Yes, you can get comic books graded by sending them to a third-party service with a submission form, safe packing, and payment for grading tiers.
New to grading? This guide shows every stage, from picking a grading company to packing, shipping, tracking, and reading the label once your book comes back in a protective case. You’ll see what grading tiers mean, what adds cost, and how to avoid mistakes that dent value.
How To Get Comic Books Graded: The Short Path
Here’s the fast map before we dive deeper. Choose a company. Make an online account. Fill the submission form. Decide on services like cleaning or pressing. Pack with rigid boards and bubble wrap. Ship with insurance. Wait for the status to move from received to graded to shipped.
Getting Comic Books Graded: Step-By-Step
Pick A Grading Company
The biggest names are CGC and CBCS. Both use a 10-point scale and sealed cases, with notes that record flaws. The market tracks both, so choice often comes down to service options, add-ons, and speed.
Create Your Account And Membership
Accounts unlock online forms, tracked orders, and bulk perks. Paid tiers can shave fees or open faster lanes.
Fill The Submission Form
You’ll enter each book’s title, issue, year, and claimed value. That value sets the tier and insurance level. Pick press/clean if wanted, select autograph rules, and pick return shipping. Print the form and the packing slip.
Pack For No Movement
Grading rooms are careful, but damage in transit starts at your table. Use a new bag and board, slide the comic between two pieces of corrugated cardboard, tape the sandwich, wrap in bubble, and lock the bundle in a snug box with padding all around. Double-box for higher-value books. Write the order number on the inner box. Add a moisture barrier by sliding the sandwich into a comic mailer or poly bag, then tape edges so dust stays out. Corner protectors help during long trips and rough hubs, especially for square-bound books that bruise easily.
Ship With Tracking And Insurance
Pick a carrier with reliable scanning and delivery confirmation, and keep alerts on your phone. Add insurance that matches the declared value. Save the receipt, tracking link, and photos. If you send a high-value grail, choose a service that requires a signature at delivery.
Watch The Order Status
Portals show stages such as received, scheduled, graded, imaged, and shipped, with timestamps along the way. Turnaround time shifts with volume and tier; faster lanes cost more. When a grade posts, you’ll see the number, page color, and notes.
Comparison Of Grading Paths And Choices
This table scans the choices you’ll make.
| Decision | Options | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Grading Company | CGC, CBCS | Market reach, label features, add-ons |
| Tier | Value-based lanes | Price and speed change with declared value |
| Pressing/Cleaning | Add-on or third party | Can lift grade when defects are pressable |
| Autograph Handling | Witnessed or verified | Controls label color and authenticity |
| Packing Style | Single or double box | Protects corners and spine in transit |
| Insurance | Carrier or third party | Limits loss if a box goes missing or breaks |
| Return Shipping | Ground or air | Faster return for time-sensitive sales |
What The Grade Numbers Mean
Both CGC and CBCS use a scale from 0.5 to 10.0 with common midpoints like 9.8, 9.6, 9.4, 9.2, 9.0, all the way down to Poor. Tiny ticks, light spine stress, and faint creases chip at the score. Missing pages, torn covers, or color touch lead to lower numbers or a qualified label. Page color also appears on the label, from white to tan or brittle.
Want an official reference? Read the submission and scale pages from the grading sites listed below; they show defect types, label colors, and program rules.
Cost, Tiers, And When Faster Lanes Make Sense
Grading fees rise with claimed value and speed. A modern book under a set cap lands in an entry tier. Vintage books, big sales prices, or same-week targets move you up the ladder. Add-ons like pressing, photo imaging, and special label programs stack on top. Estimate sale price after grading, subtract fees, packing, and shipping, and see if the margin clears your target.
When To Pay For Pressing
Pressing flattens light bends and non-color-breaking waves. A crisp press can jump a score, which raises value on many modern issues. It won’t fix color breaks, chips, stains, or missing bits. If a copy shows soft bends or a subtle spine roll, pressing is worth a look.
When A Fast Tier Pays Off
If a convention signing or a media bump is near, a faster lane can land the book back in time. Cost rises, but timing can cover it if demand peaks.
