mike devon

4 minutes ago, Harry Lime said:

All I can see from that pic is that it's got a slight stacking curl & some spine wear, however I can't tell how much.

I can tell you it's not any higher than a 8.0 but I can't give any more than that.

You need to use closer and sharper pics (scans ideally) if you want an informed opinion from the boards.

Thanks Harry.  It gives me an idea. If it was 7 or 7.5 that would do me.  Is it safe to scan them..? 

2 minutes ago, Harry Lime said:

No, I would say, I want to see it close up before I can make a reasonable assessment of it's grade.

Hi Harry - new pic posted right above here.  You can see the spine ticks.  Otherwise the book is really solid.

I don't have a macro and I'm struggling a bit to get closer.

Bit clearer on the spine.

4 minutes ago, Mr. Zipper said:

Pic is a bit too far away, but based on the spine creases I can see... 7.5/8.0 max.

Thanks   Yeah might squeak an 8.  If not 7.5 is fine by me.  I'm not over selling it - its super nice.

6 minutes ago, William-James88 said:

Pressing only helps creases, the spine split will remain after a press and still figure into the grading.

Also cover appeal and freshness does not factor into the number grade when wear and tear is also involved. It just means its a good looking copy within the grade it lands in.

Please let us know what it comes back as once you get it graded.

Sure but degree of faults does matter.  Miniscule defects count for less than big ones.  Tiny spine ticks count for less than humdigning ones.  The consensus on this one seems to be about 7.5 so with the kink gone a bit higher doesn't seem unreasonable.

However - and its a big however - I haven't got it yet and it could stink of fish. Or turn out to be water soaked in a way that doesn't show on the pics.  Etc.  Although I did get a condition report before I bought it.  Were you bidding on it..?

Also - as I mentioned a few times - I compared it directly to CHGC graded imagery.

41 minutes ago, Harry Lime said:

Too far away from the book to give a reasonable assessment.

If I said it looks same close up - there's no hidden nonsense - would you say the vibe is near an 8..?  The back cover is the lighter shade.

I can do more pics in daylight but honestly there isn't much to see its extremely tight with great gloss.

Guaranteed un-fiddled with.  I've got a bunch of them in this condition that I've had for years.

Hi all - what do you make of this one..?

Back cover is fairly tan.  Pages off white or so.  Small 'fluff' bottom left of front cover.

Edit - the back cover and pages are evenly off white - the camera has added the variation.

ciao

Good grief.  Good grief.  Hats off to you guys

26 minutes ago, Point Five said:

I think you would be nuts to buy this.   

 

Fab - good honest advice.  Perhaps I'm being a bit like a cat around a christmas tree

I looked a bit further and feedback seems mostly OK - very few seeming returns..?  I still think caution is extremely advisable.

1 minute ago, Point Five said:

Their feedback, even if "100%", suggests they've had a number of returns. Even at a quick glance I see phrases like "Very honest" and "Had an issue [with the book] but seller was awesome". So their MO seems to be to sell raw books at slabbed prices, and refund quickly if a buyer complains. 

 

Wow good work.  This has now got me thinking.  Still though that Spidey 50 is melting my brain.  I might ask him for better pics - he could be reading this

1 minute ago, Point Five said:

Thanks for the link. Geez, not even a back cover photo? And a front cover photo where the top edge is tilted away from us. There's not enough information in the auction to determine the book's grade, and there's a fair chance that's intentional. I'd be worried about trimmed edges as well as color touch. That's a big gamble.

You also have to ask yourself why the seller hasn't gotten the book graded themselves, as if it's a true 9.2 they would be leaving money on the table to sell it raw.

 

Wise words.  On the other hand he's sold stacks and stacks of high value books and has 100% feedback.  As its ebay I wouldn't rule out taking a punt as you're so well protected.  I'd ask for sharp pics though and also on the resto.  I don't mind a little bit of resto as long as its well done.  If its exceptionally well done it can't be detected at all.  If it can't be detected I think its a moot point..?  I collect old toys and I do little colour touches here and there on boxes.  Sometimes even I can't find where I did it if I come back to it a few days later.

I wouldn't do it myself on a comic though - working on paper is different ball game to card.

I've been looking at this one.  Colour touch - I've emailed him about it.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Amazing-Spider-man-50-NM-9-2-OW-pgs-1967-Marvel-origin-issue-1st-Kingpin/184116339885

4 minutes ago, Point Five said:

Welcome to the boards! It would be helpful to know the sorts of books you're talking about. If it's a $1K key that you want in a certain grade, having CGC's protection is a great thing. If it's a $50 book and you just want something that looks good, raw is fine.

