To crack or not to crack - what is your opinion on cracking slabs?

[alecholland]

I've been wondering how my fellow board members felt about cracking slabs.

 

Basically, I buy slabbed books for two reasons - accurate grading & resto check (especially on older and/or more expensive books). For me, the plastic casing is simply packaging. I view CGC's service similar to a home inspector or taking a used car to a mechanic before you purchase it.

 

However, I don't buy super-high grade books either. Perhaps my view on cracking slabs would be different if I was paying a premium for 9.6/9.8 books, although I have cracked a couple 9.4's and didn't cringe.

 

So, what are your opinions about cracking slabs? Do you do it? Does it make you cringe when others do it? Have you ever cracked a high grade book?

[DrWatson]

Yes I have. Sometimes it does. No I wouldn't. Do what feels right for you.

 

Let me add one piece of advice. NEVER crack a 9.9 or 10.

[seank]

Mid-grade books will get cracked so I can read them. If I buy the book because it is high grade, then I bought it because I want it slabbed and it stays in the slab.

[alecholland]

Yes I have. Sometimes it does. No I wouldn't. Do what feels right for you.

 

Now I'm considering editing my post with risque questions.

[DrWatson]

The same answers would probably apply.

[Par2ch]

I buy CGC books so I can get the Signature seriesed and then re-slab them. This way it eliminates a "surprise" grade and assures they were not RESTORED

[alecholland]

Me too.

[OldGuy]

I do it all the time for books I'm adding to my collection. Exceptions would be SS books, and modern variants when I have normal reader copies. I have a couple of books that because they have been given such a high grade from CGC I won't crack them out as their resale value would be severely impacted if I ever decide to sell them.

 

My short answer would be that I crack out about 85% of the CGC books I buy.

[FullBLOWN]

I buy CGC books so I can get the Signature seriesed and then re-slab them. This way it eliminates a "surprise" grade and assures they were not RESTORED

same with me.

[Fazybones]

I've always been a part time DC war collector and have mainly

concentrated on those over the last six months and I quite

often try to buy CGC 7.0 to 8.5 and crack them. I find it's a great

way to get nice books that have been checked for resto and fit

nicely into my grade range.

 

I never crack books that are 9.0 or better and I guess you

never know when you might have to sell a few for a sick cat

or Husband. I sure hope I never have to sell another book.

[OldGuy]

you never know when you might have to sell a few for a sick cat or Husband.

 

I like the order you listed "them" in.

[peewee22]

I cracked a CGC 6.5 FF1 to enjoy it (has white pages). It's mine for the keeping and NO one else's. So why would I keep it slabbed?

 

It sleeps in mylar and sees it's Dad at least twice a week...

 

 

[Fazybones]

you never know when you might have to sell a few for a sick cat or Husband.

 

I like the order you listed "them" in.

 

 

If he would let me raise my comic budget he might become the

most loved member of our little family.

 

Plus he's still off work from an injury at our Container Terminal

and it's cutting into my funny book purchases.

 

 

Only kidding of course.

[MutantKeys]

I cracked a CGC 6.5 FF1 to enjoy it (has white pages). It's mine for the keeping and NO one else's. So why would I keep it slabbed?

 

It sleeps in mylar and sees it's Dad at least twice a week...

 

Sure, but unless you slab it again you'll never get 100% of your money back.... cracking books over 100 bucks or books that are worth a certain amount because they were slabbed in grade, I would never crack.

[COI]

For me, as much as I like to hold raw books, I don't see a point in cracking my slabs. High grades aren't really purchased to be handled anyway, but that's just me.

[OldGuy]

you never know when you might have to sell a few for a sick cat or Husband.

 

I like the order you listed "them" in.

 

 

If he would let me raise my comic budget he might become the

most loved member of our little family.

 

Plus he's still off work from an injury at our Container Terminal

and it's cutting into my funny book purchases.

 

 

Only kidding of course.

 

Kind of........

 

[DrWatson]

I cracked a CGC 6.5 FF1 to enjoy it (has white pages). It's mine for the keeping and NO one else's. So why would I keep it slabbed?

 

It sleeps in mylar and sees it's Dad at least twice a week...

 

Oh, for s sake. Let's blow another note for a little while.

[MutantKeys]

[synch]

For me, as much as I like to hold raw books, I don't see a point in cracking my slabs. High grades aren't really purchased to be handled anyway, but that's just me.

 

2nd that! Even low grades depending on the book...something really big like a ff#1 or some such I would never dream of if I wanted to read I could crack open the omnibus or other such hard cover personally ..

 

Also what are you guys talking about with surprise grades & checking slabbed books for restro work?.. Does cgc already not grade the books & check for that type of thing?!?!?

 

[Comicdey]

Mid-grade books will get cracked so I can read them. If I buy the book because it is high grade, then I bought it because I want it slabbed and it stays in the slab.

 

That's kinda how I've been working it.....I crack GA books if I find a sweet book in G to Fine that I like. If it's a book in 7.0 or higher, I typically buy a reader copy and leave them in the slabs.