No Steve, no Mark, no West...who's grading Golden Age books these days?

[VintageComics]

[esquirecomics]

I should have the results of my two GA books in 4-5 days. I predict 8.5 and 9.4. We'll see how they do.

 

Here are the results, which I'm happy with. I hope all that smudging is a problem with their scanner rather than on the holder, as it certainly isn't on the books.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Very nice Jeff!

[adamstrange]

So plitch is probably grading golden age, but there are supposed to be three graders on each book, one of whom is the head grader. Even if plitch is the head grader, who are the other two?

 

To tell you the honest truth, my concern would extend beyond the issue of consistency of grading which CGC has been known to have problems with.

 

I would also be worried about pedigree verification which was both Haspel's and West's area of expertise. I wonder who they have assigned this task to for now?

 

Good point.

 

Just to add a little perspective, Borock, Mark and West all learned their areas of expertise over time. There are a few graders who have been with CGC for a long time and Litch has been there for a decade with Mark and Steve and West.

 

It takes interest in your job, time and experience and a good teacher to pass that stuff down. I'd think that it's not unlike any job where over time, your skill set grows and is expanded as you mature.

 

Plus, CGC did say that Haspel would remain as consultant even during his leave of absence.

 

I would think that the higher ups at CGC or the Collector's Society would understand how to run a business and keep things on track. They're running a highly successful multi-million dollar company through one of the worst economic downturns that modern times have seen. They must be doing something right.

 

Like I said earlier, employee turnover happens in every corporate setting. The larger the company, the more often it happens. It's a numbers game and should be part of a business model.

 

Anybody worth their salt in running a business would expect this to happen and plan for it ahead of time.

 

(thumbs u

 

Roy, best intentions and the reality of running a business are completely separate. CGC could still be categorized as a small business. The time to train and/or recruit similar experience for golden age, as back-up these past few years, goes against the flow of grading a million books and staying cash positive.

 

CGC is no different than any other small, technically demanding small business. Making up for the loss of valuable, well-trained employees is critical but is also absurdly difficult. A two-week notice in a job like this is the industry standard but there is no way you can replace a valuable and rare employee in a short time. Six months is more likely. Having a backup plan that allows someone to fit in seamlessly is a huge expense and can be the difference between being profitable and losing money. There are no easy choices in situations like this. I've struggled with the same issue on more than one occasion.

 

Jeff, no doubt. We faced the same problems in the automotive dealership industry, but most competitive technical industries have large well educated employee pools to choose from whereas CGC doesn't have that luxury because they are the only employer in town.

 

Something to keep in mind though is that a lot of these people have been working for CGC for a decade, so guys like Litch, Sean and the rest have been steadily groomed and moving up through the ranks over the past 10 years.

 

Have you ever seen those old pictures of Shawn and Litch? They look like jail bait.

 

 

It's going to be interesting to see how CGC evolves through this.

I have little doubt that CGC has given them some training but it would be nice to know what it is.

 

In addition, West, Steve and Mark all developed their skills over a much longer period of time among a more diverse set of people and experiences. Unless they've brought in new blood, the folks grading now are much more insular than the three named above who engaged in the give-and-take with the broader collecting community.

 

Steve, Mark and West were committed to the hobby as a whole and happened to be graders. The new guys, again, are whom?

[tth2]

In addition, West, Steve and Mark all developed their skills over a much longer period of time among a more diverse set of people and experiences. Unless they've brought in new blood, the folks grading now are much more insular than the three named above who engaged in the give-and-take with the broader collecting community.

 

Steve, Mark and West were committed to the hobby as a whole and happened to be graders. The new guys, again, are whom?

There's so much money to be made in the hobby at the moment that I can't see any prominent/knowledgeable dealer giving it up to become a grader, unless CGC pays a whole lot more than I think they do.

[ecfanman]

In addition, West, Steve and Mark all developed their skills over a much longer period of time among a more diverse set of people and experiences. Unless they've brought in new blood, the folks grading now are much more insular than the three named above who engaged in the give-and-take with the broader collecting community.

 

Steve, Mark and West were committed to the hobby as a whole and happened to be graders. The new guys, again, are whom?

There's so much money to be made in the hobby at the moment that I can't see any prominent/knowledgeable dealer giving it up to become a grader, unless CGC pays a whole lot more than I think they do.

 

Conversely, is there so much money to be made in the hobby, that a grader would stay with CGC?

[cheetah]

So plitch is probably grading golden age, but there are supposed to be three graders on each book, one of whom is the head grader. Even if plitch is the head grader, who are the other two?

