Do You Want Fries With That?

[underthebigw]

 Originally Posted By: Flaming_Telepath

And it's these politics...and the utter, utter greed of way too many parties...that have slowly sapped the joy from my collecting. There is no more innocence left, no more 'fun'. It's all about the $$$ and how long and how hard and how deep you can shaft the buyer.

 

You guys are dead on here.This is one of the reasons I've taken sanctuary in some of the books "no one wants". The fun of finding a super-HG BA or SA superhero book has been somewhat drained out of the hobby--at least for me. By buying HG Archies, non-slabbled Harvey's, cartoon books, westerns, and other assorted bargain bin material, I have to be much less concerned whether or not the books been manipulated and this has not been disclosed. I still love finding original owner superhero books, but I've taken myself out of the uber-HG game--too many unscrupulous sellers.One point not touched on yet, is that the pressing of 8.5's and 9.2's that results in uber-high grade books not only increases the value of these books for the sellers, but diminishes the value of "honest" 9.2's and 9.4's. As a result, the collector who doesn't like pressing not only has to worry about buying manipulated books, but is watching as his collection slowly diminishes in value while 9.6's and 9.8's start to fill the census. Pretty soon, we'll be hearing that anything less than 9.6 in BA books and 9.4 in SA isn't collectible. Try selling something that's "not collectible" to a dealer.

[arexcrooke]

 Originally Posted By: arexcrooke

You do realize, as shocking as it might seem, that you cant tell the difference between a pressed and non-pressed book, correct? I mean seriously, your hyperbole is based on ignorance or how and what pressing actually does.<br />Either that, or you are deliberatly being obtuse to be over the top with your characterization of pressing and your dissproval of the process

 

That's not completely correct. In some cases maybe. I have a number of pressed comics that I bought purposely to check on the pressing. In 75% of the cases, it's obvious if you're looking for it. I had to take some out of the slab to do. It's wasn't obvious on some until you examined the comic closely...

 

Jim

What were, to you, the giveaways that it had been pressed?

[underthebigw]

 Originally Posted By: The_Black_Hand

 Originally Posted By: cd4ever

Interesting thread.

 

12-15 bucks to restore a book in a way that can potentially increase its value hundreds of dollars if not more and yet is completely undetectable so noone, say a buyer for example, need ever know! .

 

Brilliant!!!!

 

 

And as more pancackes come into the market, that flattened, pancaked look will become the norm, making it even harder to detect.

You do realize, as shocking as it might seem, that you cant tell the difference between a pressed and non-pressed book, correct? I mean seriously, your hyperbole is based on ignorance or how and what pressing actually does.

Either that, or you are deliberatly being obtuse to be over the top with your characterization of pressing and your dissproval of the process

Especially if it's in a slab

[arexcrooke]

I must admit i have a liking for them

[cd4ever]

Just a question in general.

 

How many of the people who are so adamant about pressing being disclosed or are against pressing on the whole actually purchase slabbed books as the majority of their collection?

Certainly not the majority but I've bought tons of slabbed books over the years.But in my case, the slab is irrelevant. Buying a former 8.5 that has been pressed into a now slabbed 9.4 is just as undesirable to me as buying a former 8.5 that has been pressed into a raw 9.4.

[awe4one]

What were, to you, the giveaways that it had been pressed?

 

I'll get away from the comics have a certain common "feel" to them after pressing and focus on you can actually see the defects that were pressed out if you put the book at an angle under a bright light. You'll see the creases that more look like lines now. Back covers are great for this. Also, check the centerfolds. Regardless of how white the pages are, a comic will have yellowed to a certain extent over the years. If the whole comic has been pressed you'll see an offset of the color at the centerfold as the comic has been pressed on a slightly different offset than where it's been over the years...

 

Jim

[The Black Hand ®]

Originally Posted By: DrWatson-Just a question in general.

