How Much is My Comic Worth?                           



What factors contribute to the value of a collectible comic?

Two things ... #1 is Desire and #2 is Condition.

Lets start with Desire, or in other words, does anyone want it? If the comic is written by a collectible author, "desire" is limited to first or very early printings of their collectible works, or comics authentically signed by the collectible author or someone notable. A badly written novel by an uncollected author, no matter how old, no matter how rare has little value if no one wants it (age or scarcity without desire and condition have little effect on a comic's value).



AddAll.com
Primarily a book site, but lists many comics not offered elsewhere.
www.AddAll.com
Amazon
Not usually known for comics but has a huge marketplace of dealers.
www.Amazon.com
AbeBooks.com
Also a book site, but lists many comics for sales.
www.AbeBooks.com
Ebay.com
eBay closed auctions is a great to find out what your comic has sold for.
www.ebay.com

The second factor effecting value is Condition. Just as "location, location, location" is the mantra in the real estate world, condition makes or breaks the value of a collectible comic. Look at your comic as a comic collector would. A comic collector scrutinizes a 75 year old collectible comic for the same flaws as a brand new comic. Comic collectors and professional comic sellers prefer to use the following categories regarding comic condition:

Mint (MT) Comics, Perfect, or as near to perfect as possible.
Near Mint/Mint (NM/M) Comics, 9.8: Only minor imperfections. Comic book is flat and shows no wear.
Near Mint (NM) Comics, 9.2 to 9.7: Only minor binding errors allowed. Ink is bright and reflective, no cover wear.
Very Fine/Near Mint (VF/NM) Comics, 9.0: Slight cover bend apparent and wear is very hard to see.
Very Fine (VF) Comics, 7.5 to 8.5: Relatively flat cover with minor corner wear. Paper is not brittle.
Fine/Very Fine (FN/VF) Comics, 7.0: Minor cover wear shows. Corners may be blunted.
Fine (FN) Comics, 5.5 to 6.5: Cover shows wear, but is clean with no creasing. Minor or moderate spine roll.
Very Good/Fine (VG/FN) Comics, 5.0: Obviously used. Minor cover wear with minor or moderate creases. Minor staple tear and minor rust acceptable.
Good/Very Good (GD/VG) Comics, 3.0: Substantial wear. Cover loose, or detached at one staple. Discoloration or fading apparent.   
Good (GD) Comics, 1.8 to 2.5: Substantial wear. Dull cover. Moderate soiling and staining.
Fair/Good (FR/GD) Comics, 1.5: Substantial or heavy wear. Cover lacks luster. Soiled and scuffed.
Fair (FR), 1.0 Comics: Heavy wear. Lowest collectible grade. Spine split and roll common. Missing, rusted, or discolored staples.
Poor (PR) Comics, 0.5: Missing large chunks. Corners significantly round or missing altogether.

Books on Amazon.com to Help Identify First Editions and Research Comic Value ....

Comic Book Price Guides Available on Amazon.com


IN A NUTSHELL............................

To determine value, I check each old and rare comic individually in the closed comic auctions on eBay (ebay.com). This gives idea of what comic buyers are willing to pay. Also, I check the offering prices on sites such as Alibris (alibris.com), or Abebooks (abebooks.com), keeping in mind that they may be optimistic "offering" prices and not necessarily what a buyer will eventually pay.


As I check each comic I make sure I am checking apples to apples so to speak:

Title
 Artist
Publishing Company
Publishing Date and issue number

and importantly ...... a brutally honest assessment of Condition.

How do I Identify a First Edition?

What is an ISBN?

How to Open a New Comic