CGC "New Label" vs. "Old Label": WHICH IS STRICTER?

[Paul_Maul]

I picked up CGC 9.6 copies of IM/Subby 1 and Doc Strange 169 shortly after CGC started up. Both books were nearly flawless, making me think that ANY CGC 9.6 with white pages would be a book I would be happy with. Lately, though, some "New Label" 9.6's I've seen just don't look as nice. I got a 9.6 52-page Detective last year that had noticable corner wear.

 

Check this one out:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=35761&item=2239726786&rd=1

 

Even if you forgive the misplaced staples, I see noticable staple wear and the corners look kind of blunt. I guess it could be the scan, but does anyone think 9.6 has gotten softer since 2000?

[Murph]

in general, I feel the old label is now stricter.

 

Brian

[garthgantu]

I agree with Murph... things seem to have loosened up somewhat, even in the BA category.

 

Check out the color-breaking creases around the lower staple on that Subby 51 - what's with that?

 

BTW, Paul - love the Wacky Packages avatar ...!!

[Paul_Maul]

I agree with Murph... things seem to have loosened up somewhat, even in the BA category.

 

That's definitely my feeling. I used to be able to justify high multiples by the knowledge that my satisfaction with the book was near certain. Imagine paying 5x guide for corner and staple wear?

 

Check out the color-breaking creases around the lower staple on that Subby 51 - what's with that?

 

Exactly, this appear to be a 9.2 at best to me. CGC's reliability is their stock and trade, what with all the non-return policies and small scans. They soften up at their peril.

 

BTW, Paul - love the Wacky Packages avatar ...!!

 

Wackys rule!

 

--- Dave

[garthgantu]

Dang - can't see the other Wacky Packages sticker... but I still have some of these from buying them 30 years ago...

*There's a guy at WonderCon (and likely many other shows) who has all sorts of stuff like Wacky Packs... he even has unopened boxes and uncut sheets of 'em

 

I agree, inconsitency and or 'softening' of their grading standards is a serious issue for CGC... it doesn't take much to undermine the credibility of a company like this... if you see one FF 48 graded recently that has a 9.4 but looks like a 9.0, are you likely to buy another 9.4 via eBay? No. You're going to insist on seeing the book in person to make sure it's one of the "better" 9.4s floating around. Well, how is that different from buying a book raw? Okay, a resto check that's generally accurate and trustworthy... but is that worth paying an extra $1,000 for ?

[supapimp]

I agree with Murph... things seem to have loosened up somewhat, even in the BA category.

 

Check out the color-breaking creases around the lower staple on that Subby 51 - what's with that?

 

BTW, Paul - love the Wacky Packages avatar ...!!

 

CGC trying to cash in on RESUB'n on red and blue labels? maybe it's time to resub some of my old skool labels for possible higher grade after i clean and press them first.

[Paul_Maul]

Dang - can't see the other Wacky Packages sticker...

 

Hmmm....it shows up for me, I wonder why that would be? Anyway, you can see them all at:

 

http://www.wackypackages.org

 

[sfilosa]

in general, I feel the old label is now stricter.

 

Brian

 

I was think about posting this topic myself. There is no question in my mind that CGC current grading seems a touch looser. That's not to say it's a bad thing, but it does make you want to examine the OLDER LABEL BOOKS a little bit closer, as it's possible many of them would grade an increment higher now.

 

Here's a perfect example. Look at how many light, but noticable spine stress lines there are:

 

ASM #74

[Mushroom]

Old labels definitely for SA books.

[Paul_Maul]

Holy [!@#%^&^], that's really alarming. If that's a 9.4, my Hulk 181 is a 9.6 for sure. When I bought it raw, I was estimating it at 9.2 or 9.4 on a lucky day. It is much nicer than this Spidey.

[Rip]

NO question old label stricker!

(OK maybe no question..but I do see more questionable 9.2-9.8's out there)

[AlexH]

in general, I feel the old label is now stricter.

 

Brian

 

I was think about posting this topic myself. There is no question in my mind that CGC current grading seems a touch looser. That's not to say it's a bad thing, but it does make you want to examine the OLDER LABEL BOOKS a little bit closer, as it's possible many of them would grade an increment higher now.

 

Here's a perfect example. Look at how many light, but noticable spine stress lines there are:

 

ASM #74

 

Cough, cough, 8.5, cough, cough.

[Red Hook]

I definitely think the older labels for SA are more attractive....as the resubs would have the newer labels. I mentioned this in one of my endless posts on p...ppr......you know.

 

Red

[nearmint]

So will we start seeing premiums paid for books with old labels in the near future?

[sfilosa]

The bad part is that I am getting use to the NEW LABELS LOOK, and really like it. The shade of blue is cooler (pun intended) and the big numbers are also nice. And I finally convert my database of comics to only numeric grades (i.e. no letters).

 

Aw darn, do I:

 

buy the book, buy the label, buy the book, buy the label......

[supapimp]

So will we start seeing premiums paid for books with old labels in the near future?

 

no, i think the old skool labels in 9.0-9.6 will be resub'd for a higher grade.

[uclapeterg]

Old, definitely.

[Timely]

I was talking to a national dealer last month who thought the older books were looser and the newer ones were tighter! Maybe it depends on what type of books you are looking at and the defects you do not like to see.

 

Timely

[Red Hook]

I thought the newer ones were always tighter.........

[sfilosa]

I thought the newer ones were always tighter.........

 

Did you look at the scan of the ASM #74 in my prior post?

 

I don't believe that every New Label is graded looser than an Old Label, but as I have stated many times before, there is no way I see CGC intentionally deciding to grade STRICTER.

 

It would in fact INVALIDATE all the books they had graded before that.

 

Think of it this way:

 

What would happen if CGC decided (based on collectors opinions), to start downgrading for manufacturing defects? Once again, it would INVALIDATE the 400,000 books already graded. Of course some books would grade out the same, but many would grade lower. I just don't see that happening.