Tom789

I think these links are an interesting juxtaposition regarding raw vs. graded prices these days.  The first is a raw ASM #41 graded at F- (5.5) by Heritage. The second, in the very next auction, is of a CGC 5.5 ASM #41.  The raw book outsold the graded by $48.  The graded was more than $100 lower than my price guide (GoCollect) estimate.  The first book has a somewhat better eye appeal IMO, but I don't understand how a raw book, especially one not held in hand, can go for that much higher than a slab in the same grade.

The Amazing Spider-Man #41 (Marvel, 1966) Condition: FN-.... Silver | Lot #15246 | Heritage Auctions (ha.com)

The Amazing Spider-Man #41 (Marvel, 1966) CGC FN- 5.5 Off-white to | Lot #15247 | Heritage Auctions (ha.com)

On 8/11/2023 at 2:08 AM, RarePulps said:

Years ago I submitted hundreds and hundreds of comics to CGC. Now that I am submitting again, I was wondering when I should expect a package that USPS says was delivered on August 2 to be acknowledged as received by CGC. Not graded, just received (and into the CGC system). I looked at various board submissions to try to find the answer, but couldn't. Whatever normal is, that is fine with me. But if a package in misplaced, I know I should let CGC know sooner rather than later. Should my package received by CGC on Aug 2 be acknowledged in my CGC account by now (August 11)? Thanks for any help.

Under My Submissions there is a Confirm Package Delivery entry where you can put in your tracking number.  I've used it successfully a couple of times to confirm that CGC has acknowledged receipt of the package.

On 8/6/2023 at 9:59 AM, batmiesta said:

9.8s still fetching silly money and probably always will. 

Keys, SA and early BA maybe, but not later I think.  I have a lot of late Bronze Age non-key books that might get 9.8s - last year they were worth taking a shot at grading because my estimate was that most were worth over $100.  For me that's enough to grade, I know others here consider that too low.  Anyway, I started cleaning and pressing them, but now it seems that even the 9.8 prices I've been monitoring are tanking and they're not worth sending in to get graded.

On 8/5/2023 at 6:58 PM, paqart said:

I gave it a 1.8. As a collector, I wouldn't want the comic at all unless it was otherwise unattainable (like an AF 15). Meaning, below basement prices. Tape along the entire spine, to me, equals serious paper deterioration, sticky goo, and funny smells. Also, I think it is fair to assume the worst regarding what might be found on the other side. My opinion is that top grade for fully taped spine is 3.0, but add the staples and we're at max 2.0. I was having a hard time deciding between 1.8-2.0. A 3.0 was out of the question.

Being a novice grader, I consulted the CGC reference book for this one.  It says tape fully along the spine can bring the grade down to 4.0, so that's what I gave it.

Grades in.  Popcorn emoji from CGC Mike.  Doomed feeling.  

On 8/1/2023 at 5:28 PM, Panda2 said:

A few questions from someone who bombed this round but is trying to learn (memo to self - bump your grades by .5 regardless of what you think you see)…

House of secrets - is that not a stain on the back cover by the ‘salve’?

Strange Tales - is that spot above the torch’s head considered distributor’s ink?  Also did they count the CB crease in the torch’s leg a printers crease?

 

I was 

5.5 way low -minor spine split, small tears, cover creasing

3.5 close enough

4.5 small pieces out FC, stain on rear, small spine split

4.0 spine stress, foreign substance on FC, colour breaking crease FC, readers crease

8.0 close enough

 

ugh 13. After a 5 last round…

 

thanks in advance for comments and opinions!

That did look like a printer's crease to me on The Torch's leg.  But I also marked way down for that spot above his head and a couple of spots above the T in Strange.

9 pts for me this round.  Only 1 off on 4 books, but 5 off on the Strange Tales.  I thought those were stains on the top left front cover, but no mention in the notes.  Distributor's ink?  Also marked it down for the spine wear.  I've got a 6.0 that looks way better than this ST.

It looks like I was one of the lowest graders on HoS at 6.0 - but I didn't see any water stains either.  My grade was based on what appears to be a reader's crease, at least fiber-breaking, running down most of the left front spine.  But based on most grader's responses here, that wouldn't have resulted in such a low grade.  I guess I was too harsh on the crease?

