comicdiablo

I appreciate the guidance on this, Professor Chaos. I do not expect to receive a 1099 related to eBay sales for 2021, but I think it is likely to happen in the future.

Wow...putting aside the debate between CGC 9.9 versus 9.8, this is still an amazing find and was a glorious sale

Over the past couple of months, I have received three newly graded CGC 9.8 comics purchased on eBay that arrived with some level of damage to the bottom edge of the back cover. The first comic was damaged to a similar severity as examples that have been posted in this thread (as I stated on April 17), but the latest two involved more subtle damage, though obvious enough to where it would have bothered the hell out of me having a "9.8" in my collection like that. So I did return all three comics. I'm convinced that something is happening with CGC's encapsulation/quality control process lately. Whatever it is, I hope they make a course correction. I know that encased comics are far from immune to damage when there's a significant impact; however, I've been collecting comics for years and have never seen this frequency of occurrence, and most certainly not in the same location (i.e., the lower edge of the back cover of the comic). I already was planning to discontinue comic collecting soon anyway, and this has pushed me "over the edge" so to speak. But I also have been planning to increasingly get some of my ungraded comics graded by CGC over the next year, to help decide what to keep and what to sell and potentially enhance resale value. My experience with orders and customer service have been fine thus far. Still, I will be monitoring the situation closely...

Though it is a bit of an uncomfortable wait, it's good to know (based on what GusOrin and zypher just said) that the wait time between package receipt and submission acknowledgment is approximately 4 weeks or so at this time. I will let this temper my expectations about ongoing submissions, together with the added current turnaround times...

Okay, thanks for checking...here is the submission number: Submission #3779111

I think so. Here is the exact wording: "Important Reminder: CGC memberships purchased prior to April 28, 2021, will continue to have the current membership benefits until their renewal/expiration date."

Three comics I recently submitted for grading by CGC were returned ungraded, which confused me at first, as no explanation was offered. However, I did some research on the CGC chat boards and found out that these particular comics have a cover overhang issue that prevents them from being safely encapsulated (some limited edition Jay Company Comics from 2002). Although I know the answer to the issue above now, I also realized that none of the other comics from that particular submission have been updated with their grades in the CGC system (not showing up as graded in My Submissions), and I was not refunded for the three comics that were not graded from that submission. I sent an email through the Contact CGC email inquiry on this website several days ago, but I have not received a response to my two questions (i.e., Why are the associated grades for the other comics in this submission not showing up in the CGC system? And when or how will I be refunded or credited for the three comics that were not graded from that submission?). A refund would have been ideal, though store credit would work too, since I will be sending more comics to be graded by CGC this year. However, it still would be nice to have an answer to my two questions.

I upgraded from Associate to Premium at the beginning of April, so yes, it's good that the current benefits will remain for one year. Probably will return to Associate next year though...

I've had some similar experiences. In fact, I did use PGX in the past and thought that their grading was satisfactory, at least for high-grade moderns. However, PGX really screwed up an order of mine in 2019 (e.g., consistently undergraded, many particles stuck in the cases), and they did not respond to my email about it, which prompted me to become a CGC member. Though I initially focused on getting some of my PGX-graded comics graded with CGC instead (several of which graded higher), I since have submitted ungraded comics that I would like to get graded exclusively to CGC. It is more costly, and there have been some kinks with CGC on occasion; but I have been altogether pleased with their grading and service. I have never used CBCS but have no qualms with the company and generally respect their grading (and have a number of treasured examples), although I did buy a CBCS 9.8 once that I could not stand the sight of a color breaking crease any longer and sold it to effectively buy a CGC 9.6 of the same comic.

As I was listing some items for sale on eBay, I just realized that I have experienced the same issue (a hair in one of the CGC cases I recently received), and I was wondering what to do. So thanks for providing this information, Jennifer F. An email has been sent, and I will await a reply!