 

How many of the people who are so adamant about pressing being disclosed or are against pressing on the whole actually purchase slabbed books as the majority of their collection? cd4everCertainly not the majority but I've bought tons of slabbed books over the years.But in my case, the slab is irrelevant. Buying a former 8.5 that has been pressed into a now slabbed 9.4 is just as undesirable to me as buying a former 8.5 that has been pressed into a raw 9.4. That was a curious question and I'm trying to figure out how it's relevant. A small majority of my books are slabbed now and most have been cracked but not all. Most are mid grade. I still think that the majority of pressing is done for profit and should be disclosed. Until my Pressing Detecto Ray is finished, I don't see full disclosure of pressing happening.

[buttock]

 Originally Posted By: arexcrooke

What were, to you, the giveaways that it had been pressed?

 

I'll get away from the comics have a certain common "feel" to them after pressing and focus on you can actually see the defects that were pressed out if you put the book at an angle under a bright light. You'll see the creases that more look like lines now. Back covers are great for this. Also, check the centerfolds. Regardless of how white the pages are, a comic will have yellowed to a certain extent over the years. If the whole comic has been pressed you'll see an offset of the color at the centerfold as the comic has been pressed on a slightly different offset than where it's been over the years...

 

Jim

But how can you be certain that this occurred due to a "professional" pressing versus just being stuck in a mylar and stuffed tightly in a long-box for 3 years in someone's collection? The whole problem with people claiming they can detect pressing is that there's an assumption of intent. You can't assume that intent, as likely as it may be.

[arexcrooke]

What were, to you, the giveaways that it had been pressed?

 

I'll get away from the comics have a certain common "feel" to them after pressing and focus on you can actually see the defects that were pressed out if you put the book at an angle under a bright light. You'll see the creases that more look like lines now. Back covers are great for this. Also, check the centerfolds. Regardless of how white the pages are, a comic will have yellowed to a certain extent over the years. If the whole comic has been pressed you'll see an offset of the color at the centerfold as the comic has been pressed on a slightly different offset than where it's been over the years...

 

Jim

See, on the books ive had pressed, when I got them back, save one, i could not tell that the defect had been there.

Surface impressions, gone.

Corner bend, nada

Now, on one, I had a edge ding (from where a dealer dropped it) pressed, and I could tell that it was removed. Albeit, im not sure if i could have told that if I didnt know that it was there before-hand.

[arexcrooke]

 Originally Posted By: awe4one

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header"> Originally Posted By: arexcrooke</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What were, to you, the giveaways that it had been pressed? </div></div><br /><br />I'll get away from the comics have a certain common "feel" to them after pressing and focus on you can actually see the defects that were pressed out if you put the book at an angle under a bright light. You'll see the creases that more look like lines now. Back covers are great for this. Also, check the centerfolds. Regardless of how white the pages are, a comic will have yellowed to a certain extent over the years. If the whole comic has been pressed you'll see an offset of the color at the centerfold as the comic has been pressed on a slightly different offset than where it's been over the years...<br /><br />Jim

 

But how can you be certain that this occurred due to a "professional" pressing versus just being stuck in a mylar and stuffed tightly in a long-box for 3 years in someone's collection?

 

The whole problem with people claiming they can detect pressing is that there's an assumption of intent. You can't assume that intent, as likely as it may be.

Excellent point Dan

[joe_collector]

I12-15 bucks to restore a book in a way that can potentially increase its value hundreds of dollars if not more and yet is completely undetectable

 

Nope, lots of press jobs are obvious and easily detectable.

[thirdgreenham]

Just a question in general.

 

How many of the people who are so adamant about pressing being disclosed or are against pressing on the whole actually purchase slabbed books as the majority of their collection?

