comicginger1789

If I try to sell a book as a 9.8, it will sell (this is fact) for fractions of what it would graded. CGC takes a portion of that in exchange for verifying it. It's the power they have as the hobby's established top tier company. Is it right? Maybe not but the way I see it, I get $1300 for a raw 9.8 that I am advertising as such but could will get double or more for one graded. If it costs me a smidge more for that to happen so be it, I come out ahead either way.

I would imagine it could still grade in the VF range if it is not rodent or bug chew. As is, I think Fine might be hitting it too harshly. I feel 7.0-7.5 would be more where it has a shot at falling with that flaw.

The scammer was replacing high grade books with copies that were slightly worse. Majority of collectors have a hard time seeing the true differences between 8.0 and 9.4 or from 9.0 to 9.6. And most people when they buy a slab are not always checking the notes. Should they be? Yes but a lot of people just see the CGC graded book, see that it is a 9.4 and assume all is fine. When they get the book they don't bother to check to see is it REALLY a 9.4? Maybe it is a 9.0. Even that slight difference is a difference of thousands of dollars and this is what the scammer took advantage of. Obviously when he started swapping 9.8 books with lower graded books, people started to think "man CGC is getting super lenient" and the scam was discovered. It also would not be hard to swap a complete book with an incomplete book (that still looks great and similar in grade on the outside). Hence why I am betting a lot of those Hulk 181s that were part of the scam are probably restored or qualified copies because they are missing the Marvel Value Stamp.

It just does not look like the actor that's all....to me anyway

Perhaps this image put out hints at the direction of the film...one that I often thought would be cool which is to have it take place in the 60s when the FF actually came about. Tell their origin in a brief but compelling way and then have them become involved in something that causes them to be "absent" from Earth all these years (trapped on another planet, world, whatever). But then...who is the astronaut in the photo? Is it supposed to be a pre-Thing Ben?

Congrats to @TheGeneral , @jbpez and @Superman2006 I see you and your multiple wins....what be the secrets of your ways??? From what I can gather, the three of you have been here a minute, thus have been involved in comics for a long while and thus prove my point that ya can't beat experience in this game

Well I got the popcorn emoji this round….as in “let’s sit back and see how many fools overthink this one” This fool. This fool right here

Im so bummed in myself. I was excited. Sigh… I had some at 6.5 and 6.0 and one at 3.5. Brutal

It all fell apart for me. Just like I predicted, 10 points. So much for hoping for victory

Whelp....second place heading into final round. Rather than thinking of how high I might finish, all I can think about is how far from second will I fall? I will do so gracefully though I know that much

Another 4 points...I shall take it!

I mean, I feel like we could say this about any hobby or joy people have. For example, I think it is looney to pay 100K for a car. I just wanted a reliable cheap safe ride and that's it. But some people love cars. "It was their dad's or grandparents vehicle or I just want to drive something cool and fast". In the same vein as I am with comics, I can relate. I don't assume they are doing the whole classic car thing for money (some are sure) but I think many people do it for the passion, same as we do here. It is a weird thing for sure to explain. Or even playing a sport...I have friends who still spend thousands on equipment and facility time and so on for their favourite sport, if not just for the love of being active and competitive with others. Again, not my personal joy but to each their own.

Also could see 5.0-5.5

I gotta hit it lower for the flaws around all edges... 4.5 is where I sit pretty firmly. I think 4.0 is possible and 5.0 is best case.

I have long told my wife that if we ever won 1 million dollars, we would each get a self purchase and for me it would be a AF#15. Maybe not the world's best copy but perhaps something in the 75k-100k range. And it would be because I want to have that piece of comic history. Now, I am aware I could probably sell one day and get my money back (or more) but that would not be the purpose of the purchase initially. I think you are incorrectly judging comic collectors and their motives. Some definitely behave the way you describe but most do not at all. But I can say as someone who regularly spends thousands a year on comics, I don't have a care about how that ends up. I am aware of it and intrigued by that aspect of the hobby but because the hobby did not start out that way for me (with me worrying about that or thinking about it) it is not the focus of why I collect today.

