Acceptable/Desired grades for each comic age.

[MrDeafComics]

Started collecting again last year after losing my last collection to Hurricane Charley. Currently I am rebuilding my collection with a serious focus this time around. I am on the hunt for a few books but wanted to get some opinions on comic gradings. When I find a better replacement for my current cgc, I want to be able to sell the current without issues.

 

My question is: What are acceptable or desired(demanded) minimum grades for each age? Besides Modern/copper which is basically 9.8 or btr.

 

Thanks to all in advance for your opinions, it will help me greatly in rebuilding my collection so that I can sell the replaced ones to fund some of their replacements! (thumbs u

 

Brian

[shadroch]

SA 8.0-9.0 sell at crazy discounts from the 9.2- and higher, and often present almost as well. Its a personal choice, though.

[dr_manhattan]

SA 8.0-9.0 sell at crazy discounts from the 9.2- and higher, and often present almost as well. Its a personal choice, though.

 

What do you think would be the most desired grade for collecting Bronze, pre-1976?

[MrDeafComics]

I just do not want to get stuck with a low grade cgc I can not get rid of when I find a better copy to replace it due to the market. This will help me when shopping around at cons and markets. This applies to older books.

[shadroch]

SA 8.0-9.0 sell at crazy discounts from the 9.2- and higher, and often present almost as well. Its a personal choice, though.

 

What do you think would be the most desired grade for collecting Bronze, pre-1976?

 

I don't deal in CGC books for the most part, nor do I deal with many grade chasers, so I'll say my books graded VF/NM sell the best. Others milage will vary greatly.

[Buzzetta]

I just do not want to get stuck with a low grade cgc I can not get rid of when I find a better copy to replace it due to the market. This will help me when shopping around at cons and markets. This applies to older books.

 

That depends...

While it goes without saying that mega keys will sell at any grade, even at lower CGC tiers, books like Hulk 181 and Batman 227 usually find new homes whenever they are offered.

 

For my Spider-man Collection it has to do with a few things:

 

1 - How much do I personally want to invest in the book?

2 - What type of deal am I getting on the book? For example, recently, I just scored a book on eBay. Someone had the BIN price of a 9.6 lower than what people were paying through auction on 9.4's and some BIN 9.2's. I had been figuring on getting a 9.4 and when I saw the 9.6 come around I grabbed it.

3 - I also try to set a price point on certain areas in a run of certain titles. For ASM's higher than issue 50 I have tried not to spend anything more than $125 on a single issue unless it is a good deal. An example was a copy of issue 65 in a 9.6 blue label that I picked up on eBay on auction for $370. I always loved the cover and felt the price was too good to pass up on a high grade.

4 - On AF15 I want presentability. I showed a picture of my 3.5 and it outshines some 4.5 and dare I say some 5's. My 1.8 is also a beaut of a copy.

5 - Other books I want high grade because I love the cover. I am satisfied with owning a copy of ASM 9 in a 6.5 however I had to get at least an 8.0 in issue 12.

 

The point is that there is no real rule of thumb. It is completely subjective (to people such as me in this case) that do NOT have unlimited funds. You have to pick and choose and pay for the book in a grade you feel comfortable with.

 

 

[chunkybutt]

Every person is different.

My personal preference in my X-Men run: Early issues 6.0 or better,

late silver issues 8.0 or better, bronze issues 9.2 or better copper modern 9.6 or better.

My Golden age books are all around 3.0 - 5.0

And my keys are whatever grade I can afford, as others have stated, keys will sell in any grade.

 

I plan on getting all my GA books slabbed, My X-Men run and then all my key issues from other series. The rest of my silver and bronze runs will remain raw, as I can't afford to slab everything.

[Rip]

In golden age it depends on the book. If its a rare or key book, ANY grade.

Coverless incomplete, doesn't matter.

 

Except maybe brittle pages, or heavy mold. That can really make people shy away.

[mintcollector]

This is a good overall question, but there really is no general answer. For instance, on all pre 1975 comic books, I will only collect 9.2 or higher. Bronze age keys in the 9.0 range sell very well, as do their 9.2 and 9.4 counterparts. I think it depends more on the book than the era. There are many boardies I know who would settle for a Hulk 181 in 9.0. This book was published in 1974. I would want a 9.2 or 9.4 of that book, but that is my opinion, and I can afford to buy it in that range. That being said, I got my Ghost Rider #1 in 9.2 for $275. That was a steal at that price.

[chrisco37]

SA 8.0-9.0 sell at crazy discounts from the 9.2- and higher, and often present almost as well. Its a personal choice, though.

