Why do people deslab CGC graded books?

[JonesieD13]

I tried searching and couldn't find anything on this so I apologize if it's been asked before.

 

Over the past few months I've seen a number of comics in the sales forums that have been deslabbed after being graded by CGC and I was wondering what the purpose of it is? I can understand someone deslabbing a CGC book if they want to press it or (or restore it if it's lower grade) and resubmit for a higher grade but it seems like quite a few people deslab the comic and then sell it raw, sometimes with the label.

 

Are people just taking it out of the slab to read it? With all the reader copies and digital files out there it doesn't make sense to me to break it out of a slab just to read it. Are there any other reasons why a seller would take it out of the CGC slab?

 

Any opinions are appreciated, please educate me. I can't see ever doing it myself after going to the trouble of having a book graded by CGC so I was wondering what other reasons you guys would have for taking a comic out after having it graded.

 

 

[Dr. Balls]

This will be interesting - I've never fully understood the reasoning why either, although there are lots of members who crack slabs...

 

[thehumantorch]

I tried searching and couldn't find anything on this so I apologize if it's been asked before.

 

Over the past few months I've seen a number of comics in the sales forums that have been deslabbed after being graded by CGC and I was wondering what the purpose of it is? I can understand someone deslabbing a CGC book if they want to press it or (or restore it if it's lower grade) and resubmit for a higher grade but it seems like quite a few people deslab the comic and then sell it raw, sometimes with the label.

 

Are people just taking it out of the slab to read it? With all the reader copies and digital files out there it doesn't make sense to me to break it out of a slab just to read it. Are there any other reasons why a seller would take it out of the CGC slab?

 

Any opinions are appreciated, please educate me. I can't see ever doing it myself after going to the trouble of having a book graded by CGC so I was wondering what other reasons you guys would have for taking a comic out after having it graded.

 

 

To read it, to look at the pretty pictures. To return a comic to it's proper form.

[Flaming_Telepath]

To many, the slab is simply a method of transportation and a 'guarantee' of sorts. It's actually the book that's important to them and the slab detracts from said book.

 

There are also practical reasons...long-term, the slab isn't the best storage option. It's also weighty and takes up a hell of a lot of storage space.

[Monster's Lair Comics]

Because there is nothing like reading an old comic. There is a feel, a smell, and an overall enjoyment of actually holding and going through your new gem. The story, the artwork, the ads. Unless it's a book in the 9.-'s, I can't see why a simple read or flip through would drop the grade. If it's for a permanent collection, I don't have a problem with it.

[VintageComics]

I tried searching and couldn't find anything on this so I apologize if it's been asked before.

 

Over the past few months I've seen a number of comics in the sales forums that have been deslabbed after being graded by CGC and I was wondering what the purpose of it is? I can understand someone deslabbing a CGC book if they want to press it or (or restore it if it's lower grade) and resubmit for a higher grade but it seems like quite a few people deslab the comic and then sell it raw, sometimes with the label.

 

Are people just taking it out of the slab to read it? With all the reader copies and digital files out there it doesn't make sense to me to break it out of a slab just to read it. Are there any other reasons why a seller would take it out of the CGC slab?

 

Any opinions are appreciated, please educate me. I can't see ever doing it myself after going to the trouble of having a book graded by CGC so I was wondering what other reasons you guys would have for taking a comic out after having it graded.

 

 

I'll answer your question with a question: Why do you collect comics?

 

 

Some people prefer original comics over reprints (me)

Some people prefer handling high grade comics over low grade readers whenever possible (me)

Some people like the smell of the paper as opposed to the smell of a computer (me)

Some people like the analog real thing over a digital reprint (me)

 

Stuff like that.

 

 

[comicdonna]

Smell, hold, read ect...

[Silver Surfer]

To enjoy the book(s) mainly and for me it actually keeps me from selling them off quickly if I get the urge to buy another book I really want. Sounds weird but its true especially since the urge to buy other cool books will always be there. Having owned hundreds of slabbed books it really became boring for me just having them sit there unable to read and feel vintage books with white pages. This is especially the case with a lot of GA books where reprints are just not available and its just not the same. Nothing like handling a cool high grade book first hand.

 

 

[Flaming_Telepath]

And I'll add that to many - and I'm one of them - a book looks so much better in mylar than in the slab. Certainly colours and gloss are much more vital and mylars don't scratch and show wear as easily as a slab.

[DiceX]

I cracked one today.

 

 

[Silver Surfer]

And I'll add that to many - and I'm one of them - a book looks so much better in mylar than in the slab. Certainly colours and gloss are much more vital and mylars don't scratch and show wear as easily as a slab.

 

Great point, I forgot to mention this. Also, 200-300 books in mylars takes up a lot less space than if they were in slabbs!

[Speedy-D]

I think slabbed comics are silly. As FT says above, at best it's useful to me as a guarantee (or close to one) that the comic's not been restored, and that there are no hidden surprises.

 

But I have no desire to keep it in there. The cases are big and unwieldy, and using them means that some of my comics need to be stored separately from others. Why would I want a few of my Flash comics to be apart from the others?