I disagree with this even more In my lifetime, I estimate I have spent between 25-35k on comics that I currently own. Because I love what they are. I don't think greed has anything to do with it, nor do I speculation. If we had tragic loss tomorrow, and needed money to help our family, those books would be gone. In another scenario, if the comic market were to crash and my books were worthless, I would not care. I don't view them as an investment and never have. As I have gotten older and had kids, sure now I recognize that fact about what I have but it is not why I continue to collect. I view it as a hobby that brings me joy. Like someone who spends lots of money on equipment to play a sport...or drive fast cars...or heck indulge in expensive foods and drinks. At the end of the day, the comics have provided me with a lot of joy. It is a pure bonus that, whenever my time doing so comes to an end, that it could be turned into some sort of monetary return. And that is not to say that speculator or investment collectors don't exist. They 100% do. And maybe those guys are the only ones who exist buying the 100k ad up books of today. But that in itself is a small fraction of the hobby...most guys are happily collecting what they love for that reason alone.

The part I bolded above in your statement is where you are wrong. Have films had effects on comics values? Sure. Have they turned books that were previously valued little to have a higher value. Yes. But where you are wrong is the fact that true key comics have always been desired...before the films and shows. For example, Hulk 181 the first appearance of Wolverine. A very plentiful book that contains a character people have loved since its inception. It does not matter that is has the same print run as issue 177 (which has little value in comparison), it matters the contents. It has always mattered in the case of comics. Scarcity makes sense for coins, especially when you consider that the coin itself changes little....but the ability to find it does. This aspect does affect comics values but not to the same degree and rightfully so. For example, any pre 1940's books are scarce and even scarcer would be Canadian printed comics. However, because the desire to own these does not exist on a mass scale (many of these characters are not mainstream), the scarcity aspect has a peak to where it could be the only copy in the world and yet it could not possibly touch a book like Action Comics 1 because of what that comic contains and means to the history of the entire hobby.

From what I have learned, the edges matter a lot. On Revealing, the spine is the worst edge. The rest are not that bad and CGC tends to be forgiving on the spine and wear as long as the staples are holding and splits don't exist. What really knocks the Farmer's Daughter down are the fact that the top and bottom edge are also really worn. In addition, a couple creases that stretch from one side of the book to the other. Those are killer.

I’m also part of the two bullseyes and 4 points club. I undergraded that pedigree by a whole point. Shoot. Considered 7.0 and shoulda done it

Ima just sit back now for another year. Was gonna send some books in. The rush to do so is no longer there

Just an FYI with comics, people list stuff ALL the time on ebay with wild asking prices. Always check sold listings. This book as is is probably $20-40 and paying the money to grade it (might be 9.4-9.6 from what I see), you might end up spending more than that grade is worth. It is a book that sold over a MILLION copies. Literally every collector between the ages of 20-50 probably has one. Not to diminish it, it still has value despite all that In order for it to be worth $1000, it would probably have to be signed by the creator (Todd McFarlane) and be a 9.8 newsstand (has a bar code in the bottom left instead of yours which has nothing). And even then, 1K might be steep.

PM sent

Not sure if ebay supports this but I have noticed a bunch of Facebook auctions lately where Dave Stevens covers have been selling very well. I am talking stuff that as little as 2-3 years ago you could get in high grade for $5-20, are now more in the $20-80 range for books like his Airboy, Crossfire, DNAgents, Alien Worlds, Sheena, etc. Which as it should be, most of his stuff is great!

Definitely a tough one. Does this defect hurt more than that defect? I get the feeling the book I graded the highest could be the lowest and vicey versey

Also caught the question...my wife joked "you should know this". And I admitted I did not. And like what I love about this hobby, it forever enlightens you to something you did not know or can learn more about. Gotta love comics!