Newsgroup: it.arti.fumetti
Titolo: Canoni per determinare le condizioni di un fumetto...

Visto che ogni volta che mi accingo a comprare dei fumetti mi usano termini
come NEAR MINT, MINT ... e simili , mi piacerebbe sapere dagli esperti quali
sono i canoni... cioč ad esempio quando per un fumetto vale la pena pagare
il prezzo di copertina e quando invece č molto deprezzato....(ad esempio la
presenza di righe,pieghe,la classica righina "da lettura " sul
bordo,ecc...cioč quanto ognuno di questi fattori incide sul presunto valore
di mercato del fumetto)
Ringrazio anticipatamentepur sapendo che č difficile fare delle valutazioni
generali senza un fumetto sotto mano!

 sono i canoni... 
Spero te la cavi bene con l'inglese... O:-)
Grading Guide
_________________________________
Version    : 1.2
Date      : 1 May 1995
Written By : Paul Adams
e-mail    : 
pa...@erc.msstate.edu
  Confused about how to grade your comic books? What does "Mint"
actually mean and does it even exist?  Hopefully this post will help
you
out.  As David Schmidt has pointed out, there are some
inconsistencies in the grading guide.  Take this into account, and
realize that this is a guide, not something set in concrete.
Comments, constructive criticism, &c. are welcome.  Flames are
ignored.
Paul Adams
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Changes since version 1.1 include :
Corrected error: Instead of "Odd-Center" it should have read
"Off-Center".
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table of Contents:
  I. Grading Procedure
  II. Nomenclature
III. Polybagged Comics
  IV. Restored Comics
  V. Grading Golden/Silver Age Comics
  VI. Summary
VII. Sources Consulted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I. Grading Procedure
____________________
  Before delving into the nomenclature of grading, I first want to go
over
the process or steps of grading.  First and foremost of all is to
remember that learning how to grade takes time and experience.
Before grading a comic that you are thinking about buying, always ask
the permission of the seller at first or have the seller open the
comic for
you.  This keeps you from being responsible if any damage does occur
and, more importantly, is polite.
  1. Take the comic book and lay it on a flat surface out of the bag
that it is in.  Keep it away from fluorescent lights, sunlight,
and
smoke.  The area needs to well lit though.
  2. Look for defects on the front and back cover such as :
      a) condition of staples,
      b) any creases, folds or tears,
      c) the reflectivity of the cover, &c.
      Note any grade reductions that are needed, remembering that
many collectors consider the cover the most important focal point.
  3. Look along the spine for damage.  Many collectors consider this
  the second most important focal point.
  4. Check the interior of the comic, but avoid opening the comic
more than about 45 degrees to keep the stress on the spine
minimal.  Specifically check for:
      a) the whiteness of the pages,
      b) any clipped coupons,
      c) to see if the centerfold is secure, &c.
After grading a prospective comic that you would like to buy, discuss
with the seller any differences of opinion that you might have with
them.  It never hurts to get a second opinion on the grade of a comic.
II. Nomenclature
_______________
  Their are eight nomenclature grades for comics.  Corresponding to
each grade there is a numeric range.  Remember that in grading a
comic involves grading the entire comics, not just its cover.
Consider
_all_ defects.  A book in any of the grades must be in its original
_unrestored_ condition.  Restored comics must be stated as such,
and the conditions for grading them are described in section III.
Finally
the key to correct grading is objectivity.  Yes, it is subjective to a
point,
but subjective with rules.  The difference between a F+ and a F may
not be much and open to opinion, but the difference between a F and
VF is large since the former has yellowish pages while the later has
off-white pages.
  Following are the eight nomenclature grades.  Included alongside
them is a point rating system that is Overstreets' as well as a
percentage for the value of comic based on NM.  Briefly, the
percentage point scale is a guide as to how much one should expect
to pay for a comic based on the Near Mint price.  For example, a Fine
copy of a comic should be worth roughly half of what a Near Mint copy
of that comics is worth.  The point scale is (at best) a guesstimate
since rarity, the demand for a product, number of issues printed, &c.
will affect the price.  For example, who will want to pay for a VG
copy
of a recent copy when a glut of NM copies exist.  On the other hand, a
Fine copy of a really hot comic may command a price of more than
half what a Near Mint copy of the same comic would command.
