Are they or aren't they.

It felt like Christmas morning. I was at my computer entering my collection into my new database (the old database is paper). My phone rang; it was the Fed Ex Guy. I don't know why he didn't ring the bell. Actually, I didn't care, my CGC books arrived. I went to the door, signed, and wished him a good day. Mine already was.

I placed the box in the living room and proceeded to shut down my computer. My comics beckoned, when I waited long enough I opened the parcel. I felt like a kid getting exactly what he wanted (even if I did pay for it).

I unpacked the box and separated the slabbed books from the packing material. I reviewed the invoice counting that all eleven books were on there. My eyes ignore the total. I scanned over my books and felt (what was that feeling) dissappointed. I know I spent some money on these with no buyer's remorse (after all they were CGC 9.8's), but now? The first one I looked at was Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #12. The corners were not as sharp for what I would expect with this grade.

I have an Overstreet's Comic Book Grading Guide which is well used due to numerous collective days grading my own books. If I were to grade this Secret wars #12 I never would have given it a 9.8, definately a 9.4, but not a 9.8. I graded my own ASM #129 at a 9.4, CGC graded it as a 9.2. I was off by .2 points, not bad but disappointing.

I have spent a minimum of $22.00 each to get each book graded. To my rememberence (and if I am wrong please forgive me) when I was at Wizard World Philadelphia this past year I asked them about this service that they have to send in numerous books. They explained to me it is a flat fee of $3 per book with a minimum of 50 books to send in. If you are looking for a 9.8 you tell them you do not want anything less than that. They will look over every book but if it is not a 9.8 or higher they will not charge you anything in addition. However if it is a 9.8 or higher they will charge you accordingly. (Since writing the original draft for this I have checked the website and found this to be true, check yourself about this pre-grading service)

I am sure that most people who want this done want a 9.4 or better, dare I say no less than a 9.8. Now for the sake of argument the following is all speculative. Let's say a company sends in 100 books at $3 a piece, right away that's $300(OK the math part is not speculative) Let's say 6 books are a good solid 9.8 (six percent). The initial fee is charged plus the cost for the six books. Now, maybe, just maybe they have four more books that are borderline. This company that sent them in is a good company, they send a lot of books into be graded so why not add the four book at 9.8 (now we are at ten percent), but the economy sucks. Money is tight everywhere you go but comics are still selling, especially 9.8"s.

There are 20 more books that are a solid (and I mean a speculative solid) 9.6 but let's make them 9.8's as well. This gives a total of 30 books ( remember the math is good). So seventy books are returned unslabbed, but thirty are coontinuing on to the official grading process and slabbed and labeled 9.8. A full thirty percent, which seems pretty high. There order originally would have been the initial $300 plus $102 (mind you this is for modern age only silver is a tad bit more but I figure those should be even harder to find.) Now since they need to make money, and who doesn't, they are grading 30 books for a total of $810. An incredible mark up. I spent $44 alone just to have my ASM #129 graded. By the way if you use the standard service that would be $1620 for the total amount owed.

At first glance having a 9.8 is very nice, but is it? The flaws I see in the Secret wars #12 are predominant on a 9.4, but not on a 9.8. I have noticed more and more 9.8's on websites everywhere. Are more 9.9's on the horizon, how about an extra 10 here and there? Do dealers out there get a higher grade because of return business, or how about Pedigree books. Are they automatically higher because they are a mile High book ( I do wish i owned one of those) or some other notable collection. I have been wondering what if I unslab my ASM #129 and have them send it in, would it be a 9.4 or dare I dream a 9.6 ( a grade I really do not think it deserves).

I mentioned I feel safe with a CGC graded book, I should have said safer. This was not the only book out of the eleven I got that made me cringe at the defects. I reviewed my Grading book and looked at the detailed pictures and it does show that the corners have "minor corner chips" but under description it states: "sharp, square, no creases".

No less than three people grade a book. One to give it the once over, jot notes down and pass it to the next two where the book is scrutenized. is that not enough, do they need to hire a fourth to then look over the slabbed book and say "Hey guys did you miss this?" Or maybe they pay these guys too much (if that's the case, can I get a job there) and they need to overturn books quickly and at a higher grade to increase their revenue (but it seems that some people who send in books complain this wait is too long), if that's the case drop back to two ( I am sure they have a team of employees, it's just three per a book), charge the same and have stricter guidelines, maybe then I'd be more comfortable with a 9.8

Tnerb

PS. This was no way a slam against CGC, just my observation and opinion. Of course I will still use them to grade my books and purchase others. I have no problem buying slabbed books of any grade I would just like to see less defects in a 9.8 then what I would see in a 9.4. dare I suggest add a 9.7 if needed, after all there is a 9.9. Thanks for reading.