 

To tell you the honest truth, my concern would extend beyond the issue of consistency of grading which CGC has been known to have problems with.

 

I would also be worried about pedigree verification which was both Haspel's and West's area of expertise. I wonder who they have assigned this task to for now?

 

Good point.

 

Just to add a little perspective, Borock, Mark and West all learned their areas of expertise over time. There are a few graders who have been with CGC for a long time and Litch has been there for a decade with Mark and Steve and West.

 

It takes interest in your job, time and experience and a good teacher to pass that stuff down. I'd think that it's not unlike any job where over time, your skill set grows and is expanded as you mature.

 

Plus, CGC did say that Haspel would remain as consultant even during his leave of absence.

 

I would think that the higher ups at CGC or the Collector's Society would understand how to run a business and keep things on track. They're running a highly successful multi-million dollar company through one of the worst economic downturns that modern times have seen. They must be doing something right.

 

Like I said earlier, employee turnover happens in every corporate setting. The larger the company, the more often it happens. It's a numbers game and should be part of a business model.

 

Anybody worth their salt in running a business would expect this to happen and plan for it ahead of time.

 

(thumbs u

 

Roy, best intentions and the reality of running a business are completely separate. CGC could still be categorized as a small business. The time to train and/or recruit similar experience for golden age, as back-up these past few years, goes against the flow of grading a million books and staying cash positive.

 

CGC is no different than any other small, technically demanding small business. Making up for the loss of valuable, well-trained employees is critical but is also absurdly difficult. A two-week notice in a job like this is the industry standard but there is no way you can replace a valuable and rare employee in a short time. Six months is more likely. Having a backup plan that allows someone to fit in seamlessly is a huge expense and can be the difference between being profitable and losing money. There are no easy choices in situations like this. I've struggled with the same issue on more than one occasion.

 

Jeff, no doubt. We faced the same problems in the automotive dealership industry, but most competitive technical industries have large well educated employee pools to choose from whereas CGC doesn't have that luxury because they are the only employer in town.

 

Something to keep in mind though is that a lot of these people have been working for CGC for a decade, so guys like Litch, Sean and the rest have been steadily groomed and moving up through the ranks over the past 10 years.

 

Have you ever seen those old pictures of Shawn and Litch? They look like jail bait.

 

 

It's going to be interesting to see how CGC evolves through this.

I have little doubt that CGC has given them some training but it would be nice to know what it is.

 

In addition, West, Steve and Mark all developed their skills over a much longer period of time among a more diverse set of people and experiences. Unless they've brought in new blood, the folks grading now are much more insular than the three named above who engaged in the give-and-take with the broader collecting community.

 

Steve, Mark and West were committed to the hobby as a whole and happened to be graders. The new guys, again, are whom?

 

It's got to be one of the smallest applicant pools around. I can only imagine the resumes they'd get if they posted an ad on Monster.

 

In a pinch, CGC could peruse the results of the last couple of grading contests and get some pretty good talent.

[VintageComics]

In a pinch, CGC could peruse the results of the last couple of grading contests and get some pretty good talent.

 

A few of their graders (and other employees) were board members here first.

 

Certainly a great place to start.

 

(thumbs u

[Pirate]

I won the grading contest two or three years ago, didn't get a call

[Straw-Man]

Well, we all knew this day was coming. It was just a matter of when, not if.

 

I submitted a few GA books at Phila Wizard for onsite grading.

 

I had graded this book a 2.5:

 

 

This is what it came back:

 

I'm happy to take the bump up but .... why do I feel dirty about it?

 

oh, my.

[plitch]

Hi everyone!

 

We saw this thread and wanted to address some of your comments:

 

Who are the CGC Graders? CGC has eight full-time graders, many with more than 20 years of experience in the comics industry. We are the same guys who have been grading your books since 2000. http://www.cgccomics.com/about/the_graders.asp

 

I joined CGC in 1999 and have been a part of the grading team on the best books that have come through the company since day one.

 

Dave has been with us since mid-2000 and prefers to stay behind the scenes. He is one of the most solid graders on the team, able to adapt from Magazines to comics, to lobby cards.

 

Chris joined us in mid-2000. He has shared his knowledge of Restoration with the team and he also knows a great deal about vintage books and pedigrees.

 

Shawn started in late 2000 and is our Modern Primary Grader.

 

Matt started in May 2004 and is the backbone of Moderns.

 

Josh came to CGC in November 2004 and works on everything from undergrounds to pre-screen moderns.

 

Brad joined us in September 2005 and has become a very versatile grader floating from vintage to moderns as needed.

