What do NM, VF, FN, VG and GD mean in comic listings?
Published Sep 14, 2026 · Updated Sep 14, 2026 · 1 min read
Short answerThey are the traditional grade names that predate the numeric scale: NM is Near Mint (9.2–9.8), VF is Very Fine (7.5–9.0), FN is Fine (5.5–7.0), VG is Very Good (3.5–5.0), GD is Good (1.8–3.0), and FR and PR are Fair and Poor (1.0–1.5 and 0.5). Plus and minus signs move within the range, so VF/NM is 9.0 and VG+ is 4.5. Reputable sellers of raw books give both the name and the number.
The full mapping
| Abbreviation | Name | Numeric grades |
|---|---|---|
| MT | Mint | 9.9–10.0 |
| NM | Near Mint | 9.2 (NM−), 9.4 (NM), 9.6 (NM+), 9.8 (NM/MT) |
| VF | Very Fine | 7.5 (VF−), 8.0 (VF), 8.5 (VF+), 9.0 (VF/NM) |
| FN | Fine | 5.5 (FN−), 6.0 (FN), 6.5 (FN+), 7.0 (FN/VF) |
| VG | Very Good | 3.5 (VG−), 4.0 (VG), 4.5 (VG+), 5.0 (VG/FN) |
| GD | Good | 1.8 (GD−), 2.0 (GD), 2.5 (GD+), 3.0 (GD/VG) |
| FR | Fair | 1.0 (FR), 1.5 (FR/GD) |
| PR | Poor | 0.5 |
Why both systems survive
Price guides such as Overstreet still organise prices by named grade, and dealers who learned to grade before 2000 describe books that way. The numeric scale is more precise and is what the grading companies print, so most listings now give the number with the name as a courtesy.
Watch for optimism
Raw books described only as "NM" without a number are the ones most often over-graded. Ask for the number and for scans; a raw "NM" that comes back from CGC as an 8.5 is a common story. See How are comics graded? for what separates the grades.
Written by the Rare Comics Collectors grading team. Spotted an error or have a question this guide does not answer? Tell us.