My best ever and 2 bullseyes!  3 this round redeems my awful first round 10.  I got really lucky on the Harvey as it was a shot in the dark on how to grade those multiple split pages.

More Fun #102 6.5 6.5

Harvey Library #1 5.0 5.0

TTA #11 7.5 7.0

Spidey #38 5.5 6.0

HoS #92 6.0 5.5

Grades submitted.  Did poorly in round 1, this round might be even worse.  

On 7/26/2023 at 4:34 AM, CGC Mike said:

Here they are.

Popular Comics #66 (Larson pedigree)

Stain left top of whole book

Stain full bottom of whole book

Chip out right bottom of front cover

Stain full right of whole book

 

Archie Comics #39

Crease left bottom of front cover

Crease right bottom of front cover

Multiple crease right center of front cover

 

Thing #15

Piece out of right top front cover

Creasing to cover

Cover tanning

 

Incredible Hulk #5

Spine 85% split

Staple detached top of front cover

Staple detached bottom of cover

Creasing to cover

Tears to cover

Pieces out of cover

 

Marvel Spotlight #10

Thin crease bottom front cover breaks color

Wear all corners front cover

Spine stress lines

 

Thank you!  Will help in figuring out my poor scores!

Were the grader's notes posted as stated in @CGC Mike's original post or did I just miss them?

9 pts.  Worst score I had was 4 pts for The Thing at 3.0 vs. 5.0 because I thought the nasty back spine was a major defect.

Grades posted for another 4 rounds of pain.

On 7/20/2023 at 12:19 AM, Majikspellzz said:

Hi!! I have a vast comic collection from the 1940's-1990's and I'm currently cataloging them manually in notebooks one by one .. then looking up price guides between a few select sites for references... What advice do you have for me?! I have everything from Star Trek #1 Gold Key, yes, you read that correctly, to Ms Marvel #1, to Weird War Tales to Marvel Chillers #1-6, to Space Family Robinson to Walt Disney Comics and Stories to Turok Son of Stone to Little Lulu... To Debbie Does Comics to big books like thes Marvel Previews, Super Special, Graphic Novels to Heavy Metal to Elf Quest to DC to Love and Rockets to Epic to These cool 10¢ Girl magazines based on beautiful women in film (I've found 2 so far) I know this is a lot of information but I want you to understand the vastness of the unknown land I'm in..

Thanks for any input!! 

 

If you're new to comic books, first learn how to handle them so you don't introduce damage - there should be several videos available.  Then, buy bags, boards and boxes to store them if they're not already stored that way.

It's just a different grading standard set up by CGC, and as the dominant, almost monopolistic, grader in the market, it gets to set the rules.

This has been pressed once by me.  Not cleaned.  No interior or staple issues.

Flaws that I see:

1. Three color-breaking spine ticks.  One of the ticks has a noticeable crow's-foot bend that could possibly be improved with more pressing, but these are very tough for me.

2. Thin strip of faint/light color rub along front spine starting at the top of the top staple and extending down to about the middle of the book.  Can barely make out in photo.

3. Tiny crease, 1/16" or less, top front right cover.  Didn't take a good picture of it.

4. Small creases, bottom back left cover.

5. Slightly tilted miscut such that inner pages are showing on the top right and putting a thin black strip along the back left cover.  There is some small color loss in the center of the strip.

The one you've been waiting for.  (Can't believe I thought this was a good investment at the time).

You might want to check out (1) Jerry the Jitterbug Comic Book Collector - YouTube, which uses some of the conservation techniques you are interested in.

Please sign me up!

On 6/29/2023 at 1:47 PM, Lazyboy said:

Yeah, that happens. It's not all that common, but sometimes covers don't get attached properly during the normal production process.

Interesting.

There usually isn't.

I have no idea what it is. My copy has nothing.

If there's foreign material in the book, that could affect the grade.

The foreign material is just small pieces of paper clinging to the staples and easily removeable.  The mystery deepens.

On 6/29/2023 at 9:46 AM, theCapraAegagrus said:

Mark Jeweler's insert? If so, your issue would be Qualified.

Correct me if I'm wrong but that insert is usually a full page centerfold?  This looks more like the Tattooz insert from ASM #238.