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How Video Game Grading Works

The Long Version
For the Short Version, Visit Our Home Page.

Step 1

Gather your vintage video games, for CIB games make sure you have a matching box, cartridge and manual.

Step 2

Go to our SUBMIT GAMES page. Follow the quick and easy steps to build your order. Pay and print your order confirmation.

Step 3

Carefully package your games to send to us, here are some tips, don’t forget to include your printed order confirmation. Ship us your games insured.

Step 4

We receive your games. We carefully unpack them and log them into our system. They are placed into the grading queue. We email you a status update.

Step 5
(CIB Games)

Pre-grading photos are taken.
Utilizing an OttLite, magnifying glass and a jeweler’s loupe the game box, cartridge and manual are closely inspected.

We are looking for wear of any kind, creases, wrinkles, stains, odors, holes, tears/rips, dents, fraying, scratches, discoloration, writing, etc…

Basically anything that detracts from the overall perfect state of the box when originally made. Each time we find any imperfections in each of the 11 specific areas on the box points are deducted ranging from -1 to -4 depending on the severity of the imperfection. In the case of extensive damage that significantly detracts from the overall quality of the box we will deduct additional points from the final score. For example a tear in the box right over Mario’s face is a bigger deduction than that same tear in any area that is otherwise just a black section of the box.

After all deductions are taken each part of the CIB game has a score (0-120 for the box, 0-40 for the manual and 0-40 for the cartridge) and with some simple math those scores turn into an overall grade and individual grades on 100 point scale – a percentage grade to the ½ point from 0-100.

Box

On the box we are looking at the following elements each worth a certain number of points:
Box 120 pts
Front 25
Back 25
Left Side 10
Right Side 10
Bottom 3
Top 10
Flaps 5
Front Corners 8
Back Corners 8
Front Edges 8
Back Edges 8

Manual

On the manual we are looking at the following elements each worth a certain number of points:
Manual 40 pts
Front 8
Front Corners 6
Front Edges 6
Binding 4
Pages 4
Back 12
Back Corners
Back Edges

Cartridge

On the cartridge we are looking at the following elements each worth a certain number of points:
Cartridge 40 pts
Front Sticker 12
Front Cartridge 6
Top Sticker 8
Top Cartridge 4
Back Sticker 10
Back Cartridge
Edges
-OR-

Step 5
(Sealed Games)

Pre-grading photos are taken.
Utilizing an OttLite, magnifying glass and a jeweler’s loupe the game box, cartridge and manual are closely inspected.

We are looking for wear of any kind, creases, wrinkles, stains, odors, holes, tears/rips, dents, fraying, scratches, discoloration, writing, etc…

Basically anything that detracts from the overall perfect state of the box when originally made. Each time we find any imperfections in each of the 11 specific areas on the box points are deducted ranging from -1 to -4 depending on the severity of the imperfection. In the case of extensive damage that significantly detracts from the overall quality of the box we will deduct additional points from the final score. For example a sticker on the seal right over Mario’s face is a bigger deduction than that same sticker over any area that is otherwise just a black section of the box.

Box

On the box we are looking at the following elements each worth a certain number of points:
Box 120 pts
Front 25
Back 25
Left Side 10
Right Side 10
Bottom 3
Top 10
Front Corners 8
Back Corners 8
Front Edges 8
Back Edges 8

Seal

For the seal we are looking at the following elements:

First and foremost, is it an authentic, original factory seal. Is the seam right, is the shrinkwrap right for the game and era – does it feel right, does it stretch properly, is the box underneath brand new – never touched never opened, is any damage to the box also on the seal, etc…

Once we are 100% confident the seal is factory original. We look at….

  • How straight is the seal?
  • How tight is the seal?
  • Any unintended holes in the wrap?
  • Any rips or tears in the wrap?
  • Any dirt or sticker residue on the wrap?

As we see imperfections in the seal we deduct ½-1 star in each area that detracts from a perfect 5 STAR seal.

Step 6

Your games are moved to our QA/Encapsulation team. All scores and grades get double checked – any scores thought to be too high or too low are reviewed and if necessary adjusted. Once finalized your scores and grades and entered into our system – including a scanned copy of the grading sheet itself so you know exactly where deductions were taken.

Step 7

A label (learn more about our labels) is created for each game highlighting all details of your game and the scores/grades.

Step 8

Your games are each put in one our archival quality, shatterproof, crystal clear, UV-protected cases (learn more about our cases), assembled and sealed shut.

Step 9

Each game is placed in it’s own bubble wrap protective sealed bag. All games are securely packed in a heavy duty corrugated 200-lb tested box.

Step 10

Games are shipped back to you. We email you an update including a tracking number.

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