is comic grading subjective?

[Bosco685]

Color-breaking spine stress on the back cover

Stacking curl

Rough bottom edge on the back cover

 

IMO - This book is 8.5/9.0

Is that what you told the eBay seller when you received it?

 

Just a random book I have multiples of.

 

What grade would you assign it?

I did already. This is where when folks say CGC not sharing their grading standard is a "competitive edge," I shake my head.

 

I've bought CGC 9.4's that looked close to that, and then I pulled out the safety card by saying 9.6 just in case any of our pressing experts were to get ahold of it.

 

Not knocking CGC, but just confirming what I think it would receive. Especially with what appears to be tight corners.

 

Make sense? But again, that's judging without having the book in-hand.

[greggy]

It's a 10, guaranteed.

 

BTW, guess some people don't understand what "pretty well everybody" means.

 

[THE_BEYONDER]

Color-breaking spine stress on the back cover

Stacking curl

Rough bottom edge on the back cover

 

IMO - This book is 8.5/9.0

Is that what you told the eBay seller when you received it?

 

Just a random book I have multiples of.

 

What grade would you assign it?

I did already. This is where when folks say CGC not sharing their grading standard is a "competitive edge," I shake my head.

 

I've bought CGC 9.4's that looked close to that, and then I pulled out the safety card by saying 9.6 just in case any of our pressing experts were to get ahold of it.

 

Not knocking CGC, but just confirming what I think it would receive. Especially with what appears to be tight corners.

 

Make sense? But again, that's judging without having the book in-hand.

 

I haven't submitted anything to CGC in many moons. Maybe I should put together a small submission & see what happens....

[whisp]

Color-breaking spine stress on the back cover

Stacking curl

Rough bottom edge on the back cover

 

IMO - This book is 8.5/9.0

Is that what you told the eBay seller when you received it?

 

Just a random book I have multiples of.

 

What grade would you assign it?

I did already. This is where when folks say CGC not sharing their grading standard is a "competitive edge," I shake my head.

 

I've bought CGC 9.4's that looked close to that, and then I pulled out the safety card by saying 9.6 just in case any of our pressing experts were to get ahold of it.

 

Not knocking CGC, but just confirming what I think it would receive. Especially with what appears to be tight corners.

 

Make sense? But again, that's judging without having the book in-hand.

 

I haven't submitted anything to CGC in many moons. Maybe I should put together a small submission & see what happens....

 

Do it!!!!!

 

 

If you do it though put some pics up of the books and make a thread and see how close we get.

[THE_BEYONDER]

If you do it though put some pics up of the books and make a thread and see how close we get.

 

Will do. (thumbs u

[Bosco685]

Do it!!!!!

 

 

If you do it though put some pics up of the books and make a thread and see how close we get.

Seriously, do it. You may even be surprised what comes back.

 

Heck, if it even comes back a 9.2, give me a jingle. That was always a cool book.

[THE_BEYONDER]

Do it!!!!!

 

 

If you do it though put some pics up of the books and make a thread and see how close we get.

Seriously, do it. You may even be surprised what comes back.

 

Heck, if it even comes back a 9.2, give me a jingle. That was always a cool book.

 

I've got a few Cherry books I wouldn't mind getting CGC's opinion on. Have 2 of them pegged at NM- & 1 at NM.

[Bosco685]

Do it!!!!!

 

 

If you do it though put some pics up of the books and make a thread and see how close we get.

Seriously, do it. You may even be surprised what comes back.

 

Heck, if it even comes back a 9.2, give me a jingle. That was always a cool book.

 

I've got a few Cherry books I wouldn't mind getting CGC's opinion on. Have 2 of them pegged at NM- & 1 at NM.

I hear ya. Just got the tax check recently and already pulling books. Up to 25 so far and counting.

 

Now if only I could find the missing two I've been hunting for with no results yet.

[Dale Roberts]

got in an argument about this with a buddy, and have seen this question get asked on both good and bad comic forums...

 

so, is comic grading subjective?

 

I don't think it is...every book has a finite and quantifiable number of defects (be it 0,2,4,10, 20 etc...)...

 

what IS subjective is FINDING and counting defects...ie a strong/experienced grader can easily find and count all of the defects in a book much faster and in a more efficient manner than an inexperienced grader

 

anyone feel differently?

 

Absolutely subjective. If you don't believe it, turn your nearest slab over and read the back of the label.

 

Everyone is influenced /biased by their personal feelings. Somethings bother one person more than another. If you don't believe it, talk to both Borrock and Haspel about it. Each has areas that they are more critical of, and have things which are allowable which the other might not.

 

[Bosco685]

talk to both Borrock and Haspel about it. Each has areas that they are more critical of, and have things which are allowable which the other might not.

Really solid point Dale. Even CGC can have differences of opinion within reason.

