Why a collector of 47 years is just now starting on CGC

While I have been actively collecting and storing (and driving my family crazy with) comics since 1963, I have just recently become involved with CGC graded books. Though I have been buying and selling (mostly buying) comics online for many years I saw no real reason to pay premiums for 3rd party graded books.

However as the market began to stabilize I got curious and purchased a copy of X-Men 96 (6.5) to see what all the fuss was all about.

What impressed me most was the care that goes into the encapsulation process. This, to me seemed a perfect way, to preserve some of my own Silver Age books, especially my square bound 80 Page Giants and Annuals. After talking to several dealers who send out books for their customers I decided to handle the process myself and took a premium membership. I figured that if I did not like the process I would only be out the cost of membership as the first three books are graded free with the coupon that comes with premium membership.

After spending a lot of time with my collection I decided on Annual #1, Adventure #277 and FF #1 (Golden Record Reprint). These books are not actually the cream of my collection condition wise but they are of great sentimental value and I wanted them preserved regardless of the resale value. The Superman Annual #1 in particular is special to me as it is the very first comic book I ever owned and I have had it since 1963. Which was three years after it was first on the stands. The candy store in my neighborhood had STACKS of old comics going back years. (this was long before the advent of the comic shop) With the steel trap logic of a seven year old I figured 80 pages of Superman couldn?t be beat. PLUS, since the book was already three years old I got it for a nickel! In any event that old book and I have been together for nearly 47 years and I figured it was a good time to give it a nice ?retirement? home. Once I get that back I plan to purchase a frame that will accommodate a CGC slab and hang it in my office.

With the New York Comic Con coming up in a couple of weeks, I have prepared a nice stack of books to submit at the show (including a full run of the Neal Adams run of green lantern/Green Arrow!). So my CGC collection will be growing pretty rapidly in the next few months. I don?t know how much selling I will do but CGC seems like the perfect way to preserve my collection going forward.

I am curious about how many hobbyists have books encapsulated for resale as opposed to collectors, like me, for preservation.

That?s 30!

Mitch

(And just to celebrate I just added a copy Of Killing Joke to the collection)