Or these aren't the Droids you're looking for

CGC has been around for over a decade, but not everyone knew who they were in the beginning. It took a couple of years for the collecting community at large to accept them as the standard. Joe Veteri hopes the same people will use CVA as an impartial, unbiased third party service. He doesn't expect an overnight success, but Joe knows this labor of love "will take however long it takes". The main idea behind CVA is a book with solid structure and exceptional eye appeal to be easier to detect among the growing market. They want collectors to know the encapsulated item viewed is one of the best looking comics pursuant to its numerical grade CGC assigned.

Although their main display is a 9.6 major key issue copy of Incredible Hulk #181, they will apply their certification to any grade within their guidelines without infringing on CGC's already high standards. CVA wishes to compliment CGC not take away. Of course you could say "I don't need a third party to tell me what looks good or doesn't." Comic Verification Authority's purpose is not to dictate to the collector, but to assure them that the "exceptional" stickered book in question is one of the best ones out there for the grade specified.

I am guessing a lot of people felt they didn't need a third party grading company either, but with two million comic books graded by CGC, the nay Sayers were proven wrong, of which I was originally one myself. I can grade books and I can see what books look good, but I think I like the idea of knowing I can look on an auction site and know right away that a book I'm bidding on is one of the best ones out there within the particular numerical grade given. As I convention hop and look for raw books, I buy what catches my eye for the price I am willing to pay. Graded books make the choice easier, but the price steeper.

CVA hopes to end speculation on the eye appeal of a book no matter what grade it received. The sticker will be placed directly above CGC's numerical grade for easier visibility so the collector or investor can bid on or purchase with peace of mind. In October, CVA already added their distinctive sticker on a sample portion of books. In November, ComicLink.com will have another sampling of books to have CVA's sticker predominantly placed on some of the comic books that that auction has to offer. Joe and Tomis plan on taking a trip up to Maine to look over a select group of comics before applying their sticker to some of the books on the site allowing collectors such as myself to bid in the auction with confidence.

Anyone can send books to their office in New Jersey and can check their website for prices, but for a limited time this service is free. If you see them around the convention circuit, for the same limited time, this service again will be free, something I plan on taking advantage of, not to mention to see how their eye appeal matches up to mine. This is the very reason why I started sending books to CGC.

There is a limit to what CVA will administer their silver stickers to, and even stricter guidelines to what the newly issued gold sticker will be placed upon. CVA will NOT add their endorsement to any PGX books and will only apply them to CGC labeled with either the yellow signature series or the universal blue labels. After talking to Joe I felt relieved that he wasn't just money hungry, that he came up with a scheme for some quick cash. I felt more attuned with him because he seems like a collector, just like me, and possibly just like you.

Thanks for Reading

Tnerb