Whether you’re a serious comic book collector or someone who has a stash of old back issues laying around the house, eBay comics are a hot seller, with issues routinely selling for thousands of dollars. In this step-by-step guide we show you exactly how to sell comic books on eBay.
- Step 1: Identify Any Key Comics
- Step 2: Determine the Grade of Your Comics
- Step 3: Estimate the Value of Your Comics
- Step 4: Take Quality Photos
- Step 5: Provide Detailed Descriptions
- Additional Tips & Tricks
1. Identify Any “Key” Comics
Everyone assumes that just because they have an old comic book that it’s worth a lot of money. But that simply isn’t true. The vast majority of comic books are simply not worth very much. That’s why the first step in determining how to sell your comic books on eBay is simply figuring out if in any of the titles in your collection are actually in demand.
Comics that are particularly valuable and sought after are known as “keys”. These include first appearances from characters, the first issue of a series or an important storyline. In some cases, a book that had little to no interest can suddenly spike and become a valuable key due to a tie-in to a current or upcoming film or television series.
Resources for Finding Comic Book Keys
So how do you know if your comic is a key? The good news is that there are a number of useful resources out there.
- Key Collector App: which is free to use and lets you easily see if any of the books in your collection are keys. If a book in your collection ins’t a key, it’s unlikely it’s going to be worth much if you do decide to sell it on eBay
- GoCollect Comics: This popular comic book website actually breaks out keys by publisher and character.
2. Determine the Grade of Your Comics
While key comics are sought after by eBay collectors, it’s important to note that one of the biggest factors in determining the price of a comic is the condition. This is also known as the “grade” of the book. A high grade comic can be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars more than a lower grade of the exact same issue.
Grade is a scale from 1-10 which was first pioneered in the now popular Overstreet Price Guide and which is based on original grading done for coins (hence the use of the word “mint” when referring to condition). While somewhat subjective, in general the 10 point grading system is as follows:
| Grade | Name | Description |
| 10 | GM (Gem Mint) | The highest grade assigned. The comic must have no evidence of any manufacturing or handling defects. |
| 9.9 | M (Mint) | The comic is nearly indistinguishable from a 10.0 but will have a very minor manufacturing defect. It will not have any evidence of handling defects. |
| 9.8 | NM/M (Near Mint/Mint) | A nearly perfect comic with negligible handling or manufacturing defects. |
| 9.6 | NM+ (Near Mint +) | A very well-preserved comic with several minor manufacturing or handling defects. |
| 9.4 | Near Mint (NM) | A very well-preserved comic with minor wear and small manufacturing or handling defects. |
| 9.2 | NM- (Near Mint Minus) | A very well-preserved comic with some wear and small manufacturing or handling defects. |
| 9.0 | VF/NM (Very Fine/Near Mint) | A very well-preserved comic with good eye appeal. There will be a number of minor handling and/or manufacturing defects. |
| 8.5 | VF+ (Very Fine Plus) | An attractive comic with a moderate defect or a number of small defects. |
| 8.0 | VF (Very Fine) | An attractive comic with a moderate defect or an accumulation of small defects. |
| 7.5 | VF- (Very Fine Minus) | An above-average comic with a moderate defect or an accumulation of small defects. |
| 7.0 | FN/VF (Vine/Very Fine) | An above-average comic with a major defect or an accumulation of small defects. |
| 6.5 | FN+ (Fine Plus) | An above-average comic with a major defect and some smaller defects, or a significant accumulation of small defects. |
| 6.0 | FN (Fine) | A slightly above-average comic with a major defect and some smaller defects, or a significant accumulation of small defects. |
| 5.5 | FN- (Fine Negative) | A slightly above-average comic with several moderate defects. |
| 5.0 | VG/FN (Very Good/Fine) | An average comic with several moderate defects. |
| 4.5 | VG+ (Very Good Plus) | A slightly below-average comic with multiple moderate defects. |
| 4.0 | VG (Very Good) | A below-average comic with multiple moderate defects. |
| 3.5 | VG- (Very Good Minus) | A below-average comic with several major defects or an accumulation of multiple moderate defects. |
| 3.0 | G/VG (Good/Very Good) | A comic that shows significant evidence of handling with several moderate-to-major defects. |
| 2.5 | G (Good) | A comic that shows extensive evidence of handling with multiple moderate-to-major defects. |
| 2.0 | G (Good) | A comic that shows extensive evidence of handling with numerous moderate-to-major defects. |
| 1.8 | G- (Good Minus) | A comic that shows extensive evidence of handling with numerous major defects. |
| 1.5 | FA/G (Fair/Good) | A comic that shows extensive evidence of handling with a heavy accumulation of major defects. |
| 1.0 | FA (Fair) | A very poorly handled comic with a heavy accumulation of major defects. |
| 0.5 | Poor | A heavily defaced comic with a number major defects. Some pieces will also be missing. |
Resources for Grading Your Comic Books
Grading can be more of an art than a science, and does require some practice and skill, so below are a few resources to help steer you in the right direction.
- Overstreet Guide to Grading Comics: The holy bible of comic grading, this annual book is a great place to get started and break out the specifics of grading with detailed examples.