Remember, it is only a guide.  Cover price is also not a bottom limit.
With the recent glut of comics, I have found many VF to NM comics
that are less than a year old in the dollar to 50 cent bin.  Again,
use it
as a guide, not as an absolute.
As to Overstreet's point grading scale, called Overstreet Numerical
Equivalent or ONE, it is an attempt to assign a numeric grade as well
as the name grade (Mint, Near Mint, &c. ).  In the same fashion that
one might receive a grade of 95/A on a test, a comic might receive a
grade of NM95 according to Overstreet. In addition, a third grade by
Overstreet has been developed called Overstreet Whiteness Level
(OWL).  The OWL grade is used to define the average whiteness of the
pages of a comic.  Thus a grade of NM95/10 means the comic is in
Near Mint condition, with a ONE of 95 and an OWL of 10.  A grade of
FN60/7 means the comic is in Fine condition, with a ONE of 60 and an
OWL of 7. Consult the book _The Overstreet Comic Book Grading
Guide 1st edition_ for a better understanding of how to use these
grading scales.  The  ONE scale is included here only for reference.
Finally, no in-between or combination grades, such as VF/NM, are
given.  There are several reasons for this.  First is that comic can
either
be VF+ or NM-, but not both at the same time.  Second, such a
pseudo-grade could be used by the seller to mean that such a comic
could be classified by the buyer - depending on the buyers
point-of-view - as either a VF+ or a NM-.  The problem is that this
makes everything subject to the buyer's point-of-view and makes the
seller look like a poor grader.  Third, most comics graded as VF/NM
usually end up being really VF to VF+ instead of NM.  Fourth, some
may say that that it is an expansion of the 8 point grading scale to
one
with 14 point scale and thus more accurate.  If accuracy is desired,
then I recommend using the Overstreet Numerical Equivalent scale
instead of the in-between grades which can be confusing. This is not
meant to be taken as an attack against those who use these grades.
It is just my opinion that they are confusing.  Even if they were not,
it
would be difficult to describe what flaws would put a comic in that
grade.  Your opinions may differ.  Feedback either for or against
these
views is welcome.
MINT  ( M or MT : 125% ~ 150% ; Overstreet 100-98 )
Near perfect in every way.  Only the most subtle bindery or printing
defects are allowed.  Cover is flat with no surface wear.  Cover inks
are
bright with high reflectivity and minimal fading.  Corners are cut
square
and sharp.  Staples are generally centered and clean with no rust.
Cover is generally centered and firmly secured to interior pages.
Paper
is supple and fresh.  Spine is tight and flat.  Yes, comics in this
grade
do exist, but they are extremely rare for one simple reason - this is
the
most subjective of all the grades.  What qualifies as Mint to one
person
may have a small, almost unnoticeable flaw that downgrades it to Near
Mint for someone else.  Your typical comic in the pull file or on the
newsstand is _not_ in mint condition, but is instead in near mint
condition because of these extremely minor flaws.
NEAR MINT  ( NM :100% , NM- : 90%; Overstreet 97-90 )
Nearly perfect.  Cover is flat with no surface wear.  Cover inks are
bright with high reflectivity and with a minimum of fading.  Corners
are
cut square and sharp with ever so slight blunting permitted.  Staples
are generally centered and clean with no rust.  Cover is well centered
and firmly secured to interior pages.  Paper is supple and like new.
Spine is tight and flat.
Tears              : None allowed.
Corner Bends        : Only allowed if hardly noticeable.
Spine Stress Marks  : Only allowed if hardly noticeable.
Staples            : Tight, clean, no rust, and centered.
Writing            : None allowed with the exception of autographs.
Rubber Stamps      : None allowed.
Tape                : None allowed.
Pieces Missing      : None allowed with the exception of tips of pages
                    nicked during the production process.
Fingerprints        : When noticeable they drop the comic down to
Fine.
Water stains        : None allowed.
Browning Paper      : None allowed except in the instance of older
              comics (such as a 12 cent comic) that may have
    oxidized due to their extreme age.  Even then,
it
must be hardly noticeable.
Spine Rolling      : None allowed.
Off-Center Printing : Only allowed if hardly noticeable.
Cover Scuff Marks  : Only allowed if hardly noticeable.
