How to Determine Comic Book Value

Did you unearth a whole stash of comic books while cleaning the attic? Did you discover and decide to buy someone's collection of old comic books at a garage sale, intending to sell them for a few extra bucks? No matter how you obtained them, and regardless of whether you have a few or several dozen comic books, you need to learn the comic book value.

You have a lot of ways to determine the value of a comic book. First, you have to know what condition it's in, based on generally accepted guidelines. The other thing that determines the price you can get for a comic book is its rarity and desirability.

There are at least two ways to determine comic book value. This is also known as its grade. You can consult the CGC (Comics Guaranty Company) either by mail or at a comic book convention, or you can use information you find online to determine its grade. The grading terms are Mint, Near Mint, Very Fine, Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. There is a lot of information online to help you determine the grade, and you can also consult a book or guide on the subject.

You'll find that it is much easier to determine comic book value once you know the grade. Visit eBay and check out the auctions for comic books, since this will give you a good idea of what they're selling for. Be aware, however, that the values will tend to vary from issue to issue. Price is often dependant on special things about the issue, such as printing errors or rarity.

You can also purchase a comic book price guide. There are many different ones you can buy. Some guides will give you one price for each comic. Some give you a range of values depending on the comic's condition. Lastly, try using a good search engine to find information on a specific issue, and join an online community of other collectors.

Have a lot of comic books laying around? Visit Comic Book Prices and check out our sections on Comic Book Value and Comic Book Grading to find out what your collection is worth!

- Candace Right