CBG Letter 1/16/04

[garthgantu]

Two points:

1) CGC can't be held "accountable" for the discrepancy in their grading vs. the perception of anyone/anything else, including the OS Grading Guide, 'cause no one knows what CGC's grading criteria are. CGC could issue a statement tomorrow that "we consider 2" x 2" pieces missing from one or more pages acceptable in grades 6.0 and below," and that wouldn't truly contradict anything they've said previously on the subject.

 

2) Re: the Flash giveaway, the concept of "being lenient" on the grade is in my opinion utterly laughable. Rather than grade such a book leniently, the book should be acknowledged by Overstreet as "rare in high grade," or something to that effect. As we all know, there are Platinum and even Golden Age books that Overstreet at least views as "non-existent" in high grade - and therefore prices are not listed for such books above a certain grade (often VF 8.0). Does this mean that all such books should be 'forgiven' whatever defects/damage they do have? No. It means that you shouldn't expect to find such books in high grade. If we start basing the condition of a given book on past examples (other copies) of that book, we're now grading on a curve, and that doesn't work, especially with CGC in the picture. What happens when someone finds a truly HG copy of that Flash giveaway - do all the previously graded copies lose a half grade or a grade? This is nutty.

[drice6900]

Thanks, OldGuy!

[valiantman]

Since we've got no scans to go with the letter...

 

Let's use mine.

Mine's not "Flash", it's "Funny Stuff"... but it's from the same Wheaties situation.

It also received a 3.0.

 

 

Whaddyathink?

[Rip]

[backtomarvel]

Tough one. It's like grading on a curve. The label not about the taping helps. I'm firmly, FIRMLY, in the undecided camp here.

[CentaurMan]

I'm not undecided. I don't like it. If I'm buying a CGC-graded book, I want some assurance that the book I'm getting looks a certain way. I know, you shouldn't ever buy a book sight-unseen, but some sellers (Metropolis) won't send scans unless the book costs more than $500. If I bought that book CGC-graded 3.0 and it came back missing all four corners, I'd feel EXTREMELY let down.

 

If those particular comics aren't found in higher grades, so be it. Don't be more lenient due to grade scarcity. It devalues the entire CGC product.

[jimm94]

Agreed. At best, I'd probably call it a Good- with those chunks missing.

 

Grading is a very subjective art form based on a set of not-universally-agreed-upon objective criteria, but grade "x" should be grade "x" regardless of age or scarcity.

[OldGuy]

[!@#%^&^] ME! I've got an X-Men #2 that's a 7.0 in every way but for part of one corner missing from the cover, but the size of the missing piece isn't as large as any one of the three pieces missing from that book! CGC is just on crack sometimes.