 

Vince began a short three years ago. He has incredible knowledge of vintage material.

 

Mark is on a Leave of Absence, but he has come into the office on many occasions and is available as needed.

 

So that’s us. In our eyes, day to day hasn’t changed much. Mark and Steve openly shared their knowledge of GA and pedigrees with everyone on the Grading Team. We have a bigger work load and a bit more stress (of course that could just be SDCC breathing down our necks) but we are all 100% committed to doing our best, everyday.

 

Zaid, the graders would love to look at your book again if you feel we made an error. We have 2 graders at 4.0 and 1 at 3.5. There is no mention of the cover being detached at the staple. We’ll pay for shipping both ways and re-cert if you would like to send it to us or you could wait until Chicago and we can look at it there.

 

We do have interviews set up and plan on filling the spot. Kenny did turn us down cold; he said sitting next to me would be too distracting.

 

Hope that answers the major trepidations. We have the best team on the planet and we have no problem with continuing to prove it.

 

Best wishes,

 

 

Paul Litch for the CGC Grading Team

 

[comicdonna]

Hi everyone!

 

We saw this thread and wanted to address some of your comments:

 

Who are the CGC Graders? CGC has eight full-time graders, many with more than 20 years of experience in the comics industry. We are the same guys who have been grading your books since 2000. http://www.cgccomics.com/about/the_graders.asp

 

I joined CGC in 1999 and have been a part of the grading team on the best books that have come through the company since day one.

 

Dave has been with us since mid-2000 and prefers to stay behind the scenes. He is one of the most solid graders on the team, able to adapt from Magazines to comics, to lobby cards.

 

Chris joined us in mid-2000. He has shared his knowledge of Restoration with the team and he also knows a great deal about vintage books and pedigrees.

 

Shawn started in late 2000 and is our Modern Primary Grader.

 

Matt started in May 2004 and is the backbone of Moderns.

 

Josh came to CGC in November 2004 and works on everything from undergrounds to pre-screen moderns.

 

Brad joined us in September 2005 and has become a very versatile grader floating from vintage to moderns as needed.

 

Vince began a short three years ago. He has incredible knowledge of vintage material.

 

Mark is on a Leave of Absence, but he has come into the office on many occasions and is available as needed.

 

So that’s us. In our eyes, day to day hasn’t changed much. Mark and Steve openly shared their knowledge of GA and pedigrees with everyone on the Grading Team. We have a bigger work load and a bit more stress (of course that could just be SDCC breathing down our necks) but we are all 100% committed to doing our best, everyday.

 

Zaid, the graders would love to look at your book again if you feel we made an error. We have 2 graders at 4.0 and 1 at 3.5. There is no mention of the cover being detached at the staple. We’ll pay for shipping both ways and re-cert if you would like to send it to us or you could wait until Chicago and we can look at it there.

 

We do have interviews set up and plan on filling the spot. Kenny did turn us down cold; he said sitting next to me would be too distracting.

 

Hope that answers the major trepidations. We have the best team on the planet and we have no problem with continuing to prove it.

 

Best wishes,

 

 

Paul Litch for the CGC Grading Team

Thanks for clarifying this, Paul. (thumbs u

[Transplant]

We do have interviews set up and plan on filling the spot. Kenny did turn us down cold; he said sitting next to me would be too distracting.

 

I think we all know what a distraction that sexy beast Kenny would be. Wait times would explode.

[krackathoom-migration]

Hi everyone!

 

We saw this thread and wanted to address some of your comments:

 

Who are the CGC Graders? CGC has eight full-time graders, many with more than 20 years of experience in the comics industry. We are the same guys who have been grading your books since 2000. http://www.cgccomics.com/about/the_graders.asp

 

I joined CGC in 1999 and have been a part of the grading team on the best books that have come through the company since day one.

 

Dave has been with us since mid-2000 and prefers to stay behind the scenes. He is one of the most solid graders on the team, able to adapt from Magazines to comics, to lobby cards.

 

Chris joined us in mid-2000. He has shared his knowledge of Restoration with the team and he also knows a great deal about vintage books and pedigrees.

 

Shawn started in late 2000 and is our Modern Primary Grader.

 

Matt started in May 2004 and is the backbone of Moderns.

 

Josh came to CGC in November 2004 and works on everything from undergrounds to pre-screen moderns.

 

Brad joined us in September 2005 and has become a very versatile grader floating from vintage to moderns as needed.

 

Vince began a short three years ago. He has incredible knowledge of vintage material.

 

Mark is on a Leave of Absence, but he has come into the office on many occasions and is available as needed.

