PGX Bashers

[Mr. Zipper]

PGX is a perfect example of running a business poorly, period. They had a world of opportunity in front of them and a public ready, willing and able looking for a viable less expensive, faster alternative to CGC.

 

But they blew it with stupid mistake after stupid mistake... not to mention the questionable ethical relationships.

 

I sent them a few books at the very beginning and I thought they did a fine job. But their screwups after that point, and the exposure of unethical behavior has essentially made their slabs worthless. I cracked 'em all out years ago. Money flushed down the toilet.

 

[TheDanimal]

The lack of respect for restoration checks is irresponsible! If they can't handle spotting work done, don't grade comics or claim to give it a resto check! I mean come on you gotta be kidding me!!!!

[ChasingKingKirby]

I've posted this a couple times, but it still p/isses me off, so here it is again.

 

[DiceX]

Isolated incident.

 

 

[Trey Cannon]

I have two books at CGC that were previously graded by PGX a Captain America Comics #55 and Captain America #110 it will be interesting to see if they come back restored I should know in about 15 days . The only other book that was previously graded by PGX I have sent to CGC was a Captain America Comics #47 it came back unrestored and a.5 higher than the PGX grade

 

 

[MrBedrock]

PGX Testimonials...

 

CGC needs legitimate competition. PGX should actually make it easier to do, because they present a good example...

 

...keep PGX up and running.

 

(PGX)...would be beneficial to the hobby by putting healthy competitive pressure on CGC.

 

PGX is a perfect example...

 

The other book that was previously graded by PGX I have sent to CGC was a Captain America Comics #47 it came back unrestored and a.5 higher than the PGX grade.

 

The simple fact is that PGX is the number two game in town

 

Very interesting

 

[capt hook]

PGX Testimonials...

 

CGC needs legitimate competition. PGX should actually make it easier to do, because they present a good example...

 

...keep PGX up and running.

 

(PGX)...would be beneficial to the hobby by putting healthy competitive pressure on CGC.

 

PGX is a perfect example...

 

The other book that was previously graded by PGX I have sent to CGC was a Captain America Comics #47 it came back unrestored and a.5 higher than the PGX grade.

 

The simple fact is that PGX is the number two game in town

 

Very interesting

 

Thinking of starting up a company? Need investors?

[comicwiz]

I've posted this a couple times, but it still p/isses me off, so here it is again.

 

 

I can appreciate how that would upset you. Grading is a human practice, and the best detection emerges not only from having the best set of eyes in the hobby, but best practices which help streamline the grading/screening process.

 

Humans make mistakes, and thankfully this hobby isn't riddled by the kind of discourse which pits humans against machines. We are nowhere near an alternate future where we can allow machines to do the grunt work of the grading practice, and the closest we'll probably ever get is human assisted technology.

 

With the current approach, there is always some room for making mistakes. The ratio of incidents between one company and the other is certainly something to consider, and PGX has earned a significant amount of bad press in this regard (your example is well noted on these boards). However I also believe that the number of incidents that actually become publicly known speaks on both the service and public relations efforts between the two companies.

 

What I'm getting at here is that there is no guarantee that humans will not err. Because of gradings reliance on human judgment, this means missed restoration can and will happen. It would seem to me that the way each company handles dust-ups arising from missed restoration, and the token "law of averages" reputation scoring that ensues, all works towards influencing our opinion on whose "second rate" and whose "second to none."

 

This said, It would also seem to me that CGC probably finds itself in the more precarious situation between the two. On the one hand, they are benefiting most from higher volume of submissions, and the wide play of the "optimization" game. They have a group of service providers that work externally from the grading operation, and who have their own trade secrets for performing the various services they provide. It would seem to me that if any restoration did get missed, the idea of cracking and resubbing would give CGC an upper hand in catching what it missed the first time around.

 

I can't claim to know of the ratio of incidents where this may have happened, but I would imagine it would be rare, and if caught, CGC's highly esteemed and regarded reputation and image, community presence (including these boards), and history would all work to keep the stories offline and in private. To CGC's credit, that fact that incident levels are kept so low is an amazing achievement considering the number of books that get graded through them. There are many reasons why this type of insulation from reputations harm wouldn't happen in PGX's case, and perhaps this should also be included in the list of reasons why it isn't even a fair comparison.

[supapimp]

lordrahl got really screwed by CGG/PGX

[143ksk]

Okay okay, I know PGX makes mistakes. The Action #1 9.0 was, in fact, quite hillarious.

 

But really, are we mad at PGX becasue we think we could all do just as well and they beat us to the punch?

 

CGC rules the game, but competition is healthy in the American marketplace. No one loves monopolies (except those running them).

 

The simple fact is that PGX is the number two game in town, and many of us are indignant because we feel would could it better, but hey, they made it happen and we didn't.

 

Perhaps we should all cut them some slack? I don't know, I mean if they are really doing business in an unethical way as some suggest, then I suppose they deserve all we can dish out.

 

I would love to see a real second option as I think it would foster improvement from CGC, but PGX is not a realistic option. It's like choosing from a Toyota or a car your neighbor carved out of scrap lumber.

