SPEAKING OF ZILLAF4..............THE FIRELAKE COLLECTION............WOW!!!!

[frankiecastle]

Man,

 

This Firelake Collection is graded horribly...

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/AMAZING-SPIDER-MAN-1-VERY-GOOD-4-0-1963_W0QQitemZ280212363144QQihZ018QQcategoryZ32739QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

This is not a 4.0. I just bought a slabbed FF #2 in about the same condition (same kind of edge tear and splitting) and it is a 2.5. This issue may be just slightly better (mine has a little soiling too), so maybe a 3.0.

 

Then look at the next book...

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/AMAZING-SPIDER-MAN-2-FINE-5-5-1st-VULTURE-1963_W0QQitemZ330222991947QQihZ014QQcategoryZ32739QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

The day that would grade a 5.5 is the day I jump off a bridge. At best that would be a 4.5, and I doubt it would CGC at that. Probably a 4.0.

 

All these RAW key books have been graded at least two and often three grades higher than they really are. I feel sorry for any suckers that pay for the listed grades....

Um,

not to be rude, but who the fak are you? And its good to know that you can grade from a scan :thumbsup:

 

he's the proud owner of golden age books from the cleveland collection (see other thread) and who knows- may have some edgar church bronze. btw, where's the doc- still think this is a PEDIGREE?

[arexcrooke]

I DONT THINK ITS A PEDIGREE

 

 

 

I thought I had an unlabeled Bronze Church book too

[namisgr]

I DONT THINK ITS A PEDIGREE

 

 

 

I thought I had an unlabeled Bronze Church book too

 

Yesterday, I thought aliens were about to steal my lunch...

 

But seriously, folks, a couple of those Firelake keys DO seem just a tad bit beaten up for their touted grade. At least Lange's provides large scans that allow you to draw your own conclusions and bid accordingly.

[Broken Shakespear]

It only gets worse when you get the book in person. Nothing looks better than the scan.

 

I mean he has books with detached staples, spine roll, and tape stains (perhaps tape is still there, can't tell from the scan) and he is grading them VG+. Gross misgrading can be easily spotted in a large scan. It isn't like there is something inside the book that will make you add 15-20 points to the grade.

[Broken Shakespear]

Har Har.... I only know what the guy who discovered the Cleveland Collection told me. I guess you are saying he was wrong...

 

And I guess the 4 GA books that sold on Heritage as Cleveland Collection were also wrong...

[Broken Shakespear]

I've bought hundreds, if not thousands of books from him before, and he does grade well in the VF-NM range. He is pretty good around FN too (occasionally a few 5.0's sneak in there). When you get below that though, my experience has been that his grading falls apart. I've seen him sell books with tape repair, detached centerfolds, and completely detached front cover and grade it GD+ and VG-.

 

I don't think he grades well at all below FN.

 

If people would CGC zilla's books, they would see that the typically aren't better than the described grade.

 

So I say he is accurate mid-to-high grade and way off on low grade stuff. At least that is the rep he has with me and the books I've bought from him the past 5 years.

[namisgr]

Har Har.... I only know what the guy who discovered the Cleveland Collection told me. I guess you are saying he was wrong...

 

And I guess the 4 GA books that sold on Heritage as Cleveland Collection were also wrong...

 

No, Dave Kopelka is not wrong, but you appear to be. In the very certificates of authenticity for Cleveland collection books that Dave provides, he states that the collection is an OO grouping of SA books from 1958 extending to the beginning of the BA in 1971. In other words, the guy who discovered the collection has made it unequivocally clear that there aren't GA books in the collection.

 

Kopelka offers plenty of GA books for sale, but they aren't from the SA/BA Cleveland collection. Perhaps this is where the confusion lies?

[arexcrooke]

I've bought hundreds, if not thousands of books from him before, and he does grade well in the VF-NM range. He is pretty good around FN too (occasionally a few 5.0's sneak in there). When you get below that though, my experience has been that his grading falls apart. I've seen him sell books with tape repair, detached centerfolds, and completely detached front cover and grade it GD+ and VG-.

 

I don't think he grades well at all below FN.

 

If people would CGC zilla's books, they would see that the typically aren't better than the described grade.

