• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Which Dealers are Spot on Graders???

Started by stagedoorjohnny,

20 posts in this topic

stagedoorjohnny

stagedoorjohnny

Posted
Posted

I am looking for feedback from anyone that has recent experience buying raw GA books in the grades of VF or better. Which dealers are accurate, tight graders that you trust for the most part for grading accuracy? I'm not looking for one's you think are overgraders or you are unhappy with based on your experience, just the fair and accurate ones. I don't want to turn this into a bash session. 893naughty-thumb.gif But who is spot on??? There's books I look at all the time on the internet and via scans that perk my interest. I just don't want to pay for a VF/NM and get a VF- that was CGC graded as such but was cracked out of the slab. With these types of books, that translates into a lot of $$$. Yes, scans help. But sometimes they don't tell the whole story. And I know, I know, most dealers have a return policy on raw if you're not satisfied. But who wants to deal with that back and forth of shipping and refunding monies when you should just get it right in the first place? Talk to me. gossip.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites
AllTop8Me

AllTop8Me

Posted
Posted
hmmmm, i have had to return several books to metro because they were pretty off. Its been nm bronze & low/mid grade pre code horror i've had issues with, so maybe they are better with VF gold confused-smiley-013.gif

 

The problem with Metro's grading is that, with such a deep inventory, many of their books were graded years ago, before CGC tightened up standards in the hobby. I agree that they are a good place to buy unslabbed books, as they tend not to submit what they don't think will get a 9.0 or above. The problem is that you're still usually paying above Guide for a mid-grade, and often well above Guide for a VF, so I'm not sure you're any better off than buying a slabbed book - which south of 9.0 commands around Guide in this market (with exceptions, of course) and liberating its contents.

 

I disagree with those who say that CGC are the best graders. They may be the most disinterested (which only means they err in both directions), and they may have high standards in principle, but their QC is not great and they get it wrong a fair bit. I'm not a resto fanatic, so I can't speak to the quality of that service. But I've seen wildly misgraded books, and I'm not just talking about the Action 1 that got a 2.5 with 1/4 of its cover missing. I mean books that you and I know are 9.0 but they gave a 6.5 - and vice versa. Don't get me wrong: they're usually quite good. But nowhere near 100%. There are EBay sellers who are much better, as they look each book over carefully before each auction and are at least as concerned about their reputation as the employees at CGC are about their company's.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mr_Glass

Mr_Glass

Posted
Posted

Here is my experience with the limited raw books I've bought then CGC'd:

 

Comiccollectors.net - bought book as 9.4, graded 8.5

Metropolis - bought book as 9.4, graded 8.5

Showcase New England - bought book as 9.4, graded 9.2

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PUNYHUMAN

PUNYHUMAN

Posted
Posted

Basically speaking ,I can't really afford high grade golden age, so I collect primarily VG & Fine copies. I like Harley YEE , TED of SUPERWORLD, JAMES PAYETTE, you can always give these guys a shot,they're reputable! gossip.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites
panhandlefool

panhandlefool

Posted
Posted
Basically speaking ,I can't really afford high grade golden age, so I collect primarily VG & Fine copies. I like Harley YEE , TED of SUPERWORLD, JAMES PAYETTE, you can always give these guys a shot,they're reputable! gossip.gif

 

A couple of you guys mentioned James Payette. Can anyone give contact info or a weblink if he's up on the internet?? Thanks.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Zonker

Zonker

Posted
Posted

James Payette does most of his business the good ol fashioned way: a catalog published approx. 4 times a year, you call him up, he tells you if the book is still around, he'll also pull the books and describe 'em to you over the phone. You can write him at PO Box 750 Bethlehem NH 03574, and in his most recent catalog mentions he's now on-line at JimPayette@MSN.com He also indicates his son has now started helping him sell on eBay as Komiczone.

 

G'Luck!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jkrk

jkrk

Posted
Posted

My cynical view agrees that some dealers are clearly better than others. However, here is the way I view the raw gold market. Dealers are in business to make money. If a dealer had a number of books that could clearly grade higher (a tough grader) than he rates them, why would he sell them raw? I am not talking about lower priced golds that wouldn't pay to grade based on a low expected selling price. You generally can't beat the system. Dealers won't cut you a great price unless they wish for you to take the restored/grading risk. The advantage to selling raw books is that a dealer can play with the grading and discount the book in the negotiation. Clearly CGC is the market. Whether you believe they grade too harsh or too inconsistant, most buyers depend on the third party grading. I have an X-Men 1 that I would have graded as a F+ on an initial look. Upon closer examination I graded the book raw as a VGF and would have been happy to buy the book in that grade. The book was sent by the seller to CGC and returned a VG. I can attempt to sell the book for more than a VG price but no matter what I call the book, the buyers stare at the VG label and that basically prices the book. If enough buyers believe CGC is the market than CGC is the market. After looking at the CGC grade I still examine the book for a sceond look. I am trying to measure which side of the grade does the book actually grade. Is CGC a perfect grading service? No. They are the most reliable that I have found and they are the market.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PovertyRow

PovertyRow

Posted
Posted
James Payette does most of his business the good ol fashioned way: a catalog published approx. 4 times a year, you call him up, he tells you if the book is still around, he'll also pull the books and describe 'em to you over the phone. You can write him at PO Box 750 Bethlehem NH 03574, and in his most recent catalog mentions he's now on-line at JimPayette@MSN.com He also indicates his son has now started helping him sell on eBay as Komiczone.

 

G'Luck!

 

Payette! I do like him. Very direct, honest and no-nonsense, but not at all dry or humorless. It has been far too long since I did biz with Jim - probbaly 8 or 9 years at least. Think I will call and get a catalogue! Thanks for the info, Zonker!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sborock

sborock

Posted
Posted

Jim Payette.

 

GREAT GUY! Out of all the dealers on the planet, I have spent the most money with him(and that's alot!).

Very honest and very direct. No games, and a hand shake from him is better than a signed contract from most people.

 

Before anyone says anything, no, Jim is not a very big CGC dealer.

 

He may actually be one of the smallest. Jim no longer deals in very high grade stuff and has a very large base of repeat buyers from the past 30 years. While he likes and promotes CGC, he does not need to use our service much. Jim does not need to make the most he can off a book and prefers to "leave a little something" for the next guy. So he will let you (or other dealers) CGC the book and if you win by getting a higher grade, he will say "Good for you". 893whatthe.gif

 

There are many great dealers out there, but Jim gets very little mention, so I figured I should give him a little thumbsup2.gif

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Go to topic listing