marvelmaniac

IMO this book would be a VG 4.0 (Spine Wear/Creasing/Stress Lines, Corner Creases, Minor Staple Tears, Rust Migration, etc.) without the cover tear, however, the loss of color on the cover due to the tear will IMO drop the grade at Minimum to a GD/VG 3.0 or GD+ 2.5.

Severe Creasing/Spine Wear, Minor Tears, Rust Migration, Staining, but No Pieces/Chunks missing... 2.0 GOOD (GD): Back to TopShows substantial wear; often considered a "reading copy." Cover shows significant wear and may even be detached. Cover reflectivity is low and in some cases completely absent. Book-length creases and dimples may be present. Rounded corners are more common. Moderate soiling, staining, discoloration and foxing may be present. The largest piece allowed missing from the front or back cover is usually a 1/2" triangle or a 1/4" square, although some Silver Age books such as 1960s Marvels have had the price corner box clipped from the top left front cover and may be considered Good if they would otherwise have graded higher. Tape and other forms of amateur repair are common in Silver Age and older books. Spine roll is likely. May have up to a 2" spine split. Staples may be degraded, replaced or missing. Moderate staple tears and stress lines may be present, as well as rust migration. Paper is brown but not brittle. Centerfold may be loose or detached. Moderate interior tears may be present.

That is an extremely nice copy of ASM Annual 1!!! If this book was anywhere from FR 1.0 to GD/VG 3.0 the markings would not be an issue. I do not have my books graded, however, if this were mine and I was grading/cataloging the book for myself I would grade the book as if the markings were not present and then probably deduct a minimum of 2 grades, it would be cataloged saying... "Amazing Spider-Man Annual 1 - VG/FN 5.0 (Would be a FN/VF 7.0 except for writing/markings on the cover)". Not using CGC I am not extremely familiar with what qualifies for a "Green Label", does an otherwise higher grade book with writing/markings on the cover qualify?

CGC grades books with tape as if the tape was not present, having said that, what defect is the tape attempting to repair? If it is actually holding the covers together due to a long spine split as opposed to someone placing the tape as a precautionary measure that will make a difference in the grade. If this book has a long spine split it could be a FR 1.0 or FR/GD 1.5. IMO if there is not a spine split more than 2" long, no pieces missing and the cover/pages are not brittle the book could get a GD 2.0.

CGC grades books with tape repair as if the tape was no present, although the tape is helping hold the book together and making it easier to handle without causing more damage it cannot improve a grade. According to the Grading Standards... FR 1.0 may have... "spine split can extend up to 2/3 the length of the book". PR 0.5 may have..."ragged spines or a complete, book-length split". Some folks Hate/Despise tape, I have numerous books with tape repair and it does not bother me, I never collected for monetary value or investment, I collected to have/read/enjoy the books I grew up with in the 60's and Well Loved books are not an issue for me. There are a lot of folks that do not own an F.F. 5 in any grade and would Love to have your copy, so... Enjoy Your Book!!!

Don't listen to the haters... I Love that copy, nothing wrong with "Well Loved" books, I have numerous "Well Loved" books, some much worse than your F.F. 5 Remember, A low grade (Well Loved) book is better than no book at all. ENJOY!!!

Without pics it will hard for anybody to tell you if it is a "Bindery Tear" or a "Dented Corner/Spine Split" and how much it would affect the grade of the book. This is from the HA Grading Standards... NM+ 9.6 - No bindery tears are allowed NM 9.4 - Bindery tears must be less than 1/16" on Silver Age and later books

3.0 GOOD/VERY GOOD (GD/VG): Back to TopA used comic book showing some substantial wear. Cover shows significant wear, and may be loose or even detached at one staple. Cover reflectivity is very low. Can have a book-length crease and/or dimples. Corners may be blunted or even rounded. Discoloration, fading, foxing, and even minor to moderate soiling is allowed. A triangle from 1/4" to 1/2" can be missing out of the corner or edge; a missing 1/8" to 1/4" square is also acceptable. Tape and other amateur repair may be present. Moderate spine roll likely. May have a spine split of anywhere from 1" to 1-1/2". Staples may be rusted or replaced. Minor to moderate staple tears and moderate stress lines may be present, as well as some rust migration. Paper is brown but not brittle. Centerfold may be loose or detached at one staple. Minor to moderate interior tears may be present.