VERY FINE  ( VF+ :80% , VF : 70% , VF- : 60%; Overstreet 89-75 )
An excellent copy with outstanding eye appeal.  Sharp, bright and
clean with supple pages.  Pages and covers can be yellowish/tannish
(at the most) but not brown and will usually be off-white to white.
Light
spine wear is permissible.  Most comics from the past ten years or so
that have been well taken care of will fall somewhere is this
category.
Tears              : Only very minor tears allowed - 1/8 inch.
Corner Bends        : Slightly noticeable bends allowed.
Spine Stress Marks  : Slightly noticeable ones allowed.
Staples            : Clean, no rust, centered, but may be a bit loose.
Writing            : None allowed with the exception of autographs.
Rubber Stamps      : None allowed.
Tape                : None allowed.
Pieces Missing      : None allowed with the exception of tips of pages
                    nicked during the production process.
Fingerprints        : When noticeable they drop the comic down a
grade.
                      Solid color cover books or ones with a highly
      reflective cover have problems with this.
Water stains        : None allowed.
Browning Paper      : None allowed except in the instance of older
              comics (such as a 12 cent comic) that may have
    oxidized due to their extreme age.  Even then,
it
must be hardly noticeable.
Spine Rolling      : None allowed.
Off-Center Printing : Very slight deviance is allowed.
Cover Scuff Marks  : Only allowed if hardly noticeable.
FINE ( F or FN, F+ : 55% , F : 50% , F- 45%; Overstreet 74-55 )
An exceptional, above average copy that shows minor wear but still
relatively flat, clean and glossy with no subscription crease or brown
margins.  Typical defects include: light spine wear, minor surface
wear,
a light crease, minor yellowing/tanning to interior pages.  Compared
to
a VF, cover inks are beginning to show a significant reduction in
reflectivity but is till highly collectable and desirable.
Tears              : Only very minor tears allowed - 1/4 inch.
Corner Bends        : Minor noticeable bends allowed.
Spine Stress Marks  : Minor noticeable ones allowed.
Staples            : Clean, no rust, centered, but may be a bit loose.
Writing            : Very neat, small penciled prices on the interior
            page of a comic allowed.  Otherwise, not allowed. Rubber
Stamps      : Allowed only in the case of international price
    stamps or small blue star which shows that it
was
sold at a Stars & Stripes newsstand at a
military base.
Tape                : None allowed.
Pieces Missing      : Only if less than 1/8 inch square.
Fingerprints        : Fingerprints are allowed, but excessive or ugly
              fingerprints can drop the grade to Very Good. Water
stains
    : None allowed with the exception of stains on the
back cover due to high humidity.  No wrinkling or
warping allowed.
Browning Paper      : Very light browning is allowed, but no
brittleness.
Spine Rolling      : Allowed only if very minor.
Off-Center Printing : Slight deviance is allowed.
Cover Scuff Marks  : Light scuffing is allowed, but is minor.  This
            shows up mostly on comics with dark covers.
VERY GOOD  ( VG+ : 40% , VG : 35% , VG- 30%; Overstreet 54-35 )
The average used comic book, that has not been taken care of by
proper handling and bag & boarding, most commonly found.  The
comic shows moderate wear but eye appeal has not been reduced to
the point that it is not desirable.  One or two minor markings on the
cover or minor spine roll are allowed.  Lightly creased along spine or
extremities, subscription crease, loose centerfold, or minor chip or
piece missing allowed.
Tears              : Several minor tears or one major tear allowed.
Corner
Bends        : Allowed.
Spine Stress Marks  : Always allowed and is very evident.
Staples            : Clean, no rust, centered, but may be loose, but
              still must be joined to all the pages.  No
tearing allowed.
Writing            : Very neat, small penciled prices on the interior
            page or cover of a comic allowed.  Otherwise, not
    allowed.
Rubber Stamps      : International price stamps and small blue star
                stamps are allowed.  Name and store stamps are
        allowed only if on back cover and done neatly.
Crooked stamps drop it a grade.
Tape                : None allowed.
Pieces Missing      : Allowed if smaller than the size of a postage
              stamp and the comic is not too worn.  Otherwise
    a worn comic with a piece that size missing would
be Good.
Fingerprints        : Fingerprints are allowed, except in the case
that
                they are caused by an external agent such as oil
      on someones fingers.
