Q: What are your hours of operation?
A: We are open Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm PST. Feel free to contact us with any questions after hours at:
Q: Can I pick up my submissions at convention?
A: Arrangements can be made for you to pick up your books at certain comic conventions that will be attended by CBCS. Please contact CBCS Customer Service to find out if we will be at the convention of choice, and to make an appointment, before choosing this option on the submission form. Extra time may be added to your turnaround time if this option is chosen and CBCS cannot guarantee which day of the convention you will be able to pick up your books. Regular shipping and handling fees still apply.
Q: Can I pick up my submissions at CBCS?
A: Arrangements can be made to hold your CBCS certified books in our vault until you pick up your books in person at our offices. Please contact CBCS Customer Service to make an appointment before choosing this option on the submission form.
Q: What is Pre-Screening?
A: If the submitter is unsure if their book is a good candidate for pressing, the pre-screen service can be chosen. If selected, the submitter will be notified of the result before pressing. They can make a final decision to proceed or have the book returned as is.
Q: Is Pressing considered restoration?
A: No additive elements are involved in pressing or dry cleaning. CBCS and CGC do not consider pressing or dry cleaning restoration.
Q: What is restoration and conservation?
A: Restoration is a procedure in which additive elements are used in order to enhance the appearance of a comic by covering or removing any damage found on a comic. Conservation is a process used to prevent the deterioration and further destruction of a comic.
Q: Can I combine shipping for multiple tier submissions?
A: Yes. Once you have filled out the CPRS submission form listing all the books you are submitting, select the option to have all books submitted back to you at one time, or have the tiers sent back to you separately as they are finished. This option is listed on the shipping section of the checkout process
Q: How do I package my books for shipment?
A: Packaging your books to ship to CPRS:
The first step is to place your comics in protective bags that are only slightly larger than the book itself. The bag should be just slightly larger than the book and it should have an appropriately sized board inserted behind the comic book. For a little added protection, you can choose to use a few extra boards. Properly sized bags will prevent your books from moving inside the bag.
You will want to pack the books into bundles of ten or less. Place the first two comics face to face with the spines on opposite sides. It is incredibly important to be mindful of the spines on the comics. You will want to keeps the spines away from each other and never have any packaging pressure directly on the spine of a book. Create a stack with every two books placed face to face, spines on opposite sides, until you have a group of ten books. Take a large piece of paper (newspaper, gift wrap, brown packaging paper, etc) and wrap the bundle of ten comics as you would a birthday present. By wrapping the bundle, you are preventing the comic bags from moving around. CPRS does not recommend bundles larger than 10 books as they will be less protected.
Find or cut two pieces of cardboard roughly 1/4” larger than the bundle of comics. Place one piece of cardboard under the comic bundle and tape it directly to the board. Do not tape on the sides as it puts pressure on the spines of the comics. Rather tape it on the top and bottom edges of the bundle. Do not tape very tightly. You just want it tight enough to prevent the books from moving. Place the second piece of cardboard on the opposite side of the bundle and tape it on the top and bottom edges as you did to the other piece of cardboard. Once you have a completed bundle, wrap it in a layer of bubble wrap.
Once you’ve finished your bundles, put them into a box. Be sure to use some extra foam peanuts or bubble wrap around the books inside the box to prevent damage from the package being mishandled. Make sure the box has been topped off with peanuts and there is no empty space left. Do not over-stuff the box, only the extra room to prevent movement during transit.
Don’t forget to include all of your CPRS invoices.
Q: Can I send in more than one tier at a time?
A: Absolutely! In fact, you can send in more than one tier on the CPRS invoice. On the on-line submission form, there is a “tier” selection for each comic book you submit as well as a pre-screen option.
Q: Are the books I submit kept in confidentiality?
A: Yes. CPRS employees are not allowed to talk about books you have submitted with the public unless you have given us permission to do so.
Q: How much does it cost to press a comic book?
A: The cost to have a book certified depends on the tier you choose. Each tier has certain perimeters (such as year of publication, insured value, speed of turnaround) which will help you select the best tier to submit your comics under. The CPRS prices for each tier are listed here.
Q: Are my comics protected and insured while at CPRS?
A: Yes. All books submitted to CPRS will be insured up to the full value you have selected when filling out the submission form. Comics will only be covered by our insurance while on our premise. While at CPRS, your comics will be kept safe in our heavily fortified vault. Comics en route to CPRS or being shipped back to you may be covered by the insurance of the shipping carrier. If using your own carrier, you should check with your shipping carrier to determine their liability and coverage.
Q: Will the book increase in value?
A: The majority of books will realize an increase in value. Eye appeal and initial impression are a huge factor in the price a collector will pay for a book. CBCS and CGC take these and other factors into account when grading each book.
Q: What do I look for when considering a book for submission?
A: Defects that can potentially be improved with professional pressing:
- Spine Roll
- Reading Dings
- Bends
- Storage Impressions
- Waviness and Ripples
Defects that cannot be improved with professional pressing:
- Foxing
- Missing Pieces
- Water Stains
- Tears
- Writing
- Faded Color
- Rusty Staples
- Detached Staples
- Color Touch
- Browning
- Dust Shadow
Our free pre-screen will help you to determine if your book has a good chance to improve in grade. Very helpful for books that have already been graded by CBCS, CGC, or PGX when you would like to try for an upgrade
Q: How do I submit a comic?
A: You can fill out the on-line submission form (the link to our form is on our homepage under “Submit your comic”), stop by our both at one of the many conventions we will be attending every year, or arrange to drop off at our offices. Please call CPRS customer service at 408-315-1965 about scheduling an appointment. Our shipping address is:
574 E. El Camino Real
Sunnyvale, Ca. 94087
Q: What is dry cleaning?
A: Dry cleaning is a process that can remove dirt and ink transfer without using chemicals or other restorative techniques from the front and back cover. Most effective on white portions and back covers up to the 1990’s.
Q: What is pressing?
A: The pressing process uses non-restorative techniques to remove small defects that can raise the grade.