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Is Metropolis the King of Comics...or what?

23 posts in this topic

welllll...thats a real possibility, too, huh? These are all lower grades arent they. Im not interested in buying them.

BUT - - still its impressive. Not everybody collects high grade,,,,

 

 

I'm not sure if I agree here. Lower grade? Really? These are lower grades? Do you collect gold? These aren't common Hulk 181's! If I collected Superman I'd KILL for such nice copies! You realize these are from 1939/1940/1941?

 

#1 VF:8.0

#2 FN+:6.5

#3 VF-:7.5

#3 FN+:6.5

#5 VF-:7.5

#5 F/VF:7.0

#5 FN:6.0

#7 FN++:6.7

#7 FN:6.0

#8 VF:8.0

#8 FN+:6.5

#9 VF-:7.5

#9 FN++:6.7

#10 VF+:8.5

#10 FN:6.0

#11 F/VF:7.0

#13 VF+:8.5

#14 VF-:7.5

#15 VF-:7.5

#16 F/VF:7.0

#19 VF:8.0

 

 

As much as I hate to admit it, yes, Metropolis is by far has the largest collection of gold, and they get more gold in than anyone else.

 

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I was bouncing with the flow with that response. He implied (as I read it) that they have so many copies because these were "leftovers" from collection they bought that never sold over the years...so I interpreted that as lower grades. Maybe they dont sell because they are MIDDLE grades: that is, too expensive for reading copies...but also not nice enough for HG collectors with the bucks to hold out for better.

 

Also, not to sound person_without_enough_empathyy here, but these are not CGC grades...these are Metro grades. And many of them may very well have been graded years ago and stayed in the system,... That is graded with eyes before CGC tightened up the whole process. Thats not a knock on Metros grading......just a guess as to why they are still around.

 

Im still impressed with the range of copies...

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I was about to ask whether Metro will guarentee the grade and also guarentee the comic is unrestored? I believe the early Superman prices are decent and I would be interested in purchasing a couple I need but we are back to the ungraded question again.

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Lord knows Fishler would probably try to sue me if I spoke for him, but I will give an opinion that NO ONE guarantees the grade they give a book will be the same one CGC gives it. Heck even CGC doesn't grade the same book the same way - we've all seen examples of that.

But, I'm sure that they will offer you something on the restoration issue, and they certainly allow you to return a book if you receive it and aren't satisfied.

 

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I do believe they have a fairly open 10 day return policy. I just ordered a book from them and realized I had ordered the wrong issue (yes, dumb mistake), and it was easy to send it back and get a quick refund to my credit card. They even e-mailed me when they received it.

 

They do seem to have a great selection of older books and I like the Want List service on their website that e-mails you new books that they get in. I've only dealt with them twice, but both have been fairly positive experiences.

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They are very fair with returns,..Vince offered me full merch credit for a book that I sent in to be graded that came back two full grades lower (metro 9.0-cgc 7.0), but in the end I decided to keep it because I liked the book and felt it had great eye appeal despite the grade,....but it was nice to know that they would take it back anyway.

 

J.D.

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They are very fair with returns,..Vince offered me full merch credit for a book that I sent in to be graded that came back two full grades lower (metro 9.0-cgc 7.0), but in the end I decided to keep it because I liked the book and felt it had great eye appeal despite the grade,....but it was nice to know that they would take it back anyway.

 

I'm glad you were happy with the book, but that doesn't instill a lot of confidence in their grading.

 

I always said, the problem with buying raw mail order is simply the shipping charges. You buy a book for $100 and it cost $7 to ship. Then you get it and it isn't what you expected, so you send it back for another $7 shipping and your out $14 (or 14%) of the total cost of the book. And to show for that you have ZERO new books.

 

That just stinks. 893frustrated.gif

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I agree with that thinking.... And many mail order dealers know this and it is to their advantage. Having spent $ to have the book shipped to you, many collectors just keep the book rather than pay to ship it back.

 

Of course an adjustment in the price would solve the problem: keep th ebook at a new accurate price as to grade, if you can both agree that is. And depending on the ralationship, shipping fees are worked out in the price too.

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Also, not to sound person_without_enough_empathyy here, but these are not CGC grades...these are Metro grades. And many of them may very well have been graded years ago and stayed in the system,... That is graded with eyes before CGC tightened up the whole process. Thats not a knock on Metros grading......just a guess as to why they are still around.

 

Interesting thought, aman, and I believe I can offer further evidence of this: I bought two Salida copies from Metropolis at this year's Chicago Con. Now, they had no Salida copies available at the beginning of the year, so logic would dictate that these books were either bought or entered into the database (with a probable re-grade?) since then. Needless to say, they were spot-on grading-wise.

 

I also looked at a few Spokane copies at the convention. These same issues had popped up on a search performed at the same time as the above-mentioned Salida one, so they were older. In all likelihood, they were quite possibly issues left around from the initial purchase back in 1998. Needless to say, they were fairly over-graded. 893scratchchin-thumb.gif

 

Alan

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I got a book that Vince said was NM+ that was a NM– once years ago, before he was part of Metropolis. I got a WW 199 that they said was NM/M and it was a strong 9.6. They are no Dr. Banner, but I would say for the most part they are within .2 on the average. To compare, I'd say their grading is a hair better than Superworld's in my humble option. (and I like dealing with Superworld)

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I guess if I was buying a $60 book in fine and it came back a F- , how much was the differential ? $5? With grading differences a .5 difference is common (even within the CGC graders). The market views the CGC grade as the first measurement of pricing. We buy CGC books in which we can agree with the grading and are pleasing to us. I hate buying a F boook that would grade for $3000

but come back a F- book (CGC) that grades for $2750. The edge to the dealer is the .5 overgrade. It's similar to the bookies vig. I don't blame them. I would do the same thing if I could. I would always lean to the .5 overgrade. The current situation is that if I should decide to sell a raw Metropolis book I can tell the prospective buyers the original Metropolis grade (who cares?) and tell them how nice it looks (who cares?). The buyer will buy off the cGC grade.

By buying books already cGC'd and "overpaying" for the CGC label I have been happiest. Each to their own.

 

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My other thought, regarding the 1/2 grade is this. If on a numerical basis a book grades 6.2 is it a fine? If on a nemerical basis a book grades a 5.3 isn't it a F-?

In theory are both books a half grade difference (per CGC) or .9 difference? That's why we need to look at the books before buying a cGC grade. How much of an edge does the house need? I simply am trying to minimize the take.

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