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Would a visual guide in the Marketplace forum for grading and packing help?

Started by alecholland,

40 posts in this topic

alecholland

alecholland

Posted
Posted

Based on some of the comments in the recent thread regarding forum marketplace selling problems, I thought that perhaps a visual guideline for grading (and perhaps one for packaging comics) stuck to the top of the forum might be helpful. Keep in mind, this is just an idea.

 

My thoughts were that a few forum members who are known to be accurate graders, could scan a few raw books each at different grades ranging from .5 to 10. These books could then be organized and posted in grade order (from 10 down to .5) in a single locked thread along with grading notes from the forum member to indicate why the book received the grade it was given. It could function as a quick online visual reference for anyone thinking about selling in the marketplace, especially newer board members. It also could be a handy reference, IMO, for buyers as well.

 

I know that not every possible variation of a book in Fine, Very Fine, NM, etc... can be posted, but at least it would give individuals selling and buying in the marketplace a few examples to use as a reference.

 

In addition, perhaps a few images showing books with restoration could even be included to give people a better idea of how to spot color touch or tear seals, etc... (just a thought)

 

A statement would probably need to be included that the books posted were only examples based on the opinions of respected board members and not official CGC grades, or something along those lines.

 

Also, I thought that either a written step-by-step process (or possibly a visual guide) for packing and shipping raw and graded comics might be helpful as well. Again, keep in mind, these are just ideas, however, especially for newer board members that are selling on the boards, this might be a helpful reference.

 

Anyhow, these are just a couple thoughts I had based on what appears to be some growing issues in the marketplace. Please chime in with your thoughts.

 

 

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VintageComics

VintageComics

Posted
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Alec, I've actually been meaning to put together a reference thread for packaging books for about a year now.

 

I've put together a few pretty good methods for CGC and raw books. I just haven't found the time to do so. It's a great idea and I'd like to get around to it soon.

 

I would also include in my thread an explanation as to why I do each step to make it easy to understand. Maybe I'll get around to it in the next week or two.

 

:wishluck:

 

 

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djpinkpanther67

djpinkpanther67

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Great idea! :applause:

Especially about the packing of the books part.

The grading part won't be as easy due to the many intangibles that can drop a book in grade (foxing, tanning, blunted edges on an otherwise 9.6 book, rusty or oxidized stapes, etc)

Nik, FT, and greggy should chime in more about this. A lot of folks may not know this, but greggy is one of the best graders around here - he just doesn't advertise it. Also Skynwalker is solid as well.

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alecholland

alecholland

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Alec, I've actually been meaning to put together a reference thread for packaging books for about a year now.

 

I've put together a few pretty good methods for CGC and raw books. I just haven't found the time to do so. It's a great idea and I'd like to get around to it soon.

 

I would also include in my thread an explanation as to why I do each step to make it easy to understand. Maybe I'll get around to it in the next week or two.

 

:wishluck:

 

 

Sweet! (thumbs u

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JazzMan

JazzMan

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I think I pack well, and a step by step process on how to pack is something that I've been thinking about for a while. I think it would be beneficial to all those who've sent me my raw comic wrapped in between two real estate magazines (the kind they give away at the supermarket), wrap them in duct tape and stick it in a box and think that it should get to me "just fine".

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VintageComics

VintageComics

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The best to learn how to grade is to understand the Grading Guide (read it a couple of times) and then just check out books in hand.

 

There is no ther way as like you said with the intangibles it's imopssible to get aross in 2D media.

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alecholland

alecholland

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Great idea! :applause:

Especially about the packing of the books part.

The grading part won't be as easy due to the many intangibles that can drop a book in grade (foxing, tanning, blunted edges on an otherwise 9.6 book, rusty or oxidized stapes, etc)

Nik, FT, and greggy should chime in more about this. A lot of folks may not know this, but greggy is one of the best graders around here - he just doesn't advertise it. Also Skynwalker is solid as well.

 

Nik, FT, and greggy would be on my list of candidates for something like this and I would love to get their thoughts. I don't know if I've ever bought anything from Skynwalker, apparently I should though.

 

Also, if we did put something like this together, I don't think we would want sellers that consistently undergrade either. I have bought books from several people on these boards that were undergraded and while that's good for me and I love them for it, it wouldn't necessarily be helpful for creating an accurate visual grading guide, IMHO.

