joeypost

At least I know who outbid me.

Now that I have had a chance to really look at the image and damage to the book, SCS usually forces the cover to bend down and curl over itself. From the image it looks like the damage to the corner goes up, indicating it was lifted at some point. How much room is there on either side of the book (inner well)?

They can be pressed out, but you need a certain level of experience. With that said, overhang on books like GS X-Men 1 is easily damaged by getting bounced around in the inner well. The bottom outside edge of the front cover is notorious for the edge folding over once encapsulated.

I wonder how many of the CGC employees that count pages or check books in have long fingernails

I remember the first series with Lorne Green.

Could also be the didn’t clear out old notes? Not sure if the field starts out blank or not.

I get them from time to time. Just got one with notes stating light foxing.

Take

Looks like they are home to Dallas on 4/21 and Vancouver on 4/23.

Thats great

To detach a centerfold via a pressing, you would have to be a cross between a gorilla and an elephant.

Looks like someone already attempted to wipe off the Schmutz on the back cover. Book presents nicely but has many small defects that accumulate, thus dropping the book into the FN-/FN range.

Agreed.

Take

Take

Sadly, some are too far gone.

And here is where most get into trouble. Properly preparing, dry cleaning and pressing comics shouldn’t be assembly line work. Companies that have gone this route out out an inferior product because too many hands touch the book and the final person has no idea of it’s history or where it came from. That’s why I have not expanded and choose to keep the operation small so that the only hands touching your book are mine. I do understand no one likes to wait but there are so many hours in the day and I understand when people HAVE to start looking elsewhere. My problem is all the overnight DIY’ers that have no skill set or experience that quickly set up shop advertising their service. Collectors desperate for quick TAT’s get drawn in and quickly find expectations dashed when they get their books back from the grading companies. Not saying everyone out there is bad, but I see the results of many who have large followings on Facebook who, aside from the easiest of moderns books, cannot press to save their lives.

Or, you could like many individuals do, outsource to those who are experts. Many very successful companies do this because they see the wisdom of not stepping over dollars in search of pennies.

As many have said already, always pack and ship yourself. I drop my books off but if I were shipping it would be double boxed with tons of room for packing materials. I watch the different vendors pack up books at shows, and it makes me cringe.

Based on what I see and have sent in to me, those that believe it isn’t that hard are pressing 9.8 moderns into 9.8 moderns. With that said I see many damaged books that I get from submitters who say I tried a friend out who started professionally pressing only to get book back that were permanently damaged. While there is truth behind the statement that we are protecting our livelihood, I also see the damage caused by so called “professionals” who went out and purchased a press, and after working on <100 books started advertising on Facebook. They get work because the experts do have long TAT’s. Sometimes, cheap is expensive.