From a 5.0 Light tan to OW to a 1.8 with BRITTLE Paper. How????

[Shield]

I have a book in my possession that someone sent me to sell for them on ebay on consignment.

 

When I opened the book out of the box, I thought the cover looked pretty familiar, as I save all MLJ/early Archie related auctions.

 

Anyway, I had this auction saved from before:

 

http://pep.goldcomics.com/MLJ/Ebay_Completed/Archie/003-04.htm

 

Looks like the book sold raw to Metropolis in 2005 (zaq12).

Apparently the book had been CGC'd prior to this as a VG/Fine with Light tan to off-white pages.

 

 

 

 

Note this is the new label, so AT BEST it was graded in 2004.

 

 

So, I scanned the NEW GRADE of the book tonight. Can something really drop in paper quality that badly in that short amount of time?

 

 

 

 

 

[Count]

 

Wow that is one hell of a grade drop.

[comics-rock]

thats unbelievable!!!

[showcase4]

somp'in' doesn't add up here...... this book had to be either grossly overgraded the 1st time around, or grossly undergraded the 2nd time around?

(or cracked out and abused between the 1st and 2nd grading? )

[seank]

somp'in' doesn't add up here...... this book had to be either grossly overgraded the 1st time around, or grossly undergraded the 2nd time around?

(or cracked out and abused between the 1st and 2nd grading? )

 

I suspect cracked, abused, and kept in poor storage conditions.

[Timmay]

Certification # 0040471001

Grade Date 04/16/2004

Title Archie Comics

Issue 3

Issue Date Summer 1943

Publisher Archie Publications

Country

Variant

Pedigree

Category Universal

Grade 5.0

Page Quality LIGHT TAN TO OFF-WHITE

Grade Text

Art Comments Harry Sahle cover and art

Bob Montana art

Key Comments

Issue Year

 

[FatComicMafia]

Crazy, what the heck happned?

 

Maybe call up for the notes in the morning to shed some light.

 

 

Well, I guess grading really is subjective.

 

[MrBedrock]

Just a guess here...

If the paper was brittle only at the spine under the staples (where the book is thickest and acid content is highest), but the paper was not broken, CGC might just note tans pages upon grading because the rest of the paper was not as bad and the brittleness would not be obvious. The only way that brittleness is obvious is if the paper is breaking. That is the definition of brittle paper.

If, at some time after being freed from the slab, the paper broke at the spine then the brittleness would be obvious and the grade would drop significantly.

[BrianR]

Stored next to a heat source? Like a ac/heat vent, garage, attic or something?? Very odd.

[FatComicMafia]

The page quality doesn't bother me as much, tan pages is already pretty bad, and there isn't that much difference between the two in regards to CGC.

 

 

But the grade drop has me thinking WTF ?

 

I suspect it I must have been abused, maybe a large tear or something while it was raw ?

 

I mean it had to be something major, for it to drop that much ?

[DrWatson]

The drop in page quality alone will drop the grade like a rock.

[TFL-migration]

I thought the slab and the micro chamber paper were supposed to slow that from happening... I guess it didn't in this case..

[Ze-man]

The drop in page quality alone will drop the grade like a rock.

 

Brittle pages would.

 

That and or new damage caused by the brittle paper as Richie mentioned.(He smart that one)

 

Brittle pages are pretty much as bad a flaw CGC downgrades for, and rightfully so as there is no life left in the paper.

 

 

.

[showcase4]

That and or new damage caused by the brittle paper as Richie mentioned.(He smart that one)

 

If he's so smart, then why can't he choose between 2 books?

[MrBedrock]

That and or new damage caused by the brittle paper as Richie mentioned.(He smart that one)

 

If he's so smart, then why can't he choose between 2 books?

My choice is both.

[Ze-man]

That and or new damage caused by the brittle paper as Richie mentioned.(He smart that one)

 

If he's so smart, then why can't he choose between 2 books?

My choice is both.

 

As Geddy Lee said, "even if you do not decide you still have made a choice!"

 

Or something like that.

[comics-rock]

The drop in page quality alone will drop the grade like a rock.

 

Brittle pages would.

 

That and or new damage caused by the brittle paper as Richie mentioned.(He smart that one)

 

Brittle pages are pretty much as bad a flaw CGC downgrades for, and rightfully so as there is no life left in the paper.

 

 

.

 

a drop of over three grades??? not a chance. it must've been overgraded in the first instance....even if the page quality deteriorated so badly in that short space of time its only gonna drop the book a grade, at most 1.5.

 

[DrWatson]

The drop in page quality alone will drop the grade like a rock.

 

Brittle pages would.

 

That and or new damage caused by the brittle paper as Richie mentioned.(He smart that one)

 

Brittle pages are pretty much as bad a flaw CGC downgrades for, and rightfully so as there is no life left in the paper.

 

 

.

 

a drop of over three grades??? not a chance. it must've been overgraded in the first instance....even if the page quality deteriorated so badly in that short space of time its only gonna drop the book a grade, at most 1.5.

Cue Blowupthemoon with his 8.5 9.6 due to page quality.

[Ze-man]

The drop in page quality alone will drop the grade like a rock.

 

Brittle pages would.

 

That and or new damage caused by the brittle paper as Richie mentioned.(He smart that one)

 

Brittle pages are pretty much as bad a flaw CGC downgrades for, and rightfully so as there is no life left in the paper.

 

 

.

 

a drop of over three grades??? not a chance. it must've been overgraded in the first instance....even if the page quality deteriorated so badly in that short space of time its only gonna drop the book a grade, at most 1.5.

 

I honestly have no idea. But as Richie mentioned..the PQ is not as much in question as what damage might have taken place because of the brittle pages when the book was deslabbed.

 

I remember a fellow boardie bought an AF 15 with brittle pages. Opened the book to read it once and the cover came clean off and several wraps split as well.

 

So it sounds like the PQ was downgraded because it was made more apparent they were brittle due to new damage.

 

Just a guess though.

 

[MrBedrock]

The drop in page quality alone will drop the grade like a rock.

 

Brittle pages would.

 

That and or new damage caused by the brittle paper as Richie mentioned.(He smart that one)

 

Brittle pages are pretty much as bad a flaw CGC downgrades for, and rightfully so as there is no life left in the paper.

 

 

.

 

a drop of over three grades??? not a chance. it must've been overgraded in the first instance....even if the page quality deteriorated so badly in that short space of time its only gonna drop the book a grade, at most 1.5.

 

I honestly have no idea. But as Richie mentioned..the PQ is not as much in question as what damage might have taken place because of the brittle pages when the book was deslabbed.

 

I remember a fellow boardie bought an AF 15 with brittle pages. Opened the book to read it once and the cover came clean off and several wraps as well.

 

So it sounds like the PQ was downgraded because it was made more apparent the they were brittle due to new damage.

 

Just a guess though.

A similar story...

Want List Dave Anderson had early issue of Adventure Comics for sale.

At a show a guy asked to look at it. It looked really pretty in the mylar. The guy took the book out and opened it to the centerfold. The interior pages were so brittle they completely split in half and fell on the floor. The guy was left holding the cover which was still intact and still looked beautiful. Dave was pizzed but what could anyone do?