Help w/ grade on this USM #5

[rshale]

To save space I'm attaching a scan of the ONLY portion of this copy that has ANY defect - primarily the color-breaking stress mark at the bottom of the lower staple and the dinged corner.

 

Assuming all else is PERFECT, what grade would you give this?

 

And, would you be aggravated if you won this off eBay as a NM/M? (I am - just trying to nail what the actual grade would be)

 

Thanks in advance for your expertise and help!

 

[Aces]

 

Even if the rest of the book is perfect that looks like no better than a 9.0.

I'm such a spine freak...

[rshale]

Another question: would you be asking for a refund if you paid $55 for this book? I did and I'm planning to ship it back tomorrow, but maybe I'm just being overly anal and overly principled (auction says NM/M I expect no worse than 9.2) ?

[Aces]

Another question: would you be asking for a refund if you paid $55 for this book? I did and I'm planning to ship it back tomorrow, but maybe I'm just being overly anal and overly principled (auction says NM/M I expect no worse than 9.2) ?

 

Good Lord...

I don't collect moderns but if you paid $55 for a raw 9.8 (that I expected you paid multiX guide for) then I'd return it fast!

 

Check my attachment for a raw book that might actually be 9.8.

[rshale]

Yeah - unfortunately this book is VERY hot and I bought it for my son trying to finish his Ultimate Spider-Man full run. Most 'NM' copies of this have been going on eBay in the $60+ range.

[Aces]

I'd never sell stuff raw on eBay and call it NM/MT 9.8.

 

When I do sell nice moderns like the one above that I think have a chance at 9.8 I call them 9.6/9.8 to hedge my grading some.

 

I don't like hype...

[burntboy]

considering the harshness that CGC seems to apply to all moderns, i'd have to agree with aces that this would only garner a 9.0 tops. i have a couple of graded bronze/moderns that look really sweet and were graded at 8.0!!!!!

 

but, i have to say that i've received some nm/m books in collections that would be lucky to get an 8.0, so this isn't the worst grading out there. i'd still send it back or ask for a partial refund. good luck......

[BassGMan]

Don't forget guys that we have all been trained by CGC slabs to have much higher standards that we used to (at least for alot of us) and not everybody out there, probably most actually, are familiar with CGC or have been trained to get tighter with their grading standards. Ten years ago a dealer advertising a NM/M book would not be nearly as scrutinized as they are today. The question is, if this were 1994 would you have been just as dissatisfied as you are today with this purchase? I am just saying that because maybe this dealer is still grading like we used to in the "olden days". I would politely tell the dealer that when compared to other books being professionally graded these days at NM/M that the book you received is nowhere near that. But to him, maybe it is a NM/M. -----Sid

[Aces]

In "the very olden days" there was no NM/M.

 

Only:

Good

Fine (sometimes called excellent)

Near Mint

 

Some still believe there is no grade higher than NM.

That is until they see the prices 9.6s and 9.8s get...

[THE_BEYONDER]

9.6's & 9.8's don't really exist.....

[Kermit]

From my side i would say 9.0, 9.2 might be hard to get with that crease and the below left corner...and indeed it's a hot book even with these small flaws.

 

How much did you spend on it?!

 

More than 50$ it's too much for the comic in that grade...