Sackolantern

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Is it kosher to alert people to an upcoming sale?

+ Geoff Shaw - God Country / Thanos + Tini Howard - Rick & Morty / Assassanistas

And...it's official: *Adam Hughes*

http://nccomicon.com/oak-city/ March 18 - 19 Guests *so far*: Kevin Eastman Adam Hughes - added 1/19 James "Buster" Douglas - - Boxing legend, 1st ever show appearance? Jen Cohn Richard Case Tommy Lee Edwards Brenda Hickey Franco Geoff Shaw Chris Giarrusso Brian Smith Ben Templesmith Erik Burnham Cap Blackard Art Baltazar Jeremy Bastian Tom Waltz Jeremy Whitley Marcus Williams *Certified Guaranty Company - CGC* ******NOTE**** The NCAA Men's Tournament 'Road to the Final Four' 1st and 2nd rounds will be played this weekend. No games are being hosted locally (though Charlotte is a one of the venues), but with Duke and UNC among 5 ACC teams in the top25, expect a VERY lively weekend.******

5 economy books submitted at Baltimore. "At CCS" Since 9/28. You know...could have sworn those were the 'no press' books I brought with me....

I do believe I have a doozy here folks. In another thread I was griping about the shipping charges that I was given by an auction house, which I felt were so high, they constituted a gratuity. For a Playboy#1. 1953, signed by Hugh Hefner. Here's not ONE, but TWO kickers, that I've been mulling for a week or two, which has since gotten MORE interesting - after a few observations: 1) The Hefner signature has been verified by JSA (James Spence Authentications). Too bad someone cheaped out and went the 'sticker route' instead of photo documentation by JSA, and had a serial # holo sticker from JSA...affixed to the front cover. I've called and spoken with CGC, and been told that unfortunately, the sticker will affect the grade slightly. I don't have a good answer of "To What Degree?" = KICKER #1) I based my buying price off of the apparent condition of the book and the description as a regular newsstand edition. Turns out the copy is NOT Newsstand, but the much rarer 'Page 3' version. KICKER #2) After looking very hard at my copy, knowing it is a page 3,....I'll be damned, but I do believe that the same exact copy I have in my hands, is this one; having been put up for sale a few years ago. Without a signature. Meaning that someone bought it, broke it out, and had it signed. Think this is the same copy? What do you think it will grade at, with the addition of an autograph and a sticker? OLD ORIGINAL... ================================ MY Copy... SAME? ===================

While yes I submitted in the slab (for protection etc - and no way I want to try opening/damaging with my butterfingers and dull implements) the notification came from CSS saying that it occurred during pressing.

'Sorry we f'ed up your book, but you pay your $ and you take your chances'. - paraphrasing the email I got from CCS, letting me know something happened before they shipped to CGC. The kicker is that the book was so flat and crisp, I didn't have it pressed when I first sent to CGC, came back as a 7, which I thought was LOW. Then I saw the very light creasing on the front right of the cover. Seemed easy, so after I had it for a year or so, I decided to send it in for pressing. I should have specified ?? only hit the top right, and middle right portions of the cover? The amount of damage is jaw-dropping, as there were no issues there before. 17 total graded copies of the first appearance of Harlequin (All-American Comics #89) There were 2 7.0's now there are 1 7.0 and 1 5.5 in the census. Phooey :[

Got my All-American 89 back.... the 7.0 that i sent for a pressing that...became a 5.5. I wondered how bad a spine split had to be to result from pressing...and I got a decent picture that I've included here. All I can say is WTH. That split is damn near 2 inches, and there's a slight tear into the cover now. *Awesome*. I'm having a Dilbert moment; just paid... $200 to drop the value of the book by... another $1000.

Further update. And a helping of crow for me to eat? I had spoken with my local USPS when I picked up the package, and later spoke with USPS customer service about the tracking #, and all indications were that the package was only shipped priority with signature confirmation. I got back in touch with Delaware, who have provided an invoice/receipt from Stamps.com indicating that insurance for full value was indeed purchased, and it was much more expensive (a hair over $100) than what we're used to seeing/paying on our USPS-registered packages to and from CGC. This provides more basis for their quote, and I have to extend some apologies. But the price is still very high.

