Can CGC tell the difference?

[Issa]

A middle-aged man in my LCS claimed to have been grading books for 35 years and allegedly turned down an offer to work for CGC, said the following:

 

"Buy the book not the grade. Crack open any number of 9.6's, 9.8's and 9.9's...do you think CGC can honestly tell the difference?"

 

Well, can they? I would be very curious to find out how many graders get all the books right.

 

 

 

[toro]

Maybe not 100% of the time, but yes I think they would get most of them right the second time around. I think they would have more trouble getting the mid-grade 4.5 to 7.5 correct then on the high end. But that's just me.

[Issa]

Hmm... good point!

 

I've submitted 6 books to CGC in 5.0-5.5 condition and 3 books stayed the same, but: 3 books changed:

 

from 5.5 to 4.0

from 5.5 to 5.0

from 5.5 to 6.0

 

I totally see what you mean about mid-grade books.

[lizards2]

There are probably many right here that have been grading books for at least that long ( ) who would say the same thing.

 

Since CGC doesn't tell us their standards, it is all speculative at best.

 

Right now, my speculation is that you take HG books and press them if you want to achieve such levels with any kind of frequency.

 

Not my cup 'o tea, but apparently I differ with the vocal minority here.

[trmoore54]

All of us here on the boards are at any given book, moment in time, within a 1/2-grade off, buyer to seller, seller to buyer...1/2-grade becomes more acute obviously above 9.0...

[TFL-migration]

Grading is very subjective. The best anyone can do is use there grading criteria to the best of there ability. What get's some people in trouble is grading there own book's higher than they really are. If a person can take that equation out of the mix. They will become a better over all grader IMHO. You also have to take into account the age of the book. The really older book's seem to be graded a bit easier than there modern counter part's. A theory I do not like personally. I also think Square Bound book's are graded a tad easier as well.

I grade my book's all the same way. I have read the Over Street guide lines as well. I add what I think is needed to come up with a grading criteria I use and am familiar with.

 

The difference between a 6.5 book and a 7.0 book can literally mean thousands of dollars.

So if you under grade. As a seller your leaving that huge financial pot on the table.

Over grade your book's and they won't sell....

 

I sometimes go back into the PGM threads. I will re grade a book I thought I had graded the first time around, My memory isn't as good as it used to be. Then I will check to see if I did grade the book. Then I compare it to what I gave the book on the second look grade.

 

Years of practice and experience is needed. But I also believe it can be taught. Just like any other job. If the person has that keen eye and a willingness to learn. They could of never of even read a comic book. But they could be one of the best graders there is..

 

When you get into the 9.8 and up grades. I believe it becomes a lot harder to define what is a 9.8. 9.9. 10.0 Especially the 9.9 to the perfect 10.0 grade. I believe the 9.9 and the 10.0 are pretty much a coin toss. The 9.9 could be a 10.0 and the 10.0 could be a 9.9 The difference in them is very, very, very, little.

 

I have seen quite a few books that I believe the CGC has just simply mis graded. There is a 8.0 Hulk 181 I have seen scan's of. The owner is a very astute collector. It is on these boards here some where. From the scan's. The book is a pretty easy 9.0

The owner of the book has said the CGC just blew the grade. It happens, no company is correct 100% of the time.

 

The CGC can tell the difference in a book's grade. It is after all, what they are paid to do. But remember it is simply there opinion. It doesn't mean they are right all the time.

That's why a lot of collectors go by the motto "Buy the Book. Not the Grade".

[seanfingh]

A middle-aged man in my LCS claimed to have been grading books for 35 years and allegedly turned down an offer to work for CGC, said the following:

 

"Buy the book not the grade. Crack open any number of 9.6's, 9.8's and 9.9's...do you think CGC can honestly tell the difference?"

 

Well, can they? I would be very curious to find out how many graders get all the books right.

 

 

 

A middle aged man at Mid-Ohio last year said he saw a 10 year old in Atlanta pull a NM Batman #1 out of an old variety magazine and a few weeks later a "big New York dealer" gave him a check for $1,000,000. He also may or may not have allegedly turned down a job to work at CGC.

[ArAich]

A middle-aged man in my LCS claimed to have been grading books for 35 years and allegedly turned down an offer to work for CGC, said the following:

 

"Buy the book not the grade. Crack open any number of 9.6's, 9.8's and 9.9's...do you think CGC can honestly tell the difference?"

Well, can they? I would be very curious to find out how many graders get all the books right.

 

 

 

 

Maybe this is why CGC didn't hire him...