How are comics graded? The 10-point scale explained
Published Sep 14, 2026 · Updated Sep 14, 2026 · 2 min read
Short answerComics are graded on a 10-point scale that runs from 0.5 (Poor) to 10.0 (Gem Mint), with 25 steps in between. Graders assess the book's structure, surface, spine, corners, page quality and completeness, then assign the highest grade the worst significant defect allows. CGC and CBCS both use this scale, which comes from the Overstreet grading standard.
The scale
The modern scale has 25 grades. Each numeric grade has a traditional name that older price guides and dealers still use:
| Grade | Name | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| 10.0 | Gem Mint | Perfect in every respect; extraordinarily rare |
| 9.9 | Mint | A virtually perfect copy with a single minute flaw |
| 9.8 | Near Mint / Mint | Nearly perfect: sharp corners, tight spine, gloss intact |
| 9.6 | Near Mint + | Almost imperceptible defects |
| 9.4 | Near Mint | Minor wear you have to look for |
| 9.2 | Near Mint − | A few small defects, still a very attractive copy |
| 9.0 | Very Fine / Near Mint | Light wear, flat and bright |
| 8.5 – 7.5 | Very Fine range | Light handling: minor spine stress, small corner blunting |
| 7.0 – 5.5 | Fine range | Clearly read but well kept; some creasing and edge wear |
| 5.0 – 3.5 | Very Good range | Obvious wear, spine rolls, small tears, but complete |
| 3.0 – 1.8 | Good range | Heavy wear, creases, tears, possibly a detached staple |
| 1.5 – 1.0 | Fair | Soiled, torn, possibly missing small pieces |
| 0.5 | Poor | Heavily damaged, possibly incomplete but still identifiable |
What graders look at
A grader examines the book in a fixed order so nothing is missed:
- Completeness and authenticity. Every page, coupon and insert must be present. Married covers, replaced pages and counterfeits are caught here.
- Restoration check. Colour touch, tear seals, trimming and cleaning are searched for under magnification and ultraviolet light. Any restoration found changes the label, not just the grade.
- Structure. Spine stress, spine roll, staple condition, detached covers or pages.
- Surface. Creases, dents, scuffs, foxing, fading, stains, writing.
- Edges and corners. Blunting, chipping, tears.
- Page quality. Assessed separately and printed on the label; it does not change the number but it strongly affects price.
The grade is not an average. A single serious defect caps the grade even if the rest of the book is immaculate — a 2-inch spine split keeps a book out of the Very Fine range no matter how bright the cover is.
Why two graders can disagree
Grading is expert judgement applied to a standard, not a measurement. Companies calibrate their graders against each other and use multiple graders per book, but a copy on the border between 9.4 and 9.6 can come back either way. This is why the same book resubmitted sometimes moves a step, and why pressing before submission is so common: it removes bends and dents that would otherwise decide the grade.
What the grade does not tell you
- Page quality is separate. Two 8.0 copies can have white and cream pages respectively, and the white-paged copy is worth more.
- Eye appeal — centering, cover gloss, colour strike — is only partly captured by the number. Always look at the scan.
- Provenance and pedigree collections are noted on the label but do not change the grade.
For the meaning of each label colour see What do CGC label colours mean?.
Frequently asked
- Is 9.8 the highest grade you can realistically get?
- For most books, yes. 9.9 and 10.0 are assigned to a tiny fraction of submissions, and for many Silver and Bronze Age issues no 10.0 exists on the census at all. 9.8 is the top of the market for the vast majority of comics.
- Do CGC and CBCS grade to the same scale?
- Both use the 10-point Overstreet scale and their grades are broadly comparable, although each company has its own graders and internal standards. Buyers generally treat a CGC 9.8 and a CBCS 9.8 as the same grade, with CGC slabs commanding a modest premium in many segments because of the larger census and resale market.
Written by the Rare Comics Collectors grading team. Spotted an error or have a question this guide does not answer? Tell us.