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Comic shops that help with CGC grading and pressing
Grading services such as CGC and CBCS inspect a comic, give it a grade on a 10-point scale, and seal it in a hard plastic case called a slab. Some comic shops help customers send books in, and some offer pressing to flatten bends and waves first.
How a shop can help with grading
Sending books in yourself means an account with the grading service, careful packing and insured shipping both ways. Some shops gather customers' books into one submission and handle the paperwork. Fees, turnaround times and the shop's own charge vary, so ask for the full cost up front.
Pressing uses heat, moisture and pressure to take out bends, waves and other defects that don't break the color. It can raise a grade, but it can't fix color-breaking creases, tears or missing pieces. The major grading services don't treat pressing as restoration.
Grading costs money and takes time. It usually makes sense for key issues, older books and high-grade copies that are worth clearly more in a slab than raw.
Map of shops that help with grading and pressing
Top shops that help with grading and pressing, in customers' words
Shops whose customers mention grading or pressing in a review, ranked by Google rating × number of reviews. Under each one is what a customer said. Call ahead, since what a shop offers can change.
Friendly employees and they'll do CGC comic grading submittal and pressing for a very reasonable price.
Great selection, great friendly, knowledgeable employees, more than fair comic grading, and pricing.
I purchased some comics from an auction, and thanks to the cleaning and pressing I got here, I sold one of them for 3 grand alone.
They even will send books to CGC to get graded for you.
They even used to send my books out to CGC, which was such a huge help.
They offer clean and pressing for $15 an issue, which is hard to beat.
I love that he can send books in to CGC for grading, and can get you a deal on pressing your books, too.
Limited Editions Comics and Collectibles
I love using Limited Edition to send my comics for CBCS grading.
Geek Boutique (Formerly “The One Stop Shop”)
I take all my prized comics there to get sent off for CGC grading.
I had a lot of novice questions about cleaning and pressing comic books and he gave me very detailed answers to help me out.
Family friendly store with,new issues, back issues, graphic novels and even comic Book cleaning and pressing by the co-author of Comic Book Stain Removal and Whitening!
I'm looking forward to CBCS days to drop off comics for grading in the future; and visits by artists for signature opportunities.
Grading & pressing by state
82 comic shops in 30 states help with grading or pressing. States with 3 or more have their own page; the rest are listed below.
In states with one or two shops
Colorado
I purchased some comics from an auction, and thanks to the cleaning and pressing I got here, I sold one of them for 3 grand alone.
Have a William Shatner signing in LV in 10 days and wanted to get my #1 Gold Key cleaned and pressed before the event and Joe delivered (pics attached).
Connecticut
I'm looking forward to CBCS days to drop off comics for grading in the future; and visits by artists for signature opportunities.
Florida
- Grading & pressing: mentioned in 2 customer reviews
Georgia
- Grading & pressing, per the shop's website
I seek his opinion often on what to buy, comic grading, and vintage toys.
Hawaii
As I was browsing, I heard the guy working take a few phone calls for comic grading questions and he was extremely knowledgeable, friendly and realistic with the customers.
Choice comics can also take care of your CGC submissions, giving you a place to come in and submit with a knowledgeable person.
Idaho
- Grading & pressing, per the shop's website
Looking for a clean and press of your treasured books - yep, they have that too.
Kentucky
- Grading & pressing, per the shop's website
- Grading & pressing, per the shop's website
Maryland
They're truly a one-stop shop for everything comic-related; they submit to CGC as well!
- Grading & pressing, per the shop's website
Minnesota
- Grading & pressing: mentioned in 1 customer review
Missouri
- Grading & pressing, per the shop's website
Rowan did a great job pressing my books and submitting it to cgc for the yellow labels.
Nebraska
Wes handled all my cleaning, pressing, and CGC and CBCS submissions for me thus making this whole process a one stop shop!
Nevada
- Grading & pressing, per the shop's website
- Grading & pressing, per the shop's website
New Hampshire
- Grading & pressing, per the shop's website
North Carolina
- Grading & pressing: mentioned in 1 customer review
- Grading & pressing: mentioned in 1 customer review
Oklahoma
- Grading & pressing, per the shop's website
- Grading & pressing, per the shop's website
Oregon
- Grading & pressing, per the shop's website
Vermont
I had some comics graded through Roy's shop and got some good grades due to his skilled cleaning and pressing techniques.
Wyoming
Will definitely bring more books here than sending to cgc or other out of state clean and press companies.
Questions
- Can a comic shop grade my comics?
- A shop can give an opinion on condition, but a CGC or CBCS grade only comes from the grading service. The shops listed here help with submissions or pressing, based on their reviews or website.
- Is pressing worth it?
- Only when a higher grade adds real value. Pressing can't fix color-breaking creases, tears or missing pieces, and it adds cost and time.
- Which state has the most shops that help with grading and pressing?
- Illinois has the most, with 8 shops. In all, 82 comic shops in 30 states help with grading or pressing in this directory.
- How do you decide which shops are listed here?
- A shop is listed only when a customer's review mentions grading or pressing there or the shop's own website does. The line from the review, or a note about the website, is shown with each shop. Shops change what they offer, so call ahead before a long drive.