Blank Variant Covers - Graded or Raw?

[A-DONIS]

If you're going to conventions anyway to get these sketches, and need a CGC witness to certify and authenticate, then are laying down $50 to grade a commission you paid between $0 Free to $300 for, that eats into your acquisition cost.

 

 

 

 

where the hell did you get that from?

[Greedo]

If you're going to conventions anyway to get these sketches, and need a CGC witness to certify and authenticate, then are laying down $50 to grade a commission you paid between $0 Free to $300 for, that eats into your acquisition cost.

 

 

 

 

where the hell did you get that from?

 

My last sketch cover (Sketch + an additional sig) cost $60 in CGC fees and shipping. No fast track either.

 

From now on if am not getting a few things CGCed I am going to skip it altogether.

[AKA Rick]

Greedo... Thanks for the HEAVEN SENT confirmation and validation of the costs involved that you endured...

 

If you're going to conventions anyway to get these sketches, and need a CGC witness to certify and authenticate, then are laying down $50 to grade a commission you paid between $0 Free to $300 for, that eats into your acquisition cost.

 

 

 

 

where the hell did you get that from?

 

My last sketch cover (Sketch + an additional sig) cost $60 in CGC fees and shipping. No fast track either.

 

From now on if am not getting a few things CGCed I am going to skip it altogether.

[A-DONIS]

Greedo... Thanks for the HEAVEN SENT confirmation and validation of the costs involved that you endured...

 

If you're going to conventions anyway to get these sketches, and need a CGC witness to certify and authenticate, then are laying down $50 to grade a commission you paid between $0 Free to $300 for, that eats into your acquisition cost.

 

 

 

 

where the hell did you get that from?

 

My last sketch cover (Sketch + an additional sig) cost $60 in CGC fees and shipping. No fast track either.

 

From now on if am not getting a few things CGCed I am going to skip it altogether.

 

It all depends on how you do things, and what services you use for return shipping. The main SS Fee is $28, plus return shipping.

 

As most of you may or may not know, 100% of my sketch opps are all inclusive

[devilsrain]

Slabbing sketch covers is probably best suited for investors and speculators, since if you're a fan or collector, the cost of slabbing adds a lot to the overall acquisiton cost, sometimes exceeding the cost of the actual sketch, so you have to ask yourself, would I rather entomb a sketch in plastic where the greater part of the collecting community doesn't care about the grade (placing higher value to the actual artist and the rendering), or would I rather use that money to secure another sketch cover (unslabbed) to my collection.

 

The blank sketch cover comic book is $5

The sketches are generally $20-40 for most mainstream, but not superstar artists

The grading service fee is I'm guessing about $50 including shipping, etc.

 

What CGC grading essentialy does for sketch covers is provides a cute professional looking cool frame for the artwork with a little name plate saying what it is. It's a nice way to show and store that format of art, but again, the nature of what the process is, of an artist handling the comic and not putting the dainty kids gloves on to ensure it's in mint condition, but really just manhandling it and going to town drawing a beautiful piece, that's what original art is all about, flaws and all.

 

So, again, I think for the greater part of the original art community, nobody really cares about slabbed and graded sketch covers... sure it's nice to have a 9.8 or 9.6, but at the end of the day, I doubt if faced with either a mediocre grade or a mediocre rendering (or artist), the importance of a grade is the first to be thrown out the door.

 

Save your money and get more art!

 

 

 

 

 

Thats an interesting take on graded sketches. I can see what you are saying though, for a 20-40 dollar commission its not worth it. Although , lately it seems commissions are getting up there. I started collecting 2 yrs ago. Commissions were averaging around 50-75. These days its like they're 200 on average.

 

Personally, I always placed the importance on the fact that its being authenticated. Ohhh I know I know, all the art experts out there can spot a forgery. Yea right. Not a good one

 

Given enough time (in reality its only been a few years) I think a piece of art that has been authenticated will have much more value than raw.

 

I suppose the flip side is that the sketch cover craze could possibly reach a tipping point and just fade out. Like the beanie babies

 

 

[spideyfan88]

sure skethcovers could fade out but good art doesn't. If the book is beautiful it really doesn't matter if its 11 by 17 or not. Some artists do commissions on 8 by 11 and even smaller, which isn't that much of a difference from a sketchcover anyway. I really don't see why some divide sketchcovers from other OA. In my mind, like Brian said, the fact its authenticated kinda helps at least for me If I'm going to pay more than 250$ for a commission.