Albert Thurgood

ouch... 1.0

Still wouldn't have thought that slight issue on the BC would be enough to knock it down to 7. Maybe the grader was feeling cranky that day.

4.5 now?

The back cover is not going to save the problems with the FC... 3.5

Thread has been derailed but we have a big controversy between @Buzzetta and @PeteFromPetesBasement vis-a-vis Tony's v Carmine's pizza.

+1 It's not often that CGC comes back with a grade lower than anyone here estimates. From the photos, that looked like a VF at least.

6.5

Interesting to see before and after shots. 6

I have learnt the mantra: a C&P always helps ;-) 3.5 due to the staple pulls - otherwise the FC presents very nicely.

You are obviously spoiled for choice in Brooklyn. But I see what you mean. If you lived in the AK side of Texarkana, you definitely would not be getting your pizzas from the TX side of the road.

1.8

My inclination was a 5.5 for this. I think the top FC problem is not "missing pieces" but "chipping" or "bug chew".

8 also

2.5

Thanks. Maybe I will wait till covid19 is over in the US, and I can take it there personally.

Thanks for the advice, but I am very apprehensive of trusting these valuable books to the mail.

Just received this for my EC collection.

Coincidentally, after those Airboys just posted, this is what I added to my EC collection this week:

Not sure if this belongs in this forum or in the conservation one, but since it is naiive, I will post it here. OK, so my collection has been in stacks for many years. I have just moved them to vertical storage in archive boxes. In doing so, I noticed that many have develop some curving from being stacked for long (?I have seen some people say this is not a spine roll). Here is an example. I also have read many people say this problem can be improved by pressing. My problem is that there are no professional pressers within 10,000 miles of where I live! So could I fix this by carefully placing a (suitably protected) book underneath a heavy weight? Or will this do more harm than good? Is there a more sophisticated but still DIY solution?

I wish I knew then what I know now...incredible how much it has deteriorated just being in a box away from light all these years. Yes, I do know a C&P will help but there is no-one within 10,000 miles of me who can do it!

Thanks for the explanation, but I am still in the dark as I don't know what the "Ultimate Universe" is. Probably better if I don't know with that sort of money at stake ;-)

OK, @lou_fine, nice detective work! But I maintain that I have not seen that sort of translucency on any GA, SA or BA books that I own or have seen. Yet I have seen other examples of highly graded slabbed books that display that translucency issue. They also tend to have lower registration numbers (ie have been longer in a slab).

Excuse my ignorance because I have never bought any modern comics, but why is this issue so important? Also I don't understand why variant covers should be more valuable (well, OK, except that they may be rarer). I checked and saw MCS has a 9.4 for sale at $495 but a variant B at 9.2 for over $10,000! I think I would prefer to get a lower grade ASM 1 for that price. Edit: I just checked ebay and a CGC 9.8 is for sale at $20,000! How can the OP pick up 2 copies of that for his $3k?

Are you in it for your collection or for making $$$ in future? If the former, don't spend your money on grading but do pick up the keys that you can, as well as the X Men you need to complete your collection. If the latter, what others have advised.

6.0