Wolverine #1 - Grade?? And question on CGC Grading in general...

[Brandon69-migration]

Hi, thank you for taking the time to read this and look at my pics. I was going through my 3,000 or so comics from the 80s when I was a young'un and collected religiously. Would like to get an idea what they're worth, starting with this as an example.

 

Question #1

Most of the comics I'm evaluating are actually in slightly better shape than this Wolv#1, but as a baseline I'm curious as to what you guys think it'd be graded as. I'm guessing an 8.2 (what used to be called 'very fine??'). I have attached 6 photos of the comic at it's 'worst angles'. More than 3-4 feet away it's a nice looking book though : ) In particular, take a look at the 1/4" bend at the lower-left side, under the spidey direct-sale logo. Many of my other books have suffered this, probably from years of not-carefully-enough 'dropping' them in the box. But this is definitely the worst of them. Does a 1/4" of less corner bend eliminate any hope of this being in the NM range? (tiny, tiny stress lines and other factors notwithstanding)

 

Question #2

On a lot of the current price guides, I see "9.4" and then "9.4 CGC" - with the CGC value usually twice as high $$. My question is this: since most of my books are way below the cost it would take to professionally grade/certify them, what should I say a book is worth? In other words, if I know I have a NM 9.0 of a title that fetches $20, and the CGC quote is upwards, of $40, what would you quote that book as??

 

Thank you in advance!

Brandon

[djpinkpanther67]

Question #1

Most of the comics I'm evaluating are actually in slightly better shape than this Wolv#1, but as a baseline I'm curious as to what you guys think it'd be graded as. I'm guessing an 8.2 (what used to be called 'very fine??'). I have attached 6 photos of the comic at it's 'worst angles'. More than 3-4 feet away it's a nice looking book though : ) In particular, take a look at the 1/4" bend at the lower-left side, under the spidey direct-sale logo. Many of my other books have suffered this, probably from years of not-carefully-enough 'dropping' them in the box. But this is definitely the worst of them. Does a 1/4" of less corner bend eliminate any hope of this being in the NM range? (tiny, tiny stress lines and other factors notwithstanding)

First of all, to the Boards!

I would grade it as a VF.

The numerical grading system of CGC runs from .5 to 10, with most of the numerical increments being that of .5 (with the exceptions of 1.8, 9.2, 9.4, 9.6 and 9.8)

Yes, the bend takes it out of NM range.

 

 

Question #2

On a lot of the current price guides, I see "9.4" and then "9.4 CGC" - with the CGC value usually twice as high $$. My question is this: since most of my books are way below the cost it would take to professionally grade/certify them, what should I say a book is worth? In other words, if I know I have a NM 9.0 of a title that fetches $20, and the CGC quote is upwards, of $40, what would you quote that book as??

You would quote the raw book in accordance to the guide. Slabbed books normally are priced IAW GPA sales...You wouldn't normally list the book at CGC prices unless it is an exceptionally sweet copy that you KNOW is uber HG, you really don't want to sell, or if it's a key. You can list the books at what you want however...if someone wants them they will buy it, point blank.

[Brandon69-migration]

Thank you PinkPanther.. glad to be here too.

 

Okay, quick follow up question (by the way, I tend to agree with Very Fine, just wanted to hear it from someone else):

 

When I see this: http://www.comicspriceguide.com/p-issues.asp?t_ID=3605

 

What value should I arrive at? If my copy is indeed "VeryFine" (.85?), do I take that as "85% of $50, therefore $42.50?" I'm basing much of my curiousity on the OWL/"How to Grade Comics" book I dug out, that I now realize is 15 years old!

 

So would asking $42, claiming it was right in the middle of Very Fine (ie .85), be fair?

 

Thanks again!

 

[djpinkpanther67]

I wouldn't use comicspriceguide.com You can purchase an online copy of the Overstreet guide for about $27. It's more accurate than the cpg website.

There are actual prices for different grades.

2007 OSPG price for a Wolverine LS #1 is $35

The questions you are asking are kind of tricky. You can set a price all day, but no guarantees it would sell for that. You can list guide prices all day, but in reality a book is only worth what someone will pay for it

[silverage12c]

Hi Brandon, and to the boards!

 

I would agree with the VF (8.0) grade also, due to the spine creases and that corner, mostly. Agree, too, that CPG isn't the most reliable price guide. But, it's incredibly convenient as a web-based price guide/cover gallery/etc. I use their site to catalog my collection, and post on their boards often. Often, their values (for raw books) are more-or-less in line with Overstreet. But, books often sell at conventions and on eBay for fractions of any guide. So, any guide has only limited use, IMHO.

 

If you think you'll get back into collecting, copies of the Overstreet Price Guide, and also Overstreet Grading Guide are a great investment. The OGG has pages and pages of nice, big cover images representing all of the grades. Note that this, too, is just a "guide". Overstreet's grading standards are not used as a rule by CGC or even by many dealers.

[Brandon69-migration]

I wouldn't use comicspriceguide.com You can purchase an online copy of the Overstreet guide for about $27. It's more accurate than the cpg website.

There are actual prices for different grades.

2007 OSPG price for a Wolverine LS #1 is $35

 

Thank you. Is this (your) arrived-at grade on OSPG taking into account my particular book, or is just the NM/M grade? For that matter, if I am VF .80 or VF .85, do I take either of those as a percentage % of the NM/M figure in OSPG?

 

In the old days, wasn't it .80 of the Mint $$, Mint being 100?

 

I will subscribe to the online version - assuming they update it constantly..?

 

B

[Dr. K]

I wouldn't use comicspriceguide.com You can purchase an online copy of the Overstreet guide for about $27. It's more accurate than the cpg website.

There are actual prices for different grades.

2007 OSPG price for a Wolverine LS #1 is $35

 

Thank you. Is this (your) arrived-at grade on OSPG taking into account my particular book, or is just the NM/M grade? For that matter, if I am VF .80 or VF .85, do I take either of those as a percentage % of the NM/M figure in OSPG?

 

In the old days, wasn't it .80 of the Mint $$, Mint being 100?

 

I will subscribe to the online version - assuming they update it constantly..?

 

B

 

I just got back into the game 4 or 5 months ago. I think you'll find, as I did, that things have really changed since CGC has become the standard. For example, I have raw SA Marvels that if graded at 9.2 would be worth somewhere in the region of $200 - $300 (according to Overstreet) however if graded 9.4 (doesn't seem like such a big difference does it?) their value skyrockets into the neighbourhood of $1500 + (according to GP Analysis - see www.comics.gpanalysis.com) GP Analysis only notes books that have been graded and slabbed by CGC. So there is a big difference in trading raw comics over CGC slabbed ones, because when you are considering evaluating a book it is the CGC assessment that is the benchmark, like it or not, for true grade. Personally I don't like it too much, it's made a fetish out of super high grade but what is, is what is. Good luck.

[silverage12c]

I don't mean to answer for DJ, but here are a couple thoughts for you . . .

 

There isn't usually ANY direct correlation between the numerical grade and a price. In fact, this varies wildly depending on the book's age/rarity, etc. In other words, a book that is a VF (8.0) is not necessarily "worth" 80% of the M (10.0) value. Also, the values of "Gem Mint 10.0" books are an entirely different discussion. These often sell for MANY multiples of NM prices, even for run-of-the-mill titles.

 

BTW, the numerical grading system doesn't use ".80" and ".85" any longer. The grading convention is now: