Who buys slabs just for assurance of the grade, then cracks it open?

[SilverRich]

That's cool as long as you never plan on selling your collection. Have fun being burried with them!

 

 

You may never have intentions on selling your collection, but its inevitable. As a result, I think it's a bad idea to take them out of the slab, as that only decreases the potential value of the book--as well as increase costs if you need to reslab to resell to recoup...as I doubt not too many will pay the slab price for a raw book.

 

 

Depends on which end of the financial spectrum you're at....is this a hobby or is this part of your livelihood?

 

You can de-slab, not be a dealer, and your equity in your books (value purchased vs. value when sold) will decrease when the deed is done. It's a fact, jack. Has nothing to do with your financial position...when you deslab, your stock goes down. You WILL sell one day, as surely as one day you will stop breathing. It may be part of your estate, or by others whom you have willed the books to...but it will happen.

 

So my point is...the I won't sell argument doesn't change the fact of the decrease of the asset you have purchased will occur, and costs will be incurred when you sell should you decide to re-certify the book. That's not counting the fact that the grade you receive may be different, creating further disparity in value.

 

 

This would be correct. I never saw a hearse with long boxes in it.

 

 

[peewee22]

That's cool as long as you never plan on selling your collection. Have fun being burried with them!

 

 

You may never have intentions on selling your collection, but its inevitable. As a result, I think it's a bad idea to take them out of the slab, as that only decreases the potential value of the book--as well as increase costs if you need to reslab to resell to recoup...as I doubt not too many will pay the slab price for a raw book.

 

 

Depends on which end of the financial spectrum you're at....is this a hobby or is this part of your livelihood?

 

You can de-slab, not be a dealer, and your equity in your books (value purchased vs. value when sold) will decrease when the deed is done. It's a fact, jack. Has nothing to do with your financial position...when you deslab, your stock goes down. You WILL sell one day, as surely as you will stop breathing. It may be part of your estate, or by others whom you have willed the books to...but it will happen.

 

So my point is...the I won't sell argument doesn't change the fact of the decrease of the asset you have purchased will occur, and costs will be incurred when you sell should you decide to re-certify the book. That's not counting the fact that the grade you receive may be different, creating further disparity in value.

 

So what you're saying is that it's not worth it for you to do it because you don't place a value on such things as smelling and touching your books but that doesn't mean it's a negative thing to do.

 

For others it's simply another cost to factor into the hobby, that's all.

 

Smart man.

[sterlingcomics]

I do place value on touching and holding the books...and reading them. Again, that's why there's readers...where I don't risk changing the value of the collectible.

 

BTW, I've cracked books out of slabs...and all I'm saying is that the money vested in that book was in part lost when it was done.

 

How you want to divide up gains and losses here is totally up to you. Different strokes and all that. In general you can't sell a CGC book for the same as its raw counterpart, unless it's a truly common and/or unwanted book...in which case my discussion here is moot.

 

This whole discussion is frankly personal opinion, and everyone has one. And if they own the book, they can use it for tp if they want to.

[VintageComics]

I do place value on touching and holding the books...and reading them. Again, that's why there's readers...where I don't risk changing the value of the collectible.

 

BTW, I've cracked books out of slabs...and all I'm saying is that the money vested in that book was in part lost when it was done.

 

How you want to divide up gains and losses here is totally up to you. Different strokes and all that. In general you can't sell a CGC book for the same as its raw counterpart, unless it's a truly common and/or unwanted book...in which case my discussion here is moot.

 

This whole discussion is frankly personal opinion, and everyone has one. And if they own the book, they can use it for tp if they want to.

 

 

I understand it's personal preference but you come across like it's a genetic flaw that someone wants to crack their book and are not worried about the cost.

 

Sterl if you collect very high grade Bronze horror then I can see your point. With other genre such as mid grade SA and GA very often you will have no trouble finding a buyer without having to CGC the book. It all depends on how volatile the particular book is.

 

Personally, I can't stand low grade readers. I'm a high grade snob so that even the mid and low grade books that I buy as substitutes for my inability to pay for a higher grade, still needs to look and feel like a high grade book....and I love to flip through them.

 

Different strokes.

 

(thumbs u

[lizards2]

I crack all the books I keep out, so that they fit in with the rest of my raw collection. If the book is a piece of craap in a slab, then I sell it to the next guy.

 

I don't buy CGC for grade assurance. I usually buy because I finally found a hard-to-find HG copy...., or because it is cheap compared to a raw copy.

 

I know I'm in the minority around here, but I don't really "believe" in CGC like the rest of you do.

[sterlingcomics]

Sorry...didn't mean to come across like that it's a flaw and/or projecting my preferences on everyone else...I'm merely coloring my stripes...I personally wouldn't deslab a book in my collection b/c of the ramification of the value. That's me. It's ok if no one shares that sentiment. That's what opinions are for!

 

You know me...I like high grade...but I personally have no problem having readers around (for me FN) for reading the stories.

 

Another interesting angle based on peewee's de-slab of AF15 is that imho is a rather extreme example, even given it's mid-grade. I'm sure there is a lot of legroom in which there's some middle ground. You have to be in the mind of the collector...and there's no right or wrong here.

[sterlingcomics]

I crack all the books I keep out, so that they fit in with the rest of my raw collection. If the book is a piece of craap in a slab, then I sell it to the next guy.

 

I don't buy CGC for grade assurance. I usually buy because I finally found a hard-to-find HG copy...., or because it is cheap compared to a raw copy.

 

I know I'm in the minority around here, but I don't really "believe" in CGC like the rest of you do.

 

That's cool and I appreciate and respect your approach, although it's not what I would do. :thumbsup:

[Comicsarefun]

You need your own thread... "Who buys double covers and tears the outer cover off."

 

 

I actually did that with Superman #26. The outside cover was trashed and I got a CGC 5.0 (if memory serves) blue label after carefully cutting away the outer cover. Said outer cover is still tacked to the cork board in my office.

 

[sterlingcomics]

I've taken a double cover off too because I liked the inner cover better. No right or wrong....although everyone will have their (somtimes strong) opinions on the matter.

[The Question?]

That's cool as long as you never plan on selling your collection. Have fun being burried with them!

 

 

 

Yeah, Overstreet, and HIGH grade books, were never around before CGC came along

[Comicsarefun]

That's cool as long as you never plan on selling your collection. Have fun being burried with them!

 

 

 

Yeah, Overstreet, and HIGH grade books, were never around before CGC came along

 

I think it has been well documented that 99% of the time, a high $ book gets more money at sale when slabbed by CGC. "Think before you ask these questions Mitch..."

[lizards2]

That's cool as long as you never plan on selling your collection. Have fun being burried with them!

 

 

 

Yeah, Overstreet, and HIGH grade books, were never around before CGC came along

 

I think it has been well documented that 99% of the time, a high $ book gets more money at sale when slabbed by CGC. "Think before you ask these questions Mitch..."

 

I would like to see the documented proof on that statement. More likely that CGC gets more bucks in 9.4 and above, the rest of the time, the slabbed grade can depress the value, as there is no "hope" left.......,

 

short of pressing

[adamstrange]

The day I won't de-slab is the day I'll stop collecting. It's simply not worth it to me view a killer book through layers of plastic as I know I'm prevented from fully enjoying the book, which might be fine if you're viewing someone else's copy but not so fine when it's yours.

 

If you are the type of person who flits in and out of comic collecting or from one from one focus to another then de-slabbing will carry a cost that many would (and possibly should) find unacceptable. In my case I started collecting long before CGC opened their doors and I'm pretty careful to buy books I wish to keep.

 

 

 

 

[TheAvenger80]

The day I won't de-slab is the day I'll stop collecting. It's simply not worth it to me view a killer book through layers of plastic as I know I'm prevented from fully enjoying the book, which might be fine if you're viewing someone else's copy but not so fine when it's yours.

 

If you are the type of person who flits in and out of comic collecting or from one from one focus to another then de-slabbing will carry a cost that many would (and possibly should) find unacceptable. In my case I started collecting long before CGC opened their doors and I'm pretty careful to buy books I wish to keep.

 

 

 

 

[Comicsarefun]

The day I won't de-slab is the day I'll stop collecting. It's simply not worth it to me view a killer book through layers of plastic as I know I'm prevented from fully enjoying the book, which might be fine if you're viewing someone else's copy but not so fine when it's yours.

 

If you are the type of person who flits in and out of comic collecting or from one from one focus to another then de-slabbing will carry a cost that many would (and possibly should) find unacceptable. In my case I started collecting long before CGC opened their doors and I'm pretty careful to buy books I wish to keep.

 

 

 

 

That's exactly my problem! I change focus at the drop of a hat, and I only have so much money to spend.

 

I love comics, but you are fooling yourself if you think the value is not important. Unslabbing costs money, and if you want to spend it fine, but for me it is too costly.

[The Question?]

