CGC - Grading Service
Certified Guaranty Company® (CGC®) revolutionized the comic book marketplace when it was founded in 2000 by providing clear, objective and impartial assessments of authenticity and grade. Today, CGC is the world’s largest and most trusted third-party grading service for comics, trading cards, magazines, concert posters and related collectibles with more than 6 million collectibles certified since 2000.
Benefits of Grading
Confidence is knowing what you’re getting.
Certification offers many benefits for comic book collectors, dealers and retailers. As an independent grader, impartial to any party, CGC provides this certification with accuracy and enthusiasm.
The CGC Holder
CGC’s state-of-the-art holder combines superior optics and the most advanced archival materials, making it ideal for visual display and preservation
Crystal-clear Display
The crystal-clear plastic’s superior optics unleash a comic’s true color and vibrancy. The redesigned label is cleaner and easier to read, showcasing the grade and even more details about the book, and allowing you to easily identify the book from both the front and back.
Superior Preservation and Security
The holder’s sturdy outer plastic better resists impacts. The holder design uses precise pressure to lock the comic in place for enhanced protection, and the hologram affirming authenticity is now hot-stamped and embedded into the plastic for improved protection and increased security.
Collection Integration
Comics of nearly any size fit in the CGC holder. The CGC holder also locks and stacks with other CGC holders, both old and new, making the new holder easy to integrate with your existing collection, and creating a uniform display you can be proud of.
CGC - Labels
Universal Label (Blue)
This label is given to collectibles that are simply the grade as marked, with no qualifiers or special considerations.
CGC Signature Series® Label (Yellow)
This label is applied to collectibles that have been signed by someone of significance to the collectible, under the direct observation of a CGC authorized witness, and are thus certified by CGC as having an authentic signature. In select instances, CGC may accept signed collectibles directly from the signer/publisher.
Qualified Label (Green)
A Qualified label is used by CGC for collectibles that have a significant defect that needs specific description, or to note an unauthenticated signature (one which was not witnessed by CGC). For example, a comic book with a missing coupon that otherwise grades 6.0 will receive a Qualified grade, avoiding a considerably lower grade. CGC would give this book a Qualified grade of 6.0 and a Label Text notation “COUPON MISSING FROM PAGE 10, DOES NOT AFFECT STORY.” Or, if the book is signed on the cover it may be noted as “NAME WRITTEN ON COVER IN MARKER.”
Restored Label (Purple)
This label is applied to any comic book that has evidence of repair so that it will appear as it did when it was in its original condition. Restoration can come in a variety of degrees, from slight professional restoration (A-1) to extensive amateur restoration (C-5).
Pedigree Label (Gold)
This label is applied to any comic book that is part of a CGC recognized pedigree collection. Many pedigree collections were recognized and accepted by the hobby before CGC came into existence.
No Grade
NG – This label stands for “No Grade” and is assigned to comics that are either missing the entire cover, or one half or more of the interior pages, or both. It may also be assigned to comics that are only being verified as authentic, per CGC’s discretion.
Individual Page
PG – This label is assigned to either a single page or wrap from the interior of a comic book. Pages that cannot be associated with a specific issue will not be certified by CGC, however. Some interior pages display only advertisements on both sides, lacking the context that allows CGC to correctly identify the issue to which they belong. Unless this kind of page is submitted with other pages from the same copy, and resembles those pages in grade and page quality, it will not be graded and the fee will be refunded less a small processing charge.
Cover
CVR – This label is assigned to covers only, whether the front cover, back cover, or both. Back covers that cannot be associated with a specific issue will not be certified by CGC, however. An example of this scenario is the back cover to Amazing Fantasy #15, which is common to other Marvel comics printed that same month, as well as other months. If CGC cannot definitively tell the back cover is from Amazing Fantasy #15, it will be not be graded and the fee will be refunded less a small processing charge.
Conserved Label (Blue/Grey)
This label is applied to any comic book with specific repairs done to improve the structural integrity and long-term preservation. These repairs include tear seals support, staple replacement, piece reattachment and certain kinds of cleaning.
CGC Signature Series Qualified Label (Yellow/Green)
This label is assigned to a collectible that has been signed by someone of significance to the collectible, and which also exhibits a qualifying defect or unwitnessed signature. For example, if a comic book is signed by Stan Lee under direct observation of a CGC authorized witness* but is missing a page, the book will be graded as if the page was not missing, and given the CGC Signature Series Qualified label with a notation of the missing page. Another example is if Stan Lee signed a high grade comic book under direct observation, but the cover also exhibited a signature not observed by a CGC authorized witness. Stan Lee’s witnessed signature (eligible for CGC Signature Series) and the other signature (not eligible for CGC Signature Series) would result in a CGC Signature Series Qualified label.
CGC Signature Series Restored Label (Yellow/Purple)
This label is applied to a restored comic book that has been signed by someone of significance to the comic, under the direct observation of a CGC authorized witness, and is certified by CGC as having an authentic signature. The degree of restoration is also noted on the label.
GC Signature Series Conserved Label (Yellow/Grey)
This label is applied to a conserved comic book that has been signed by someone of significance to the comic, under the direct observation of a CGC representative, and is certified by CGC as having an authentic signature. The conservation work is also noted on the label.
CGC Trading Cards was launched in 2020, Certified Guaranty Company (CGC) brought the same expertise, integrity and passion that revolutionized comic book collecting to the world of trading cards. The division continues to grow, with the addition of new games, investment in the latest technology, incredible collections certified and record setting prices realized.
Why CGC Trading Cards?
The popularity of trading cards has grown significantly since the release of Magic: The Gathering in 1993 and Pokémon TCG in 1996. With prices for many early and rare cards increasing substantially in recent years, trading card collectors want to be completely confident that their cards are genuine, accurately graded and preserved.
CGC Trading Cards provides this confidence through its expert and impartial authentication, grading and encapsulation services for the most popular trading card games, including Pokémon, Magic, Dragon Ball Super, Flesh and Blood, MetaZoo and many more.
CGC Trading Cards has assembled a team of expert trading card graders who, as collectors and players themselves, care deeply about providing comprehensive certification services that benefit the hobby. To ensure impartiality, CGC Trading Cards graders are prohibited from buying and selling collectibles commercially.
After a trading card has been authenticated and graded by CGC Trading Cards, it is encapsulated in the CGC Trading Cards holder, which provides the best in protection and display while being portable and easy to store.
Accurate Grading
CGC Trading Cards graders use a highly accurate, industry-standard 10-point grading scale and evaluate cards using advanced authentication and grading equipment, including devices that perform ultra-microscopic inspections and precisely calculate centering.