Do you check your grades online?

[chunkybutt]

no

 

[Boozad]

In-the-bag 'grading' leads to a world of problems. I bought a book on eBay once that was listed as NM, and when it arrived it did look NM at first glance, but when I removed it from the bag and board to grade it properly nearly half of the back corner was folded over, obviously someone had put it in the bag badly and the seller hadn't even checked before he assigned a grade to it. There was a 5" colour breaking crease running right across the back cover.

 

I can guarantee you 100% that if you didn't remove it to look at it there were defects. Books aren't graded on the front cover alone and it's impossible to grade a book without actually looking at all of it.

 

The advice I would give here as well as what I've said above, would be to not be so vocal in disagreeing with CGC's grades when you haven't even looked at the book properly yourself.

[chunkybutt]

when I walked up to the booth and the guy had stacks of specific issues of comics all from the early 80's. saying he got them from his grandpas warehouse (I cannot remember the exact story) and I look at alot of his books, most were NM some were mint IMO. Then I come back the next day and decide to buy the ASM 238 because no one else at the con had one in decent shape, I picked through his pile and grabbed the best looking one. every single book he had appeared to be better than any 9.6 slab I own. and the fact that the only flaw I could see on any of these ASM 238 was the top left corner looking "frayed" or hung up on a machine during printing, that solidifies the story for me. you do not collect a dozen or more of each issue of specific titles and then sell them at discount prices telling everyone that you have a surplus of issues and then all issues appear perfect or have similar defects.

 

I hope that you are wrong and I get the notes, I would like to see if any of the graders gave it a higher grade or not

[chunkybutt]

In-the-bag 'grading' leads to a world of problems. I bought a book on eBay once that was listed as NM, and when it arrived it did look NM at first glance, but when I removed it from the bag and board to grade it properly nearly half of the back corner was folded over, obviously someone had put it in the bag badly and the seller hadn't even checked before he assigned a grade to it. There was a 5" colour breaking crease running right across the back cover.

 

I can guarantee you 100% that if you didn't remove it to look at it there were defects. Books aren't graded on the front cover alone and it's impossible to grade a book without actually looking at all of it.

 

The advice I would give here as well as what I've said above, would be to not be so vocal in disagreeing with CGC's grades when you haven't even looked at the book properly yourself.

 

oh I am not disagreeing with their grades....... not yet at least.

I am not as savvy as some so I did not go back and re-read this thread, but I believe my first comment was I would love to see the graders notes. that was before I knew that notes were available for viewing, now they may not be due to it being a modern.

and yes you are right, the person who bagged it could have messed it up and then I would be foolish for not opening it up.

 

I do not understand how a book can command full book price with:

Nearly perfect with only a minor additional defect or defects that keep it from Near Mint. A limited number of bindery defects are allowed. Cover is flat with no surface wear. Inks are bright with only the slightest dimming of reflectivity. Generally well centered and secured to the pages. Corners are cut square and sharp with ever so-slight blunting permitted. A 1/16" - 1/8" bend is permitted with no color break. No creases. Small inconspicuous. lightly penciled, stamped or inked arrival dates are acceptable as long as they are in an unobtrusive location. No soiling, staining or other discoloration apart from slight foxing. Spine is tight and flat. No spine roll or split allowed. Staples may show some discoloration. No staple tears are allowed; almost no stress lines. No rust migration. In rare cases, a comic was not stapled at the bindery and therefore has a missing staple; this is not considered a defect. Any staple can be replaced on a books up to Fine, but only vintage staples can be used on books from Very Fine to Near Mint. Mint books must have original staples. Paper is cream to off-white, supple and fresh. No hint of acidity in the odor of the newsprint. Centerfold is secure. Slight interior tears are allowed.

 

I may be putting my foot in my mouth here, but I bet 20yrs ago OPG description was alot stricter than the one above for grading of a book.

I will go find an older guide to transcribe the grading of books, I know I have to have one around the house somewhere.

[PBU-migration]

I have to ask did you actually remove the book from the bag to check it?

 

no

 

 

All this complaining and you never took the book out of the bag? With that one word your complaints about CGC have been rendered null, void, and irrelevant.

 

 

I think Shakespeare said it best:

 

"CB is but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

And then is heard no more: it is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing."

[chunkybutt]

I have to ask did you actually remove the book from the bag to check it?

 

no

 

 

All this complaining and you never took the book out of the bag? With that one word your complaints about CGC have been rendered null, void, and irrelevant.

 

 

I think Shakespeare said it best:

 

"CB is but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

And then is heard no more: it is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing."

 

sometimes I wonder if my communication skills via text format are poor, or if people only read what they want to.

I am not complaining about CGC, all I said was 2 main points: 1 I think that grading of comics now is more forgiving than 20yrs ago, you guys may disagree and that is fine.

and 2: If my book has no visible flaws why is it graded the same as a book with multiple flaws that can easily be seen.

A 9.2 book as stated by the current OPG would need to have tears on the inside and could still have blunted corners, spine ticks, replaced staples, a 1/8" bend, a date stamp, with cream to off white pages.

Since my book has no flaws on the front cover and WHITE pages, there must be some serious damage to rear cover and interior, I find that hard to believe considering the circumstances with which I bought the book.

 

[PBU-migration]

I have to ask did you actually remove the book from the bag to check it?

 

no

 

 

All this complaining and you never took the book out of the bag? With that one word your complaints about CGC have been rendered null, void, and irrelevant.

 

 

I think Shakespeare said it best:

 

"CB is but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

And then is heard no more: it is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing."

