Chip Cataldo

I just can't believe all the high-grade Spider-Mans in his sig line that are now marred because of that stupid signature. Peace, Chip

Rename this thread and call it "The RAK Room." Peace, Chip

That pin is awesome. Nice score! Peace, Chip

Myrtle Beach is a tourist town...not many long-time original residents. I don't mind driving, especially when I can take the family along for a cheap day-trip. We walk, see some sights, get some food and then drive home. It's nice to get out once in a while, and if I can get a nice bunch of comics for cheap it's a good day all-around. Peace, Chip

You're getting really ridiculous with all this stuff, you know? There are lots of inaccuracies in what you're stating above, and I really don't understand where the hatred came from in a short period of time. I didn't do anything to you. I haven't done anything to ANYONE on this site. I've never said I was unable to pay for food. I've never said the bulk of my sales weren't commission. I didn't "manage to find" $1,000. It was profit from the business marked for purchasing more stock for the business. I didn't "cry" about anything "a lot." I tried to get my money back. "Gullible fools?" Other than people posting advice a grand total of FOUR people were generous enough to actually give me anything, even though I stated previously that we were able to absorb the hit whether I got my money back or not. FOUR. You sent me a book for which I am very grateful to have, and when you got pissed off I offered to send it back. I'll even pay for the damn thing. Jason (comicalgems) donated a Mystery Box sale to help me out and Tim (thunsicker) was nice enough to buy it. A boardie who wishes to remain anonymous was instrumental in getting my actual money back. I didn't ask for any charity at all. I said we were fine. I was pissed off and let everyone know about it, which is what half of this site is. Scams, CGC wait times, eBay, whatever. I don't see you railing against any of that. "Boasting" about great scores? Everyone does that. God forbid I want to share something cool that's happened to me as far as comics. I thought that's what that thread in General was for. Stupid me. Honestly, you're being ridiculous now. I tried to reason with you via PM so we could work out our differences and you shut me down. It's on you, now. Enough. Peace, Chip

I get ya there...once you get past the initial wait and have books coming in regularly to match the ones you send out regularly the system works. I just have to have enough money in the bank to start that and get over the initial wait for the first wave of books. I'm not there yet. I'm not sure how I would get to do on-site, so that part wouldn't work for me. Peace, Chip

Trust me, I'm trying. The problem is I don't have any way to tie up the money into CGC for the length of their TATs. I did so with some keys from the huge score collection I had many months ago and CGC *still* has 5 of those books. I just need more time to amass more money so I can ride out the length of grading times and/or afford to spend more on the faster tiers. Those I know that sell CGC books do VERY well...the amounts I see are the stuff of my family's dreams right now. However, a lot of them have amazing jobs that allow them to afford their money being tied up for months on end. Peace, Chip

April's mother works, but she got in a tough spot a few months ago and I am able to help her so she's with us until she gets back on her feet. I know it means a lot to April that we can help her, so I made that decision and went with it. It's fine for now...nothing changed and I am still able to pay for everything. I know that can't go on forever, but they know it as well. It's all good so far. April helps me when she can. She's been sick most of the year, but still helps me list auctions when she's able to and in some cases pack comics when my back is against the wall and need to catch up. The packing thing hasn't been needed in a few months as I'm a machine and have a great system down pat now, but the listing helps out a LOT. She can also scan books when push comes to shove. My bottom line is that I didn't want her to work so she could spend time at home and raise our daughter. That's a big deal for me so I need to just keep working as hard as I can. Peace, Chip

Thank you...no worries. I've just started out. This was the first year of me deciding that my low-level retail jobs were something I could do better than, so I decided to do so. I have a destroyed credit rating so I started out small with zero cash to invest. I had some very wonderful people offer to have me sell books on consignment and when I started earning a bit more than I needed to pay the bills I would just look for things to buy that I could re-sell and make more profit. It's growing steadily...I just have to find a way to work harder. I put up 525 auctions last week. I need to make that 750...then 1,000. The more I sell, the more I make. The fact that I can work from home is both a blessing and a detriment, but I do what I can there. Eventually it will get better, but for someone with zero credit line or investors I'm doing the best I can with what I have. Food is on the table and the bills are paid. More and more of my stock is stuff that I own outright. I've made some great friends on here that have become great business connections. I just have to keep working as hard as I can, and obviously improve my comic grading. Peace, Chip

It's full time and my only source of income. I'm not well-off by any means. I pay the bills and put food on the table. We have a few nice things but hardly live anything remotely close to a plush life. That dollar amount is me working as hard as my low-motivation self will allow on mostly commission sales. If some weeks I have to sell 300 $1 books to get by, that's what I do. I currently support myself, my girlfriend, our daughter and my g/f's mother. Peace, Chip

Huh? Peace, Chip

They weren't all raw, but most of them were, yes. Also it's not 100% comics, but again most of my sales were. Peace, Chip

Supposed to head about an hour away to get some books on Wednesday. Seller said there are some 70's Batman and some Amazing Spider-Man in there from around first Carnage-time. Hopefully #361 is one of them. The family is coming along so we're making it a half-day trip just to get away from the home for a while. I might try to find a few local antique shops to browse through as long as we're there. Peace, Chip

I don't list books here other than CGC slabs. Peace, Chip

Well, I suppose that's one thing I will have to change ASAP. I have very poor lighting at my desk. I'll have to get a nice LED 10k lamp or something similar. Peace, Chip

My 5 books have been sealed in the inner well and are now waiting for encapsulation and QC. They were sent on June 2nd. Value Fast Track. Blah. I want my books. Peace, Chip

If I could afford to do that I wouldn't have to sell comics, I'd be buying them. Every week's worth of sales goes into our bills or buying more stuff to sell. I don't have time to wait for them to be graded.

I'm sitting here staring at a pile of 225 comics I have to grade & list by the end of the weekend and I've graded the first one 4 times already. I have no idea what's right and what's wrong.

Hello everyone, In the Giving Tree thread, I posted the grade the ST #115 had received when it was put in the PGM section previous to me purchasing it (which consensus-wise was a 4.0 average). I didn't agree with that grade when I got the book in-hand (I usually disagree with the PGM grading) but as to not cause trouble here on the CGC forum that's the grade I quoted when people inquired. People have had it out for me in that thread since the beginning so I didn't want to rock the boat. Regarding my eBay sales, I grade the best I can when putting up several hundred comics each week. I offer a no-questions-asked 14-day return policy where I even pay the return shipping if anyone isn't satisfied for any reason (including the book's grade). I am a Top-Rated Power Seller on there with nearly $100,000 in sales over the past 12 months (nearly all raw comics). I have 99.7% positive feedback (over 500 this month alone) and high Detailed Seller Ratings across the board (including "Item As Described"). If someone isn't satisfied with a grade on any book they purchase I have them return it and I re-evaluate my grade before I re-list. Nearly all of the time I will inquire exactly what the buyer thought was wrong in my grading so I can improve. Peace, Chip

It was a 4.0 average in the grading thread, some had higher and some had lower. It definitely presents higher than the grade. Peace, Chip

No problem at all. Sorry I forgot to put that in there in the first place. When the little one is running around chasing the cats with the TV remote I tend to post erratically. Peace, Chip

It's a 4.0 with CR/OW pages. I'll edit the post with that info. Peace, Chip

Ooh, forgot about that factoid! Added that to the description! Peace, Chip

. Who are you, Ronan? Peace, Chip

My offer - Strange Tales #115 - VG 4.0 with CR/OW pages - Origin of Doctor Strange & 2nd Appearance of Sandman Peace, Chip