Slabbed books VS. Raw

[murph0]

Well here is where the problem is, for me at least. The price paid is that of a NM 9.4, but what in fact you get back is a NM- 9.2, you probably break even at best in the average situation. So what I tend to see is that since I want a 9.4 of the book, I have to buy something that's listed as a NM+, pay what's sure to be a premium for that..and then send it in to get it CGC graded. If the book is graded very solidly, then there's a chance it'll get a NM+ but it will probably end up NM 9.4 or even a 9.2 or lower. So if you're looking for CGC 9.4's it's kind of a gamble at advertised NM's depending on the dealer. So instead of all these hoops it just seems to make more sense to me to buy a NM 9.4 that's already CGC'd as although some seller thinks his unslabbed is NM 9.4 or NM+ 9.6, someone else probably won't..and with CGC it's eliminated a lot of the discrepancy..sort of like they have an overwhelming opinion over anyone else. That's why I am VERY picky about raw books, as it just seems a lot of trouble to go through when you can basically pay a small premium over raw prices (in some cases) and get a CGC 9.4 that is "universally accepted"

 

Brian

[murph0]

This point is painfully true when you deal with some national dealers..where you're paying the equivalent of the CGC price for a raw version. And then what happens if a CGC grader disagrees? You are out some $$, which I guess is really only the case if you're looking for a certain grade and we'd assume you are since you're buying a grade specific book from this dealer. Of course it can be on the other side too, but it seems more likely the book is going to be lower then advertised if anything..

 

Brian

[COI]

Murph,

 

Fact is, in a business respect, I think along the same thought process. I guess the problem seems to be that a book is only about what CGC says it;s about. I like CGC, and have a lot of graded books, but it seems to have come to a point where a high grade book is only valid to some people if it's slabbed.

 

I like a lot of different titles and characters, and like to collect and put together runs of different titles like FF, but in truth the only books I can see myself pulling for the long haul(20yrs+) are ASM's. Murph, I know you are in the same boat when it comes to high grade Spidey's, but in terms of strictly collecting(forget flipping and certifying) what's more important to you? The label or the book itself? Do all your high grade books have to be slabbed? What if you found a random, lower priced issue(let's say #69) that had a crisp, solid NM appearance, but had one minor flaw(something insignificant that dosen't bother you and is not outwardly apparent) that brought it down to a NM-, but even though it was technically a NM- it had a nicer outward appearance than any other copy of this book you've ever seen.

 

Would you still, strictly as a collector, rather have a "certified 9.4" which may not look as nice(again forget value), or the nicer looking 9.2? Is it important to you to have that "9.4" casing slabbed around the book, more so than the appearance of the book? I've seen 9.2's which were so nice(late silvers) that there would be no reason to improve upon them, unless you wanted the "official" grade.

 

I'm not trying to drill you, I'm just wondering as I had to make this choice once with my ASM collection.

[blazingbob]

I'll immediately pay 2X guide for any of the following, please find them for me

 

AS #11

AS #28

AVENGERS #9 NM

FF #3 NM

FF #5 NM

FF #12 NM

FF #13 NM

FF #15 NM

FF #16 NM

FF #52 NM

JIM #89 NM

JIM #112 NM

TOS #49 NM

TOS #52 NM

TOS #57 NM

[Guest]

I do the same thing Darth. Since I only collect Joes its natural for me to think of anything lower than a 9.6 as . Gold, Silver Age and even Bronze collectors would give their eye teeth to have some of their favorite books in that same grade!

[FlyingDonut]

I'll get right on it. You don't mind if they are "improved" do you?

 

BTW, do you have any 9.6 or 9.8 FFs 160-180? Comics of my misbegotten youth.

[lighthouse]

Donut, while you are taking orders, I'd like a DD 148 non-variant. I'll pay 3x guide for a copy you grade at 9.6.

 

I'm guessing my order gets filled before bob's...

[murph0]

I am only looking for NM or better copies of ASM. So if I find a NM-, I usually pass. Truth be told, most of the ASM's I've bought at CGC 9.4 are fairly dead on..most of the ones that I've received back graded 9.2 are pretty dead on. I don't see a problem with it, yet. I will buy a raw book if it's not CGC priced and the scan is big enough to detect any flaws.

But that's fairly rare..

 

Brian

[FlyingDonut]

that book I can probably find.