Books to submit to CGC

[aszumilo]

I hope this is in the right forum.

 

I just signed up for a premium account, with the 3 submission coupons, and will be looking to submit my first 3 books as soon as I get the package in the mail.

 

My question is this:

How do you decide what books to submit? Do you go for the oldest, since the tier is a bit higher priced or do you go for condition/value?

 

I have some SA books that eventually I want to get graded, but are not real high grade, probably in the 7.5-8.5 range. I have some modern books that are probably worth more, since they are in better shape, in the 9.2-9.8 range. Is it better to use the coupons on the higher tier/lower grade books or lower tier/higher grade books?

 

Thanks for the help.

[Sloroller]

From my standpoint, I would use the vouchers for the higher tiers, even if I had to wait and use them later on during the one year membership. With the modern tier, 80s and newer, since they are cheaper to submit, I would just pay to have them graded....just my take on using the free vouchers.

 

btw WTTB

[143ksk]

I would use your coupons for any books in the $3K range (or as close to that as you can get) that you want slabbed.

[dicjones]

I wouldn't submit modern, unless that is all you have.

 

Maybe something sentimental?

[aszumilo]

Thanks for the replies. I was leaning towards some SA books I have had since the 70's, but, just wanted to get some opinions on it. Probably gonna slab Surfer #8, which was my first Surfer book, an Ironman & Submariner #1, and maybe a Captain Marvel #3. I figure they will all grade in the 7.5-8.5 range.

[dicjones]

My first books that I submitted with my coupons were a DD #14, 16 and 28. All books that I bought as a teenager in the eighties. None of which I thought were high grade. They came back 8.0, 8.0 and 9.2. I was pleasantly surprised by all the grades especially the #28.

 

I guess my point is, they don't have to be ultra high grade books to get submitted. To be completely honest, I can't afford to purchase books that old in much higher grade than that, so for me to submit a book like that and have it come back an 8.0 was very nice indeed.

[fantastic_four]

Thanks for the replies. I was leaning towards some SA books I have had since the 70's, but, just wanted to get some opinions on it. Probably gonna slab Surfer #8, which was my first Surfer book, an Ironman & Submariner #1, and maybe a Captain Marvel #3. I figure they will all grade in the 7.5-8.5 range.

 

Financially those don't sound worth slabbing at all--those are all high-population books with moderate to low demand and not in the upper-9.x range that would make them worth certifying. Those books in those grades don't sell for much more slabbed than raw.

 

I guess some people do slab just because they prefer the slab, but I don't understand those people. The slab is primarily an quality cost for buyers so they have confidence they're getting a nice book, as well as an insurance cost so that buyers know they're not going to lose value by paying too much for a restored book.

[dicjones]

This year when I renewed my membership, I got three more coupons. I didn't have any books in my collection, other than some Miller DD's that I needed slabbed. Those are all 15 dollar submissions so I didn't want to waste my coupons on those.

 

So, I went out and bought some books. I picked up a DD #161 in a potential 9.8(technically not modern tier, it is from 1979), a DD #7(6.0) and a DD #8(7.0, hopefully after a pressing, a bit higher).

 

Maybe that is what you should do, go hunt down some nice raw books and send those in? Heck, that might be more fun anyway

[aszumilo]

I may end up just holding on for better books to submit. I stopped collecting before CGC came around, so, just getting back into it and trying to figure out what you guys (and gals) all know. I do appreciate all the suggestions.

[fantastic_four]

So, I went out and bought some books. I picked up a DD #161 in a potential 9.8(technically not modern tier, it is from 1979), a DD #7(6.0) and a DD #8(7.0, hopefully after a pressing, a bit higher).

 

Are those books worth slabbing? I'm not sure without looking up sales results--they're right on that line of what's worth the slab cost and what isn't. I'm pretty sure the DD #8 isn't, and I suspect the #7 wasn't but I haven't looked at sales results on that semi-key in that grade to know for sure. The #161 is a gamble and probably isn't worth slabbing if it comes back below 9.8.