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nik

nik

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Regarding packing:

 

This should be a no brainer, but I see screw up happen all the time. I believe its no more then someone being lazy enough to take the extra effort to secure a book properly for shipping.

 

 

Regarding Grading:

 

I hate saying this but grading is all over the place around here, myself included.

 

Unless you have submitted a fair share of books to CGC for grading, it is hard to properly grade a book in hand.

 

Buy a raw book at a given grade from Nick (FT) or Andy(GAC) to get a better feel/understanding of how to properly grade a book. There are others of course but these two come to mind for me.

 

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NewWorldOrder

NewWorldOrder

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Regarding packing:

 

This should be a no brainer, but I see screw up happen all the time. I believe its no more then someone being lazy enough to take the extra effort to secure a book properly for shipping.

 

 

Regarding Grading:

 

I hate saying this but grading is all over the place around here, myself included.

 

Unless you have submitted a fair share of books to CGC for grading, it is hard to properly grade a book in hand.

 

Buy a raw book at a given grade from Nick (FT) or Andy(GAC) to get a better feel/understanding of how to properly grade a book. There are others of course but these two come to mind for me.

 

Nik,

 

I would enter yor grading contest every year, but I figure I would like for someone else to have chance. So I dont bother to enter. :hi:

 

:jokealert:

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VintageComics

VintageComics

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Nik some people just don't understand mechanical things like someone such as you would. A simple picture/explanation guide would be helpful to those people.

 

R.

 

 

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mackenzie999

mackenzie999

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I would eagerly welcome a grading guide with examples.

 

I'm one of those guys who collected as a kid and am dabbling a bit once again. My 70's-era grading skills just don't cut it today, and I suspect there are quite a few out there with similar stories.

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alecholland

alecholland

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The best to learn how to grade is to understand the Grading Guide (read it a couple of times) and then just check out books in hand.

 

Definitely the best way to learn (in addition to submitting books to CGC), but it appears that not everyone is doing that.

 

There is no ther way as like you said with the intangibles it's imopssible to get aross in 2D media.

 

This is definitely the main drawback to the idea. However, my thoughts are that if you scan in a comic to sell and grade it say VF/NM and it has a 2" dog ear crease in the lower right corner and a small 1/8" piece missing from the back cover, you could simply check the visual reference in the marketplace and match your scan to some of the scans there and see what grade it matches the closest. It might help to insure for those sellers that are not intentionally overgrading and want help, that their grades were at least close, perhaps only half a grade off instead of 2 or 3 full grades.

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VintageComics

VintageComics

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hm

 

Sounds like a good concept but most problems we have nowadays are about newbies not reading already posted guidelines. I doubt they would read these as well :sorry:

 

 

You could post a link to the packaging reference thread in question when discussing payment methods.

 

Grading would be tougher to tackle.

 

R.

 

 

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VintageComics

VintageComics

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The best to learn how to grade is to understand the Grading Guide (read it a couple of times) and then just check out books in hand.

 

Definitely the best way to learn (in addition to submitting books to CGC), but it appears that not everyone is doing that.

 

There is no ther way as like you said with the intangibles it's imopssible to get aross in 2D media.

 

This is definitely the main drawback to the idea. However, my thoughts are that if you scan in a comic to sell and grade it say VF/NM and it has a 2" dog ear crease in the lower right corner and a small 1/8" piece missing from the back cover, you could simply check the visual reference in the marketplace and match your scan to some of the scans there and see what grade it matches the closest. It might help to insure for those sellers that are not intentionally overgrading and want help, that their grades were at least close, perhaps only half a grade off instead of 2 or 3 full grades.

 

But the grading guide already offers that. All people have to do is read it and there is no way you'll get a newbie to learn grading in one night when he's drooling over all the Spawn #1's he's about to unleash on the forums.

 

 

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TFL-migration

TFL-migration

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I hope the seller who sold my nephew Porcupine48 some books watches the "how to package raw books"!! It was a bad, sorry, pathetic, miserable way to ship more than few raw book's. Then he had the nuts to charge him $7 more than it actually cost to mail the package... I know I wouldn't every ship one book the way he did. Then when asked about this he basically said Ooppss Sorry, Let's move on now!!! Ya right.. If that was me. I would of outed this seller on these very boards in a heart beat...

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