Well, it's not back yet, but my All-American 89 has been reduced from a 7 to a 5.5. That's what I get for not specifying; 'all i want is the right half of the cover pressed to get rid of those noncolor-breaking creases'. Live and learn. Here's 2 shipments that just came in, in the meantime. Dig the Cap 76. I cannot believe it got a 4.5, then saw that what was a crease/minor tear at bottom at cap's foot...partially fell out while at CGC/CSS. One heck of a pretty 4.5, I'd say. The Hulk #181 is a disappointment as well. 7.5? It had a huge crease in the back cover which CCS pressed out, but that, and the 2 color-breaking spine-ticks pulled this all the way down to 7.5. " light spine stress lines breaks color medium, light crease left top of back cover breaks color "

Not nearly for value, and price paid.

So, what we have is 2 pieces of cardboard sandwiching the book. The book has a board on both the front and back in a bag, for protection. Wrapped by cling wrap stuff...then a single layer of bubble wrap - especially like how it really didn't protect 1 edge, but was folded over back towards the middle...and wrapped with more cling wrap. Then shoved into a priority mail box. No other protection. And hold onto that thought. No other protection. Because I asked Delaware Fine Arts Auction to make sure send with cardboard on front and back, for protection, and to send insured, registered and requiring a signature. They assured me that yes, for that price, the book would be protected accordingly. As I knew and everyone else here has said, 200 was exhorbitant. I figured that they would hold up their end. And I feel they did not. Especially as I asked the USPS people - how much did this cost, it looks like a regular Priority Box. They advised yes...looks like it was shipped with stamps.com, so they got a bit of a discount, and advised the shipping and signature (extra charge!)...cost less than 10 dollars. And I said I believe that... but there must be some insurance charge I'm missing, right? So I spent about 30 minutes on the phone with USPS this afternoon verifying the package, coverage etc. and the local store was indeed off. The people advised over the phone that the shipping, signature and insurance was less than 9 dollars. They shipped this to me with $100 of insurance.

So, this is what $200 for shipping gets you (ME):

Gimme a few mins...will post pics, etc

Just wanted to receive the package, check the contents... look at the shipping materials, care, insurance, postage etc. ...all to be sure I had both my goods as described, a good footing, and legitimate complaint. Which I felt I did, and which has now been confirmed.

In its raw form, prior to my purchase. Not the best pic. Maybe 7.5 miiiight have been pushing it?

I didn't say the book had a spine split; the pressing has caused the split. Here's the orig grader notes. Perhaps the 'tear left bottom" led to the split? Unknown. I'll post a pic when I get it back next week, as it's already been graded. " chip out right center of front cover light, multiple crease full right of front cover moderate tanning interior cover small, multiple stain left bottom of front cover tear left bottom of front cover "

Exactly. "...during the pressing process a small spine split opened up, along with the front cover detaching slightly from the top staple of you All-American #89." "...these are side effects of pressing that can occur from time to time, as outlined in our terms of service." "...so you aren't surprised when the book arrives to you in the near future." 1st appearance/intro of Harlequin. 9/47 17 graded copies. TWO in 7.0. And that was w/o any pressing etc; straight grade/slab since it was in such great condition. I was really unhappy when it came back as a 7, and after reading the grader notes, I rechecked the cover...and saw the creasing they were talking about - like a bunch of books had been stacked on it - which I had not noted at all when looking at it for sale, in my hands after purchase, and when sending it in. Ah well. I figured the $ was worth the press to get it up to a 7.5 pretty easily for such an interesting book.

Well, my week with cgc just went to hell. CCS just alerted me that the All-American 89 I re_submitted for press and regrade, to address some minor creasing on the front cover...has instead been given a fresh new spine split. Guess my hope of increasing from 7.0 is ashes. I am so pissed right now.

Good grief, guys. Sorry for the long wait. Not going to name the site (yet?). So, after some discussion, they backed down to 200$ for shipping, which is still outrageous; "Handling, time , packing materials blah blah blah, priority.." basically a bunch of . So I said fine... F you... and paid; 'gimme my book.' And have since sent an email or two asking where's my package? Like Stewie. ....They just shipped it today. As in I got an email 30 minutes ago. Which is infuriating, given the charges, and my plans for this weekend, and the holiday. For F sake... Learn from my mistakes, people...

A little more info from me, and just added by the auction house. It is 1 book, well into 4 figures. Looking real quick at a CGC receipt, they'd charge $46 for USPS registered mail, for insurance. The venue has just told me that insurance alone will be more than $100, and that packing, priority, signature etc is the rest. And NO, this is NOT international, by any means. Frankly, I'm annoyed enough that I've considered hopping in the car and picking it up in person.