 

sometimes I wonder if my communication skills via text format are poor, or if people only read what they want to.

I am not complaining about CGC, all I said was 2 main points: 1 I think that grading of comics now is more forgiving than 20yrs ago, you guys may disagree and that is fine.

and 2: If my book has no visible flaws why is it graded the same as a book with multiple flaws that can easily be seen.

 

Because you don't know how to grade

[etanick]

Since my book has no flaws on the front cover and WHITE pages, there must be some serious damage to rear cover and interior, I find that hard to believe considering the circumstances with which I bought the book.

 

how can this be a certain if you never took it out of the bag? what I am missing here? I understand the frustation (since we all have had many books graded less than what we expected) but to keep harping on "it is flawless" when we all know so many flaws such as thumb print(s), even small dots of stain(s), how about foxing on the back cover?, etc...cannot be spotted with the book inside the bag...especially this issue with a very busy cover that hides a lot of things unless you hold the book at the angle to the light to review without the bag.

[etanick]

I really can't wait to see a good scan of the book...even inside the slab when you get it back because all the debates for the past week is really moot without having anything to go by but your believes.

[Green]

I have to ask did you actually remove the book from the bag to check it?

 

no

 

 

[chunkybutt]

Got the notes,

 

Said spine stress barely breaking color on front cover, dent in Hobgoblins arm front cover and fold on rear cover barely breaking color.

 

I can see two spine ticks plain as day on front cover, they were not there when I bought the book, so either I put them there and did not re-check book very well before shipping, or it happened during shipping.

 

I cannot see any dent in the front cover anywhere.

And of course the back cover I did not inspect before I shipped but it does not look bad.

 

All three graders gave it a 9.2, fair grade. However I do have other 9.2 and 9.4's that look worse.

I wish I had a scanner that worked so I could scan them before grading. Wolverine number 1 and ASM 300 were on top of ASM 238 and they both got lower grades than I expected. Not just lower than I was hoping for by comparing to slabbed books.

[etanick]

well, thanks for getting back....and as we discussed before, some flaws like dents/thumb prints are not visible when the book is inside the bag but any dents will knock the book from 9.8, ad the other flaws you mentioned and I can see why it is a 9.2

 

I examined my books very closely the day before I sent them to CGC for 9.8 pre-screening and every batch I got back, I swear some the books that were rejected got some beating...definitely not by me or the post office since I hand delivered them to CGC. There are many hands that handle the books once they arrived at CGC so "bad things" can happen....sure a small percentage (10 out of 450 or so) so it is not something that alarmed me but this is the risk when we are dealing with ultra high grade books. Just the way a person pick up the book can damage it even if it is in mylar.

 

 

[Old Fashion PB and J]

Got the notes,

 

Said spine stress barely breaking color on front cover, dent in Hobgoblins arm front cover and fold on rear cover barely breaking color.

 

I can see two spine ticks plain as day on front cover, they were not there when I bought the book, so either I put them there and did not re-check book very well before shipping, or it happened during shipping.

 

I cannot see any dent in the front cover anywhere.

And of course the back cover I did not inspect before I shipped but it does not look bad.

 

All three graders gave it a 9.2, fair grade. However I do have other 9.2 and 9.4's that look worse.

I wish I had a scanner that worked so I could scan them before grading. Wolverine number 1 and ASM 300 were on top of ASM 238 and they both got lower grades than I expected. Not just lower than I was hoping for by comparing to slabbed books.

press it

[joeypost]

well, thanks for getting back....and as we discussed before, some flaws like dents/thumb prints are not visible when the book is inside the bag but any dents will knock the book from 9.8, ad the other flaws you mentioned and I can see why it is a 9.2

 

I examined my books very closely the day before I sent them to CGC for 9.8 pre-screening and every batch I got back, I swear some the books that were rejected got some beating...definitely not by me or the post office since I hand delivered them to CGC. There are many hands that handle the books once they arrived at CGC so "bad things" can happen....sure a small percentage (10 out of 450 or so) so it is not something that alarmed me but this is the risk when we are dealing with ultra high grade books. Just the way a person pick up the book can damage it even if it is in mylar.

 

Thats why I use 2 or 3 backing boards at a minimum. For the big dollar books I use fullbacks when I send them in.

[seanfingh]

well, thanks for getting back....and as we discussed before, some flaws like dents/thumb prints are not visible when the book is inside the bag but any dents will knock the book from 9.8, ad the other flaws you mentioned and I can see why it is a 9.2

 

I examined my books very closely the day before I sent them to CGC for 9.8 pre-screening and every batch I got back, I swear some the books that were rejected got some beating...definitely not by me or the post office since I hand delivered them to CGC. There are many hands that handle the books once they arrived at CGC so "bad things" can happen....sure a small percentage (10 out of 450 or so) so it is not something that alarmed me but this is the risk when we are dealing with ultra high grade books. Just the way a person pick up the book can damage it even if it is in mylar.

 

Thats why I use 2 or 3 backing boards at a minimum. For the big dollar books I use fullbacks when I send them in.

 

The cost of the extra protection is always worth it.

[VintageComics]

Agreed. I use Mylars and Fullbacks exclusively now for every book that goes to CGC. Mainly because most of the stuff I submit is really high grade. The cost is insignificant when compared to the amount of protection you get.

[seanfingh]

 

And then I get to use Roy's mylars for Sig Series later on in the year . . .

[VintageComics]

And then I get to use Roy's mylars for Sig Series later on in the year . . .

 

Is that where they go?

[seanfingh]

And then I get to use Roy's mylars for Sig Series later on in the year . . .

 

Is that where they go?

 

That's right, yo.