Water stains        : Only a small, single drop, water stain allowed
              and only then if hardly noticeable.
Browning Paper      : Browning is allowed, but no brittleness.
Spine Rolling      : Allowed only if very minor.
Folds              : The cover may have some folds, but the comic must
                    not have been bent in half.
Off-Center Printing : Allowed.
Cover Scuff Marks  : Allowed, but is minor.
GOOD  ( G+ : 25% , G : 20% , G- : 15%; Overstreet 34-15 )
This comic has all pages and covers, although there may be small rips
or tears.  Commonly creased, scuffed, abraded, and soiled, but books
in this grade are completely readable.  Paper quality is low, but not
brittle.
Tears              : Tears are allowed short of the cover being torn
          in half.
Corner Bends        : Evident.
Spine Stress Marks  : Spine can have some tears, usually around the
                    staples.  Tears must be less than 1/4 inch.
Staples
    : Loose staples with some rust allowed.
Writing            : All writing allowed except in excessive cases
          where large magic markers are used or if it
detracts from the story in some way.
Rubber Stamps      : Allowed unless excessive.
Tape                : Allowed unless excessive such as duct tape.
Pieces
Missing      : 2 inch square pieces on cover, 3 inch square on
        back, and 1 inch square from interior corners
allowed.  Clipped coupons from back cover allowed,
but
not from interior.  Note, this is not the same
as
coupons used to redeem "free" comic books. Fingerprints        :
Allowed.
Water stains        : Allowed unless excessive.
Browning Paper      : Browning is allowed, and slightly brittle. Spine
Rolling      : Allowed.
Folds              : Allowed.
Off-Center Printing : Allowed.
Cover Scuff Marks  : Allowed.
FAIR  ( FR : 10%; Overstreet 14- 5 )
Very heavily read and soiled, but still complete.  Damaged beyond
collectability for most collectors, brings 30 to 50 percent of the
good
price.
Tears              : Tears are allowed short of the cover being torn
          in half.
Corner Bends        : Evident.
Spine Stress Marks  : Spine can have tears, usually around the
                      staples.  Tears must be less than 1 inch.
Staples            : Loose staples with rust allowed.
Writing            : All writing allowed except in excessive cases
          where large magic markers are used or if it
detracts from the story in some way.
Rubber Stamps      : Allowed unless excessive.
Tape                : Allowed unless excessive such as duct tape.
Pieces
Missing      : Missing pieces allowed, but the story is still
    readable.  Clipped coupons allowed.
Fingerprints        : Allowed.
Water stains        : Allowed unless excessive.
Browning Paper      : Browning and brittleness allowed.
Spine Rolling      : Allowed.
Folds              : Allowed.
Off-Center Printing : Allowed.
Cover Scuff Marks  : Allowed.
POOR  ( PR :  5%; Overstreet 4 - 1 )
Sufficiently degraded so as to have little or no collector value.
Often
severely stained, abraded, defaced, or damaged beyond
readability.
Tears              : Allowed short of the book being torn in half.
Corner
Bends        : Evident.
Spine Stress Marks  : Spine has tears.
Staples            : Loose staples with rust allowed.
Writing            : All writing allowed.
Rubber Stamps      : Allowed.
Tape                : Allowed.
Pieces Missing      : Allowed.
Fingerprints        : Allowed.
Water stains        : Allowed.
Browning Paper      : Brown and brittle.
Spine Rolling      : Allowed.
Folds              : Allowed.
Off-Center Printing : Allowed.
Cover Scuff Marks  : Allowed.
III. Polybags
_____________
  Will taking a comic out of its polybag reduce the value of the
comic?
The answer is a simple no.  The reasoning is simple.  If the comic is
left in the bag and the bag turns yellow and slowly damages the comic,
who will want to buy it?  Another way of looking at this is provided
by
John Danovich, an editor for Hero Illustrated.
          Take a comic that the retailer is selling as "mint in the
bag",
    and buy it.  Later, try and sell that book back to the retailer
as the comic by itself and the bag by itself.  The comic will
be
bought for the right price.  Try and videotape the expression
on
the retailer's face when you ask him to buy the bag.             The
point
is, the bag, box, or package is worthless *without*           what it
holds.  Therefore, it stands to reason that it is            worthless
period.
