FANTASTIC
COLLECTIBLES
SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY COLLECTIBLES



email:

HOW TO GRADE PULP MAGAZINES

GRADING STANDARDS

Grading is very important to pulp collectors. While grading standards do vary from dealer to dealer, and collector to collector, there are generally accepted standards for the industry. There has been a tendancy for some slippage over the years. This has occurred for a number of reasons. One is that the old time dealers are fast disappearing. These dealers built a reputation over time, and they tended to grade conservatively to maintain their customer base.

Today the typical pulp seller is on ebay. He may be looking to the long term, or he may be looking to make a fast buck. If you buy on ebay. look for someone who has been selling for a goodly period, and read his feedback ratings.

Another common problem on ebay is sheer ignorance from so many people who are new to pulp collecting. As I read their descriptions, I can only cringe. Here are some of the common mistakes I see:

  • just like Comic Books
    Pulp grading is similar to but not the same as comic grading. Comic book grading places a high premium on glossy covers. The printing process for comics was different, and pulps were never intended to attain the gloss of a four color comic. So references to gloss are misplaced for the most part. Comic grading generally employs many more grades than does pulp grading. I have seen several comic standards that break down mint into 4 or 5 categories for example. So far, pulp collecting has been able to resist the impulse to grade to a huge number of grades. That pretty much killed traditional coin and stamp collecting, and it is killing comics.
  • high grade for a pulp that old
    Wrong! Grading standards do not vary with age. A Fine condition 1950 Weird Tales should look pretty much like a Fine 1925 copy of the same magazine. There will be very few 1925 issues that will attain that grade compared to 1950 issues, but thats life.
There is no getting around the fact that even with a set standard for grading, individuals will differ. Many dealers will split grades, and call a pulp Good-Very Good, or near Fine. This is perfectly acceptable if it lends clarity to the process. Another tactic is to use exceptions. An item could be Fine except for faint reading crease.

This can be overdone. There is an old time dealer who I think is still alive. Every item he sold was Fine. It might be Fine except that two dogs tore it apart in a fight, then it lay in the rain and sun in the middle of the road where trucks ran over it, but it was still Fine except for... .

Enough preamble. Here are my standards:

  • FINE: Pulp is complete, with no tears wrinkles, creases or discoloration. Pages are nearly white. Both covers are firmly attached to the spine which is tight. There is some disagreement as to markings. I do not grade a pulp down if there are small pencil notations made by the newstand operator years ago in an inconspicuous corner. This was a normal practice at the time. So was putting the purchase date down. That obviously does not apply to random doodling by some past reader.
  • VERY GOOD: Pulp is complete with no missing pieces. Spine is attached. Pages are off white or light brown but show no signs of brittleness or dark brown coloration due to sun or air pollution.Covers may be lightly creased but not so heavily as to distract from the cover design. Small pieces of clear tape are acceptable but must be disclosed in the description.
  • GOOD: Pulp has all covers and pages. Otherwise, the item can be fairly well worn, with heavy creasing, light staining, and small pieces missing from either cover. May be taped, but excessive clear taping or opaque taping must be disclosed.
  • READING COPY: Shabby condition- not considered collectible. If text is incomplete, this fact must be disclosed. May or may not have covers as disclsed.

    Not every pulp will fit into the above descriptions. What to do with an issue that is Fine but has a major imperfection. A magazine may be Fine, but is missing the back cover. Here are a number of common abbreviations often used in combination with a grade:

  • NFC no front cover
  • NBC no back cover
  • CTR closed tear
  • FTR front cover tear
  • BTR back cover tear
  • FLMP large piece missing from front cover
  • BLMP large piece missing from back cover
  • FSMP small piece missing from front cover
  • BSMP small piece missing from back cover

Was this article helpful? Any Comments?
Please email to me at:

Want to help support this page and keep the daily Pulp Magazine Cover of the Day coming to your computer?

Help defray the cost of this page by clicking on the Amazon.com banner at the top of this page when you purchase items from Amazon. This costs you nothing extra, and provides credits to support this page. Thanks in advance!


...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...

...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...

COLLECTIBLES
FOR SALE

PLASTIC BAGS ARE BACK!
  • We have found a new supplier for plastic bags to protect your collectibles
  • check here
PULP MAGAZINES
PAPERBACK BOOKS
SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY HARDCOVER BOOKS
Note: We have decided to drop hardcover books to concentrate on Pulp Magazines and Paperback books. We have sold our hardcovers to my brother-in-law known on Amazon as Pulpsguy. (he also has some pulps). You may find our hardcover books plus many other items at his store which can be reached on Amazon with the following link: Pulpsguys Store
Pulp Magazine Cover Scans
Over 6000 Hi-definition Pulp Magazine Cover scans
are available on DVD
The largest collection of hi-definition scans available anywhere. Buy this collection and see it all at once, or view it on this page- it will only take 15 years to see it all!
POSTERS!!
Beautiful hi-gloss pulp magazine cover posters
suitable for framing- you will be proud to display these
Worlds Best Pulp Magazine Priceguide
Read Here

The bible of pulp magazine priceguides. Place a value on most any pulp, no matter how obscure
Here are some reference guides to help you understand and appreciate the Science Fiction world of books and pulps better
REFERENCE MATERIAL

PULP ARTICLES

NAME THAT BOOK!
  • Can you help a collector remember the title of a book or movie?
  • check here
How to Collect Pulp Magazines
Read Here
Useful information if you are considering starting a collection
Worlds Best Pulp Magazine Priceguide
Read Here
The bible of pulp magazine priceguides. Place a value on most any pulp, no matter how obscure
Grading Pulp Magazines
Read Here
Accurate grading is essential in pricing Pulp Magazines
Travels in Search of the Elusive Pulp Magazine
Read Here
A series of articles about traveling around the country in search of Pulp Magazine collections- the weird characters, the strange collections the odd homes and locales
What will be the Treasured Collectibles of the Future
Read Here
to find which items lying about today may become the valuable collectibles of the future

PAPERBACK ARTICLES

Read our standards on
PAPERBACK GRADING
Read a useful article on
COLLECTING PAPERBACKS
to see what a pro thinks about the subject.
Looking For a Great
PAPERBACK PRICE GUIDE?
Read a review of what I consider to be the most up to date and perhaps the best Collectible Price Guide ever printed.

INTERESTING LINKS

Visit our companion page
Pulp Magazine Cover of the Day

to view the daily updated Pulp Magazine Cover. You can purchase the DVD above and enjoy all 6000 pulpcovers in high resolution glory, or you can see then in low resolution one at a time over the next 15 years!
Visit our companian Paperback Cover page
Slightly Sleazy Vintage Paperbacks

to find a daily pulpish paperback cover from my collection