[whisp]

I have #11 of cherry which is the 3-d special with the glasses .

[nik]

Well said.

 

Also, make sure to check for water/moisture stains on the inside covers. Tough to see on darker covers from the front.

[bronze_rules]

It's an art, not a science. The acid test would be to develop a program that could analyze, say a scanned in copy and make an objective grade; doubt we'll ever see that.

Even though Overstreet has a grading guide with some quantitative aspects, there is still plenty of room for subjectivity. Part of what makes it subjective is that there are practically an infinite number of possible permutations of defects.

 

It's sort of like housing appraisal, both buyer and seller have different viewpoints. The appraiser comes up with an 'approximate' value, based on similar homes and experience, but the conclusion is by no means objective. I think of this analogy between comic buyer, seller, and cgc services.

[Junkdrawer]

i think 3rd party grading (CGC) has taken a lot of problems out of the buying/selling of comic books online, should it be offered on ebay, heritage, clink, etc.

face to face with a book in between, 2 can eventually come to terms. however raw books thru the internet would inevitably result in many painful returns due to disagreements over grading, the costs of back and forth shipping and lost books can also add to the dismal transaction.

CGC is not perfect and i'm sure they miss alot and thats going to happen because of different graders working there, i'm sure they have improved since day one.

imagine the hobbie without CGC. i think they are at least trying to help.

[COI]

It's subjective up to a point. But there are limits to the subjectivity. For instance, two people may see the same book as either an 8.0 or a 9.0, but no one, unless under the influence of heavy LSD, will see this book as a 3.0

Agree with all the thread members that were along this line. A tiny deviation is okay.

 

But when you receive a book from some of the eBay sellers out there that post "guaranteed Near Mint to Mint" and you get a 7.5 to 8.5, that is way too big a deviation.

 

9.4 to 9.0 is too big a deviation IMO.

 

I'm cool with buying 9.0s and receiving 9.4s though. I also like turning 9.0s into 9.4s.

[COI]

It amazes me how some of those guys in the march grading contest get so close to the grades just from a picture and from not handling the book itself.

 

 

Let's grade a random book together.....

Rinse & Repeat

Hmmm, taste - pure virgin pulp

 

Hmmm, smell - whiff of treated wood refinded down to paper

 

Hmmm, visual - appears to have printing on it

 

Is this a comic in 9.4/9.6 grade?

 

I was thinking 9.4 because of that bad edge.

 

Color-breaking spine stress on the back cover

Stacking curl

Rough bottom edge on the back cover

 

IMO - This book is 8.5/9.0

 

So, is it an 8.5 or 9.0? Or is that too subjective?

[THE_BEYONDER]

It amazes me how some of those guys in the march grading contest get so close to the grades just from a picture and from not handling the book itself.

 

 

Let's grade a random book together.....

Rinse & Repeat

Hmmm, taste - pure virgin pulp

 

Hmmm, smell - whiff of treated wood refinded down to paper

 

Hmmm, visual - appears to have printing on it

 

Is this a comic in 9.4/9.6 grade?

 

I was thinking 9.4 because of that bad edge.

 

Color-breaking spine stress on the back cover

Stacking curl

Rough bottom edge on the back cover

 

IMO - This book is 8.5/9.0

 

So, is it an 8.5 or 9.0? Or is that too subjective?

 

It's an 8.75

 

 

[whisp]

Do it!!!!!

 

 

If you do it though put some pics up of the books and make a thread and see how close we get.

Seriously, do it. You may even be surprised what comes back.

 

Heck, if it even comes back a 9.2, give me a jingle. That was always a cool book.

 

I've got a few Cherry books I wouldn't mind getting CGC's opinion on. Have 2 of them pegged at NM- & 1 at NM.

I hear ya. Just got the tax check recently and already pulling books. Up to 25 so far and counting.

 

Now if only I could find the missing two I've been hunting for with no results yet.

 

I have been contemplating sending in a Marvel Spotlight #29 - 30 cent variant. Could be possibly an upgrade for me since my CGC 7.0 has a detached bottom staple and it annoys me.

[COI]

What grade is the Popping Cherry Tart? I'm trying to learn here.

[Hill Billy-migration]

got in an argument about this with a buddy, and have seen this question get asked on both good and bad comic forums...

 

so, is comic grading subjective?

 

I don't think it is...every book has a finite and quantifiable number of defects (be it 0,2,4,10, 20 etc...)...

 

what IS subjective is FINDING and counting defects...ie a strong/experienced grader can easily find and count all of the defects in a book much faster and in a more efficient manner than an inexperienced grader

 

anyone feel differently?

 

Hey Buddy. If comic grading were not subjective, you would be talkin to yerself right now.

There'd be no need for CGC, an thar'd be nay use for these here forums.

So yeah, it most definitely is subjective.

Glad to help out bud. (thumbs u