The day I won't de-slab is the day I'll stop collecting. It's simply not worth it to me view a killer book through layers of plastic as I know I'm prevented from fully enjoying the book, which might be fine if you're viewing someone else's copy but not so fine when it's yours.

 

If you are the type of person who flits in and out of comic collecting or from one from one focus to another then de-slabbing will carry a cost that many would (and possibly should) find unacceptable. In my case I started collecting long before CGC opened their doors and I'm pretty careful to buy books I wish to keep.

 

 

 

 

That's exactly my problem! I change focus at the drop of a hat, and I only have so much money to spend.

 

I love comics, but you are fooling yourself if you think the value is not important. Unslabbing costs money, and if you want to spend it fine, but for me it is too costly.

 

 

 

Hmmmmmmmmmm, interesting perspective ....I always thought I bought and loved Comic Books because they MEANT something DEEPER to me than $$$ not because of their "assumed" market value... that was always a BONUS for me

 

who would have known

[Comicsarefun]

The day I won't de-slab is the day I'll stop collecting. It's simply not worth it to me view a killer book through layers of plastic as I know I'm prevented from fully enjoying the book, which might be fine if you're viewing someone else's copy but not so fine when it's yours.

 

If you are the type of person who flits in and out of comic collecting or from one from one focus to another then de-slabbing will carry a cost that many would (and possibly should) find unacceptable. In my case I started collecting long before CGC opened their doors and I'm pretty careful to buy books I wish to keep.

 

 

 

 

That's exactly my problem! I change focus at the drop of a hat, and I only have so much money to spend.

 

I love comics, but you are fooling yourself if you think the value is not important. Unslabbing costs money, and if you want to spend it fine, but for me it is too costly.

 

 

 

Hmmmmmmmmmm, interesting perspective ....I always thought I bought and loved Comic Books because they MEANT something DEEPER to me than $$$ not because of their "assumed" market value... that was always a BONUS for me

 

who would have known

 

 

Another idealist...Please send me all your expensive comics and I will replace them with cheap than means something "deeper" to you.

 

The money matters, and if you claim you don't care, prove it! I get so steamed by guys who claim to be above the money and only love the "comic" for itself. What a load of .

 

[TheAvenger80]

Honestly, for me, value is important but definitely secondary. If you are into uber high grade books, which I personally am not, I can see wanting to leave it in a slab for protection's sake. But for me... I buy a Hulk 181 7.0 slab (which I did), there's just no way I can resist cracking it, to hold it, look at it, etc. I personally think the slab totally takes away from the experience!

 

So, I would say that if you are planning on selling the book, or it is extremely high grade I can certainly understand keeping it slabbed. If not, to me it's nuts to have a bunch of books in slabs that you can't interact with.

 

p.s. Actually, Hulk 181 isnt a great example, because it's been reprinted so many times and we are all familiar with the story. How about this. I bought a Planet Comics #58 CGC 7.5 here on the boards a few months ago. Now there's a book who's interiors you're not really going to have access to anywhere else. Plus, you cant beat flipping through a book like that. So... I cracked it, kept the labels. In the slim chance I want to sell it someday, I tell the person that it was 7.5 and show them the labels. It would be good enough for me!

 

[Comicsarefun]

That's cool as long as you never plan on selling your collection. Have fun being burried with them!

 

 

 

Yeah, Overstreet, and HIGH grade books, were never around before CGC came along

 

I think it has been well documented that 99% of the time, a high $ book gets more money at sale when slabbed by CGC. "Think before you ask these questions Mitch..."

 

I would like to see the documented proof on that statement. More likely that CGC gets more bucks in 9.4 and above, the rest of the time, the slabbed grade can depress the value, as there is no "hope" left.......,

 

short of pressing

 

Hello my Oregonian neighbor! Examples are everywhere, but I will give you a good one. Marvel Mystery Comics #10 on ComicLink. Bid of $1775 for the CGC 4.0. Bid of $1200 for the ComicLink graded 4.0 right next to it. That's a 48% increase for the slab! Spend an hour on eBay and you can find countless examples.

[peewee22]

Honestly, for me, value is important but definitely secondary. If you are into uber high grade books, which I personally am not, I can see wanting to leave it in a slab for protection's sake. But for me... I buy a Hulk 181 7.0 slab (which I did), there's just no way I can resist cracking it, to hold it, look at it, etc. I personally think the slab totally takes away from the experience!

 

So, I would say that if you are planning on selling the book, or it is extremely high grade I can certainly understand keeping it slabbed. If not, to me it's nuts to have a bunch of books in slabs that you can't interact with.

 

I'm voting for you at the next election...