How do you grade your comics?

Raw books are graded by eye against the standard 10-point scale — Near Mint, Very Fine, Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor. We are collectors, not a grading company, so treat our raw grades as an honest opinion rather than a certified number. If a book has a defect worth knowing about — a spine tick, a crease, tape, water damage, a missing coupon — we write it in the listing. We would rather lose the sale than surprise you.

What does it mean if a comic is graded or slabbed?

A slabbed book has been sent to a third-party grading company such as CGC or CBCS, sealed in a protective case, and given a number from 0.5 to 10.0. The label colour tells you a lot:

• Blue (Universal) — a standard grade, no restoration.
• Yellow (Signature Series) — signed with a witness present.
• Green (Qualified) — a significant defect is described on the label.
• Purple (Restored) — the book has been repaired with added material.
• Blue/Grey (Conserved) — work done to preserve the book, not to change how it looks.

If a book we sell carries a green or purple label, we put that in the title. It affects the value and you should not have to hunt for it.

Is pressing the same as restoration?

No, and this one causes a lot of arguments. CGC defines restoration as adding foreign material to a book. Pressing, dry cleaning and tape removal only take something away, so they do not count as restoration. What does count: colour touch, piece fill, trimming, glue, staple replacement and re-gloss. A pressed book needs no disclosure. A trimmed or colour-touched one absolutely does, and we will tell you.

How do you grade trading cards?

Raw cards are described with a plain condition word — Excellent, Very Good, and so on — and we scan front and back so you can judge the corners, centring and surface yourself. Graded cards show the grading company and the number on the slab.

Is every item one of a kind?

Almost always, yes. Nearly everything we list is a single copy. When it sells, it is gone. That is also why we sell the same inventory across a few different places — if something goes on another channel first, it comes down here, usually within minutes.

How do you pack and ship?

Comics ship bagged and boarded in a rigid mailer or a box, never a plain envelope. Cards ship in a sleeve and a top loader or a case. Slabs get bubble wrap and a box sized to stop them moving. See our Shipping & Returns page for rates and timing.

Do you buy collections?

We do. Comics, cards and collectibles, from a single key book to a full basement. Tell us what you have on our Sell Your Collection page and we will give you a straight answer on what it is worth.

Something arrived wrong. What now?

Email us and we will fix it. If we graded a book too generously or missed a defect, that is on us — you get a refund or a replacement, your choice.