Well, I personally don't like pressing and would prefer to own un-pressed books. I've bought lots of slabbed comics and I've only asked if the books were pressed, twice. Once I asked Harley Yee, and once I asked Steven Ritter. In both cases, they told me those books had not been pressed.I may have some pressed books in my collection and I wouldn't even know it. I would also prefer dealers to disclose if the books have had any work done to them. I'm not saying that I wouldn't knowingly buy a pressed book, I probably would, I would just like to know about it first.Andy

[Mr. Zipper]

[quote name=awe4oneWhat were, to you, the giveaways that it had been pressed? I'll get away from the comics have a certain common "feel" to them after pressing and focus on you can actually see the defects that were pressed out if you put the book at an angle under a bright light. You'll see the creases that more look like lines now. Back covers are great for this. Also, check the centerfolds. Regardless of how white the pages are, a comic will have yellowed to a certain extent over the years. If the whole comic has been pressed you'll see an offset of the color at the centerfold as the comic has been pressed on a slightly different offset than where it's been over the years...

 

Jim [/quote]Jim is dead on... I've done a little "buying research" myself. Not always -- but often -- you can tell a book has been pressed if you know what to look for. An unusual crispness, the way the paper feels and small creases that have been pressed flatter than they should be. There are other indicators as well. hmIt is highly unlikely that you can tell if a book that was 9.6 was spot pressed to remove a tiny flaw and make it a 9.8.But, an 8.5 that was [whole book] pressed to remove a spinner rack bend into a 9.4... this you can often tell.

[awe4one]

But how can you be certain that this occurred due to a "professional" pressing versus just being stuck in a mylar and stuffed tightly in a long-box for 3 years in someone's collection?

 

A commonality of the defects. Most defects are not common along a comic top to bottom even those "stuffed" in a longbox. Defects on a comic that has been pressed exhibit the same types of defects along the whole comic. Best analogy without being there to show you would be all the "bumps/lines" on a pressed comic look the same. That's not the case on a non-pressed comic. Of course this only works for those comics that have completely gone under the press. Spot pressing is another animal altogether.

 

Jim

[joe_collector]

But how can you be certain that this occurred due to a "professional" pressing versus just being stuck in a mylar and stuffed tightly in a long-box for 3 years in someone's collection?

 

 

You really need to take a few comics with serious NCB issues, stuff some in a box Mylar'd for 3 years and then send the others to Matt.

 

The differences will be obvious right away.

 

You can't "professionally press" a comic by stuffing it in a box or by stacking them in a pile. Whoever told you that is a maroon.

[nik]

We have:

 

DC collectors vs. Marvel Collectors

 

SA collectors vs GA collectors

 

HG collectors vs Any Grade collectors

 

Slab collectors vs Raw collectors

 

People selling/trading for the pure enjoyment vs Sellers squeezing whatever they can

 

Overgraders vs Undergraders

 

Honest people vs Dishonest people

 

Pro-pressing vs Anti-pressing

 

and so on......

 

Point is stick to whatever and however you collect and don't

dwell about the other side of the fence. Enjoy what and how you collect and don't worry about Joe Schmoe from the other side, this is not a matter of life and death.

 

[GACollectibles]

We have:

 

DC collectors vs. Marvel Collectors

 

SA collectors vs GA collectors

 

HG collectors vs Any Grade collectors

 

Slab collectors vs Raw collectors

 

People selling/trading for the pure enjoyment vs Sellers squeezing whatever they can

 

Overgraders vs Undergraders

 

Honest people vs Dishonest people

 

Pro-pressing vs Anti-pressing

 

and so on......

 

Point is stick to whatever and however you collect and don't

dwell about the other side of the fence. Enjoy what and how you collect and don't worry about Joe Schmoe from the other side, this is not a matter of life and death.

 

 

You forgot Shirts vs Skins! (thumbs u

[nik]

I'm 47, and I think I will keep my shirt on

[Mr.Diggler]

 

Because I consider pressing to be restoration. Common sense tells you that pressing is restoration. The English language tells you that pressing is restoration. However, the 'industry' tells you it's not, as it's not convenient - in fact it's nothing short of disastrous - to classify it as such.

[DiceX]

I'm 47, and I think I will keep my shirt on