How in the world did this go unnoticed???

[Monstro]

It kinda sucks thought that this flood of pressing was brought on solely because of CGC.

 

Which is so ironic because the whole "purpose" of CGC in the first place was to help buyers know exactly what they we're buying.

[DrWatson]

I'm just wondering about venues outside of this marketplace. If two copies of the same book, in the same grade, same PQ showed up on CLink (for example), but one had the designation PRESSED on the label, what would happen?

The two copies of the same book portion not necessarily withstanding, you already have that to some extent with some of the GA and Church books. They are given blue labels with notations of glue or dots of color touch and continue to sell without deterrent.

[DarkKnightReturns]

uh oh. A Monstro post in a pressing thread. Que troll attack...

[DarkKnightReturns]

too slow

[rednalsram]

Yes, and Dupack would become legit. At least his trimming would become legit.

Soon to follow would be color touch.

 

if CGC said that trimming was now okay and that trimming was something they weren't going to consider restoration, i am pretty sure that in a year or so, trimming would be pretty rampant.

 

you could fill a swimming pool with the number of overhangs that would be taken off the top edges of mid-60s Marvels in the first month

[VintageComics]

Pressing was not brought on with the onset of CGC.

 

It was likely brought on with the onset of the internet and the information available on there.

 

Word travels quick. You say something in your bedroom and it's around the world with the click of a button.

 

As soon as one person found out it spread pretty quick.

 

I personally found out about pressing from people who hated it and wanted to end the practice. The more they tried to stop it the quicker it grew.

 

CGC simply made the comic book easier to market over the internet.

 

Pressing was going on long before that.

 

 

[DrWatson]

Has there ever been a poll, for pressing and against? I'm guessing there has, if so, what was the percentages 50/50?

There have been at least two, if not three.

[DarkKnightReturns]

I sometimes wonder what this hobby would be like today if there was no internet.

[alecholland]

With the pressed books that broke GPA records, do you believe you would have had the same result if the book had PRESSED designated on it? Even if it were in a blue label.

 

I think it's fair to say that many of the collectors who are bidding on highest graded books really don't care if it's pressed or not.

 

That is the general consensus of many (not all) of high end collectors who have vocalized their opinions on the matter on here and at cons that I have spoken to or whose posts I have read.

 

I imagine that's probably true. I talked to the owner of my LCS a few weeks ago to get his opinion and he basically said the same thing. We disagree about whether pressing should be considered restoration, but he has become a good friend and I respect his opinion as I do many people on these boards regardless of how they feel about pressing.

[Mr. Zipper]

CGC simply made the comic book easier to market over the internet.

 

Pressing was going on long before that.

 

I've heard this stated previously in this thread. I would really like one person to step forward who, prior to the year 2000, was regularly pressing books that were already graded NM.

 

[DrWatson]

Mechanical pressing or natural pressing?

[Monstro]

Pressing was not brought on with the onset of CGC.

 

It was likely brought on with the onset of the internet and the information available on there.

 

Word travels quick. You say something in your bedroom and it's around the world with the click of a button.

 

As soon as one person found out it spread pretty quick.

 

I personally found out about pressing from people who hated it and wanted to end the practice. The more they tried to stop it the quicker it grew.

 

CGC simply made the comic book easier to market over the internet.

 

Pressing was going on long before that.

 

 

There was pressing of comics before CGC for sure, but nothing like what is going on right now, not even close.

 

If there was no slabbing, no 9.4, 9.6, and 9.8's, if there we're no huge price jumps between those few grade bumps, all which we're brought on by CGC, there would no way be the rampant pressing that is going on today.

[alecholland]

I'm just wondering about venues outside of this marketplace. If two copies of the same book, in the same grade, same PQ showed up on CLink (for example), but one had the designation PRESSED on the label, what would happen?

The two copies of the same book portion not necessarily withstanding, you already have that to some extent with some of the GA and Church books. They are given blue labels with notations of glue or dots of color touch and continue to sell without deterrent.

 

I think the pedigree designation has something to do with that though. I'm not sure you can really compare sales of a pedigree and non-pedigree book. Even with a bit of glue or color touch, I'm sure the pedigree book would sell as well (possibly even better) than it's non pedigree counterpart.

 

For the purpose of my suggested test, I would think both books would also have to be the same in regard to pedigree or non-pedigree, otherwise the result could be skewed.

[VintageComics]

CGC simply made the comic book easier to market over the internet.

 

Pressing was going on long before that.

 

I've heard this stated previously in this thread. I would really like one person to step forward who, prior to the year 2000, was regularly pressing books that were already graded NM.

 

 

This is an advert from 1985 OSPG. 15 years before CGC came around.

 

Safe to say pressing was being performed, although primarily on GA books at the time as they were the big money books back then.

 

[Silver Surfer]

I could not disagree more Steve

 

How dare you?!?!?

 

Fast forward to today and you see peoples reaction when they sub a book only to have it come back trimmed...

 

I think you underestimate the power of groupthink + potential for profit.

 

If an influential entity such as CGC stated years ago that, within certain parameters, very slight trimming was nothing more than correcting the book so it was within the size specifications that were originally intended at the printer... sure, plenty of people would jump on that bandwagon. There'd be plenty of people ready to slice off a bit of that ugly, torn overhang -- it wasn't meant to be there in the first place.

