marvelmaniac

As far as removing the ink, I was referring to whether it could be done professionally. Looking at your pics it is probably a Bindery Tear, however... Besides the ink marks I see corner wear, top edge wear and what appears to be a spine tick(s). Overall from what I see I am sticking with my initial assessment of a VF 8.0. Here is the difference between what your seller stated and what I see. 9.6 NEAR MINT+ (NM+): Back to TopNearly perfect with a minor additional virtue or virtues that raise it from Near Mint. Only subtle bindery or printing defects are allowed. No bindery tears are allowed, although on Golden Age books bindery tears of up to 1/8" have been noted. Cover is flat with no surface wear. Inks are bright with high reflectivity and a minimum of fading. One corner may be almost imperceptibly blunted, but still almost sharp and cut square. Almost imperceptible indentations are permissible, but no creases, bends, or color break. Small, inconspicuous, lightly penciled, stamped or inked arrival dates are acceptable as long as they are in an unobtrusive location. Spine is tight and flat. Staples must be original, generally centered, with only the slightest discoloration. Paper is off-white, supple and fresh. Only the slightest interior tears are allowed. 8.0 VERY FINE (VF): Back to TopAn 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. For comparison sake, I graded my copy of Secret Wars #8 (bought new) at a VF/NM 9.0.

Do you have a nice pic of the spine? Is the tear an actual spine split or a bindery tear? If it is a bindery tear it will not get as large a deduction in grade as opposed to an actual spine split. I do not have my books graded so I have no experience in how CGC deducts or determines how much to deduct for defects such as those on an otherwise high grade book. Can the ink be removed without damage to the book? IMO and if that were my book that I was grading I would grade it at a VF 8.0 and make notations about the ink marks and tear.

I posted this on Friday, not sure how it ended up in a thread of its own... I did not click on your links, however... I am not sure what you are looking at, I just went to eBay and checked "Sold/Completed" sales, "Auctions" only and the least expensive book I found was $212.00 (going back to Nov.1) with 26 bids for a Raw ASM 300 which may have graded at a VG/FN 5.0 if not for 1/5th of the back cover missing which to me drops the book to a minimum GD 2.0 if not a FR/GD 1.5. The lowest graded CGC book was a VG- 3.5 that sold for over $400.00 When looking at eBay to try to determine FMV you have to look at Auctions with a decent amount of bidders (a minimum of 5 separate bidders), being sure that the price was not artificially inflated due to a bidding war, YES, you may find some of the same books that sell for less and others that sell for more, there is no set number/value, you have to come up with an average to determine FMV.

If it has the smell of degrading paper it should get a special label stating... "Old Comic Book Smell" with a warning that states..."Smell Can Be Addictive" Ummmm. Old Comic Book Smell

Do not know how this got here, I did not start a new thread.

From https://www.bagsunlimited.com/topic/savemycomics#:~:text=When a backing is placed,the deterioration of the comic. "When a backing is placed in the center of the comic it protects the comic book spine from crushing. The second purpose for using a backing board in a comic is its potential to neutralize acid in the comic book paper. Acid in the paper that the comic is printed can cause the deterioration of the comic."

Putting all of the Sarcasm aside... Temperature changes cause the paper to expand and contract, when this happens the acids in the papers/inks are released more quickly causing faster decay of the paper. Temperatures that you are showing between 64 and 72 degrees are not a problem. My books have been stored in Comic Boxes, in Mylites with Acid Free Boards away from Moisture/Excessive Heat and Cold/UV Light for 40 years, the only thing I cannot 100% control is the actual humidity and temperature in my home. In the winter the heat is on, if you have gas heat it is a "Dry" heat, in the Summer the A/C is on, however, in Spring and Fall my windows are open and temperature/humidity change constantly with the time of day just as in any home, also most people when they go out lower the heat or raise the A/C temps to conserve giving very little to no thought about items in their home. Having said all of this, people do not live in a museum, your circumstances are normal and in those conditions along with the others mentioned your comic books will outlive you and your kids and their kids. There are/were pedigree collections (Edgar Church) that were just stacked in a basement/closet with no protection and remained basically unharmed for years. Relax and Enjoy Your Books!!! https://www.loc.gov/preservation/care/comics.html http://www.ala.org/alcts/sites/ala.org.alcts/files/content/_MeltzerBkmk16.pdf https://www.preservationequipment.com/Blog/Blog-Posts/Managing-Relative-Humidity-and-Temperature-in-Museums-and-Galleries

That Is Great!!! Unfortunately when we moved in 69 I had to leave all of my books behind , (To a friend named Brian, if you are out there...) It has taken me 30 years to get them back, so congrats on finding your original book(s) and enjoy the book and the memories that come with it. BTW, I have many "Well Loved" books with the same "restoration" as yours, Lovin It!!!