If you're picky about grades and/or concerned about resale value, 'perfect feedback on ebay' is a pretty low bar to clear. I would scrutinize the photos very carefully, and check other auctions the seller is running to see if the grading seems tight. If the photos are not good enough for you to determine the grades, that's already a potential red flag.

 

Hi and thanks for the advice.  I was thinking about up to $3-4000 I think.  And yes you'd need to be careful but I think if good pics and the seller has a lot of perfect feedback isn't that a good signifier.?  Or is there rife passing off of restored stuff..?  If I bought online I'd spot restoration immediately.

3 minutes ago, Ride the Tiger said:

Every book was raw at some point. You must learn what to look for and find reputable sellers. I have only purchased a few graded books and generally prefer the hunt for candidates for slabbing. 

Sure - what I really meant was if you find a raw VNM or mint key would you pay the same as for a graded one..?  I would if I was happy with the condition.

4 minutes ago, Mr. Zipper said:

Depends on the dealer and the book. But very rarely will I pay graded premium pricing for a raw book.

Yeah - I wonder what the criteria is..?  I mean if its visibly very obviously a NM+ then I guess its a pretty safe punt..?  Up at that level there's no room to hide really is there..?  Unless you get it and its been stored next door to a chocolate factory and smells extremely strongly of chocolate - or some such similar misdemeanor

What are the thoughts on raw books..?  I'm looking at a couple of 9.2s from sellers with perfect feedback and I'm tempted.

I'm aware that graded makes it easier to sell but if you found a raw absolute beaut how many of you would go for it if it was similar price to graded..?

2 hours ago, Mr. Zipper said:

Unless there are hidden flaws or stains, a strong 7.0 with a shot at 7.5. 
 

6.5 is way too low in my opinion. 

Yeah I'm a bit baffled by some of the estimates.  This definitely comes into 'attractive' and 'attractive' is associated with 8s.  I realise that the split and other bits bring it down from 8.

I didn't buy it to sell but I think I'd do alright with it - very difficult to get books this fresh looking from back then.

Thanks folks.  Do you think a press would add 0.5..?  To get rid of that kink on the bottom right..?

If I had to be exact I'd rate it 7.75 but ofc I know theres no such thing

Thanks guys.  Here's CGCs own guide:

VF 7.5 - An above-average collectible with a moderate defect or an accumulation of small defects.

VF 8 - An attractive collectible with a moderate defect or an accumulation of small defects.

So having previously agreed with 7 I think 7.5 is very reasonable.  I might submit it and get it pressed.  I just bought it and don't have it yet so of course I've got to carefully check it over myself but I don't expect anything drastic to be revealed - I got a condition report on it before I bought it.

10 minutes ago, comicginger1789 said:

It may be scarcer but that means nothing to me personally. I consider it a foreign comic. Not from North America. I kind of want my North American copy. Say book A was a cents copy and in the same grade as copy B which was a pence copy. I would value the pence copy less and even then, my eyes would be on purchasing the cents copy. Not saying this is how it is for all collectors, but for me that's what I focus on. 

I'm the same I prefer cents but they are literally from the same print run.  There is serious thought the pence ones may have been run off first.  The thing that I think makes this one so great/desirable is the low number key in this condition.  I'd expect it to be 30% off US price value - maybe bit less as its so nice.

8 minutes ago, rakehell said:

I'd say 7 all day long. If your grader was having a bad day, he might drop it to a 6.5. There's what looks like a tiny spine tear on your image of the back cover. That worries me a little. 6.5 seems to be a popular number; there are 4 in the census, but only one each at 7 & 7.5 & two 8s.

Yeah small spine split - 3mm..?  Will manually press in I think - very unobtrusive.  I wonder about value if a 7 - £1500 or so..?  I didn't buy it to sell but I'm interested to know.

1 minute ago, rakehell said:

They always say grading is subjective, but I think it's a nice book. Way better than the one just above. I'd submit it just to see where it fall on the census. You're almost guaranteed a top 10.

Nice find anyway. Good luck with it. 

Yeah cheers.  Purely out of interest what would you give it..?  I'm saying solid 7 at least..?

1 hour ago, rakehell said:

A word on scarcity for this book. I just checked the census. There are only 40 pence variant ASM 6 in the census (nothing higher than an 8), compared to 2242 cents copies. Expressed as a percentage that makes the pence variants 1.75% of the total graded copies. I'm calling that scarce.

Nice find. 

Thanks very much Rake.  In this thread this book has been heavily criticised.  I think this is in lovely condition and way better than the CGC 6.5s I've posted on this thread - even the same book.