 

The accelerator doesn't stick on the lumber car

 

Oh, and to keep this on topic, I've purchased exactly one blue label PGX book and cracked it out--lots of obvious resto

[Mr. Zipper]

Okay okay, I know PGX makes mistakes. The Action #1 9.0 was, in fact, quite hillarious.

 

But really, are we mad at PGX becasue we think we could all do just as well and they beat us to the punch?

 

CGC rules the game, but competition is healthy in the American marketplace. No one loves monopolies (except those running them).

 

The simple fact is that PGX is the number two game in town, and many of us are indignant because we feel would could it better, but hey, they made it happen and we didn't.

 

Perhaps we should all cut them some slack? I don't know, I mean if they are really doing business in an unethical way as some suggest, then I suppose they deserve all we can dish out.

 

I would love to see a real second option as I think it would foster improvement from CGC, but PGX is not a realistic option. It's like choosing from a Toyota or a car your neighbor carved out of scrap lumber.

 

The accelerator doesn't stick on the lumber car

 

Oh, and to keep this on topic, I've purchased exactly one blue label PGX book and cracked it out--lots of obvious resto

 

Was Terrence Leder (or one of his pseudonyms) the seller?

[Chespirito]

Geez, give the guys a brake! whata heck you guys want for 10 bucks?!...its simply a display case... 90% of my books are foreign, and 90% of those are PGX...its just a nice way to show your stuff....I think for the most part, its are kind of a bargain of sorts...that's just me though...I guess its not really for "serious" collectors.

[comicparadox]

If I owned CGC, I'd pay whatever it took to keep PGX up and running.

True dat.

Best comment I've seen on the Boards in a while.

[Chespirito]

If I owned CGC, I'd pay whatever it took to keep PGX up and running.

True dat.

Best comment I've seen on the Boards in a while.

Yeah..is that why RRepublikans like the Green party?

[Turtle]

Okay okay, I know PGX makes mistakes. The Action #1 9.0 was, in fact, quite hillarious.

 

But really, are we mad at PGX becasue we think we could all do just as well and they beat us to the punch?

 

CGC rules the game, but competition is healthy in the American marketplace. No one loves monopolies (except those running them).

 

The simple fact is that PGX is the number two game in town, and many of us are indignant because we feel would could it better, but hey, they made it happen and we didn't.

 

Perhaps we should all cut them some slack? I don't know, I mean if they are really doing business in an unethical way as some suggest, then I suppose they deserve all we can dish out.

 

I would love to see a real second option as I think it would foster improvement from CGC, but PGX is not a realistic option. It's like choosing from a Toyota or a car your neighbor carved out of scrap lumber.

 

The accelerator doesn't stick on the lumber car

 

You're right...the accelerator IS a stick on the lumber car.

 

 

 

 

[fantastic_four]

Geez, give the guys a brake! whata heck you guys want for 10 bucks?!...its simply a display case...

 

If the case were designed to be opened and closed, I'd agree with this and value their service. Given that they seal them closed, they're clearly trying to be more than just a display case, so any issues with their authentication services are valid to point out.

[Chespirito]

Geez, give the guys a brake! whata heck you guys want for 10 bucks?!...its simply a display case...

 

If the case were designed to be opened and closed, I'd agree with this and value their service. Given that they seal them closed, they're clearly trying to be more than just a display case, so any issues with their authentication services are valid to point out.

I am not saying it's not valid to point out flaws, what I am saying is that you shouldn't expect much quality for what you are paying. For me, it is used basically as a display case, I don't expect it to be used as an investment tool. If the Company was revamped, I am sure it would do very well; if CGC is a 9 on a 1-10, PGX is a 7.5, and ACE was a 6.0, they all have books that are best suited for each one. Where else would you send your 'museum' copies...you going to put them on a Magazine size CGC slab??

 

ACE: R. I . P.

[CKB]

Look, all you need to know is this:

 

PGX is one guy who has a slabbing machine in his garage. When you send a book to him you get his opinion of the grade, whether or not there is restoration, and the book encased.

 

This guy has been known to let his friends have access to the slabbing machine and label printer from time to time. He's also been known to lie about his business.

 

If that's what you want when you send your books to get slabbed, PGX is the service for you. This service bears no resemblance to what CGC offers. I don't even consider them to be in the same business.

 

 

[shadroch]

If you are just looking or display cases, you can sometimes find CGC books that sell for less than $5 on ebay and comiclink auctions.On occasion, people sell lots of cases on ebay. I bought 10 for $17 plus shipping last year.

[RockMyAmadeus]

PGX Testimonials...

 

CGC needs legitimate competition. PGX should actually make it easier to do, because they present a good example...

 

...keep PGX up and running.

 

(PGX)...would be beneficial to the hobby by putting healthy competitive pressure on CGC.

 

PGX is a perfect example...

 

The other book that was previously graded by PGX I have sent to CGC was a Captain America Comics #47 it came back unrestored and a.5 higher than the PGX grade.

 

The simple fact is that PGX is the number two game in town

 

Very interesting

 

Context.

 

You have none.