  Now if a trading card or some such item is enclosed in the bag, be
sure to keep it as some dealers consider it part of the comic.  If you
are really intent on maintaining the value of the comic and still
think
that the bag is worth something, cut away enough of the top of the bag
to take your comic out.  Do not tear the bag; use a razor blade and
cut
it as close to the seam as possible.  Store the comic in a bag with a
backing board.  Store the promotional item and the polybag with the
comic, but on the other side of the backing board so that they will
not
damage the comic through movement or degradation.
  Overstreet's official policy on polybagged comics is to grade the
comic whether or not it is still sealed in their polybag.  They do
recommend, as I mention above, to keep all of the original
manufactured products together.
IV. Restored Comics
___________________
  Many comics may have had minor to major restoration work
performed on them.  The more valuable a comic, the more likely that it
has been restored. A  restored comic is never worth as much as the
same comic in unrestored condition.  That is, a restored Suicide Squid
#1 in Very Fine condition is not worth what an original Suicide Squid
#1 in Very Fine condition is worth.  Comic books that have been
restored have what is known as an _apparent  grade_.  For example,
the aforementioned restored Suicide Squid #1 has an apparent grade of
Very Fine.
  Restored books should be stated as such by the seller prior to the
sale.  As not all sellers are honest, the buyer should beware.  Things
to look for when grading a book have been mentioned in section II, but
a few more need to be mentioned here.  If you are grading a book to
buy, check to see if the pages have been bleached or whitened, the
pages or cover trimmed, spine or tear reinforcement, glue, replaced
staples, wrinkles pressed from the cover, recoloring, and reglossed
covers.
V. Grading Golden/Silver Age Comics
___________________________________
  When grading older books, more damage is allowed to occur in each
grade simply because of time.  Whereas a few dings on a 50 year old
comic might not cause it to drop from Mint to Near Mint, it would for
a
more recent comic.  For example, small writing and date stamps are
allowed in the Near Mint grade, when talking about older comics.  For
recent comics, this is not true.  It is recommended that you do not
use
this guide for older books, nor rely solely on your own grading
skills.
Consult professionals for proper grading, always get a second opinion,
and beware of restored comics being sold as unrestored.
VI. Summary
___________
  The key to proper grading is objectivity and a proper understanding
of
the grading scale.  Remember to grade the entire comic, not just its
cover. Also a comic may be downgraded for either a combination of
flaws or just a single but major flaw.  If buying an expensive comic,
then look for signs that it has been restored.
  For articles on restoring comics or grading comics, check out _The
Overstreet Comic Book Grading Guide 1st edition_.  It contains
pictures of comics before and after they are restored which is
impressive.  The book also contains more information on the grading of
comics as well as picture examples.
VII. Sources Consulted
______________________
Danovich, John, ed., "Hero Compares/Contrasts Comic Supplies",
_Hero_ _Illustrated_ Volume 1 number 3, Warrior Publications,
Lombard, IL, Sept. 1993.
"Mile High Comics' Grading Standards", _Mile High Features_, Mile
High Comics, Denver, CO, 1993.
_Overstreet Comic Book Monthly #9_, Overstreet Publications,
Cleveland, Tennessee, 1994.
Wilson, Mark; Overstreet, Robert M. and Carter, Gary M., eds. "Comic
Book Restoration", _The Overstreet Comic Book Grading Guide 1st
edition_, Avon Books, New York, New York, 1992.
Thanks to the Following Contributors!
_____________________________________
Dave Jeitner        : 
so...@midway.uchicago.edu
Douglas T. Wilson  : 
WILSO...@cobra.uni.edu
Chris Ragaisis      : 
crag...@nyx10.cs.du.edu
Jonathan Lupa      : 
jjl...@vnet.IBM.COM
Tom Karr            : 
taxe...@access.digex.net
David A. Schmidt    : 
sch...@euler.math.rpi.edu
John Locke          : 
jx...@cs.nps.navy.mil
Derek Santos        : 
dsa...@cs.bu.edu
Jeff Mason          : 
j...@elm.circa.ufl.edu
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 1994, 1995 by Paul Adams.  All rights reserved, but no harm
askin'
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
ciao
====
dave
p.s. togli "caccaspam." dall'address per ottenere il mio vero email.