The Pressing Desk
Pull open a drawer to learn each part of pressing & restoration.
On the press
Sample key issue
Pick a drawer below
Left cabinet
- Bends, dents, spine roll, soft creases and wrinkles.
- Only non-color-breaking structural defects qualify.
- A clean press can lift a grade by half a point to a full point.
- On a key issue, that can mean thousands of dollars.
- Color-breaking creases.
- Tears, missing pieces, tape and stains.
- Restoration of any kind.
- If a defect breaks color, pressing is cosmetic at best.
- Always disclose. Undisclosed restoration can get you banned from marketplaces.
- CGC and CBCS both screen for restoration.
- A properly pressed book grades as unrestored.
- Trimmed or color-touched books get the restored label and lose most of their value.
Right cabinet
- 1. Get a pre-grade read first. ComicVision tells you if it's a grading candidate.
- 2. Press only if the defect is pressable and the math works (press cost + grading fee vs. value gain).
- 3. Use a reputable presser who documents before and after.
- 4. Submit and let the slab do the talking.
- Independent services collectors commonly use. iCollecta is not affiliated with these businesses and receives no commission.
- CGC Pressing ↗Pressing offered alongside CGC grading, all in one submission.
- The Comic Book Presser ↗Dedicated pressing service since 2010, handles orders from 5 to 500+ books.
- Sanderson Studios ↗Restoration and conservation, recommended by CGC for damage beyond pressing.
Collector's guide
Pressing & Restoration
Before you send a book off for grading, know which defects pressing can improve and which damage is permanent.
+0.5 to +1.0
Typical gain on a clean book
Little to none
Gain when color is broken
Major loss
Restored label value impact
What pressing fixes
Structural, non-color-breaking defects
Non-color-breaking bends
Corner and edge bends where the ink is intact usually press out cleanly.
Dents and dimples
Surface impressions from stacking or handling can often be relaxed flat.
Spine roll
A curved spine from being read folded back can usually be squared up.
Soft creases
Light creases that haven't cracked the color layer often flatten or fade.
Wrinkles and waviness
Humidity ripples and cover wrinkles respond well to heat and pressure.
Permanent damage
Pressing can't undo these
Color-breaking creases
Once the ink has cracked, pressing can flatten the paper but the break stays visible.
Tears and missing pieces
Paper loss can't be restored by pressing. Repairs count as restoration.
Tape and adhesive residue
Removing tape is a conservation job, and the stain it leaves often remains.
Stains, foxing and water damage
Discoloration lives in the paper fibers. Pressing won't lift it.
Trimming, color touch and glue
These are restoration. Graders flag them and the book gets a restored label.
Before you submit: 5 steps
- 1
Get a pre-grade read
Run the book through ComicVision first to see whether it's a realistic grading candidate.
- 2
Identify the defect type
Use the comparison above. If the main defect is permanent damage, pressing won't change the outcome much.
- 3
Run the math
Add the pressing cost and the grading fee, then compare that to the expected value gain at the higher grade.
- 4
Choose a reputable presser
Pick someone who photographs and documents the book before and after every press.
- 5
Submit and disclose
Send it to CGC or CBCS. If you sell it later, be upfront about the pressing history.
Always disclose. Pressing is accepted by CGC and CBCS and grades as unrestored, but hiding a book's history damages trust and can get you removed from marketplaces.