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Being taught to grade comics.587

Collector jwalker0094 private msg quote post Address this user
I've been collecting comics since I was a child. I have been doing this for quite some time. Although I've gotten pretty good at grading a comic book at first glance, I'm no professional. My question is, who teaches someone how to grade like the professionals? My dream job would be grading comics. I could do it until the day I died. There is a scale system that is used obviously, who decides the scale and do you have to be in the "business" to really learn the scale?
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Collector Muuko private msg quote post Address this user
In my opinion I think a good way to go about learning is from already graded comics on how they look and notes about them. I also like to talk with others and as a group come down to a decision. But I'm no professional so I wouldn't know either.
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Collector jwalker0094 private msg quote post Address this user
I'm pretty good at being able to look at a book and guesstimate within a grade. I just really want to know how they look at a book and come together for a final decision and say "Yes, this book is an 8.0".
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Collector sugarman private msg quote post Address this user
try the Overstreet Guide to Grading Comics. good book. has rules for each grade. lots of pictures.
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Moderator Jesse_O private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by jwalker0094
I just really want to know how they look at a book and come together for a final decision and say "Yes, this book is an 8.0".


Maybe a grader will come on and comment, but it is a process!! From what I understand, you take a test to see how good your grading skills are. I believe the test was developed in house at CBCS. If you are close enough, and are hired, there is a training period so that all the graders are working on some consistent level. Then each comic is reviewed independently by a minimum of 2 graders. These graders do not know what the other one has graded the book at. Then the comic goes to a finalizer (i.e. Steve Borock) and he looks at it and sees if he agrees with the grade (if both graders gave the same grade) or he decides what the final grade will be between his own observations and the previous two inspections if they are different. I believe this also involves a lot of communication between the graders in cases where there are different grades.

I don't know if CBCS will ever do it again, but they did host a grading seminar down in St. Petersburg one year. It was open to collectors and I believe about 20 people showed up for it from across the globe. I know of one individual who came from Spain for it.
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Collector roarzola private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by sugarman
sugarmanprivate msgquote post


I just looked on amazon. 2015 edition are going for over $100 but if you can wait, 2016 edition comes out in October for about $20.
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COLLECTOR JWKyle private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by sugarman
try the Overstreet Guide to Grading Comics. good book. has rules for each grade. lots of pictures.
I remember having that and there was a ATOM 25 with different copies ranging in different grades to show you the step down to what different grades looked like I loved that book literately to pieces
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Moderator Jesse_O private msg quote post Address this user
If you want, here is a link to the album on facebook about the grading seminar. It is just a collection of stories and pictures, but it might interest you.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.366718670198865&type=1
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COLLECTOR dielinfinite private msg quote post Address this user
@roarzola Wow! Looks like this year CBCS has equal billing on the cover with CGC! Last year CGC had 2 books on the cover and CBCS had 1. This year they both have 2.

We've crossed the threahhold, people!
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Collector roarzola private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by dielinfinite
@roarzola Wow! Looks like this year CBCS has equal billing on the cover with CGC! Last year CGC had 2 books on the cover and CBCS had 1. This year they both have 2.

We've crossed the threahhold, people!


yup, saw that.
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COLLECTOR DarthLego private msg quote post Address this user
I bought a copy of the Overstreet grading guide 2 years ago, I remember it was harder to track down for a decent price than most comics. Amazon has the 2016 edition on pre-order real cheap, I recommend grabbing one.
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Collector matterus023 private msg quote post Address this user
This was posted on here 5 hours ago jwalker0094

https://forum.cbcscomics.com/topic/586/page/1/cbcs-hiring/#8

Have a feeling you saw it
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Collector sugarman private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by roarzola

I just looked on amazon. 2015 edition are going for over $100 but if you can wait, 2016 edition comes out in October for about $20.


someone on amazon is smoking some real good stuff..

you can still get the 2015 book brand new at a discount from indigo/chapters in Canada. they have 2 left. $25 can/$20 usd

clickable text
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Collector Dick_Pontoon private msg quote post Address this user
There are earlier editions on Amazon for pennies; I’d just get one of those. I wouldn’t expect much though; overall they’re kind of crappy with small pictures. There’s not really a substitute for experience, looking at a lot of both raw and slabbed books in person as well as online.
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Collector SpiderTim private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by roarzola
Quote:
Originally Posted by sugarman
sugarmanprivate msgquote post


I just looked on amazon. 2015 edition are going for over $100 but if you can wait, 2016 edition comes out in October for about $20.


-UAAOSwNuxXZCQr" target="_blank">http://www.ebay.com/itm/Overstreet-Guide-to-Grading-Comics-2015-Overstreet-Robert-M-/371658941904?hash=item56889965d0:g-UAAOSwNuxXZCQr

Here is a link on ebay for them for half that price.
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Collector FineCollector private msg quote post Address this user
If you're going to learn to grade accurately, you need to look at how other people do it. Understand that the person selling or the person buying may bias the grade in their direction, but for the most part, experienced people usually agree on a grade.
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Collector Resurrection private msg quote post Address this user
There are two types of people who grade comics. Those who can, and those who can't. The ones who can wanted to learn and spent time learning. My best suggestion is attend conventions, talk to reputable dealers, and of course send books to be graded. Write down your estimated grade, and defects you spot to determine your grade and compare to what grade you get and graders notes. CGC and CBCS grading is the industry standard now, so I suggest looking at their graded books.
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