Sentimental books: to slab or not to slab...

[Underground44]

100% sentimental, and I had it slabbed to protect it.

My kids can sell it when I die.

 

 

 

Way cool.

 

Mind telling the story behind it?

 

One of my biggest heroes when I was a kid was Evel Knievel. He was such a badass and fearless. Everything that a young kid would find fascinating. I had anything and everything that had his picture on it. Toys, shirts, lunchbox, posters, magazines, bicycle, you name it.

 

The local game and vending machine company was owned by the father of one of dad's coworkers. The guy was like my grandfather and would always let me have an older model pinball machine that I would keep in my bedroom. I had several different ones through my childhood. He knew I was a freak for Evel and shows up at my house one day with an Evel Knievel pinball and unloads it off the truck and asks if I'd like to trade my old one for it. I nearly fainted.

 

Anyway, fast forward to the summer of 2004. I was living in the middle of Oklahoma and had been a member of these boards for a little over a year. Through complete chance I heard that Evel was making an appearance at an auto dealer in Tulsa, which was about an hour away from me. When I found out about it I had a little over a week to come up with something for him to sign.

 

I created this thread to try to come up with a copy of the comic. Beaumonts pops up immediately with a copy and offers to give it to me if I get his second copy signed for him. I was like

 

So I get the books in the mail and go meet him. The crowd that showed up was incredible so they limited the signatures to two per person. When you made it to the tent he was in, you handed what you wanted signed to a lady and she gave it to Evel. There was no conversation or interaction with anyone, it was like you watched him sign your stuff and they handed it to you and hurried you out.

 

When he signed my stuff, not being able to keep my mouth shut, I said "Mr Knievel, I just want to thank you for all the wonderful memories you gave me in my childhood."

Evel looked up at me and despite having to get around on a walker, scoots his chair out, stands up and reaches over to shake my hand. He said "No sir, thank you for your support. You're exactly why I did all that crazy mess." A very good and humbling experience for me.

 

So I sent the book off and had it slabbed. I seriously doubt I'll ever own a comic as much as I love this one and Beaumonts is my hero.

 

 

That's what it's all about.... And you scored a nice looking 9.2 at short notice too. Great story (thumbs u

[Jeffro.]

I think submitting and slabbing your own books is much more satisfying that buying books already encased too for some weird reason.

 

I'd definitely Slab 'em. I've done the same with books that I have an attachment to that I will never sell and aren't worth much. I love looking at them all the time in the slab and I can do it without being super careful when I handle them (thumbs u

 

I'm not too fond of the way the plastic can make the cover colors seem kinda washed out. Looks much nice in a mylar.

 

I'd also be more careful with handling even in slabs. Comics have been known to move around inside of the slab.

[troydivision1]

I have a new design for books I want to keep, but can't be signed (I collect SS) or I may want to read them / be taken back to the time I first bought and read them.

 

To keep it cohesive across all ages I went with the biggest design...

I use Golden Age mylars, a trimmed magazine backboard (for a perfect fit) and then place that into a magazine-sized top loader.

[AndyBoBo]

I have a new design for books I want to keep, but can't be signed (I collect SS) or I may want to read them / be taken back to the time I first bought and read them.

 

To keep it cohesive across all ages I went with the biggest design...

I use Golden Age mylars, a trimmed magazine backboard (for a perfect fit) and then place that into a magazine-sized top loader.

 

I like this! I've been playing with what size works best for all and have narrowed it down to the one I like; now just to invest in a boatload of them!

 

I think if the books are 9.6/9.8, I would grade them - but that is my preference. I am in the process of setting threshold levels for grading (e.g., 9.0+ for my early X-Men run; 8.0+ for early ASM/FFs, 9.8s for all moderns, and so on).

 

I have 1 book that will never be parted with and it is currently in the process of getting graded - I find it is easier to frame and take care of slabbed. This is the same reason I get my sketch covers graded. Can't wait to have the time to make some custom frames!

[Underground44]

I have a new design for books I want to keep, but can't be signed (I collect SS) or I may want to read them / be taken back to the time I first bought and read them.

 

To keep it cohesive across all ages I went with the biggest design...

I use Golden Age mylars, a trimmed magazine backboard (for a perfect fit) and then place that into a magazine-sized top loader.

 

I like this! I've been playing with what size works best for all and have narrowed it down to the one I like; now just to invest in a boatload of them!

 

I think if the books are 9.6/9.8, I would grade them - but that is my preference. I am in the process of setting threshold levels for grading (e.g., 9.0+ for my early X-Men run; 8.0+ for early ASM/FFs, 9.8s for all moderns, and so on).

 

I have 1 book that will never be parted with and it is currently in the process of getting graded - I find it is easier to frame and take care of slabbed. This is the same reason I get my sketch covers graded. Can't wait to have the time to make some custom frames!

 

Can I pry and ask which book it is?