PSA Comic grading
Grading
You can submit most standard-size books from the Victorian Era to modern day comics. PSA also accepts standard-size magazines from People to Sports Illustrated, as well as sports programs. And yes, you can finally put PSA Magazine in a PSA holder. All comics and magazines graded by PSA are backed by PSA’s authenticity guarantee.
Here are the maximum accepted dimensions for comic books and magazines:
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x: 8.65”
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y: 11.65”
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z: .3”
Pressing
Pressing is the act of safely flattening paper to improve its quality—think of an iron pressing your shirts to remove wrinkles. But unlike the act of pressing a piece of clothing, pressing a comic book or magazine is a far more sophisticated process that takes exceptional knowledge, skill, and training. Pulp paper and aged comic book paper can be extremely delicate. Added to this, the spine of a book is an unnatural hinge created by folding several sheets of paper in half and then stapling them together (for all saddle-stitched books).
These factors make pressing a delicate and difficult job to perform—and pressing isn’t something that can be simply “good enough.” It must be done perfectly. With all this in mind, PSA has expanded its staff to include experts in the practice of pressing. In addition to authentication and grading services, you can also add on Pressing to ensure your books are displayed at their best and maximize your chances of a higher grade.
While pressing a comic book or magazine is a valued service prior to the grading process, this practice is not acceptable in card grading. Since PSA popularized card grading in the 1990s, it took the stance that modified or altered cards would not be numerically graded since doing so would diminish the value of unaltered items. This position reflected but also solidified card collectors’ preference for preserving the original condition of the card as paramount to maintaining its authenticity and value. In contrast, comic and magazine collectors have long appreciated the effects of a light cleaning and pressing in advance of encapsulating their items for long-term preservation. Much of this difference is explainable by the nature of the collectible itself. The paper stock for magazine and comic pages is very thin and leaves no discernible trace of being pressed or lightly cleaned if professionally performed. On the other hand, pressing a card can often worsen the condition of the item thereby impacting its overall grade. For this reason, a pressed card will not be eligible for a numeric grade and would receive an “Authentic Altered” designation at PSA.
Delivery takes additional 1 to 2 weeks for PSA to sent back to the store.
