Home / Grading Standards / Cel grading
A grade is a condition reading on a date, never proof. What matters is the record.
A cel grade is a condition reading: the state of the piece on the day it was examined, on a published S to F standard, flag by flag. It is not proof of anything. A perfect grade on a copy is still a copy, which is why we do not grade a cel we have not authenticated.
We never seal a cel in a slab. Acetate off-gasses, and a sealed holder holds the acid against the paint. The piece comes back in breathable archival housing with its seal, and the record is the protection.
What matters to a buyer, at auction or anywhere, is the record: who examined the cel, what they checked, and the evidence, public and permanent. The grade is one line on it.
The published standard for Japanese animation art →
This page explains cel grading under the Rinkya Authentic program. Questions about a specific record or grade: authentic@rinkya.com.
Cite as: Rinkya Authentic, "Cel grading", 2026, https://www.rinkya.com/authentic/cel-grading
