How we classify our products – what the grade descriptions mean!

Firstly a huge shout out to all that have supported our little venture… the journey has been wild and we have grown and learnt so much through our interactions with both customers and suppliers.

Part of that learning has been understanding the grading systems used for the two key products on our site. (1) Comics and (2) Funko Pops!

Comics: This industry has been around since the Victorian era (late 1800’s) and the grading of comics has become a serious business with huge amounts of money being thrown around in the comic community. We have based our “grading” off the most common key criteria ranging from Near Mint “NM” (9+) right down to Good “GD” (3.5+). We try ensure that all our comics are bagged and boarded for protection and will be shipped to the best of our packaging ability.

Funko Pops! the collectors are there are just as fanatical as the comic collectors and box condition is EVERYTHING in this game. Again the older (“vaulted” – no more in production) and better condition Pops attract huge prices with most collectors now ensuring the condition of the box is maintained through the use of a protective cover. Here the grading is a little simpler and it runs from a 10 – 5. At the point when a Pop reaches a 5 grading, it is usually classified as OOB (out of Box) condition which means that the box is either wrecked from use/storage/shipping or does simply not exist. The levels in-between a Mint (10) and OBB (5) unit are debatable but range from shelf wear, damaged corners, box creasing and front window scratching. All our Pops in the shop if not mint will have a description of what the damage is along with a possible “sale/discount” on the unit. We try buy all our stock in good condition but shipping and customs have other ideas on how you should receive your product. All our Pops, when sold are in Pop Protector soft cases and shipped in packaging with bubble wrap.

Learn more about our grading in the link below which it on the site under the FAQ page.

*Disclaimer: No one working or representing The Vintage Toy Shop has been formally trained on grading comics or any other of our product line and we usually grade lower than what you would think the unit to be graded at. If you are unsure at purchase stage, please drop us a note and we’ll send you actual pictures of the item you are looking to buy so you can make an informed decision.

https://thevintagetoyshop.co.za/faq/