Asmodean

IMO those aren't color braking creases, from what I see they're dirt that can be cleaned/pressed away. However I have a concern about the cover lower right corner. Assuming my eyes aren't playing tricks on me, I'm either seeing 1/4" crease or a colour touched 1/4" crease. If there's nothing there I would say this book is a possible 9.4-9.8 If it's a crease I'm seeing the book's a 9.0 If it's color touched than the book's a purple label 9.0

5.5-6.0

7.0-7.5

8.0-8.5

I'm really excited I was able to pick this up, even in a mid-low grade like this one I'm really happy with the pick up. I would say is in the 5.0 - 5.5 range as is an it will be CPG. My big question is how will the writing on the book affect the grade if at all? Will it get a Green label or Blue label?

Hello. Unfortunately one of my Signature Series holders was damaged in an accident, thankfully the book is safe but part of the holder is smashed, BTW the holder really did provide great protection the table it was sitting on at the time did not survive. So I need to get a new holder, do I just use the re-holder option? I'm assuming the book will be re-graded as well, can I have the book pressed for a possible bump in grade or will the original grade be kept in mind and it wont go higher then that?

If I believed Blackstone had direct control of the day to day operations and grading at CGC I would stop using them.

Well to be fair they do kinda deserve it some times... a lot of the times... Not in this case... but you know what I mean. In closing, CGC you're off the hook on this one, but there a bunch a weird/dumb things you still do... So do that less.

Totally Agree. If that is the copy it looks like a 9.8. To be fair to you I can understand if you think it's not to the standard you want... But you should follow the adage "Buy the book not the grade"

If you can provide pictures that would be great so we can see. However I would echo what some have already said, 9.8 is not perfect and a book can still have very minor flaws as 9.8 I can understand the expectation some people have of a 9.8 equaling perfection, but that just not the case. I blame CGC mostly for that perception since 9.9 and 10.0 seems to be almost like fairy dust and some times the difference between a 9.6/9.8/9.9/10.0 are so minute as to seem almost illusory.

Yes yes I can't spell

Press and resubmit, can't loose much more by trying again. Unfortunately the human element of grading is unpredictable and like it's been said before the difference between a 9.6 - 9.8 almost negligible but it is there... but it's also subjective, one grader might see a tiny tick in the same place another doesn't, who is correct and who isn't? Might as well ask if when they last had a fresh cup of coffee.

Another little gem that's eventually going to get graded. It looks like it might have a slight spine role but that's not the case, if you looks at the front top right corner it's actually that the cover was not cut correctly.

A beautiful book I picked up as part of a small collection of House of Mystery and House of Secrets. Defiantly going for a Clean & Press before grading. But even as is the book only has those tiny flaws on the lower left front cover.

Remember 9.8 isn't perfect so one or two tiny flaw is allowable, So here's the question, is that the only flaw? If so I think it's 50/50 a press will bump the book up. Because It's really depend on how much of flaw that color breaking cease is (again assuming no other flaws). Based on the photo, to me, it looks like a 1/16" crease, which in my book would automatically mean a 9.6. Now a press might diminish the crease a little, making it look like it's under 1/16" and it's possible an a good day the grader might judge it as an allowable flaw but it's just as likely they judge the flaw the same as before.

Meh... I'd buy it as is, warts and all.

Slight tear on cover

Lovely copy of the first issues of the reprint run of the original X-men. I'll say its 8.0 - 8.5 but for sure needs a clean & press.

Realistically Option B... 12 years is a along time to then come back and claim something like that. As for your trusted source, I would suspect every book you purchased from them over the last 12 years. If your other books check out then it might just be a one off, nothing more you can do, but I would be highly skeptical of future buys going forward from this person. As for the book itself it would get a NG without the original cover, But the way things are going, and assuming all the rest of the pages are there, you might be able to recoup your original investment.

wow 0.5

I just picked up this nice copy of X-Men 131 to replace my childhood copy which is a 5.5 - 6.0 My own judgement is this is currently in the 8.0 - 8.5 range mostly because of the lower left crease on the front and the spine ticks. I'm note sure if a clean & press would help any with these flaws, but I was toying with the idea of slabbing it if I was confident the book could grade between 9.0 - 9.4 Anyway tell me what you think.

Ya the pressing really did a good job, for sure it was an 8.0-8.5 before I sent it in, so 9.2 is a great improvement. For the record is was cleaned & pressed by CCS, not that I'm trying to plug for them... but if someone wants to pay me

AND THE ANSWER IS....

First off the difference between 9.6 and 9.8 can be just a millimeter spine tick. Second grading is a subjective profession as it is so a resubmit might be worth while, the graders might have been three coffees into the day for all we know. Third and the best advise I have is learn to grade, I don't mean to sound harsh but you should always have your own idea on the grade of a book before you buy or send it for slabbing. It's not a matter of not trusting the seller, but more of being an informed buyer. For the record I think the seller was spot on the book is 9.6-9.8 and I would go so far as to say it's a 9.8 and you should resubmit.

9.6 - 9.8 Unless the corner on the front right is a crease, I wouldn't say that it a factor. If it is a crease that would bring it down to 9.2 - 9.4 The only issues that I can see for sure are color breaking spine ticks on the back cover.