 

So I say he is accurate mid-to-high grade and way off on low grade stuff. At least that is the rep he has with me and the books I've bought from him the past 5 years.

He undergrades in the upper end.

Ive bought about 6 books from him that i slabbed and the results were:

9.8, 9.8, 9.8, 9.6, 9.6, 9.4

[Broken Shakespear]

How can I be wrong when I am only repeating what I have been told, and providing links to the Heritage Auctions in question? The HA listings can be wrong, or the guy who sold me the book (who is apparently the same guy who found the Clevelands) could have been mistaken. It doesn't make me mistaken for trying to get to the bottom of it, or to reconcile what I was told versus what I've seen.

 

I realize what the COA states. I've seen them...

 

I'm only came here to try to reconcile what the COA states and what I was told, and what I've seen other places.

 

Man, you guys make a mountain out of a mole hill... its definately the last time I come here looking for any answers...

[namisgr]

How can I be wrong when I am only repeating what I have been told, and providing links to the Heritage Auctions in question? The HA listings can be wrong, or the guy who sold me the book (who is apparently the same guy who found the Clevelands) could have been mistaken. It doesn't make me mistaken for trying to get to the bottom of it, or to reconcile what I was told versus what I've seen.

 

I realize what the COA states. I've seen them...

 

I'm only came here to try to reconcile what the COA states and what I was told, and what I've seen other places.

 

Man, you guys make a mountain out of a mole hill... its definately the last time I come here looking for any answers...

 

Consider the possibility that there may be GA books that were purchased second-hand by the original owner of the Cleveland collection. Technically, then, these secondhand GA books could be called part of the collection, but they are certainly not part of the original owner SA/BA pedigree that is considered by collectors to be the "Cleveland collection". Capisce?

[cd4ever]

Man, you guys make a mountain out of a mole hill

You have no idea....

[Guardian Comics]

Slightly OT - Go Tarheels.

 

Now please continue the verbal abuse

 

Jim

[General Zod]

Oh, and since we're griping about eBay, I'd like to take the time to thank Dan Greenhalgh for listing about five hundred slabbed Copper & Modern books in the Silver Age section. Makes the search that much more interesting

 

What an azz. I'd love to hear his explanation for that one.

 

He does it every friggen time and its a pet peeve of mine and I refuse to purchase anything from him

 

Doesn't anybody ever report his dumb butt?

[Dick Pontoon]

Oh, and since we're griping about eBay, I'd like to take the time to thank Dan Greenhalgh for listing about five hundred slabbed Copper & Modern books in the Silver Age section. Makes the search that much more interesting

 

What an azz. I'd love to hear his explanation for that one.

 

He does it every friggen time and its a pet peeve of mine and I refuse to purchase anything from him

 

Doesn't anybody ever report his dumb butt?

 

You've obviously never attempted to report anyone to ebay before.

[tth2]

Oh, and since we're griping about eBay, I'd like to take the time to thank Dan Greenhalgh for listing about five hundred slabbed Copper & Modern books in the Silver Age section. Makes the search that much more interesting

 

What an azz. I'd love to hear his explanation for that one.

 

He does it every friggen time and its a pet peeve of mine and I refuse to purchase anything from him

 

Doesn't anybody ever report his dumb butt?

For what? eBay ENCOURAGES sellers to list their goods under multiple categories.

[Broken Shakespear]

Is anyone else seeing some of the stupid prices these books are bringing?

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=280212479381&ssPageName=STRK:MEDW:IT&ih=018

 

Sold for $306. Last slabbed 9.2 sold in October 2007 for $99. Average GPA is $124. Guide Price is $80.

 

Or this one:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=32739&item=320232503541

 

Almost $7000 for a 9.8. A 9.6 sells for $1100. A 9.8 #73 has sold multiple times between $1100 and $1900.

 

Numerous RAW books, even down into the VF range are selling for multiples of guide. There have even been a few FN+ that sold for 3-4X guide (basically sold at NM prices).

 

Who are the suckers crawling out of the woodwork to pay these prices? Or do you think these bidders will see how silly their bids were when the invoice comes, and back out on payment?

 

 

[gernblanston]

That is why I stopped following Zillaf4's auctions. Not only are the graded books going to high, the raw copies are bringing crazy prices too, sometimes more than a higher grade CGC book.