You have to take the overall condition into consideration, by the pic your book does not appear to be extremely faded but I would need to see it compared/next to another non-faded copy, however, just going by cover color/reflectivity... From the HA Grading Standards VF/NM 9.0 - Inks are bright with slightly diminished reflectivity. VF 8.0 - Inks are generally bright with moderate to high reflectivity. FN/VF 7.0 - Inks are generally bright with a moderate reduction in reflectivity. FN 6.0 - Inks show a significant reduction in reflectivity VG/FN 5.0 - Inks have moderate to low reflectivity. VG 4.0 - Cover reflectivity is low. GD/VG 3.0 - Cover reflectivity is very low I have an X-Men 106 with extreme cover fading (much worse than yours) that I would have normally graded a VF 8.0, however, for my records I gave the book a GD 2.0 with a notation about the cover fading, how does CGC look at cover fading?

The main issue with non-climate controlled/unfinished basements/garages/attics is the extreme temperature changes, you want to keep the temp/humidity as consistent as possible, (70 degrees/50% humidity), do what you can. If the basement your books are stored in has a concrete floor (no flooring/carpeting) I would suggest you keep the books up off the ground as concrete gets cold and absorbs moisture. IMO, any Mylite is better than any Poly Bag, I have books that have been in the same 1 Mil Mylite since the early 80's when I was first introduced to Mylar bags. Ultimately the decision is yours, read the advice folks are posting and hopefully make an educated decision.

Comic books start to decay/degrade the moment they are produced due to the acids used in the paper and inks, it is a natural process. I assume modern books use a better quality paper than was used from the 30's - 80's(?) which was newspaper, very low quality. Storing books in the proper environment only "SLOWS DOWN" the decaying process, if stored properly the books should/will last many generations with absolutely no issues, if not stored properly the book can decay rather quickly depending on its circumstances. Is your basement Climate Controlled? Are you using Poly Bags or Mylites? Are the original boards Acid Free? A Non-Climate Controlled Area, Poly Bags and Non-Acid Free/Non Buffered Boards all contribute to Acids being produced as the Bag/Board start to breakdown and the more the comic has to expand/contract/adjust to its environment the more acids are released from the book itself, all leading to further/quicker decay of the book. Proper storage methods would include Mylites (Inert Material, No Acids, Archival Safe), Acid Free Boards, Temperature/Humidity Controlled, Stored away from All UV Light, All Heat Sources (Including Heater/AC Vents) Dampness/Water. The conditions listed above also hold true for CGC Graded Books since they are not UV protected nor are they Hermetically sealed.

These are also helpful... https://www.gemstonepub.com/en/the-overstreet-guide-to-grading-comics-2016-edition https://comics.ha.com/tutorial/comics-grading.s?show=comicdefinitions

Also, are you using Mylites or Poly Bags? Poly Bags are not Archival Safe and need to be replaced every 5 years since they breakdown and produce acids that will damage the book and board, Mylites and a Quality Acid Free Board are a Once In A Lifetime investment. As already stated but worth repeating, comic books need to be stored in a... Temperature/Humidity Controlled Environment, Away for ALL UV Light Sources, Away from All Sources of Heat, Away from Heater/AC vents, Away from Water/Moisture, NOT Stored in an Unfinished Garage/Basement/Attic.

This ^^^^^^ I have had insurance with CIS for over 10 years although I am not insured as heavily as the above. I am insured for $35,000 and it costs me $190.00 per year. I also have never had to make a claim.

You peaked my curiosity, mine has the same defect, "slight jagged edge" at the outer top of the back cover and all interior pages.

CGC slabs do not offer any more protection than a Mylite and Acid Free Board and they do not provide any additional UV protection. All books, Raw or Slabbed need to be stored in the proper controlled environmental conditions for long term preservation... Constant proper Temp/Humidity, away from all heat sources, (including heater/AC vents), away from all UV light, not stored near water and not stored in an unfinished, non temp controlled attic, basement or garage. They do make/sell UV protected frames for CGC books if you are looking to display in a room with windows. If you did not see any condensation in the slab or water on the slab I would say your book is fine.