IMO that book is better than a VG 4.0 but IMO the spine wear keeps this book from being a higher grade,I cannot give it a VG/FN 5.0 so... VG+ 4.5 Looking at eBay sold auctions, X-Men 2 Raw in FR 1.0 -GD- 1.8 have sold in the $200 - $400 range. A book listed as a VG/FN 5.0 but appears to be a VG 4.0 sold for $600.00. 5.0 VERY GOOD/FINE (VG/FN): Back to Top An above-average but well used comic book. An accumulation of bindery/printing defects is allowed. Minor to moderate cover wear apparent, with minor to moderate creases and/or dimples. Inks have moderate to low reflectivity. Blunted corners are increasingly common, as is minor to moderate staining, discoloration, and/or foxing. Stamped or inked arrival dates may be present. A minor to moderate spine roll is allowed. A spine split of up to 1/2" may be present. Staples may show minor discoloration. Minor staple tears and minor stress lines may also be present, as well as minor rust migration. Paper is tan to brown with no signs of brittleness. Centerfold may be loose. Minor interior tears may also be present. 4.5 VERY GOOD+ (VG): Back to Top Fits the criteria for Very Good but with an additional virtue or small accumulation of virtues that improves the book's appearance by a perceptible amount. 4.0 VERY GOOD (VG): Back to Top The average used comic book. Cover shows moderate to significant wear, and may be loose but not completely detached. Cover reflectivity is low. Can have moderate creases or dimples. Corners may be blunted. Store stamps, name stamps, arrival dates, initials, etc. have no effect on this grade. Some discoloration, fading, foxing, and even minor soiling is allowed. As much as a 1/4" triangle can be missing out of the corner or edge; a missing 1/8" square is also acceptable. Only minor unobtrusive tape and other amateur repair allowed on otherwise high grade copies. Moderate spine roll may be present and/or a 1" spine split. Staples may be discolored. Minor to moderate staple tears and stress lines may be present, as well as some rust migration. Paper is brown but not brittle. Minor to moderate interior tears may be present. Centerfold may be loose or detached at one staple.

I re-started collecting in 1979 to relive the enjoyment I felt as a kid in the 60's,(Why Comic books and not Baseball Cards?) then my OCD kicked in and I wanted to complete runs (to a point, I always have a cutoff point such as issue 200 for ASM and F.F.) of the Silver Age books/titles I grew up with. Condition/Monetary value were never important to me as a collector, the thrill of the hunt and was all part of the excitement of collecting, making monthly trips to the 4-5 LCS's in my area, going to local/small shows (that were about comic books, not pop culture) and the excitement when I found something at a price I could afford or a hidden gem in a box that was not there previously, and add it to the collection was exhilarating to me, the internet ruined all of that for me. Although I still have all of my books and never plan on selling them I have not purchased any books in over 12 years, the prices for the books I am looking for (Pre-Code JIM and ST) have skyrocketed even for "Well Loved" copies, as I have gotten older my interest of spending that much for a comic book has waned. I am 65 and my bedroom looks like a 10 year olds with Marvel Collectibles/Action Figures/Memorabilia decorating the entire landscape, it still puts a smile on my face and I get a warm, fuzzy feeling inside every time I go in there. The questions you need to ask yourself then become... Why did you first start collecting? What about the hobby brings you joy or puts a smile on your face? Do you enjoy just looking at or reading the books or do you just see $$$? There Is No Wrong Way To Collect.

