Posted in: Comics, Recent Updates | Tagged: archival process, cgc, entertainment, music posters

CGC To Grade Concert Posters – Starting With Bill Graham, Family Dog, Grande Ballroom, Neon Rose And Art Of Rock Series

Published Tue, 17 Feb 2015 14:30:00 -0600

CGC has been the go to for preserving comics for over 15 years, and now music lovers can rejoice that the same methods and consistency of grading can be brought to performance ephemera, particularly music posters and handbills in this new development for the company.

CGC says:

The expansion enables collectors of these rare pieces, which promoted the live music of legendary bands and performers, such as The Beatles, The Grateful Dead and Led Zeppelin, to enjoy the same accurate, consistent and impartial grading that CGC has delivered to the comic industry since 1999.

CGC Director of Operations, Harshen Patel, feels this is a natural expansion for the company into areas of pop culture collectibles. He comments:

The experience we have across our organization with the handling, grading, and protection of rare paper collectibles puts CGC in a unique position to add value in this market. There are also great similarities between the collector bases we serve, with comics and music fans sharing a passion for both the history of their respective industries and the artwork created by their iconic figures.

Anyone who has a collecting urge would find it hard to argue with that. If you're a music lover, chances are collecting comics and collecting music ephemera elicit similar responses of care and concern over longevity and condition.

To start things off, CGC is accepting submissions for grading from "five of the most highly coveted vintage poster series", including Bill Graham, Family Dog, Grande Ballroom, Neon Rose and Art of Rock. They note that a "modern submission tier" is also available for Bill Graham Presents, the New Fillmore Series, and MoonAlice.

Just as in the case of their comics grading, CGC will employs a 10-point grading scale for concert posters and handbills based on the industry standard for comics, magazines, photos and lobby cards they have graded in the past. Similarly, CGC say that established grading features will hold true for posters, including the fact that:

The CGC grade appears on one of a number of colored labels, which differentiate a CGC Universal Grade from CGC grades assigned with any qualifiers or special considerations, including conservation, restoration and signed pieces.

The posters, once graded, will be sealed in "tamper-evident holders" of a "heavy gauge archival plastic" for collectors, complete with a "fully transparent front and back", they inform us, which "allows complete viewing of the poster and protects from any improper handling or soiling". So, the sealing process will be similar to what we've seen with comics, just on a larger scale in keeping with a desire for the collector to still see and appreciate the poster they have preserved.

If you are interested in submitting concert posters and handbills to CGC, you can now visit www.cgccomics.com/posters for a more detailed description of what CGC currently accepts for grading, as well as the requirements of CGC's Signature Series for autographed pieces.