I agree with you: I do not believe those are ideal solutions to this problem. There seems to be an uptick of this particular kind of damage recently, so I do wonder if there may be some lapses in quality control in regard to securing the inner well, specifically at the lower end of the comic. Of course, packages tending to be dropped at the lower end of the case is a big part of it, but it still seems like something a bit unusual is happening here.

The photos you showed and what you described as happening is the same thing that I think happened to an Elektra #1 JScottCampbell.com Edition B CGC 9.8 I purchased on eBay earlier this month and quickly returned for a refund (which the seller said was from a recently graded batch of comics). The bottom edge of the back cover had been uplifted in three spots inside the case. I stated this in another thread about similar damage to the back cover of a recently graded comic. To be clear though, this month I personally received about 30 comics graded by CGC, and none of them had this kind of damage (one batch of about 10 and another batch of about 20). However, it's still altogether concerning to read what seems to be at least somewhat of a pattern in regard to damage along the bottom edge of the comics in some recently graded batches. That would be my guess as well.

I purchased an Elektra #1 JScottCampbell.com Edition B CGC 9.8 on eBay earlier this month from a highly reputable seller, and it was packaged very well but arrived with similar damage to your comic, with the back cover/edge having been uplifted in three spots. The seller accepted the return and apologized for missing the damage (assuming he had), although I didn't blame him. The comic seemed too loose inside the case and was low in the slab when I received it. Though I cannot say when the damage occurred, other than sometime after it was graded 9.8 by CGC, it did appear to involve faulty encapsulation (i.e., comic damage occurred inside the case due to some encapsulation flaw or hazard).

On eBay I recently purchased a Red Sonja #19 Negative Edition signed by Sean Chen (Qualified) and graded 9.8 by CGC (Certification #3723189010) that apparently was similarly damaged inside the case from "pinching" after being set improperly in the case during encapsulation. However, the seller did not state anything about such damage in the auction description and did not include any photos that were adequate enough for me to see the damage (about which the seller probably was unaware). Unfortunately, the seller kept blaming CGC (which is fine) but continued to resist the return and even harassed me. I understand that it likely was not the seller's fault, but I did not want to pay for a comic that had significant damage that was unapparent to me at the time of purchase, and assuming it was CGC's fault, I figured it would be best for the person who got the comic graded to contact CGC about it (not me!). Though eBay decided in my favor on the return, I'm not too happy with them either, because they have a history of removing negative feedback from sellers who deserve it. I was treated very unprofessionally just for wanting to return a comic, including being bombarded with accusatory and insulting emails as well as a late night phone call until I blocked the seller in every way I could.

I'm curious to hear views on this question. I know that CGC has offered discounts on crossover grading, but that of course would not be the case for getting a CGC-graded book regraded. I'm assuming that it would be safest to resubmit the comic still in the CGC case for regrading, since the grader is not supposed to be told by receiving who submitted the comic or anything about its previous grade.

I remember seeing a number of people complain that PGX gives grades of 9.9 and 10 too often.

The other 4 comics that I got graded with PGX and then CGC this year just arrived from CGC today. As stated in my original post, this includes: "2) Alita: Battle Angel #1 (First American Alita appearance)--personal estimate: 9.6; PGX grade: 9.4; CGC grade: 9.6" CGC certification link: https://www.cgccomics.com/grading/verify-cgc-comic.aspx?cgc-comic-cert=2080832002 "3) Michael Turner's Soulfire v5 #2 Aspenstore.com Edition ("Boxing Day" variant)--personal estimate: 9.8; PGX grade 9.6; CGC grade: 9.8" CGC certification link: https://www.cgccomics.com/grading/verify-cgc-comic.aspx?cgc-comic-cert=2080832001 "4) The Tenth: Evil's Child #1 "Semi-Nude" Edition--personal estimate: 9.8; PGX grade: 9.6; CGC grade: 9.8" CGC certification link: https://www.cgccomics.com/grading/verify-cgc-comic.aspx?cgc-comic-cert=2080832004 "5) The Tenth: Evil's Child #1 "Nude" Edition--personal estimate: 9.6; PGX grade: 9.6; CGC grade: 9.4 (stated in grader notes "light indent full center of back cover")" CGC certification link: https://www.cgccomics.com/grading/verify-cgc-comic.aspx?cgc-comic-cert=2080832003&grader-notes=yes

Thanks for the explanation. I actually mentioned an example of what I felt was a clearly overgraded CBCS 9.8 in a previous comment, but I didn't know anything about the (hopefully prior) history of the name that is not to be spoken.

