QuasarComics

Thanks all, CGC replied to me in their ask CGC section and said this is a glitch in their system and is effecting several items. I will later when this is resolved.

Thanks Matt!

On 3/16/2024 at 6:54 PM, Upgrayedd2 said:

There might be a tech glitch on CGC. I just looked up the Cert for a CGC comic on Heritage and it came back with the same note. I'm gonna wait and re-enter the number later today.

Thanks for the feedback, Ill do the same!

Hi CGC,

I have seen a Marvel Spotlight #5 in a CGC slab (cert #1258948016) graded 8.5 off white to white pages. However, the cert number returns "This item cannot be found. Please check that the CGC certification number was entered correctly." when entered into the CGC cert verification tool.

Can you let me know if this cert was ever associated with this issue and when it was removed and why? The label appears genuine and the book does seem overgraded but not by more than the margin of "subjectivity" I have seen in some for sure unaltered CGC slabs. So I am wondering if this is another example of an altered slab or if there are other reasons why this cert number no longer shows in the CGC cert verification database?

Any help appreciated, I can likely see this book again this coming week,

Sincerely,

Bruce

On 3/16/2024 at 2:25 PM, namisgr said:

The grade of the book doesn't seem to match the grade on the label.  Add to that the label can't be verified in the CGC database and there are enough red flags that I would choose to stay away.

Thanks, along the lines of what I was thinking and good to get confirmation.

Hi all,

It's been a while since I have posted so I hope this area is a good category to bring up these questions. A local shop has a Marvel Spotlight #5 in a CGC slab (cert #1258948016) graded 8.5 off white to white pages. The first and most major issue, IMO, is that the cert number returns "This item cannot be found. Please check that the CGC certification number was entered correctly." when entered into the CGC cert verification tool. Any thoughts on what this means?  The slab appears genuine and untampered with. The grade appears fairly reasonable (I have seen worse slabs relative to the grade that were for sure genuine).

Personally, due to some defects at the top corners and edge of the front cover I think it would be a little less than an 8.5 but I am more conservative than most.

Any opinions appreciated. I expect I can examine this book in person again this Monday.

Thanks,

Bruce

On 4/23/2022 at 12:26 PM, Funnybooks said:

Appears 9.0 as is

9.2 after C&P

i don’t believe this book can hit 9.4

Although the WWBN effect is powerful 

do you have a black light to check for ct?

Great idea about the black light, I do have a black light bulb I can find so will try that later. I don't think it is ct but will et all know my black light results.

Thanks everyone. Good to see we are in agreement about the grade range. Given that, any thoughts on current CGC grading? The recent Heritage 9 and 9.2 copies of the same book have notable color cracking spine stress and some even have some notable (all for the grade assigned) corner blunting. I realize this, especially as a general discussion, I will open or find the topic elsewhere. With the examples I mentioned from Heritage of this book though, I am perplexed at what is going on since it does not seem to be a  "one off" type of event.

On 4/22/2022 at 8:09 PM, Axe Elf said:

You can edit the title if you select "Edit" from the three little dots in the upper right of your post.

On 4/22/2022 at 10:24 PM, grendelbo said:

Oh, and that mark is part of the front cover artwork. My copy has a slight miswrap and you can see it on the front cover.

Thanks, that makes it obvious along with the slabbed copies on Heritage with the same mark and other smaller marks down lower on the spine.

On 4/22/2022 at 8:09 PM, Axe Elf said:

You can edit the title if you select "Edit" from the three little dots in the upper right of your post.

Thanks Axe Elf!

I'll need to be more careful of typos, especially in the title to a post!

I’d like the board’s opinions on this book. Might be my best book remaining (by value). After close examination I started thinking, “oh no” color touch to spine (note, especially, the black mark at spine on the back cover near the center and aligned with the “First Class” from the postage permit advertisement. There are other smaller similar marks down lower and I found these on some of the H.A. copies too, the 3^rd one noted below as an example being most similar. Close examination with a jewellers loupe had me thinking. No this must be how it was printed. Looking inside the spine there is no bleed through so I examined several copies on Heritage. It looks like about 50% of the ones I looked at have this or similar marks so it must be something with the print run. The others that confirm this include (and I’m not implying I have that type of grade opinion on this one):

The 9.6 lot 95126 that sold on Nov 19 2021

The 9.6 lot 94213 that sold on Sep 9 2021

The 9.6 lot 93113 that sold on Apr 8 2022

Anyway, would be great to hear your opinion on it as is. Definitely, IMO, a good candidate for a light pressing too. Any spines color cracks are 1/16” or less.

On 4/22/2022 at 2:47 PM, F For Fake said:

Welcome back! I mainly stick to eBay, but it is a fairly lawless and risky place these days. Can't compete with the number of eyeballs, though. However, due to your reputation, and your curated collection of no-doubt lovely books, I'd think you'd do very well here on the boards. Though Boardies may be a little cheap () they certainly know good stuff when they see it, and NO other selling venue does a better job of policing its users than the boardies do here. I think you'd do great. Can't wait to see the books!

Thanks "F for Fake", I lived in Louisville from 1989 to 2010 and did some of the shows that were at the mall on Bardstown Road just south of the Watterson in the early to mid 1990s (they started getting worse and worse). The Great Escape was a good shop in town, at least back then, they carried some decent back issues.

I'll trial a few books by next week, thanks for the encouragement!

