candygramformongo

30 years ago I bought a 1960s book that was already a key at that time but has grown in value exponentially since.  So a year or two ago I start thinking about kids college accounts and decided maybe it was time to sell it.  So I submit to CGC and it comes back mid-grade right about where I expected - wonderful - BUT with a green label!  Argh!  Checking the label I see the notation "BOTTOM STAPLE REPLACED".  Well stupid stupid me I never looked closely enough at the book and now I see that there is clearly a NON-original staple that was put into the book (staple is like 1/2 inch off the spine and is a golden color).  HOWEVER, looking very closely I can't see where the original staple ever went into it!  Then I start reading that there are a fair number of this title that were produced without a staple in the 60s.

The grader's notes for my book say:  staple replaced bottom of spine

So what is my best option if I want to go ahead and sell it?  From recent sales I see that the qualified grade reducing the price by 50%+   So I am trying to figure out the best gameplan:

Is there a way I'm missing to try to see (with book in the case) if it's a manufacturer's defect and no staple was there to begin with?  Or do I could crack open the case to get a closer look and see if there really was a missing staple or if there was never a staple?  If never had a staple do I have an expert remove this non-original staple and re-submit it with the hope that I get a blue label?  If there was a staple do I then have an expert replace it with a vintage staple?  If I do that and re-submit I think I'm still in green label land, right?  So at that point is it better to just try to sell it as a raw book (disclosing, of course, that the staple was replaced)?  It kind of feels like a raw book does better than a qualified book in that situation?

Would really really really appreciate any insight anyone has!  THANK YOU!!!!

Great book!  I'm thinking 7.0 but also that it could benefit from a good cleaning and an 7.5 is realistic after that!  Thanks for sharing it!

Yeah, I was thinking 5.0 too

No idea about restoration on that, but I'd say it's a 1.0 as is...    

Killer book!  So sorry about the ink doodles.  I'm still learning how that affects grade because I don't have examples of graded books with marks on them.  My estimate for this would be a 2.0.

I know it shouldn't matter but I really struggled trying to grade this upside down and sideways!!  Anyway, looks like a 9.4 or higher to me, but if there's obvious flaws I'm missing I'm blaming the photo orientations!

I know it would benefit from a C/P, would love to know opinions of before and after grade.  Thanks very much!

Well I didn't participate in the previous pre-C&P discussions (or if I did I don't remember them) so consider me a neutral party at this point.  And I'm intentionally not looking at those notes until I post this but I'd say that's an 8.0., with the biggest negative being the dirt/junk/whatever on top left of back cover. 

With the C/P I say that comes back as an 8.5, with an outside chance (if that dirty spot cleaned up) of a 9.0.

I'll check back in 585 days or so to see how you made out..... 

9.0 for me

Wow, this is about as wide of a range of responses as I've seen lately.  I think it's a 9.0 without the fade but I'd say an 8.0 with it.  Still a really nice looking book to me, just needed higher SPF and more frequent application...

I remember seeing on a CGC board many moons ago that a top-to-bottom crease book was a MAX of a 5.0.  Only anecdotal but I remember no one had an example of a subscription crease or similar book grading above 5.0.  So I'm thinking 5.0 and a possible bump to 6.0 or higher IF a good press helps it out a bunch.

8.5

9.2

Yeah those look water-damage-y to me so I'd say 3.5/4.0 as well.

As a total side note, am I the only one that saw this cover for YEARS and thought it was a battle against a new green-masked villain who looked like he had bee eyes!?  It may have been a decade before I realized that was supposed to be Darth Vader.  Am I crazy??  I'm still baffled: why is his helmet green!?

4.0

7.5 for me.  Great looking book, thanks for sharing it!

On 10/14/2021 at 8:09 PM, Galen130 said:

Agreed.

Yup, 8.5

I don't have a lot of experience with markings on the cover so I'd be very curious to hear from those with knowledge weigh in on that.  I think that's a crease on the BC near the spine, right?  If I ignore the pen mark I'm at 8.5/9.0, and I think it could go up a little with a C/P.  That said, I would *think* the pen mark takes it down to at least an 8.0 and maybe even a 7.5

8.5

Again, I'm closer to 7.5/8.0 as is but agree completely that this book is begging for a C/P

Maybe even 8.0 as is.  That front cover is gorgeous...was the back cover stored in a different location or what!? 

8.5/9.0

Is that a crease top right corner of Back cover?

Is that water damage/wrinkling on the bottom of the back cover?  If so, and with the rusty staples I'm thinking 3.0/4.0 range.  Oh and for future posts the usual request is to start the title with "PGM"...no big deal but just so you know!  Thanks for sharing the book!