Dealer Grading

[ultimatevenom]

I am looking to buy some sweet, sweet raw DCs but i want to know which dealer has the best raw grading

 

So what do you all think?

[FFB]

I am looking to buy some sweet, sweet raw DCs but i want to know which dealer has the best raw grading

 

So what do you all think?

 

Metropolis and Bob Storms are excellent graders. Silveracre (UK) isn't bad either. I love Doug Sulipa too.

 

I have not bought anything from Ted Van Lieuw but have heard good things.

[ultimatevenom]

I am looking to buy some sweet, sweet raw DCs but i want to know which dealer has the best raw grading

 

So what do you all think?

 

Metropolis and Bob Storms are excellent graders. Silveracre (UK) isn't bad either.

 

Bob Storms=HighGradeComics?

[Aces]

Bob Storms=HighGradeComics?

 

Yes.

[ultimatevenom]

Bob Storms=HighGradeComics?

 

Yes.

 

That is great he has some books i was looking at

[Red Hook]

Look no more.

[goldust40]

[tth2]

I've been pretty pleased with the grading of Metropolis and Pacific Comics Exchange.

[Foolkiller]

I've said it before, I'll say it again: Bob Storms is the best raw grader (of the major/2nd tier dealers) there is. Period. I do not feel the need to even look at the book first. I'm sure he's made mistakes on the grading... but they seem to be few and far between. Of the books I've subbed that have come from Bob, they've always been right on with what I would have guessed and occassionally slightly higher.

 

As for other raw graders --

 

I think Zen Comics is pretty much as tight with grading as Bob... although the guy I know from Zen relocated to Maine, and mostly does East Coast shows... just saw him again in NYC.

 

Metro isn't bad either... but sometimes the grading can be hit or miss.

[Mr. Zipper]

I have not bought anything from Ted Van Lieuw but have heard good things.

 

I have bought a lot from Ted (Superworld). Great guy and friendly service, but if you're a strict grader, knock off .5 from his grade to be on the safe side. His grading is very close and often dead on, but I have gotten a few overgraded by .5 IMO. His Bronze NMs are usually within .2

[Fan4Fan]

I have not bought anything from Ted Van Lieuw but have heard good things.

 

I have bought a lot from Ted (Superworld). Great guy and friendly service, but if you're a strict grader, knock off .5 from his grade to be on the safe side. His grading is very close and often dead on, but I have gotten a few overgraded by .5 IMO. His Bronze NMs are usually within .2

 

I bought 5 Bronze VF/NM and NM from SuperWorld and all were off by at least .5. One was off by at least 1.0. He did accept the returns and pay postage both ways.

 

Thanks,

Fan4Fan

[Foolkiller]

Ted VanLiew is a super, super nice guy. I've bought a number of books from him in the past, but you do have to watch the overgrades. Generally, I try to buy from him in person at the shows. It's not that he doesn't know how to grade, but he's more forgiving on certain aspects of books than I would be.

 

You can get some very high grade books, but you've got to look them over carefully... the one nice thing is that he's very, very honest. He will always take returns and is a professional. I continue to buy from Ted on that basis. I try and support the guys in the hobby who I think are good people and are going to treat me fairly.

 

Also, when Ted does have CGC books, I think he's pretty fair with them too.

[Shield]

Jim Payette is the best grader by far for a major dealer.

 

Four Color Comics = Nice people, sometimes overgrade, sometimes under.

Comic Link = Very prompt service and accurate grading.

Superworld Comics = Very nice guy to talk to, does overgrade 1/2 to a full grade on midgrade and lower books

Metropolis - Hit and miss grading, lousy attitude, I no longer buy from them.

Motor City Comics - Usually pretty accurate, sometimes slightly overgrade.

Richie Muchin aka "Tomorrow's Treasures" - Avoid like the plague...restores some of his own books and does NOT disclose restoration. $1000 lesson early on for me.

 

Other people I highly respect that sell comics - Tracey Heft

[Foolkiller]

Richie Muchin is a scam artist... we could haul up a litany of testimonials about how this guy is simply a con man. Learned my lesson early on as well -- Stay away from this guy.

[Rocketeer]

Ditto....

[Mr. Zipper]

Richie Muchin aka "Tomorrow's Treasures" - Avoid like the plague...restores some of his own books and does NOT disclose restoration. $1000 lesson early on for me.

 

Same here. In the early 90s when I was right out of college, started to work and had the money to start buying more expensive books, I got burned by the greasy-haired, slumped-shoulders Muchin.

 

I bought a Sgt. Fury 1 and Hulk 6 from Muchin that years later I discovered were restored. I recently sent the Hulk 6 to Matt Nelson to correct the amatuer (and unreversible) color touch and tear seal that Muchin did. (The glue he used to seal the tear stated to turn brown. )

 

Well, it came back from Matt Nelson beautiful and about 2 grades higher with a slight amount of pro restoration!

[mrwoogieman]

Richie Muchin is a scam artist... we could haul up a litany of testimonials about how this guy is simply a con man. Learned my lesson early on as well -- Stay away from this guy.

 

Hey, that's one of my customers you're talking about there!

 

He was high bidder on a Batman 47 (first Batman origin story!) centerfold missing auction I had up on ebay about two years ago.

 

Wonder if someone else bought a low grade Batman 47 franken-book from him with a (non-disclosed?) married centerfold?

[Mr. Zipper]

Richie Muchin is a scam artist... we could haul up a litany of testimonials about how this guy is simply a con man. Learned my lesson early on as well -- Stay away from this guy.

 

Hey, that's one of my customers you're talking about there!

 

He was high bidder on a Batman 47 (first Batman origin story!) centerfold missing auction I had up on ebay about two years ago.

 

Wonder if someone else bought a low grade Batman 47 franken-book from him with a (non-disclosed?) married centerfold?

 

More likely, just a non-disclosed MISSING centerfold.

[fantastic_four]

I bought a Sgt. Fury 1 and Hulk 6 from Muchin that years later I discovered were restored. I recently sent the Hulk 6 to Matt Nelson to correct the amatuer (and unreversible) color touch and tear seal that Muchin did. (The glue he used to seal the tear stated to turn brown. )

 

How do you know he's the one doing it?

 

He frequently comes to the Tyson's Corner, Virginia show near me, and I've wondered for years whether he was worth trying out...something about his loudmouth personality told me to stay away. That personality has TOTALLY turned my girlfriend and her sister off towards him, not that they're his target customers to begin with.

[Mr. Zipper]

How do you know he's the one doing it?

 

He frequently comes to the Tyson's Corner, Virginia show near me, and I've wondered for years whether he was worth trying out...something about his loudmouth personality told me to stay away. That personality has TOTALLY turned my girlfriend and her sister off towards him, not that they're his target customers to begin with.

 

3 of the 4 books I bought from him had some undisclosed resto, and after hearing all the horror stories from other collectors, I can only conclude that he is doing it or he buys a VERY high percentage of restored books to resell.

 

Either way, he does not disclose and he's a rude [!@#%^&^] on top of it all.