On 4/22/2022 at 9:06 AM, ThothAmon said:

I loved CBM during the Carter years and am happy to see you on the boards. I’ve joyfully purchased lots of books here but I sell only on eBay and am quite happy there. Not sure if I’m necessarily maximizing every books value there but it’s pretty hassle free, especially given that I’m only selling buy it now CGC graded books. EBay’s selling tools help with inventory control also.  

Thanks ThothAmon. Yeah, those were the days for me, nostalgia and all. Plus, the energy of that group around the Carter CBM and Sotheby's comics guys (and Susan too) produced a lot of good results.

On 4/22/2022 at 8:40 AM, theCapraAegagrus said:

Welcome back!

Thank you, glad to be back!

On 4/22/2022 at 8:06 AM, DanCooper said:

As Bruce mentioned in his intro, he was part of the Sotheby's grading committees back in the 1990s (pre-CGC era).

Bruce was a strict (and accurate!) grader back in the day as evident by his grading of the White Mountain copy of Amazing Fantasy 15 when Sotheby's auctioned it off (see below - "Edwards" grade of "94". CGC eventually graded it 9.4).

A heckuva nice guy also! Welcome back to the boards and the States, Bruce! (PS - Carter is still around living life in Coronado)

Thanks Dan for the nice comments and bringing back the memories. I have very fond memories of those times (and regrets at not buying anything from the auctions back then!!)

On 4/22/2022 at 3:03 AM, Pat Thomas said:

I've been slowly selling off my collection since November using primarily Ebay and MCS. So far, I haven't had any bad episodes on Ebay (although I know that can change in a heartbeat) and most of the books have sold for more than I was expecting. I think it's important to be thorough and completely honest with your descriptions, and people seem to respect that. Haven't had a single complaint or blemish. I've heard complaints about the way Ebay pays now (they delay payment until delivery is confirmed for new sellers), but after a few weeks I started being paid the dame day. I'll admit the fees are a little high, but the exposure can't be beat.

I mainly use MCS to sell my graded comics and I've been very happy with the results there, too. I don't like to send raws for consignment because they are extremely tough on grading, and I think low grades turn off buyers regardless of the actual appearance. I've sent several raw books I bought from them and never removed from the bag get downgraded when I consigned them, so I just stick to using them for slabs now. One thing about MCS is there is a commission cap of $1,000.

Both options above have worked well for me (so far), but I still have a long way to go. I've bought from the boards, but never sold here. The few purchases I made went smoothly. Haven't fooled with Facebook or other auction houses. I'm sure each have their advantages and disadvantages.

 

Thanks Pat.

On 4/21/2022 at 11:57 PM, sfcityduck said:

I liked Concrete, but who cares about Masque?

On the other hand, my Byrne FF run are all killer quality basically pristine unread or read once.  But, I'm not even sure they are worth submitting to CGC.  I thought they'd be worth something.  

I'm a GA collector.  So let me know if you have any GA you want to get rid of.

 

Beautiful books! I think I still have some of those treasures we thought would not be. I'll let you know about the GA, if I decide to get rid of, mostly esoteric stuff but cool IMO.

On 4/22/2022 at 2:41 AM, Larryw7 said:

Welcome!

If I'm not mistaken, didn't you write for Comic Book Marketplace during the Gary Carter era?

Yes, thanks for remembering. I hate to ask this, but I am hoping Gary is still around. If so, does anyone know how to reach him?

On 4/21/2022 at 11:38 PM, sfcityduck said:

I'm amazed at the books I sold and the books I kept.  Who knew that Albedo would be worth something?  Who knew that I should not have sold Moonknight?  Who knew that Predator had an audience?  Who knew that Byrne was not king?  I could go on and on.

Amen! Story of my collecting life too!

On 4/21/2022 at 11:27 PM, sfcityduck said:

P.S.  Don't sell to that Bird guy, he called you an Old Guy!

:-)  I reckon I am old relatively since I still think books from the 1980s seem new!!!  :-)

On 4/21/2022 at 11:27 PM, sfcityduck said:

What have you got?  GA, SA, BA?  

P.S.  Don't sell to that Bird guy, he called you an Old Guy!

Ga through early 1990s. Unfortunately, what were major keys in the 1980s I sold a long time ago. However, a lot of stuff is now good that wasn't 20+ years ago. Perhaps a good example is Werewolf by Night #32, I'll put it up for grading opinions soon. It's a nice one.

On 4/21/2022 at 10:36 PM, wombat said:

Possibly another option, although I still say try here first. 

 

Thanks, was wondering about them.

On 4/21/2022 at 8:22 PM, Domo Arigato said:

Press EVERYTHING.  Smash the ever loving snot out of it until every ounce of feces has left it's pancaked corpse.  When that's accomplished....press it again.

Then sell it here.

 

Yes. OTOH not pressing on some could leave room for some to do that and get a serious upgrade!

On 4/21/2022 at 9:50 PM, Galen130 said:

Welcome back!! 

I agree with my fellow collectors here…give this place a shot.  I dabbled with eBay and MCS for awhile, but decided to just stick to the boards.  Less shenanigans and fewer knuckleheads.  Plus, we like using a lot of tape when we ship comics.  @Bird

Don’t forget the PGM forum, in case you want second opinions on grades. 

Thank you! Glad to be back. Will definitely use PGM forum on some. It will be great to deal with straightforward folks, apparently ebay has gotten worse since I last used them, never used MCS for selling but they appear to do great in their auctions (don't know about the shenanigans there).