I do not see any pieces missing, tears, spine splits or major creasing, just the typical edge/corner/spine wear and stress lines, so IMO... VG+ 4.5 , possibly VG/FN 5.0. 5.0 VERY GOOD/FINE (VG/FN): Back to Top An above-average but well used comic book. An accumulation of bindery/printing defects is allowed. Minor to moderate cover wear apparent, with minor to moderate creases and/or dimples. Inks have moderate to low reflectivity. Blunted corners are increasingly common, as is minor to moderate staining, discoloration, and/or foxing. Stamped or inked arrival dates may be present. A minor to moderate spine roll is allowed. A spine split of up to 1/2" may be present. Staples may show minor discoloration. Minor staple tears and minor stress lines may also be present, as well as minor rust migration. Paper is tan to brown with no signs of brittleness. Centerfold may be loose. Minor interior tears may also be present. 4.5 VERY GOOD+ (VG): Back to Top Fits the criteria for Very Good but with an additional virtue or small accumulation of virtues that improves the book's appearance by a perceptible amount. 4.0 VERY GOOD (VG): Back to Top The average used comic book. Cover shows moderate to significant wear, and may be loose but not completely detached. Cover reflectivity is low. Can have moderate creases or dimples. Corners may be blunted. Store stamps, name stamps, arrival dates, initials, etc. have no effect on this grade. Some discoloration, fading, foxing, and even minor soiling is allowed. As much as a 1/4" triangle can be missing out of the corner or edge; a missing 1/8" square is also acceptable. Only minor unobtrusive tape and other amateur repair allowed on otherwise high grade copies. Moderate spine roll may be present and/or a 1" spine split. Staples may be discolored. Minor to moderate staple tears and stress lines may be present, as well as some rust migration. Paper is brown but not brittle. Minor to moderate interior tears may be present. Centerfold may be loose or detached at one staple.

3.0 GOOD/VERY GOOD (GD/VG): Back to TopA used comic book showing some substantial wear. Cover shows significant wear, and may be loose or even detached at one staple. Cover reflectivity is very low. Can have a book-length crease and/or dimples. Corners may be blunted or even rounded. Discoloration, fading, foxing, and even minor to moderate soiling is allowed. A triangle from 1/4" to 1/2" can be missing out of the corner or edge; a missing 1/8" to 1/4" square is also acceptable. Tape and other amateur repair may be present. Moderate spine roll likely. May have a spine split of anywhere from 1" to 1-1/2". Staples may be rusted or replaced. Minor to moderate staple tears and moderate stress lines may be present, as well as some rust migration. Paper is brown but not brittle. Centerfold may be loose or detached at one staple. Minor to moderate interior tears may be present.

If you have windows in this room then any books, raw or slabbed need to be placed into UV protected frames, CGC slabs DO NOT offer UV protection. https://www.bcwsupplies.com/comic-book-showcase-current-uv https://thecollectorsresource.com/ Once in the frame use 3M Command Strips to hang the frame to the wall. https://www.command.com/3M/en_CA/command-ca/products/~/Command-Picture-Hanging-Strips-17206-12EF-White-Large-24-Strips-Per-Pack/?N=5924736+3290864240&preselect=5584789+3293786499+3294529206&rt=rud

What I see from your pics (with my bad eyes) is slightly blunted corners, small color speck lower left, 1-2 slight, non-color breaking stress lines, and the fraying/waviness at the top right edge. I generally grade conservatively and without having the book in hand, IMO...VF+ 8.5 9.0 VERY FINE/NEAR MINT (VF/NM): Back to Top Nearly perfect with outstanding eye appeal. A limited number of bindery/printing defects are allowed. Cover is almost flat with almost imperceptible wear. Inks are bright with slightly diminished reflectivity. An 1/8" bend is allowed if color is not broken. Corners are cut square and sharp with ever-so-slight blunting permitted but no creases. Several lightly penciled, stamped or inked arrival dates are acceptable. Very minor foxing. Spine is tight and flat. Staples may show some discoloration. Only the slightest staple tears are allowed. A very minor accumulation of stress lines may be present if they are nearly imperceptible. Paper is off-white to cream and supple. Very minor interior tears may be present. 8.5 VERY FINE+ (VF+): Back to Top Fits the criteria for Very Fine but with an additional virtue or small accumulation of virtues that improves the book's appearance by a perceptible amount. 8.0 VERY FINE (VF): Back to Top An excellent copy with outstanding eye appeal. A limited accumulation of minor bindery/printing defects is allowed. Cover is relatively flat with minimal surface wear beginning to show, possibly including some minute wear at corners. Inks are generally bright with moderate to high reflectivity. An unnoticeable 1/4" crease is acceptable if color is not broken. Stamped or inked arrival dates may be present. Minor foxing. Spine is almost completely flat with a possible minor color break. Staples may show some discoloration. Very slight staple tears and a few almost insignificant stress lines may be present. Paper is cream to tan and supple. Centerfold is mostly secure. Minor interior tears at the margin may be present.

