaking stress lines
- Moderate corner or edge wear
- A noticeable crease or bend
- Complete and attractive overall
VERY GOOD
Fine / Very Fine
An above-average collectible with a more significant defect or a larger accumulation of smaller defects.
What you may expect
- Clearly visible handling and spine wear
- Multiple colour-breaking stress lines
- A larger crease or bend may be present
- Noticeable corner and edge wear
- Complete and fully readable
GOOD
Fine Plus
An above-average collectible with one substantial defect and several smaller imperfections.
What you may expect
- Moderate spine, edge and corner wear
- Several visible creases or handling marks
- Reduced gloss or mild surface soiling
- A small tear may be present
- Complete and fully readable
GOOD
Fine
A slightly above-average collectible with a significant defect and several smaller defects.
What you may expect
- Clearly visible reading and handling wear
- Multiple spine stresses and edge defects
- Creases, small tears or surface wear
- Mild discolouration or soiling
- Complete and suitable as a solid reading copy
FAIR
Fine Minus
A slightly above-average collectible showing several moderate defects and clear evidence of previous handling.
What you may expect
- Noticeable spine stress or abrasion
- Multiple creases and worn corners
- Small tears, stains or writing may occur
- Visible loss of gloss
- Complete and readable despite its wear
FAIR
Very Good / Fine
An average-condition collectible with several moderate defects and obvious signs of reading, storage and handling.
What you may expect
- Visible spine, edge and corner wear
- Several creases or surface impressions
- Small tears, marks or mild staining
- Noticeable loss of gloss
- Complete and readable
FAIR
Very Good Plus
A slightly below-average collectible with multiple moderate defects, while remaining suitable for reading and collecting.
What you may expect
- Considerable spine, corner and edge wear
- Multiple colour-breaking creases
- Small tears, stains or writing
- Some staple looseness may occur
- Age and handling wear are clearly visible
FAIR
Very Good
A below-average collectible with multiple moderate defects and substantial, clearly visible signs of use.
What you may expect
- Heavy spine stress and edge wear
- Multiple creases, folds or small tears
- Staining, writing or discolouration may occur
- A loose staple or partially detached area may be present
- Normally complete and readable
POOR
Very Good Minus and Below
A heavily worn collectible with several major defects or a substantial accumulation of moderate defects.
What you may expect
- Heavy creasing, tears and discolouration
- Loose or partially detached covers or pages
- Writing, staining, tape or moisture marks
- Missing pieces may be present
- Review all available product images carefully
Comics below 3.5 can vary considerably. Important defects should be visible in the product photographs.
EXAMPLE PHOTOS
What should the photos show?
Each example should show the overall appearance of the comic and the most relevant defects allowed within that grade.
Full cover
The complete front cover photographed straight-on.
Spine detail
Spine stresses, staple wear and colour-breaking marks.
Corner detail
Typical corner and edge wear accepted within the grade.
Defect example
The most significant defect that may still occur at that grade.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
A grade is an overall assessment
A comic does not need to display every defect listed in this guide to receive a particular grade. One significant defect can sometimes have the same effect on the final assessment as several smaller defects.
Please contact us before ordering when you require additional condition information about a specific comic.