 

Exceptions are made for more expensive comics (so far, just my Flash 105). I'll keep them graded so they'll be easier to sell if I ever need to.

[maloney414]

I sometimes find slabbed books cheaper than raw.

 

So if it's cheaper or the same price, why not buy the slab and crack it out?

 

[lizards2]

I tried searching and couldn't find anything on this so I apologize if it's been asked before.

 

Over the past few months I've seen a number of comics in the sales forums that have been deslabbed after being graded by CGC and I was wondering what the purpose of it is? I can understand someone deslabbing a CGC book if they want to press it or (or restore it if it's lower grade) and resubmit for a higher grade but it seems like quite a few people deslab the comic and then sell it raw, sometimes with the label.

 

Are people just taking it out of the slab to read it? With all the reader copies and digital files out there it doesn't make sense to me to break it out of a slab just to read it. Are there any other reasons why a seller would take it out of the CGC slab?

 

Any opinions are appreciated, please educate me. I can't see ever doing it myself after going to the trouble of having a book graded by CGC so I was wondering what other reasons you guys would have for taking a comic out after having it graded.

 

 

I'll answer your question with a question: Why do you collect comics?

 

 

Some people prefer original comics over reprints (me)

Some people prefer handling high grade comics over low grade readers whenever possible (me)

Some people like the smell of the paper as opposed to the smell of a computer (me)

Some people like the analog real thing over a digital reprint (me)

 

Stuff like that.

 

 

Because I like doin' stuff like that.

 

Plus everything Roy said.

 

Plus there is the storage thing - I've been collecting for 40+ years, so the vast majority of my collection is raw. I usually buy CGC to get the last few books in the run, so of course, those get cracked out and integrated with the main collection.

 

And oftentimes, you can get CGC books cheaper at auction than raw ones, so it's not like you're killing the value anyway.

[HighRadArt]

Most of my collection is raw and if I see a slabbed copy at a great price I'll buy it for the collection. When I get it in, the OCD kicks in and crack - free from its enslavement to rest right at home with its sibblings.

[VintageComics]

The only thing I would stress, is to try and keep the census accurate so that if you are going to remove a book from the holder, either keep the label with the book at all times (in the back of the mylar) or return the label to CGC to have them update their census and remove the book from the census.

[lotemo]

I don't have a lot of slabs but my most prized slabbed books are GA. I've cracked all but a few. On some, the inner holder had a weird bluish tint that totally detracted from the appearance of the book.

 

They look so much better in mylar anyway and I don't plan to sell them.

 

So in answer to the question, I've bought graded but I crack them open to enjoy looking at and reading the books.

[Silent Master]

I tried searching and couldn't find anything on this so I apologize if it's been asked before.

 

Over the past few months I've seen a number of comics in the sales forums that have been deslabbed after being graded by CGC and I was wondering what the purpose of it is? I can understand someone deslabbing a CGC book if they want to press it or (or restore it if it's lower grade) and resubmit for a higher grade but it seems like quite a few people deslab the comic and then sell it raw, sometimes with the label.

 

Are people just taking it out of the slab to read it? With all the reader copies and digital files out there it doesn't make sense to me to break it out of a slab just to read it. Are there any other reasons why a seller would take it out of the CGC slab?

 

Any opinions are appreciated, please educate me. I can't see ever doing it myself after going to the trouble of having a book graded by CGC so I was wondering what other reasons you guys would have for taking a comic out after having it graded.

 

 

To read it, to look at the pretty pictures. To return a comic to it's proper form.

 

 

WHOA!!!!! You can "read" them!!

[catrick339]

What they all said.

 

That's one of the crazier reactions that was out there when CGC started, that once they're slabbed you can't READ them.

 

Well, of course you can read a slabbed book, just unslab it.

 

That's what I do with pretty near all the slabbed books I get. Somewhere I have pix of me unslabbing my Showcase 4 and passing it around to all my friends to read at a Chicago show a few years back...beers and snacks all around, me with an adult beverage close at hand, wielding the screwdriver to crack the slab and the scissors to open the inner well with style and aplomb, even after a few brewskis,

 

Nice restored 6.0 too.

 

The whole thing about comics, in their original state, was the STORIES. The art, the -script, hell, even the ads and the letters pages are all part of the package.

 

Reading a reprint is fine, I have shelves full of reprints in various forms, but the pamphlet still gives me the best of all possible worlds.

 

By all means, if you want to collect slabs and enjoy the cover (through two layers of plastic) and nothing else, feel free, and my best to you. There's room for all sorts of collecting in this hobby.

 

But me? I'll continue to crack mine open and devour the whole package.

 

 

[lizards2]

The only thing I would stress, is to try and keep the census accurate so that if you are going to remove a book from the holder, either keep the label with the book at all times (in the back of the mylar) or return the label to CGC to have them update their census and remove the book from the census.

You can also maintain the census by selling the label with an undercopy, and keeping the deslabbed book.