 

Certainly not everyone... you'd have plenty of people against it as well.

 

Hey... it's all just an intellectual exercise anyway. My point was that standards evolve and shift over time. And with a little creative spin, trimming wouldn't be nearly as rejected as it is now. Rejection of trimming is not something that is built into our DNA, it is a learned social more.

 

Exhibit A is the recent thread in the grading/resto forum where a newbie asked if his book was a good candidate for "pressing and a trim." He had no clue he was proposing doing something that is reviled.

 

I'll have to dig up the exact quote, but IIRC, the early Overstreets actually recommended binding/trimming your books into a hardback for "conservation and preservation", which I assume is where all the bound copies came from. It seems more and more we're seeing those once bound-and-trimmed copies unbound and sold individually. I wonder if they kept the existing staples intact when putting these together?

 

Bound copy of Superman 1-12.

I've posted this scan before, a full page "restoration services" ad from an Overstreet.

 

E. Gerber isn't exactly some underground outfit, and being full page suggests Trimming wasn't despised or considered dark arts.

 

Plus, depending on how old you are , not all that long ago.

 

 

After all these years this is the first time I have ever seen anyone post this, nice job spotting it. (thumbs u I wonder how many dealers today would even admitting to trimming books back in the day?

[VintageComics]

There was pressing of comics before CGC for sure, but nothing like what is going on right now, not even close.

 

If there was no slabbing, no 9.4, 9.6, and 9.8's, if there we're no huge price jumps between those few grade bumps, all which we're brought on by CGC, there would no way be the rampant pressing that is going on today.

 

There's also more people on the earth now than there was in 1985, more dollars being spent on comics due to in part a devalued $US (you get less for your money so things "cost" more) and more awareness of the hobby due to media coverage. Middle class wages have increased over the decades as well, allowing people to spend more on consumables.

 

There have always been guide multiples for *perfect Mint* books...it's just that the average person did not have the ability to quantify those grades. Now CGC does it for the average person.

 

Before CGC if you had a perfect Mint SA or even a BA books you could sell that book for 3-5-10 times guide depending on the book.

 

Those multiples still existed. You just couldn't quantify them as easily.

[DarkKnightReturns]

I could not disagree more Steve

 

How dare you?!?!?

 

Fast forward to today and you see peoples reaction when they sub a book only to have it come back trimmed...

 

I think you underestimate the power of groupthink + potential for profit.

 

If an influential entity such as CGC stated years ago that, within certain parameters, very slight trimming was nothing more than correcting the book so it was within the size specifications that were originally intended at the printer... sure, plenty of people would jump on that bandwagon. There'd be plenty of people ready to slice off a bit of that ugly, torn overhang -- it wasn't meant to be there in the first place.

 

Certainly not everyone... you'd have plenty of people against it as well.

 

Hey... it's all just an intellectual exercise anyway. My point was that standards evolve and shift over time. And with a little creative spin, trimming wouldn't be nearly as rejected as it is now. Rejection of trimming is not something that is built into our DNA, it is a learned social more.

 

Exhibit A is the recent thread in the grading/resto forum where a newbie asked if his book was a good candidate for "pressing and a trim." He had no clue he was proposing doing something that is reviled.

 

I'll have to dig up the exact quote, but IIRC, the early Overstreets actually recommended binding/trimming your books into a hardback for "conservation and preservation", which I assume is where all the bound copies came from. It seems more and more we're seeing those once bound-and-trimmed copies unbound and sold individually. I wonder if they kept the existing staples intact when putting these together?

 

Bound copy of Superman 1-12.

I've posted this scan before, a full page "restoration services" ad from an Overstreet.

 

E. Gerber isn't exactly some underground outfit, and being full page suggests Trimming wasn't despised or considered dark arts.

 

Plus, depending on how old you are , not all that long ago.

 

 

After all these years this is the first time I have ever seen anyone post this, nice job spotting it. (thumbs u I wonder how many dealers today would even admitting to trimming books back in the day?

Unreal. I gotta go dig out some of my old overstreets.

 

[joeypost]

I sometimes wonder what this hobby would be like today if there was no internet.

 

Where it was 20 years ago. You could only buy books at shows. A dealer or brick and mortar store was the only place to really sell collections. More power was given to the collector with the availability the Internet provides.

[DrWatson]

I'm just wondering about venues outside of this marketplace. If two copies of the same book, in the same grade, same PQ showed up on CLink (for example), but one had the designation PRESSED on the label, what would happen?

The two copies of the same book portion not necessarily withstanding, you already have that to some extent with some of the GA and Church books. They are given blue labels with notations of glue or dots of color touch and continue to sell without deterrent.

 

I think the pedigree designation has something to do with that though. I'm not sure you can really compare sales of a pedigree and non-pedigree book. Even with a bit of glue or color touch, I'm sure the pedigree book would sell as well (possibly even better) than it's non pedigree counterpart.

 

For the purpose of my suggested test, I would think both books would also have to be the same in regard to pedigree or non-pedigree, otherwise the result could be skewed.

I don't disagree, but I don't know enough to know if there are GA books out there with with "restored" blues that aren't pedigree books or not.

 

My point is that people have accepted those books with the labeling, so I can see the same with a PRESSING designation.

[DarkKnightReturns]

Since this ad came out when I was 5 I obviously wasn't collecting back than, but this would make it seem as if trimming was accepted at one point.