LTOW VS. COW ?

[RickHigh]

I am wondering what the difference is in Light Tan to Off-White Pages and Cream to Off-White pages. Is one more/less desirable? I see quite a few COW pages, but not as many books with LT/OW pages. I seem to have read in a thread somewhere that LT/OW pages couldn't be graded higher than 8.5. If that's so, could the book actually be nicer than 8.5 except for the pages. Are Light Tan pages considered more brittle? I have many books in my collection with COW pages, and wonder if they also affect the grade. I'm speaking strictly about GA books here. I don't think I've ever seen a SA book with LT/OW pages.

Would you buy a book knowing it had LT/OW pages for your GA collection? Would love some feedback here.

 

— Rick

[PokerKid]

1. LT is less desirable.

2. It is not necessarily more brittle that COW, but it is closer to being slightly brittle.

3. I do own some, so yes I would buy them for my collection. (I can't afford to be as selective as some, but some buyers would not touch a book with LT, so it can certainly affect value.)

4. I do not think COW affects the grade, except possibly at the very top of the scale. If I am wrong, I will be corrected - probably with proof. (You are correct about it appearing an LT book can grade no higher than 8.5.)

[Mio]

If stored properly, you can still squeeze several decades out of a LT book. One of the drawbacks to CGC slabs is not being able to check out the PQ yourself, esp. a concern as their PQ assessments frequently change (+ or -) on resubmit.

[TheWatcher]

It's been stated here before than a LT/OW PQ may mean that the page has light tanning only on the very edge of the paper - but it'll still get the designation. Pages that are lightly tanned aren't brittle, although they may get there if improperly stored. Brittle pages are designated as such by CGC. In my experience, C/OW pages don't affect the grade of a GA book, but they may affect the final price paid (more so in SA and later books)

[Comicdey]

I have an Action 30 that is a 9.0 or better that came back as 8.5 Lt Tan/OW. I'm fairly confident that the grade was capped due to the page designation. The book is phenomenal with extreme clean cover colors. I'll take a book of that kind without hesitation.

 

I recall flipping through the copy before sending and felt it would get the Cr/OW designation. One persons creme is another's lt tan.

[G.A.tor]

doesn't slightly brittle cap at like 5.5?

[october]

4. I do not think COW affects the grade, except possibly at the very top of the scale. If I am wrong, I will be corrected - probably with proof. (You are correct about it appearing an LT book can grade no higher than 8.5.)

 

I believe that only books with "Brittle" pages have a grade cap, though "Dark Tan" might as well.

 

 

[october]

doesn't slightly brittle cap at like 5.5?

 

I have seen slightly brittle books higher than 5.5.

[G.A.tor]

doesn't slightly brittle cap at like 5.5?

 

I have seen slightly brittle books higher than 5.5.

interesting... I never had, but that doesn't mean anything...

[Comicdey]

that sad sack looks like a 9.9....so it was reduced by 0.7 ::

 

nice yellows.

 

that would make my action a 9.2 reduced to an 8.5

[october]

doesn't slightly brittle cap at like 5.5?

 

I have seen slightly brittle books higher than 5.5.

interesting... I never had, but that doesn't mean anything...

 

Here is one. I doubt they go much over the fine range with these though. Anyone seen a slightly brittle 8.0 or higher?

 

 

[Primetime]

nothing "wrong" with LT PQ, but it does mean "closer" to the brittle area but that is misleading as LT pages can still be very very supple

[Straw-Man]

nothing "wrong" with LT PQ, but it does mean "closer" to the brittle area but that is misleading as LT pages can still be very very supple

 

i seem to remember you having a pretty spiffy lt/ow book.

[Straw-Man]

doesn't slightly brittle cap at like 5.5?

 

I have seen slightly brittle books higher than 5.5.

interesting... I never had, but that doesn't mean anything...

 

Here is one. I doubt they go much over the fine range with these though. Anyone seen a slightly brittle 8.0 or higher?

 

 

 

yeah, 6.5 is the best i've seen a s. brittle book graded. and seeing how nice your book and mine below are EXCEPT for the pages, i'm betting 6.5 is cgc's ceiling. my seller told me he sent his book in thinking he was gonna get a 9'something back, having no idea there was a problem with the pq.

 

[october]

yeah, 6.5 is the best i've seen a s. brittle book graded. and seeing how nice your book and mine below are EXCEPT for the pages, i'm betting 6.5 is cgc's ceiling. my seller told me he sent his book in thinking he was gonna get a 9'something back, having no idea there was a problem with the pq.

 

 

That makes sense. Your books looks stunning, so fine range is likely the ceiling.

 

Incidentally, I don't own any of the books that I posted. I have been grabbing the scans off of this handy dandy CGC PQ grid...

 

http://www.bipcomics.com/showcase/CGCWhiteness/

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

If stored properly, you can still squeeze several decades out of a LT book. One of the drawbacks to CGC slabs is not being able to check out the PQ yourself, esp. a concern as their PQ assessments frequently change (+ or -) on resubmit.

 

Well, that may or may not be the case. I once purchased an old label LTOW paged book that turned out to be brittle with pieces of it floating around the inner well. As a rule, I have avoided them because of that incident.

 

 

[Primetime]

nothing "wrong" with LT PQ, but it does mean "closer" to the brittle area but that is misleading as LT pages can still be very very supple

 

i seem to remember you having a pretty spiffy lt/ow book.

exactly and it came from a spiffy southern dude

[G.A.tor]

I have owned at least a dozen plus lt to ow books...never had any problems with any of them...just fine for pq (thumbs u

[aggr1103]

Is there an online reference to see what cgc considers off white, cream, and light tan? Also is it just the edges taken into consideration for determining page color? I know I've seen several comics with what i'd consider dark tan edges with brighter page color closer to the spine and center.

[october]

Is there an online reference to see what cgc considers off white, cream, and light tan? Also is it just the edges taken into consideration for determining page color? I know I've seen several comics with what i'd consider dark tan edges with brighter page color closer to the spine and center.

 

CGC page designations go from the edge to the middle. So, a book with pages that are white from the edge inward would get a "white" designation. A book with cream page edges and off-white page centers gets "cream to off-white".