If you’re ready to part ways with your comic book collection, figuring out where to sell them is the next step. Here’s a straightforward guide to help you find the best dealer to buy comics.
Grading Your Comic Books
Comic books, like many collectibles, derive their value from their condition or grade. The better the condition, the more valuable they become to collectors. Price guides, whether online or in libraries, often list different values for the same book in various conditions. To accurately assess your comic book, honestly evaluate its condition:
- Mint. Like new, extremely rare, no defects
- Near Mint. Almost like new, minor defects like a light crease or slight color wear on the cover
- Very Fine. Read but handled with care
- Fine. One major defect such as minor tears or folds
- Very Good. Complete but has major defects like creases, soiling, or tears
- Good. Readable but with many defects, soiling, tears, and wear
- Fair. All pages intact but with extensive soiling, taped pages, or part of the cover missing
- Poor. Missing pages and parts of pages
While your personal assessments hold some value, professional grading (with documentation) carries more weight with buyers. Selling based on personal grading estimates is not recommended. However, checking for issues like missing pages can help you decide if sending your comics for professional grading is worthwhile.
Evaluating comic book by Era
American comic books are divided into eras, and the older the era, the more valuable the comic tends to be. To find a comic’s era, check its publication date on the corner or inside pages. Comics from before the 1970s and 1980s are generally collectible, while those from after the 1980s are more niche.
- Platinum Age. Includes comic strips and media evolving into comics, lasting until 1938.
- Golden Age. Featured superheroes like Superman and Batman, from the 1930s to the early 1950s. Later, military and western comics gained popularity.
- Silver Age. Recognized from 1956 to 1970, reintroducing superheroes, starting with The Flash in 1956.
- Bronze Age. From 1970 to 1985, maintained superhero popularity and introduced darker themes.
- Modern Age. Starting in the mid-1980s, featured complex characters, modern themes, and multi-comic story arcs.
A place where to sell your comics
Comic Buying Center in Libertyville, IL provides clients with valuable insights into their collections’ worth, offering professional appraisals even if the client isn’t looking to sell. Their consistently higher prices stem from efficient operations and a loyal customer base. They are accommodating about meeting times and locations, whether at the client’s place, the showroom, or somewhere in between. The Libertyville, Illinois showroom is open Monday-Friday by appointment, with experts ready to assess collectibles and make fair purchase offers.
Specializing in purchasing comic books from 1930 to 1979, they have a strong interest in Superhero, Sci-Fi, Horror, and War genres. Additionally, they buy baseball, football, and basketball sport cards printed before 1970, original comic art, video games (boxed and unboxed), consoles, accessories, and occasionally other pop culture items. If you have something you think they might be interested in, give them a call.