Please help grade my Comic Cavalcade #3

[samurai007]

Hi all... I think I've finally found a way to post larger pictures... I cut down on the dpi of the initial scan. This should be much larger and clearer than the Batman 200 I posted before... hopefully good enough to judge.

 

This is the comic in my collection I have paid the most money for ever for a single book. It has beautiful bright colors, high cover gloss, and nice eye appeal. The tiny chips you see on the edges are flakes of color off the front cover, not pieces torn out of the cover. The most significant damages are the creases on the upper right corner and the piece of tape on the bottom left corner.

 

[NewtSamson]

I'll give it a 6.0 to a 6.5 without seeing the back cover...however the tape in the lower left corner troubles me.

[Aces]

I'm not liking that tape and would call it VGF 5.0.

But CGC is soft on GA so they may go F 6.0.

[143ksk]

Nice book!

 

I would call it a VG+ 4.5 based on the creases and the tape (and the spine split I assume is under the tape).

[NewtSamson]

Nice book!

 

I would call it a VG+ 4.5 based on the creases and the tape (and the spine split I assume is under the tape).

yea I wanna see the back of this comic before I set my grade in stone. The more and more I stare at this tape the more and more I feel like downgrading.

[Warlord]

Nice book!

 

I would call it a VG+ 4.5 based on the creases and the tape (and the spine split I assume is under the tape).

 

Yeah, something like that. Not sure about the tape impact on CGC grading though. Perhaps only a 4?

[samurai007]

Nice book!

 

I would call it a VG+ 4.5 based on the creases and the tape (and the spine split I assume is under the tape).

There is a spine split under the tape, but it only goes up about 2/3 of the length of the tape. You can see it in the picture... it stops about even with the white wave. I wonder if having the tape removed would help or hurt the value of this book (or would it just break even?)...

 

Here is the back cover. There is 1 crease on the back upper left corner. The red ink on the back is slightly smudged (a printing error, it seems, as there is still full cover gloss and no signs of water damage.) There is a little bit of dirt, but not much... it is really pretty white and nice.

 

[NewtSamson]

With this new info I'm gonna go with a 4.5 to 5.0 grade. The 2/3 spine spilt is the major problem with this book. Be careful if you decide to get the tape removed. I learned the hard way when i was a teenager that tape that's been on a comic for decades will take off some of the book with it if you remove it.The back cover is a nice white but as you said there is dirt and a few smudges. It's still a nice book.

[Aces]

 

Gee!

Don't mention a 2/3rds spine split!?

 

My new grade:

3.0 but CGC will give a 3.5 probably.

[samurai007]

 

Gee!

Don't mention a 2/3rds spine split!?

 

My new grade:

3.0 but CGC will give a 3.5 probably.

 

I did NOT say "2/3 the length of the book", I said "2/3 the length of the TAPE" You can see the spine split in the picture... it's less than 1/2 inch long!

[Aces]

 

Gee!

Don't mention a 2/3rds spine split!?

 

My new grade:

3.0 but CGC will give a 3.5 probably.

 

I did NOT say "2/3 the length of the book", I said "2/3 the length of the TAPE" You can see the spine split in the picture... it's less than 1/2 inch long!

 

 

I read:

The 2/3 spine spilt is the major problem with this book.

from NewtSamson post.

[kryptonitecomics]

The tape is certainly the problem as I don't think the book can grade higher than a VG 4.0 with it.

 

Without the tape I would grade the book a 5.5 so if you could have the tape professionally removed it would net the book a better grade in my opinion.

 

It's still a stunner no mater what and I can see why you shelled out the dough for it

[samurai007]

 

Gee!

Don't mention a 2/3rds spine split!?

 

My new grade:

3.0 but CGC will give a 3.5 probably.

 

I did NOT say "2/3 the length of the book", I said "2/3 the length of the TAPE" You can see the spine split in the picture... it's less than 1/2 inch long!

 

 

I read:

The 2/3 spine spilt is the major problem with this book.

from NewtSamson post.

 

Yes, he misunderstood as well, but I could only quote one of you. The spine split is visible in the 1st picture, it's pretty small (about the length of the black part of the sea on the lower left corner), and its existence should be easily deduced... no one purposely puts tape on a book without a tear (and the neat, precise nature of the tape should show that it was deliberately placed there by someone, not an accident.)

 

Personally, I prefer just having the small tear there rather than the tape, but removing it would mean its been "restored", and may be fairly expensive to have it done right... I don't know if it's worth it. At the moment, I'm leaning toward leaving it as it is, but what would you guys do if you owned the book?

[samurai007]

 

It's still a stunner no mater what and I can see why you shelled out the dough for it

 

I paid a little over $300 for it. Current Overstreet says VG on this book is $332, and Fine is $498. I think I personally would call it a VG+, close to $400. I wonder what the CGC census says about the book... what's the highest graded copy? How many copies have been graded?

[Zanarkand]

The presence or absence of the tape shouldn't make any difference. A book with minor tape repair and/or a 1/2"-3/4" spine split can't be higher than 4.5.

[samurai007]

 

Without the tape I would grade the book a 5.5 so if you could have the tape professionally removed it would net the book a better grade in my opinion.

 

It might net a better grade (and might not), but it definitely would become a purple label... do you think there would be enough increase in value (if any) to cover the restoration cost? I'm actually afraid a 5.5 Mild Restoration would net LESS money than a lower grade blue label... Not that I plan to sell the book right now, anyway... but once the restoration is done, that's it... (unless I put a new piece of tape over the same area to return it to an unrestored state, !)

[kryptonitecomics]

 

Without the tape I would grade the book a 5.5 so if you could have the tape professionally removed it would net the book a better grade in my opinion.

 

It might net a better grade (and might not), but it definitely would become a purple label... do you think there would be enough increase in value (if any) to cover the restoration cost? I'm actually afraid a 5.5 Mild Restoration would net LESS money than a lower grade blue label... Not that I plan to sell the book right now, anyway... but once the restoration is done, that's it... (unless I put a new piece of tape over the same area to return it to an unrestored state, !)

 

Yes I agree that it would be cost prohibitive to have it restored in any way. If having the tape removed would net you a purple, then I would not due it. If having it removed would net you a blue label 5.0 or higher, then it may be worth the cost, but I doubt it. I am just concerned with the long term damage of having the tap on the book Vs having the tape removed and the spine split possible getting worse...........tough call!

[Arty]

That tape should definitely be removed. It will just get worse and damage underneath paper over time.

Luckily tape isn't badly darkened and hopefully tape residue isn't soaked into paper.

 

It's unlikely it will be considered restored but it might get a notation about removed tape like these books. Link1 Link2

 

Tape removal is very easy job for any competent restorer and shouldn't cost much.

[samurai007]

That tape should definitely be removed. It will just get worse and damage underneath paper over time.

Luckily tape isn't badly darkened and hopefully tape residue isn't soaked into paper.

 

It's unlikely it will be considered restored but it might get a notation about removed tape like these books. Link1 Link2

 

Tape removal is very easy job for any competent restorer and shouldn't cost much.

 

 

Hmmm, both of those are from pedigree collections though. Would a non-pedigree book still receive a blue label? I thought tape removal was generally considered "restoration"? Is there an official CGC position on it?

[samurai007]

Interesting... I just looked up this book in the CGC census. Only 4 issues have been graded, 3 of them restored. The only non-restored copy is a Good + 2.5. The 3 restored copies are Apparent 7.0, 6.5, and 2.5. That means, as is, this would be the "best known non-restored" copy, but if it were to get the purple label, it'd be only the 3rd best restored copy (most likely...)