Expert: J. Spyder Isaacson - 6/24/2009

Question
Hello. I recently retrieved my collection from my parents house after 15+ years of storage and oh how the memories have returned. My collection is all late bronze - early modern. I had them bagged and boarded, but after some research on the internet, it seems that once a book is read it can no longer be called mint. Is this true? (I read every one multiple times.)

Answer
The problem is that the grading of comics is an exceptionally subjective process, even when using guidelines like the ones contained in the Overstreet Price Guide.  Also, the grading could differ if the evaluator is a collector as opposed to a dealer (most of the latter would most likely evaluate it at least one grade down, figuring you want them to buy the issues).

The chances are, unless you treated each issue like glass when reading them over and over, that, sadly, they can no longer be considered mint.  Generally, this is true unless you only read it once while treating it like glass and then bag and board it with extreme care.  (Even if they were never read at all, they may not be mint condition - sometimes they receive minor damage during shipping or on the shelf.)  If they didn't receive any damage whatsoever and were *immediately* bagged and boarded without being read (or even opened), they could easily be *Pristine* Mint.

I hope this helps.  Let me know if you need further assistance.

-- Spyder