 

So that’s us. In our eyes, day to day hasn’t changed much. Mark and Steve openly shared their knowledge of GA and pedigrees with everyone on the Grading Team. We have a bigger work load and a bit more stress (of course that could just be SDCC breathing down our necks) but we are all 100% committed to doing our best, everyday.

 

Zaid, the graders would love to look at your book again if you feel we made an error. We have 2 graders at 4.0 and 1 at 3.5. There is no mention of the cover being detached at the staple. We’ll pay for shipping both ways and re-cert if you would like to send it to us or you could wait until Chicago and we can look at it there.

 

We do have interviews set up and plan on filling the spot. Kenny did turn us down cold; he said sitting next to me would be too distracting.

 

Hope that answers the major trepidations. We have the best team on the planet and we have no problem with continuing to prove it.

 

Best wishes,

 

 

Paul Litch for the CGC Grading Team

 

Seriously, what happened to Cantie Brevard, who joined CGC after PCS closed down?

[Senormac]

Hi everyone!

 

We saw this thread and wanted to address some of your comments:

 

Who are the CGC Graders? CGC has eight full-time graders, many with more than 20 years of experience in the comics industry. We are the same guys who have been grading your books since 2000. http://www.cgccomics.com/about/the_graders.asp

 

I joined CGC in 1999 and have been a part of the grading team on the best books that have come through the company since day one.

 

Dave has been with us since mid-2000 and prefers to stay behind the scenes. He is one of the most solid graders on the team, able to adapt from Magazines to comics, to lobby cards.

 

Chris joined us in mid-2000. He has shared his knowledge of Restoration with the team and he also knows a great deal about vintage books and pedigrees.

 

Shawn started in late 2000 and is our Modern Primary Grader.

 

Matt started in May 2004 and is the backbone of Moderns.

 

Josh came to CGC in November 2004 and works on everything from undergrounds to pre-screen moderns.

 

Brad joined us in September 2005 and has become a very versatile grader floating from vintage to moderns as needed.

 

Vince began a short three years ago. He has incredible knowledge of vintage material.

 

Mark is on a Leave of Absence, but he has come into the office on many occasions and is available as needed.

 

So that’s us. In our eyes, day to day hasn’t changed much. Mark and Steve openly shared their knowledge of GA and pedigrees with everyone on the Grading Team. We have a bigger work load and a bit more stress (of course that could just be SDCC breathing down our necks) but we are all 100% committed to doing our best, everyday.

 

Zaid, the graders would love to look at your book again if you feel we made an error. We have 2 graders at 4.0 and 1 at 3.5. There is no mention of the cover being detached at the staple. We’ll pay for shipping both ways and re-cert if you would like to send it to us or you could wait until Chicago and we can look at it there.

 

We do have interviews set up and plan on filling the spot. Kenny did turn us down cold; he said sitting next to me would be too distracting.

 

Hope that answers the major trepidations. We have the best team on the planet and we have no problem with continuing to prove it.

 

Best wishes,

 

 

Paul Litch for the CGC Grading Team

Thanks for clarifying this, Paul. (thumbs u

 

+ 1 Good to hear from and know you guys are still solid and involved

[esquirecomics]

Zaid, the graders would love to look at your book again if you feel we made an error. We have 2 graders at 4.0 and 1 at 3.5. There is no mention of the cover being detached at the staple. We’ll pay for shipping both ways and re-cert if you would like to send it to us or you could wait until Chicago and we can look at it there.

 

Paul Litch for the CGC Grading Team

 

Ohhhhh, not complaining here! Was just pointing it out.

 

Unlike what some ebayer claimed who believe he overpaid $10 (woo hoo) for a GA book I priced 35% or so off of OSPG, I view myself a hard grader.

 

If anything, I would want a review of the More Fun #35 that only received an 8.0 when I thought it was a 9.0!

 

So, we're all even. Take some here, give some there.

[Ze-man]

Ohhhhh, not complaining here! Was just pointing it out.

 

Which is of course why you started your post with this!

 

Well, we all knew this day was coming. It was just a matter of when, not if.

 

C'mon Mark, you saw a chance to kick them boys in the shin and you took it.

 

Mannup.

 

 

[esquirecomics]

Ohhhhh, not complaining here! Was just pointing it out.

 

Which is of course why you started your post with this!

 

Well, we all knew this day was coming. It was just a matter of when, not if.

 

C'mon Mark, you saw a chance to kick them boys in the shin and you took it.

 

Mannup.

 

 

 

I don't kick boys in the shin Z. It would be the balls.

 

Memba them?