TEMP / HUMIDITY:
Heat accelerates deterioration and too high, or too low, humidity can cause, respectively, mold growth and embrittlement. Long term storage should be at no more than 70 degrees (F) with a relative humidity of between 30 and 50 percent.
LIGHT:
Light (any light, though ultraviolet light is the most damaging) will accelerate the deterioration of paper collectibles, causing embrittlement, yellowing (or browning, or darkening) and fading of colors. When not in use, it's best to keep your collection boxed (or otherwise in total darkness).
AIR QUALITY:
Pollutants contribute heavily to the deterioration of paper, causing it to become discolored and brittle. Keeping your mags sealed in poly bags is a good first line of defense, but you may want to take more drastic steps to clean up the quality of
your air.
STORAGE:
Store your mags in acid free bags (Polyethylene, Polypropylene, or Mylar), with acid free backing boards (when needed) and in acid free storage boxes. (See "Resources".)
Nearly perfect.
Cover is flat with no surface wear.
Cover inks are bright with high reflectivity and with a minimum of fading.
Corners are cut square and sharp with ever so slight blunting permitted.
Staples are generally centered and clean with no rust.
Cover is well centered and firmly secured to interior pages.
Paper is supple and like new. Spine is tight and flat.
VERY FINE (VF (8.0), VF+, VF/NM (9.0))
An excellent copy with outstanding eye appeal.
Sharp, bright and clean with supple pages.
Pages and covers can be yellowish/tanning (at the most) but not brown and will usually be off-white to white.
Light spine wear is permissible.
Most mags from the past ten years or so that have been well taken care of will fall somewhere is this category.
FINE (FN (6.0), FN+, FN/VF)
An exceptional, above average copy that shows minor wear but still relatively flat, clean and glossy with no subscription crease or brown margins.
Typical defects include: light spine wear, minor surface wear, a light crease, minor yellowing/tanning to interior pages.
Compared to a VF, cover inks are beginning to show a significant reduction in reflectivity but is till highly collectable and desirable.
VERY GOOD (VG (4.0), VG+, VG/FN)
The average used mag, that has not been taken care of by proper handling and bag & boarding, most commonly found.
The mag shows moderate wear but eye appeal has not been reduced to the point that it is not desirable.
One or two minor markings on the cover or minor spine roll are allowed.
Lightly creased along spine or extremities, subscription crease, loose centerfold, or minor chip or piece missing allowed.
GOOD (GD (2.0), GD+, GD/FN)
This mag has all pages and covers, although there may be small rips or tears.
Commonly creased, scuffed, abraded, and soiled, but mags in this grade are completely readable.
Paper quality is low, but not brittle.
FAIR (FR)
Very heavily read and soiled, but still complete.
Damaged beyond being collectable for most collectors, brings 30 to 50 percent of the "Good" price.
POOR (PR)
Sufficiently degraded so as to have little or no collector value.
Often severely stained, abraded, defaced, or damaged beyond readability.
THE SITE OF MOVIE MAGAZINES
A great resource for collectors of movie mags, though their price guide prices seem to be a couple of decades out of date.
DOWNTOWN MAGAZINE'S HORROR AND MONSTER PRICE GUIDE
This section still listed as "under construction", but may be worth keeping an eye on.
A few of the best places to pick up some back issues, or unload your collection.
Online auction site eBay has hundreds of monster mags listed every day.
eBay Search Horror and Monster Mag Listings
Steve Dolnick has been a major collector and dealer of vintage monster magazines and fanzines for many years.
Email your "wants", or "for sale" and watch for his auctions on eBay (search seller "sdmonster").
Email: sdmonster@aol.com
Michael W. Pierce is the publisher of the 1995 and 2000 price guides and another major monster mags dealer.
Check out his website:
Monsters Among Us
BAGS, BOARDS AND BOXES
A few online retailers of comic book and magazine collector supplies. Also check for supplies at your local comics shoppe.
Bags Unlimited
BCW Supplies
Bill Cole Enterprises
IconUSA
Mile High Comics
PROFESSIONAL GRADING
Check out the link below if you wish to have (any of) your mags graded, labled and sealed in a clear plastic holder. Recommended only if you are selling your mag(s) and wish to (possibly? hopefully?) achieve a higher selling price,
as the buyer is guaranteed that the grade of the mag is as advertised.
Comics Guaranty, LLC
The first independent, impartial, expert third party grading service.