I tried to find the answer on my own, and I think that Voldemort = CBCS. Am I correct, or is Voldemort something else? Sorry, I have not posted a lot here and am unfamiliar with the term Voldemort (though Harry Potter does come to mind).

Somewhat in line with your idea, I will say this: I've seen CGC 9.4 copies of certain comics sell for nearly as much as PGX 9.6 copies on eBay, and CGC 9.6 copies (and of course 9.8 copies) do sell for substantially more than PGX 9.6 copies. So if someone were to take a chance on a PGX 9.6 comic to be regraded by CGC as you suggested, I think a profit would be possible as long as the comic grades at least as high as it originally did with PGX (assuming it's a high-demand comic). To grade slightly lower (by .2) at the upper end with CGC probably would not be profitable, but I wouldn't say it would be a huge loss in terms of resale value either. Again, I am speaking of more modern comics in this regard.

I do not mean to imply based on this one previous order from PGX that doing such would reliably result in higher grades from CGC, and I want to emphasize that my last PGX order was an anomaly in terms of suspecting a lot of comic undergrading. Though I've heard some say that PGX tends to be strict in its grading of newer, upper-end comics (which in the past was my personal experience), I'm sure that PGX and CGC both have examples in which many collectors would feel overgrading occurred. And not to leave anyone out, I've seen what I considered to be a clear example of overgrading with CBCS once: a comic graded 9.8 with such a prominent color-breaking stress line that it irked me to the point of selling the comic and replacing it with a CGC 9.6 on eBay.

I am still waiting for the other 4 comics I mentioned in my original post that I got graded by PGX and then CGC this year to arrive in the mail sometime next week. I only know about the CGC grades that those other 4 comics received because of checking the assigned grades online as of this past Friday (12/13).

Another one of the comics I mentioned in my original post that I got graded by PGX and then CGC this year was: "6) The Tenth: Evil's Child #1 "Nude" Edition Wizard Authentic A.U. variant--personal estimate: 9.4; PGX grade: 9.2; CGC grade: 9.8" I received this comic back from CGC earlier this week. Below is the link to the CGC certification page for the comic and a photo of the comic. https://www.cgccomics.com/grading/verify-cgc-comic.aspx?cgc-comic-cert=2080833005

One of the comics I mentioned in my original post that I got graded by PGX and then CGC this year was: "1) Lady Mechanika: La Belle Dame Sans Merci #2 Metal Edition--personal estimate: 9.8; PGX grade: 9.8; CGC grade: 9.8" I sold this comic on eBay in late June after getting it graded with CGC in May (soon after I joined CGC in April), so I am unable to provide a photo of even the CGC-graded comic. However, here is the CGC certification page for the comic: https://www.cgccomics.com/grading/verify-cgc-comic.aspx?cgc-comic-cert=2036785001 And here is an image of my seller feedback on eBay showing that I sold the comic during the past 6 months:

As I stated in my original post, I sent my last submission of comics to be graded by PGX in January of this year. They were delayed in their shipping time in part due to waiting on new cases to arrive (but also due to snow in Eugene, OR). My order was received in January 11, and I was given an estimated shipping date of February 22. I was later told that because of the multiple delays, the new ETA on my order was March 11 or March 12, two months after my order had been received. Then on March 21 after receiving my order, I sent an email to PGX complaining about particles stuck in many of the cases (again, as stated in my original post). After realizing that many of the comics were also undergraded relative to my own grading estimates, that's when I decided I had enough of PGX and began to look into CBCS and CGC. Soon after that on April 2, I decided to become an Associate Member of CGC, which is the same day I made my first two CGC forum posts.