Wait...Doesn't the Grading Scale Read... GD/VG 9.8

Welcome To The Boards!!! I do not send my books in for grading, however, if you add a list with a small sampling of the books you are considering sending to CGC you may get a more detailed response as to how to submit books, determining value for insurance, and the different tier levels. You may also want to post some pics in the "Hey Buddy Can You Spare A Grade" section to see if folks think your books would benefit from a "clean and press". Also, what were your plans for selling, eBay, Facebook, Comic Book Forum, Local Comic Shops, Auction Houses? Again, a list of the key books would help others to help you.

6.0 FINE (FN): Back to TopAn above-average copy that shows minor wear but is still relatively flat and clean with no significant creasing or other serious defects. Some accumulation of minor bindery/printing defects is allowed. Minor cover wear apparent, with minor to moderate creases. Inks show a significant reduction in reflectivity. Blunted corners are more common, as is minor staining, soiling, discoloration, and/or foxing. Stamped or inked arrival dates may be present. A minor spine roll is allowed. There can also be a 1/4" spine split or severe color break. Staples may show minor discoloration. Minor staple tears and a few slight stress lines may be present, as well as minor rust migration. Paper is tan to brown and fairly supple with no signs of brittleness. Minor interior tears at the margin may be present. Centerfold may be loose.

Nobody can give you and honest accurate answer to your question, what any one person see's and/or perceives to see on any given day can and will change because of human imperfections, basically what the grading standards state and how that statement is interpreted is not going to be the same every time. The first mention of "spine ticks/stress lines" is in NM 9.4, here are quotes pertaining to stress lines from the grading standards. NM+ 9.6 "Almost imperceptible indentations are permissible, but no creases, bends, or color break." NM 9.4 "A 1/16" bend is permitted with no color break" "Almost no stress lines." NM- 9.2 "A 1/16-1/8" bend is permitted with no color break." "Almost no stress lines" VF/NM 9.0 "A very minor accumulation of stress lines may be present if they are nearly imperceptible." VF 8.0 "Very slight staple tears and a few almost insignificant stress lines may be present." FN/VF 7.0 "Slight staple tears and a small accumulation of light stress lines may be present." FN 6.0 "Minor staple tears and a few slight stress lines may be present," Now you have to know how the words "Almost No", "Nearly Imperceptible", "Insignificant", "Small Accumulation of Light" and "A Few Slight" are going to be interpreted and you cannot possibly know that as it pertains to grading or anything else, this is why things get argued in court, those words mean different things to different people, there is no Black and White when it comes to grading comic books. When I grade my books and there is a noticeable stress line or one that breaks color I will not give it a grade above VF/NM 9.0.

Are they highly visible? Do they break color? Got pics of the book? Overall grade is needed to determine if the spine tick(s) are acceptable for that grade or will deduct from what would otherwise be a higher grade and how much of a deduction, what would CGC say...Nobody can give you a definitive answer on that. I have a copy of ASM 36 (Vol 2), all black cover that has one small spine tick that begins to break color, without the spine tick the book grades (IMO with my 40 years experience collecting/grading books) at a NM- 9.2, with the spine tick I graded it at VF 8.0 and in my personal notes I noted the spine tick. I would suggest you take a few pics (front cover, spine, back cover, inside front cover/splash page, centerfold, last page/inside rear cover) and post them in the "Hey Buddy, Can You Spare A Grade" section and get the groups opinion.

Three complete sets including holograms, bought all of these new, took me back to my days of collecting baseball cards in the 60's, buying pack after pack to get that one card you were missing.

I agree 100%. I have 2000 books in my "collection" and have been amassing the collection on a "Budget" since 1979. I have complete runs of the Marvel Major Superhero Titles (without the #1's), Atlas/Marvel Westerns/Pre-Hero Horror and a lot of these books are in PR 0.5, FR 1.0, FR/GD 1.5, all raw. So are people saying that "Low Grade, Well Loved, Raw Books" do not count as a collection because they may not be desirable to some? So according to those folks...My Daredevil 1 in FR 1.0 or my ASM 2, 3, 4 and F.F. #2 in PR 0.5 do not count??? I found them desirable and was excited to own them and add them to my "Collection" and others feel the same way. I am part of a Facebook Group called "Low Grade Comic Collectors". I was an Automotive Service Tech for 33 years and the Salesmen at the dealership used to tell me all the time... "There is an A** for every seat", that means a beater is still a car and someone will want it, it does not have to be a High $$$ Benz to classify. THANKS for letting an Old Man rant.

So my 2000 books with no duplicates are classified as...???

https://comics.ha.com/tutorial/comics-grading.s?show=comicdefinitions