 

I'm not sure one way or the other if the #7 and #161 are worth slabbing...I mostly do my analysis on early Silver books in 9.x that are no-brainers to slab, I haven't done a lot of looking at the financial benefit of the books with tighter margins.

[dicjones]

So, I went out and bought some books. I picked up a DD #161 in a potential 9.8(technically not modern tier, it is from 1979), a DD #7(6.0) and a DD #8(7.0, hopefully after a pressing, a bit higher).

 

Are those books worth slabbing? I'm not sure without looking up sales results--they're right on that line of what's worth the slab cost and what isn't. I'm pretty sure the DD #8 isn't, and I suspect the #7 wasn't but I haven't looked at sales results on that semi-key in that grade to know for sure. The #161 is a gamble and probably isn't worth slabbing if it comes back below 9.8.

 

I'm not sure one way or the other if the #7 and #161 are worth slabbing...I mostly do my analysis on early Silver books in 9.x that are no-brainers to slab, I haven't done a lot of looking at the financial benefit of the books with tighter margins.

 

Yeah, as far as worth the cost in terms of a financial benefit, I have no idea, I'm not sure. I'm just putting a collection together here. And for that collection I have certain goals in mind for each book, as far as what grade I would like to have it in. Most of that is based on my financial capability of getting said book in a particular grade. The DD #7, for example, I could never hope to own in a high grade, I just can't justify that purchase. I'm a guy in his late thirties that makes 60,000 to 70,000 a year, a DD #7 at 9.0+ just isn't in the cards. I knew the 6.0 was at a price range that would allow me to own one of my "grails" and still have a book with some nice eye appeal at a price that I could sleep with at night. I've got my fingers crossed that it might come back at a 6.5 or 7.0, but if it doesn't no biggie. The DD #8 was a great price for the grade, and with the pressing I think it will end up as quite a steal. The DD #161, is part of my attempt to put together a Miller run of 9.8's, if it comes back at 9.6, since I bought it raw, I'll be satisfied with that, maybe someday I will replace it with a 9.8 if need be. The point of using the freebies, for me, is so I can commit more money to the purchase of the actual books than to the slabbing fees themselves...and because you'd be foolish not to pay the premium membership and get your money back and then some with the coupon.

 

I guess I'm one of those people that just like to have certain books slabbed and I really don't give much concern to the gains and losses on the slabs themselves. I always try to find the best deal I can, but not just because of the financial gains, but so I can buy more books....

 

I'm not trying to put together an entire collection of Daredevils slabbed, I've got certain books that I would like to have slabbed, certain runs of books that I would like to have slabbed and the rest I will probably leave raw in some mylites.

 

I think what your doing is great, and I appreciate the feedback...but that angle is really not part of the equation when I think about what books to slab.

 

Alan

[dicjones]

I may end up just holding on for better books to submit. I stopped collecting before CGC came around, so, just getting back into it and trying to figure out what you guys (and gals) all know. I do appreciate all the suggestions.

 

Your like me, I got out of collecting in the 90's for all kinds of reasons, not just because of the comic book companies themselves. I always kept picking up DD, but most of the time, I didn't even read them, just filed them away.

 

Went to clean up the basement one day and I started thumbing through all the DD's that I never read. Got nostalgic and got on the internet and looked up a company that I remember hearing about here and there, that company was CGC. I always thought slabbed books were "neat". So CGC is actually what got me back into collecting, and once that happened I remembered all the the things I used to love about these books and started buying all kinds of moderns, but at the same time wanted to get some of the older books that I loved in slabs. I'm a sucker for the pretty, shiny plastic cases...what can I say.

 

I'm still learning about all this stuff as well, and have made some really boneheaded purchases in the process. One thing I have learned very clearly, I am not very good at speculating...therefore I don't even bother. I buy books to read that I think will entertain me and slab books that I would like to have in a CGC collection. Neither of which, I do with financial gain as a deciding factor. I try to buy books that keep me ahead of the curve as far as worth and financial commitment are concerned, but it isn't so I can turn around and sell it a couple months down the road...heck, nobody likes to overpay for anything, but I don't have a problem giving up the cash for what a book is worth.

 

Sorry, got off topic there.