How To Pack And Ship Safely
Think layers and no shake. Start with fresh bags and acid-free boards. Add a top loader or two thick pieces of corrugate. Tape edges with painter’s tape so it peels clean. Wrap in bubble, then place in a close-fit inner box. Float that box inside a larger box with padding on all sides. Fill gaps so nothing shifts when shaken.
Match insurance to the declared value. Request a signature on delivery. Keep photos of packing steps. If a claim is ever needed, those photos help.
How Labels, Notes, And Special Programs Work
The label shows grade, page color, title, issue, and a unique serial. Scan or type that number on the grader site to see notes. Defects like tanning, tears, or missing wraps earn clear callouts. Witnessed signatures and special series labels follow strict chains of custody, which is why witnessed signings cost more.
How To Get Comic Books Graded With Minimal Risk
This section pulls the steps into a tight checklist you can keep open while you prep books.
| Step | Action | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Create accounts | Save profiles for return addresses |
| 2 | Sort by value | Pick tiers by declared value |
| 3 | Bag and board | Use new acid-free supplies |
| 4 | Press if needed | Target bends and waves |
| 5 | Complete forms | Print two copies |
| 6 | Double-box | No empty space in either box |
| 7 | Ship insured | Request adult signature |
| 8 | Track and save | Keep scans and photos |
Reading The Grade And Planning Next Moves
When the grade posts, match it against recent sales for that issue. If the score met your target, list it during peak hours on your chosen marketplace. If it missed, hold if supply looks thin, or move it now to free capital.
What A Qualified Or Restored Label Means
A qualified label records a major flaw or a missing piece while still giving a number. A restored label marks work like color touch, tear seals, or piece fill. Some buyers avoid restored copies, while others buy them at a discount for display.
How To Use Grader Notes
Notes explain the deduction—spine stress, light crease, small tear, tanning, or a split at the staple. Study notes to learn which prep steps help next time. If a run shows the same ding, change storage or packing.
Common Mistakes That Cost Money
Under-Or Over-Valuing Submissions
Declared value drives tier, fees, and insurance. If you mark a grail too low, you may cap insurance. If you mark a dollar bin at a sky-high value, you’ll pay more for no gain.
Loose Packing
Gaps cause corners to blunt in transit. Pack tight. Test by shaking the inner box. If you hear a thud, add more padding.
Skipping Pressing On Obvious Candidates
Waves and light bends often respond to a professional press. Send those in with a press order to lift the score.
Forgetting Signature Rules
Witnessed signings tie the label to the autograph. If you want a yellow label, arrange a witness through the grader program or use their event list. Mail-in signings often require a separate form and strict packing windows.
FAQ-Free Tips That Save Time
Keep a packing kit: painter’s tape, corrugate, bubble, poly mailers, labels, and two box sizes that nest. Use a luggage scale to weigh boxes and print labels at home. Photograph each stack before sealing the inner and outer boxes. Label the inner box with your order number and last name. Slip the printed form inside the inner box under the top layer of padding.
Why Grading Helps Value
Slabs reduce haggling. A buyer sees the number, the page color, and the autograph status and can compare prices fast. High grades in hot runs pull strong bids, and common issues in mid grades move fast at shows. Mid-grade vintage books gain trust when sealed and verified.
Where To Learn Straight From The Source
Start here: the CGC submission steps and the CBCS grading scale.
Final Checklist Before You Ship
Documents
Printed forms, photo set of the raw book front and back, and a copy of your ID if a signing asks for it.
Packing
New bag and board, rigid cardboard both sides, painter’s tape, bubble wrap, snug inner box, padded outer box, no shake test passed.
Shipping
Label matched to the order, tracking saved, insurance set, signature requested.
The phrase how to get comic books graded shows up a lot in searches, and this guide walks the exact steps without fluff. If you needed a second nudge, here it is: pick your top copy, fill the form, and send it in. You’ll learn fast by doing a small batch. Soon you’ll spot pressable defects, pack faster, and list with confidence. If you came in asking how to get comic books graded, you now have a clean path from raw copy to slab in hand.