Welcome To The Boards!!! The above is absolutely correct. Although I know this is no longer correct, my 2016 Overstreet states the values of ASM 238 are the same "With or Without Tattooz". Anybody know what the newest edition of Overstreet says?

Again, I am no expert... The part that has me baffled is what type of stain would that be that did bleed through the rear cover but did not bleed through to the back page? FOXING "This is an antiquing term. Foxing, basically, is a reddish-brown stain that can form on old paper. Most collectors agree it’s mold, and the term “foxing” comes from the color. There’s another theory that foxing is caused by the oxidation of iron or copper in the makeup of the pages. It’s also believed that humidity can contribute to foxing, whether it’s oxidation or mold." EXAMPLES OF FOXING

Considering that I bought an Avengers 4 and ASM 14 for less that $20.00 in each in 81/82 and was given an IH 181 for Christmas in 82/83 that was purchased for $25.00 I would say $400.00 would get you a lot.

I am not an expert on this subject by any means and cannot make a judgment on this just be seeing the back cover. From all of the pics I have seen that appears to be foxing which is brown and spreads across the entire area, mold may be darker and usually starts on the outer edges and spine, if it is mold it will spread if not contained. Does the book have a smell to it? Is there any signs of moisture/water damage? (Rusted staples, waviness/wrinkles on the cover/pages. water stains on the interior pages) What do the interior pages and inside cover look like? Is any of it spreading to the front cover by the edges/spine? https://www.abaa.org/glossary/entry/foxing This is an illustration of mold...

I would keep the book and record set sealed and place the sealed item in a Mylite W/Acid Free Board to protect the whole thing, that is what I did.

Welcome To The Boards!!! Yes, folks did answer the question that was asked, however nobody mentioned to you why you should not send in the COA. Books that are sent for grading that have a signature that was NOT witnessed by CGC will not receive a Yellow Signature Series Label as CGC cannot verify the signature as "authentic", their stance is that anybody can produce/duplicate a COA to make the signature seem authentic, so unless they witness the signing... The book will be graded with the signature noted as a defect and will probably receive a Green Qualified Label which will assign a grade as if the signature/writing was not present but it will be noted on the label.

IMO, and I do not recall this being an issue, I do not not think people were forging Jack Kirby signatures 40 years ago, comic books were not that expensive that it would be worth it and signatures were free, (IE: Prices I paid in 82/83, ASM 14 $20.00, Avengers 4 $15.00, IH 181 $20.00), the F.F. 8 was a $10.00 - $15.00 book and there was no mention by anyone of the splash page signature.

Is that a missing piece or a water stain, looks like a stain to me, if it is not a stain then my original appraisal would be incorrect, if it is a stain I stand by my VG 4.0, however, I do not have my books graded and my understanding is that CGC hits staining quite hard, so...

What he said... What ever that is it does detract from the books looks, it was the first thing I noticed. Just by the pic and not being able to really see the spine that well, IMO... 5.0 VERY GOOD/FINE (VG/FN): Back to TopAn above-average but well used comic book. An accumulation of bindery/printing defects is allowed. Minor to moderate cover wear apparent, with minor to moderate creases and/or dimples. Inks have moderate to low reflectivity. Blunted corners are increasingly common, as is minor to moderate staining, discoloration, and/or foxing. Stamped or inked arrival dates may be present. A minor to moderate spine roll is allowed. A spine split of up to 1/2" may be present. Staples may show minor discoloration. Minor staple tears and minor stress lines may also be present, as well as minor rust migration. Paper is tan to brown with no signs of brittleness. Centerfold may be loose. Minor interior tears may also be present. Just having an IH 181 in any grade is an accomplishment, enjoy your book!!!

This signature is on the splash page of F.F. #8 given to me for Christmas back in 82/83, I assume it is real since nobody was looking to just make a buck back then.