- CGC: Also known as the Certified Guarantee Company, CGC has become the go-to source for comic book grading and in addition to supplying a grade, will also encapsulate or “slab” a comic in a protective case. While there is a cost (of around $50 – $100, plus shipping) a graded CGC comic is usually worth significantly more than an ungraded “raw” comic. A good rule of thumb is to only send a book to CGC if it has a value of around $200 or more (you’ll also need to sign up for an account beforehand).
- Your Local Comic Shop: Also known as an LCS, a comic book shop near can be a great resource and likely has someone on staff who can take a look at your books and provide a rough grade. Chances are your LCS also has a higher tier of account with CGC so may be able to send your comics in for grading and slabbing at a much cheaper rate than if you’d done it alone.
- Udemy: If you’re feeling extra ambitious, there are actually online grading courses out there that will give you all the information you need to become a better grade.
- YouTube: You can also find a ton of information on YouTube on how to properly grade a comic. Just remember that it can indeed be quite subjective, so take any advice you find with a grain of salt.
3. Estimate the Value of Your Comics
Okay, so you’ve got a few keys in your collection, have a rough idea of the grade and are ready to get them on eBay. The next step is to determine how much they’re actually worth (again, remember that the same issue can have wildly different prices depending on the grade).
With that in mind, one of the best ways to determine how much your book is worth is to look at recent sales on eBay.
To do that, search for the specific title and issue you want to get the price for. Then look under “Show only” from the main navigation and choose “Sold items” and “Completed items”. You’ll then see all recent sales for that issue, with the price highlighted in green. Look through these results (you can sort by price or by date sold) to get a general sense of how much your issue might be worth.
One additional thing to be aware of when looking at comic books is the difference between Direct and Newsstand issues. Direct refers to comics that were sent to speciality comic book shops (and can be identified by the image in the bottom left-hand corner). Newsstand refers to issues that were sold from traditional magazine shops, grocery stores, convenience stores and other retailers.
Even though both a Direct and a Newsstand comic can have the exact same grade, collectors tend to value the Newsstand versions more highly. In some cases, this can mean hundreds of additional dollars for a book, even if it has the exact same grade. So bear this in mind when reviewing your books.
Resources for Estimating the Value of Your Comics
In addition to looking at recent eBay sales, there are a few other resources you can turn to figure out what a decent resale value is for any keys you may have.
- GoCollect Comics: This is a fantastic website to turn to that will show you how much any given issue may be worth.
- Comics Price Guide: CPG is another great option for finding out recent sales.
Remember that prices for comics can be fluid and books that are hot one day to cool off quickly the next, so be sure to check from a variety of resources to get a good sense of fair market value.
4. Take Quality Photos
Okay, so you’ve got some key comic books that you’re interested in selling and have a general sense of the grade and associated price. The next step in selling your comic books on eBay is to prepare the list of books you want to sell. To do that start by taking a variety of photos using your smartphone or a decent camera.
A common mistake among sellers is to use just a single photo of the front of the book, but this may be offputting to potential buyers who want to get a close look at a comic before pulling the trigger. With that in mind, be sure to take more than one photo of your book in order to give as much visual information as possible to potential buyers. A good rule of thumb is to take the following photos:
- Front of the book
- Back of the book
- 2-3 random interiors
- Closes up of the spine
- The middle interior staple page
- Close ups of any defects or issues
5. Provide Detailed Descriptions
Once you have your photos ready, fill out your description but take the time to add as much information as possible. Don’t use abbreviations (i.e. “ASM” instead of “Amazing Spider-Man”) and be sure you’re spelling your titles correctly (i.e. “X-Men” not “Xmen”) so it’s more likely to be served up by eBays search engine.
Additionally, be sure to note any defects or issues with your books. This allows you to avoid any potential refunds, returns or poor reviews you might end up getting from buyers who feel like they’ve been misled. The more information you can provide, the better.
Additional Tips & Tricks
Here are a few additional ideas to help you get the most value for your comic books when selling them on eBay.
Take Advantage of News
As mentioned earlier, if a particular superhero is in the news because of an upcoming movie or television project, then your book may go up in value. For example, the Savage She Hulk #1 (the first appearance of the character) saw a massive bump in interest when Disney+ announced a new TV show.
Set Lower Starting Bids, with a Good Reserve Price
eBay allows you to set a starting bid and a reserve price. If you set the starting bid too high, you may discourage people from ever bidding in the first place, so start low and aim high.
Communication
Be sure to be respond quickly to any questions from potential buyers. This can help build trust and lead to a quicker sale if the buyer knows they’re speaking with a reputable individual. Also remember that reviews are key, so be sure to provide a positive experience so you end up getting a decent review score.
Packaging
If you do end up selling a book make sure that you take the time to use solid packaging and that the book is shipped in a way that protects its from any damage. One technique is to insert the book in a traditional comic book bag and bard and then tape it between two cardboard pieces for extra padding and protection. If it’s a particularly expensive book you may also want to consider using bubble wrap or another form of protection. Again, making sure the book arrives to the buyer without any damage ensures you’ll end up getting a positive review, which in turn leads to more sales.
Final Thoughts
Selling comic books on eBay can actually be an incredibly fun and lucrative side hustle and there are experienced collectors who actually make a living out of it. That being said, the best way to learn how to sell comic books on eBay is to simply get started. Once you’ve got a few sales under your belt, you’ll find that it’s a great way to get even more enjoyment out of the incredible world of comic books.
More Information
Check out our Comic Book Speculation & Investing Guide and our eBay Comics Buyer’s Guide.