This year marks a monumental achievement in the world of comic book grading and certification!
CGC (Certified Guaranty Company) is celebrating their 25th Anniversary, commemorating a legacy that has redefined how comic books and other collectibles are valued, preserved, and traded in the marketplace. As a trusted partner in the comic book and collectibles industry, GoCollect proudly joins in celebrating CGC’s quarter-century of success.
This year we have a marketplace that is more transparent, more reliable, and more vibrant than ever before. Today, we look back at CGC’s remarkable journey to get us here, their impact on the industry, and the power of the partnership between CGC and GoCollect.
With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility
CGC was founded in 2000 with a simple yet transformative mission: to bring objectivity, accuracy, and trust to a fledgling comic book grading process. Prior to CGC’s advent, the comic book market was rife with ambiguity. Without a consistent and reliable grading system, and some level of trust in the pages within the covers, collectors were left to navigate in far murkier waters than we see today, which led to discrepancies in pricing, trading, and overall confidence in the value of comics.
In short, CGC’s solution was groundbreaking: create a standardized grading scale that would provide collectors with a scientifically backed, impartial grading system for comics and other collectibles.
Over the years, CGC's innovative approach has absolutely revolutionized how comics are valued, preserved, and traded. Their now-industry standard grading process ensures that each comic book is evaluated by trained professionals using state-of-the-art technology. This commitment to precision and innovation over 25 years has built CGC’s reputation as the gold standard in the industry.
Empowering Collectors and Dealers
At its core, CGC’s work is about empowering collectors, dealers, and investors alike. With over 16 MILLION comics and other collectibles graded to date, CGC has provided countless collectors with the confidence to invest in and trade their prized possessions with a clear understanding of their condition and value. There’s no other way to put it, CGC’s grading service has been essential for the comic book market to operate
Additionally, CGC's commitment to the collectibles community has now expanded successfully into many other trades, shops and hobbies. They provide the only service in town for grading Concert Posters. They have almost single-handedly seeded the Magazine hobby with recognition as a valid graded collectibles market. They deserve massive applause for transforming the graded Video Game industry into what it is today. And to top it off, they apply their authentication service to every TCG you can think of, which includes a sizable portion of the Pokémon market.
Any way you cut it, collectors also love their holders. They've grown accustomed to CGC’s colors and the way the product looks and feels in their hands. They love the encapsulation technology – those lightweight, tamper-evident holders that fit everywhere – which also ensures the preservation of your collectibles for generations to come. This preservation aspect and brand consistency has added tremendously to the value of CGC-graded collectibles, offering collectors peace of mind that their investment is both highly secure and highly liquid for future arrangements.
A Partnership with GoCollect
CGC's success and impact on the industry would not have been possible without the incredible relationships they have cultivated over the years. As one of those partners, GoCollect has long worked side-by-side with CGC to enhance our end of the marketplace, which began with enabling collectors to make informed decisions while tracking the value of their graded comics. But like good friends often do, we have grown in tandem to track and record nearly every collectible marketplace we can.
When it comes to CGC on GoCollect – today that means over 4.5 MILLION tracked and saved sales across all of our collectible marketplaces. When you break it down, your informed decisions come from numbers like this:
CGC-Graded Comic Sales – 4,390,316
CGC-Graded Pokemon Sales – 116,079
CGC-Graded Video Game Sales – 18,687
CGC-Graded Concert Poster Sales – 18,302
CGC-Graded Magazine Sales – 11,873
Our partnership is grounded in CGC's larger shared vision: to create a marketplace that provides transparency, accuracy, and ease of access for all collectible enthusiasts, from casual collectors to serious investors.
A Look Ahead: The Next 25 Years
As we celebrate CGC's 25 years of accomplishments, it’s impossible not to look forward to the next chapter. The comic book industry continues to grow and evolve, with new technologies, digital platforms, and a growing global audience. CGC’s commitment to innovation means they’re not resting on their laurels. They’re actively exploring new ways to improve their customers' experience and enhance their offerings, keeping pace with the changing landscape of collectibles.
At GoCollect, we’re equally excited about the future. Our mission is to continue providing the most comprehensive and accessible tools for comic book collectors, from pricing guides and market analysis to digital tracking and more. We’re proud to stand alongside CGC as we embrace the future of the marketplace and work together to ensure that the next 25 years are as successful, exciting, and impactful as the first.
A Milestone of Excellence
CGC’s 25th anniversary is not just a celebration of a company’s success – it’s a celebration of the entire comic book community. Look for CGC and GoCollect to celebrate this success all year long with upcoming promos and collaborations. This message here is just the start of the party from our side! We’re going to celebrate CGC’s uniqueness in as many ways and places as we can.
As GoCollect celebrates this milestone with CGC, we reflect on the incredible progress we’ve made together. Our shared vision of empowering collectors with trustworthy data, high-quality grading services, and an unparalleled commitment to excellence will continue to drive us forward. Here’s to the first 25 years, and to many more!
