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Crash Course In Restored Comics

The Market For Restored Comics

Professional restoration became a legitimate enterprise in the 1970’s, but was initially ignored as a profit tool, used mainly by collectors who wished to make their comics
look as perfect as possible. There was no consideration given to candidacy, or the effect on value.

Restoration reached a fever pitch in the 80’s and early 90’s, evidenced by the increasing number of comics being restored and the high prices paid for them, regardless of the extent and quality of work. The resultant profit made it an extremely lucrative business, but one critical factor was missing; full disclosure was largely ignored, and many buyers were deceived into buying books under the false pretense that they were unrestored, or restored to a lesser degree. As a result, restoration developed a tarnished image by the end of the decade.

With the advent of independent grading (CGC) in 2000, collector’s trust began to build again, although bloated prices of the 90’s still lingered. The market has seen an adjustment of restored values since then, eliminating the large profit margins enjoyed in the prior years. This has proven essential to re-establishing a strong market, because restoration should not be viewed strictly as a money making device, but a way to preserve our treasures for future generations.

Understanding A Restored Grade

Currently there are three factors involved when grading a restored comic. They are:

    1. Apparent grade.
    2. Extent of restoration (slight, moderate, extensive).
    3. Quality of work (amateur or professional).

1. Apparent Grade

No two restored comics are alike. Technically speaking, a fully restored comic should be NM, because the book exhibits no tears, missing pieces, spine splits, tape, or loose centerfolds. All defects have been repaired, and yet each restored book can receive a different “apparent” grade. Two factors contribute to this: the prior grade of the book and the quality of restoration.

The lower a book’s grade, the more restoration will be required, and the less chance it has to restore to a high grade. Some defects cannot be completely repaired and made invisible, such as creases, stains and writing. This is one reason why a fully restored comic may only grade as high as a Fine.

Another measurement used to determine grade is the quality of work. Color touch is the best indicator of quality, followed by piece replacement and cleaning. What most determines grade when evaluating restored comics is the “feel”; the closer a restored comic feels to an unrestored copy, the higher the apparent grade. Acquiring the ability to grade by feel takes time, and requires handling many restored comics

2. Extent Of Restoration

It makes sense that the more restoration a book has, the lower grade it was to begin with, and is subsequently worth less than another with slight restoration. Below is a breakdown of the three categories currently used in grading, and some of the allowable repairs for each:

Slight

Cover cleaned.
Cover re-glossed (amateur).
Color touch (very light in nature, a few hits on the spine or edges).
Minor support or seals using glue (amateur).
Minor support or seals using rice paper and adhesive (professional).
Tiny piece replacement (bindery chips or a Marvel chip).

Moderate

Color touch (along spine and edges, used for piece replacement).
Small piece replacement (small and few in nature).
Numerous support areas or tear seals.

Extensive

Large piece replacement.
Color touch (large areas impainted, whole areas recreated).
Reconstructed interiors.
Recreated pages or parts of cover.

It is possible that a book may only have repairs in the slight category, and yet receive a moderate label. This is due to the cumulative amount of work exceeding what is allowable in the slight range.

3. Quality Of Work

Since certification began, the market has seen an even greater demand for unrestored comics, pushing some to consider removing restoration from their books in order to achieve the coveted “blue label”. While this may prove to be financially beneficial in the short run, one must consider the long-term effects of removal, including defacement and changing market conditions. Even when removing slight restoration, it is sometimes necessary to scrape, dig, cut, and obliterate parts of the comic itself. This is especially true for removing amateur restoration, such as glue and color touch that has bled through the paper. The grade of a comic will almost always suffer upon removal of restoration.

Considering how young the certified market is, patience should be exercised when considering a candidate for removal. As the number of certified comics compounds over the coming years, the true rarity of pre-1960 comics in unrestored condition will become obvious, making slightly restored copies more desirable, especially considering their relative value.

The best candidates exhibit professional restoration that can be safely removed with minimal risk to the book itself. This includes tear seals and support using rice paper and water-soluble adhesive, and acrylic and water-based color touch. Cleaned covers are irreversible, as well as trimming, re-glossing, and replaced staples. Removal should not be attempted on comics with moderate or extensive restoration, due to the damage that could occur, and the significant decrease in grade. It is safe to say that 90% of restored comics are not worthy candidates for removal.

Valuing Restored Comics

Golden Age Comics (pre-1956)

Silver Age (1956-1970)