 

I guess you need to decide what it is you are trying to get out of this whole CGC experience and go with that.

 

 

[fantastic_four]

I guess I'm one of those people that just like to have certain books slabbed and I really don't give much concern to the gains and losses on the slabs themselves. I always try to find the best deal I can, but not just because of the financial gains, but so I can buy more books....

 

Having limited means is all the more reason to be concerned about pricing...it's the guys with unlimited means who shouldn't be concerned with it. Knowing whether buying a raw DD #7 in 6.0 versus a slabbed DD #7 in CGC 6.0 is important because if they frequently go for around the same amounts, you should just hold out and buy the slabbed copy being sold by people like you are today who weren't thinking too much about whether or not the slabbing was financially justified.

 

$60K and can't spring for a CGC 9.0 Daredevil #7. I'm guessing you have lots of kids!

[aszumilo]

No problem with the off topic stuff. It actually puts a perspective on the how's and why's that people use to justify their thought process on the topic. We are pretty similar in thoughts regarding this whole thing. I am not out to make a quick buck, by slabbing, more as a way to "protect" the investment so to speak. My collection is funny, I always seemed to miss the books that shot up in value, so, I guess my speculating was pretty crappy also. Anyways, thanks for the input.

[dicjones]

I guess I'm one of those people that just like to have certain books slabbed and I really don't give much concern to the gains and losses on the slabs themselves. I always try to find the best deal I can, but not just because of the financial gains, but so I can buy more books....

 

Having limited means is all the more reason to be concerned about pricing...it's the guys with unlimited means who shouldn't be concerned with it. Knowing whether buying a raw DD #7 in 6.0 versus a slabbed DD #7 in CGC 6.0 is important because if they frequently go for around the same amounts, you should just hold out and buy the slabbed copy being sold by people like you are today who weren't thinking too much about whether or not the slabbing was financially justified.

 

$60K and can't spring for a CGC 9.0 Daredevil #7. I'm guessing you have lots of kids!

 

...that would be three of the little money sucking rugrats yes....

 

It's not so much that I couldn't pick up a raw DD #7 at 9.0...if that were the only comic I wanted to buy...but with the collection as a whole, and what I'm trying to accomplish, I have to give a little there to get what I want here. Someday I want to pick up a DD #158 in 9.8 as well as a DD #168 in 9.8...both of those I would consider really BIG purchases for me(especially the #168). The DD #7 at 9.0 would probably be a better investment than those two books, and I should probably put my money there...problem is I WANT those 9.8s more than I want that #7 in 9.0+. The #7 at the grade I got suits me just fine. I don't spend more than 40 or 50 on a book usually when I get it raw, and whatever grade that will get me is what I get. I did spend more than that on the #7, but not on the #8. In fact the #7 was my biggest purchase in a long time and it wasn't even very much really...it was a good price(thank you FasterFriends). There is always the chance that I might upgrade certain aspects of my collection once the kids are gone, but that is a long way off, until then it is what it is.

 

You know, and the moderns kill me, if I didn't buy a single one, I would have more for the CGC's, again problem is, I want those moderns as well.

 

I pay cash for every book I buy, nothing goes on a Credit Card, if I did use a card, I would probably spend more than I do...that isn't a game I want to play.

 

I'm interested in the things you're talking about, and I should buy a membership to GPA...I just can't bring myself to spend 10.00 a month on that.

 

Alan

 

[fantastic_four]

The DD #7 at 9.0 would probably be a better investment than those two books, and I should probably put my money there...problem is I WANT those 9.8s more than I want that #7 in 9.0+.

 

Your problem is you'll be paying more today for DD 158 and 168 in CGC 9.8 today than you probably will in 2, 3, or 5 years. I'm in a similar boat to you--I'd like to buy CGC 9.x copies of Spidey 121 and 129 in nosebleed grades--but I've forced myself to not do it because I know they're going down in price for a while. Historically, books go up a bit in price, but the high prices on CGC 9.6/9.8 Bronze and Copper books rose far too fast from 2000 to 2005...we now know the supply of those books in those grades was too high to sustain the prices. At some point the too-low availability of slabbed Bronze/Copper books correction should level out and nosebleed grades will begin to appreciate again, but it's hard to say how long that will be--could be another 5 to 10 years. I doubt it's as long as 20.

