A costly decision or just good sense?

I'm grading Them All

I made a decision, an expensive one. At count there are 100 issues of The New Mutants not including alternative printings, an additional seven annuals, a summer special, and one of my favorites the special edition. A total of 109 books I plan on sending to get encapsulated. Last April I decided to collect every single New Mutants in a 9.8. After this decision I found someone who is a lot closer to that goal (I found out today he is one step closer and I look forward to that day he completes it). Collecting them all in a 9.8 is a lot more difficult then I imagined, considering there are some books not even graded in this condition.

I plan on getting my collection of New Mutants graded over time and in not one shot. All the books I plan on grading are the original ones I purchased. This does not include any of the books I purchased thinking I would receive a high grade, including the New Mutants #1 I thought would be a 9.9 (see previous journal). I do not know how to send them in(not literal), do I send them in starting with a number one, or do I pick and choose. If I start at number one it makes everything easier, or even by the date this way I will be able to throw the annuals with in the mix, or I could do it a way to placate my ego and send the best copies I have in first. Although this could deflate my ego and expectations as well if they get a grade less then what I was hoping for.

If this is the case I would start with all the issues I think are a 9.2 or higher. Of course all the Liefeld issues were during my days where my books went directly into a Mylar bag. I really wish I had the foresight to do this to all my books (go figure now I have that knowledge I can?t afford it.) Other than the #15 (which at this writing I think will get a grade of 5.5) I would like to send in my copy of 87, 54, and 50 just as a start. Then maybe go by some of my favorite covers including #32.

If I think about what it will eventually cost me I might decide against it, then again since I plan on doing this over the next few years the cost will be accumulative. I will still look and collect them in a 9.8 even if one of my books receives that grade. I think it would be something to see how I collected my comic books throughout the years and how I changed in protecting them. I originally hated to bag and board my comics because I could fit in a lot more books without the added mass. This goes back to a storage issue. I think I am going to need a checklist soon of what I want to collect and how I plan on protecting that collection. I digress. Of course now that I realize if I have them all encapsulated I will have to buy them all over again just to read.

Thanks for reading.

Tnerb