Jaydogrules

One of the perks to being paralyzed with fear about ever selling anything. -J.

Don't worry, I suffer from the same learning disability. That, and the paralyzing fear that I will regret selling any of my books if I ever did. -J.

What an awesome Christmas present! -J.

Does this mean you sold off your other two copies? -J.

Looks like Snikt still hasn't been around to update the list. In the meantime, somebody just "best offered" the 9.4 on ebay for $1,700 (Buy It Now was $2000): http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=32767&item=111557115977&rt=nc&print=all&si=fdt8vrrMIig0NMrLkBwj1Bf5Ptw%3D -J.

I guess there is such a thing as a stupid question. -slym The case is sonically welded together - not just snapped together. That's what I thought. I didn't know for sure so I did not comment earlier. This conversation has turned to the sublime. I'm not paranoid but I do check the integrity of the posts of the second hand slabs that I purchase, particularly those from eBay and high dollar ones. I do a moderate stress test to make sure the posts have not simply been "crazy glued" back together. If they were they would very easily pop back apart. If I purchase a cracked slab at a discount I perform an even sterner stress test and I also inspect the book inside the slab to make sure it is consistent with the grade still. CGC will re-holder without a re-grade if three of four posts are in tact (if I'm not mistaken). It really is not that hard to detect tampering with a slab. There are other ways of verifying a slab's identity as well, including looking up the label number and buying graders' notes. If you have handled and inspected more than just a few slabs you should know right away whether or not there is something funky going on with one if you have it in hand. (thumbs u -J.

I find the entire prospect disturbing. All the more reason to buy the book and not the label. (thumbs u -J. But if you cant examine the inside of the book are you really buying the book or a Hulk 181 with a Cap Nomad interior? If someone has gone through that much trouble to make a few dollars they deserve the money. And if they did such a good job that no one, including me, has been able to tell the difference.... ....then I would remain blissfully ignorant either way. -J.

This. -J.

I find the entire prospect disturbing. All the more reason to buy the book and not the label. (thumbs u -J.

I think I would have to see a youtube video of this to really believe it. Although I have tried on numerous occasions to see if it was remotely possible, every slab I have cracked has either ended up splintering all over the cracked along the side as Bomber Bob described. And even if I could pop one corner with even a slight crack, the second post inevitably destroys the slab every time (or at least made it extremely "tamper evident"). -J. Perhaps if you had read his posting you would comprehend the point he was making; Brought the slab in "directly from the cold" The colder the temperature the greater the contraction of the material, so what beaumonts is reporting is completely plausible. I read his post and comprehended it fine, thanks. There are plenty of people on these boards that live in cold climate and that may or may not have anything to do with his experience. If anything I'm inclined to think bomber-bob's results are typical and that the posts can snap back together but could easily be pulled apart again with the fingers, thus making it obvious if the slab has been tampered with, if in hand. -J. two dots of crazy glue can take care of that. Once you know the technique you can crack out slabs with your fingers with little to no damage to the case. Precisely the reason why I thoroughly inspect any slab I buy. -J.

Again, I would like to see a youtube video of this actually being done. Yes I could imagine one being pulled out. But not without ripping it, or damaging it significantly. Same for trying to put a different one in. -J.

I think I would have to see a youtube video of this to really believe it. Although I have tried on numerous occasions to see if it was remotely possible, every slab I have cracked has either ended up splintering all over the cracked along the side as Bomber Bob described. And even if I could pop one corner with even a slight crack, the second post inevitably destroys the slab every time (or at least made it extremely "tamper evident"). -J. Perhaps if you had read his posting you would comprehend the point he was making; Brought the slab in "directly from the cold" The colder the temperature the greater the contraction of the material, so what beaumonts is reporting is completely plausible. I read his post and comprehended it fine, thanks. There are plenty of people on these boards that live in cold climate and that may or may not have anything to do with his experience. If anything I'm inclined to think bomber-bob's results are typical and that the posts can snap back together but could easily be pulled apart again with the fingers, thus making it obvious if the slab has been tampered with, if in hand. -J.

I think I would have to see a youtube video of this to really believe it. Although I have tried on numerous occasions to see if it was remotely possible, every slab I have cracked has either ended up splintering all over the cracked along the side as Bomber Bob described. And even if I could pop one corner with even a slight crack, the second post inevitably destroys the slab every time (or at least made it extremely "tamper evident"). -J. How do you open them? I've cracked maybe a dozen slabs using a flathead screwdriver, and while the posts always get damaged ( I haven't actually tried to avoid this), I've never had a case splinter on me. Sounds like Jaydog has a rough touch ! I am known to have "heavy hands" as my mother would say, but I do use a flat head. The moment I get to the second post is where things get dicey, and in a worst case scenario the case splinters as if I snapped a CD in half. -J.

I think I would have to see a youtube video of this to really believe it. Although I have tried on numerous occasions to see if it was remotely possible, every slab I have cracked has either ended up splintering all over the cracked along the side as Bomber Bob described. And even if I could pop one corner with even a slight crack, the second post inevitably destroys the slab every time (or at least made it extremely "tamper evident"). -J.

Can I move in to that room? -J.

I have cracked out many books in my CGC collecting lifetime. Most of the time I can successfully retain a reusable slab, a slab with only a small hairline crack on the side, near the post, not visible from the front. I then use the slabs to put my favorite raw comics on display. If you were to inspect these 'slabs' in hand, you would be hard pressed to notice any obvious damage. Here's a couple pics of my display stand..... Bob, can you please clarify what you are saying? I think some are believing that you are claiming you have "re-snapped" the posts together on the slab, and that it would not be obvious that they are in fact broken if a person were to actually visually inspect the "re-used" slabs in hand. -J.

Wow nice presenting 4.0. Very nice actually. Congratulations Jerome. -J.

Very nice copy, wow. Where's snikt? He needs to update this list again. -J.

Nice copy! I may have the other one. Interestingly enough, even now nearly three years later, there are only 21, 9.8s (14 blue, 7 yellow, some of which may or may not be overlap) on the census out of 81 copies. That's a very low pull through on a modern book that was probably actually read by very few people who bought it. That chocolate brown cover is pretty unforgiving. @Lonzilla- That's one hell of a haul. Sounds like I would have had a field day in that joint! -J.

Okay first u suck. Then let me congratulate on your best buy this decade I bet. haha thanx! Seriously my hands were shaking when I pulled it out of the bin. Also picked up the ASM 688 JSC cover for $20 at the same time. Haters gonna hate If you say you also pulled out a 667 Dell'Otto for $40 and an AF 15 for $500 I am going to have to take a trip out to your LCS. -J.

Okay first u suck. Then let me congratulate on your best buy this decade I bet. +1 Even if it comes back a 9.4 it's still a $700 book. -J.

Please post your ASM 678 VenoMJ pics in this previously existing thread. Thanks ! -J.

This book already has its own thread: (thumbs u http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=6070892&fpart=1 -J.

Mighty fine copy indeed. Welcome to the club. -J.