 

Early Silver books like DD 7 will not rise significantly in population, so you're definitely getting more for your money if you buy today. You'll pay a premium for the later stuff that you won't recover for decades...I recommend settling for 9.0 to 9.4 copies and just waiting for screaming deals to come through before jumping on 9.8 copies. I'm kicking myself for not bidding on the CGC 9.6 Bronze Spidey 121, 122, and 129 that sold on Pedigree this week (links below)...those prices were almost half what they were going for five years ago, or in the case of the CGC 9.8 Spidey 122, a quarter what they were going for. I see these books still having room to fall, the populations are just too high and only getting higher, the initial CGC nosebleed grade correction will still take a while to work itself out. I believe these low auction amounts weren't just due to overpopulation correction but additionally to the overall economy sucking money out of people's comic budgets, but still, these were likely the screaming deals I should have jumped on.

 

http://www.pedigreecomics.com/auction-detail.php?issue_id=32185

http://www.pedigreecomics.com/auction-detail.php?issue_id=33537

http://www.pedigreecomics.com/auction-detail.php?issue_id=33551

http://www.pedigreecomics.com/auction-detail.php?issue_id=32187

[dicjones]

Man, you guys could drive yourselves crazy with all that knowledge....

 

I'm a few years out on those DD's I spoke of. I'm starting at the "bottom" and working my way up with my Miller DD run...issue 191 to 158. Buying what I can raw and submitting them for my 15.00 grading fees. I've been lucky so far to find a lot of really nice 9.8 worthy copies raw.

 

Thanks to you guys I spent the last hour or so signing up for a months worth of GPA and going over the numbers. I've done really well so far on my Miller run, underpaying for just about everything. Your right on the #7 and #8, if the grading wasn't free, I would break even at best. As a side note, I'm OK with that. Like I said, I have no problem paying for what a book is worth. If the #161 does manage to come back at a 9.8, which it has a really god chance at, that one will actually still put me ahead fairly well, even if I had to pay for slabbing.

 

I have to admit, I wasn't interested in GPA, but it is pretty freckin' cool.

 

You guys are a good example of what is great about the boards. You have been around the block a few times and you have seen things come and go, so you certainly add a different perspective on the whole buying part of collecting that I never really paid attention to. For me, It has always been, whether or not I was comfortable paying X amount for a book, not so much, how much should I be paying or how much everyone else is paying. I was always aware of a ballpark figure as to where I should be, but the future and past trends and how they fluctuate or how much cheaper I might get a book in a few years were never really much of a consideration.

 

Sigh, I think I just took all the fun out of it...

 

[Boozad]

I'm interested in the things you're talking about, and I should buy a membership to GPA...I just can't bring myself to spend 10.00 a month on that.

 

If you're going to be buying slabbed books or are going to slab books, it's a must-have tool. I'd be lost without it now.

[dicjones]

I'm interested in the things you're talking about, and I should buy a membership to GPA...I just can't bring myself to spend 10.00 a month on that.

 

If you're going to be buying slabbed books or are going to slab books, it's a must-have tool. I'd be lost without it now.

 

Yeah, I took the plunge. I've been missing out. After looking at it briefly, it has actually made me fell better about getting some higher grade books than I thought I could before.

[wee_s2e-migration]

I hope this is in the right forum.

 

I just signed up for a premium account, with the 3 submission coupons, and will be looking to submit my first 3 books as soon as I get the package in the mail.

 

My question is this:

How do you decide what books to submit? Do you go for the oldest, since the tier is a bit higher priced or do you go for condition/value?

 

I have some SA books that eventually I want to get graded, but are not real high grade, probably in the 7.5-8.5 range. I have some modern books that are probably worth more, since they are in better shape, in the 9.2-9.8 range. Is it better to use the coupons on the higher tier/lower grade books or lower tier/higher grade books?

 

Thanks for the help.

 

I'm curious: why did you sign up for the Premium account when you didn't have any specific/high value comics in mind to submit?