MINT(M) Perfect and as new, with full cover gloss and lustre with white, crisp pages. The Pages are white. No printing or cutting defects, off-centre covers or staples. No marks on the cover whatsoever, no distributor marks or stamps.
NEAR MINT(NM) Almost perfect, almost as new, with white or off-white pages. tight, flat and clean with only extremely light wear around an edge or a staple. The pages should be uniform in colour with no discernible edge difference. No staple rust. For British comics, a neat, newsagent name (ideally in pencil) written at the top is permissible.
VERY FINE (VFN) Very slight ware beginning to show around the staples and stress points owing to the comic being opened and read (carefully) two or three times and stored away with some care. The cover should be flat, uniform creamy or off-white with only a few very minor stress creases at the spine. No cover marks, no tears, no prominent creases (perhaps 2mm and quite hard to spot). The pages can be creamy or off-white but in no way yellowing and with no darker page edges.
FINE(FN) This is a comic with wear showing on the edges or stress around the staples. Still clean and flat with a small mark or cover writing but I do mean small. Pages may be yellowing slightly but no brown edges. Above average, read a few times and stored away with at least some concern. A staple may be detached but, if that is the case, the rest of the comic should appear Very Fine. For British comics, a little more wear on the spine and cover is permissible and there may be some corner curl evident. British comics are all shapes and sizes so corners and edges suffer more.
VERY GOOD (VG) An average, second-hand, obviously read copy with marks and minor defects but still respectable and appealing. Printing lustre almost gone but not soiled or heavily stained and not tape evident, apart from a small piece of magic tape to repair a tear. There is noticeable wear on the spine and even the start of a spine roll and one staple may be slightly loose. The pages may be yellowing with the first signs of slight browning at the edges. The cover could have a tear or crease or the centrefold could have come away from the staples inside. Coupon Cut out from Inside. No pages missing. Some corner edge wear.
GOOD (G) A well-read copy with minor tears or splits, slightly soiled marked, slight rolled spine or creases but still complete and acceptable. Most comics that come out of garages and attics are in this grade and the damper climate of the United Kingdom may accentuate that musty comic smell with the pages very often browning (but not brittle in this grade). There may be a large price mark/bookshop stamp on the cover, some tape (but not excessive) and other repairs, corners of covers may be chipped or other small pieces missing but no more than about a 1" off the corner. Loose at one or both staples, but sill quite readable.
FAIR(FR) Very worn and soiled with possible small chunks out of the spine or cover. Some tears or heavy creases and marks or writing on the cover/inside. There may be some water damage or staining throughout. There may be a small panel or small coupon cut but all pages must be there. The pages may be brown and the quality so low that the edges appear delicate.
POOR (P) Well damaged and heavily soiled. Also incomplete and/or coverless comics. Not collectible unless it is something very rate or special. Very worn, torn brittle, water-damaged. There may be a coupon cut, a panel or two cut out.