Grading guide

CGC grading for comic collectors: the full guide

Submission, grades explained, cost breakdown, when to grade and when not to. The collector-side reference for the yellow, blue and purple labels.

🚀 Free 7-day trial: No commitment

⚡ Quick answer

CGC grading is third-party authentication and condition certification of comic books by Certified Guaranty Company. The blue label confirms the comic's grade (0.5-10.0); the yellow label adds a witnessed signature; the purple label flags restoration. Grading typically costs $20-100 per comic and adds 3-15× value on key issues in high grade, but only above a sales-price threshold where the premium outweighs the fee.

Label colours

Blue, yellow, purple: what each CGC label means

🔵

Blue label: Universal

Standard condition grade, no restoration, no signature. The most common label and the one buyers prefer for maximum value retention.

🟡

Yellow label: Signature Series

Signature witnessed by CGC staff. The signature is authenticated: no forgery risk. Premium over a comparable blue label varies by signee: Stan Lee adds significant value, most artists add a moderate premium.

🟣

Purple label: Restored

Indicates restoration (colour touch, tear seal, paper replacement). Restored books sell for 30-70% less than an equivalent blue label: a critical flag for buyers.

🟢

Green label: Qualified

A condition issue (missing page, etc.) that would otherwise lower the grade significantly. Less common, priced between blue and purple tiers.

Cost and strategy

When grading pays for itself

CGC fees range from roughly $20 (Modern tier, low value) to $100+ (Pre-1975 Economy, Fast Track for high-value books). Shipping and insurance add $20-40 per batch. Before submitting, apply the 3× rule: expected grade-corrected value should be at least 3× the grading cost to justify the submission.

Some books are uneconomic to grade: a $30 modern with a likely CGC 9.6 grade adds maybe $15 in value but costs $40 to submit. A $500 raw Silver Age book at expected CGC 7.0+ is a clear submit.

Track your slabs

Managing CGC-graded comics in your collection

My Comics Collection handles CGC slabs as a separate record type: each slabbed copy carries its exact grade, slab number, label colour, and a valuation reflecting the grade premium. The app tracks slabs separately from raw copies of the same issue.

Frequently Asked Questions

Fees depend on tier (Modern, Value, Standard, Pre-1975) and turnaround speed. Expect $20-45 for modern low-to-mid value books, $60-120+ for high-value or Pre-1975 books, plus shipping and return insurance.

No. If the book's expected graded value isn't at least 3× the grading cost, you lose money. Modern $20 books rarely pass that threshold.

Both are third-party graders. CGC has wider market recognition and typically sells at a small premium vs. CBCS for equivalent grades. CBCS offers verified in-house signature authentication without pre-witnessing.

Sometimes. If your book is one grade bump away from a big value jump (e.g. 9.6 → 9.8 on a key issue), a resubmit with pressing can pay off. Usually not worth it below 9.4.

Track your CGC slabs alongside your raw copies

Manage graded and raw copies in one collection. Per-grade valuation, slab ID tracking, per-issue breakdown. 7 days free.

🚀 Start free 7-day trial

✓ Full 7-day access · ✓ No charge during trial · ✓ Cancel anytime