 

This. If it's a non-key, even going up to 9.2 represents a pretty good value.

 

Although there really there is no better "bang for your buck" than a nice 8.5/9.0 book.

[Junkdrawer]

Each book is different, however you can search the CGC Census and learn about the drop off in population. Example is when a book may have 35 copies in 7.0 and then just 6 copies in 7.5 and small single digits in higher grades. I would want a 7.5 or higher and I expect to pay dearly perhaps double that of the 7.0. Ofcourse with moderns the drop off occurs at 9.9 with a small handful of them opposed to hundreds in 9.8, but beware as values will drop with each new 9.9 that surfaces

[jhutton2]

The grades you like to collect a usually a matter of personal choice for each age range.

 

From my experience, its best to stay away from any graded books that have a page designation of cream or Cream to Off White pages designation or worse when it comes to silver age books. I have found any book with cream pages is much tougher to resell and usually gets hit significantly by a lesser selling price unless it is a mega key.

 

Enjoy the collection rebuild.

[JesterSB]

For me, and I am somewhat OCD about these things, I like collecting CGC books in the following grades:

 

pre-1965 - 2.0

1965-1969 - 8.0

1970-1979 - 9.0

1980+ - 9.8

 

I may up the 9.0 category to 1984, since I doubt I'll be getting a TMNT #1 in 9.8 ever, and there are a couple other keys in the 1980-1984 range that are a $500+ in 9.8 (DD 168, ASM 238).

[littlebill]

the only thing i collect is cgc ss books or cgc ss sketches on blank covers.

 

i know with sketches it is about the art but i am never happy with a sketch if it doesnt at least get a 9.2. i have a couple great cover recreations that are 9.0 grade that i am not happy with each time i see them. i have a few sketches that i bought and paid for after seeing them before they were graded. they graded 8.5 and 9.0 and i was sick when i got the grades. i know a lot of people that are never happy with a sketch that grades less then a 9.8.

 

 

as far as my ss collection. i want 9.8 on moderns like everyone else. on silver or bronze age ss i want at least 9.2 grade with at least off white pages. i dont want anything with cream pages in my collection. i do have a few books that are lower grade that i had to settle for. they are books that were signed by legends who have now passed and i have basically had to settle for what i could get.

 

 

 

[InvstmntComcSuply]

Each book is different, however you can search the CGC Census and learn about the drop off in population. Example is when a book may have 35 copies in 7.0 and then just 6 copies in 7.5 and small single digits in higher grades. I would want a 7.5 or higher and I expect to pay dearly perhaps double that of the 7.0. Ofcourse with moderns the drop off occurs at 9.9 with a small handful of them opposed to hundreds in 9.8, but beware as values will drop with each new 9.9 that surfaces

+1

This is a decent method to judge the markets grade preference for highly traded books.

 

However, books that are not traded very often, will not have a representative census.

[Erndog]

At the end of the day, I'd rather have 10 key books at 7.0 than 1 key book at 9.4 or whatever.

 

Each book is different... Junkdrawer explains it well if all you're doing is looking for a value piece. All collectors are different though. To me, I just love comics and the books themselves and I'd much prefer to own all the keys in reasonable mid-grades than just a couple in high grades. Just my 2 cents.

[oakman29]

At the end of the day, I'd rather have 10 key books at 7.0 than 1 key book at 9.4 or whatever.

 

Each book is different... Junkdrawer explains it well if all you're doing is looking for a value piece. All collectors are different though. To me, I just love comics and the books themselves and I'd much prefer to own all the keys in reasonable mid-grades than just a couple in high grades. Just my 2 cents.

I love my high grades,but when it comes to collecting big keys that is the way to go.

[Phicks]

The real answer is to collect the best condition that your budget can afford. I collect Silver Age books in 8.5, and my economic tolerance is to buy a $200 comic once or twice a year. For some people, that probably sounds rich, but for others, an order of magnitude poorer than their budget.

 

I am looking for Fantastic Four 48-50, Spider-Man 50, Iron Man 1, and Silver Surfer 1 at the moment. These are all ~$500 in 8.5, and that's too rich for me. So for those key issues, I will probably settle for copies around 7.0 so that the price is more affordable. If I get richer one day, maybe I can upgrade to 8.5 versions, and sell off the 7.0 copies. I have certainly seen 8.5 books on sale on the boards here because their owners have upgraded to 9.2 copies.

 

So, it's all relative, and until you own Action #1 in 9.8, there's always a bigger fish.

[gaz2810i]

Started collecting again last year after losing my last collection to Hurricane Charley. Currently I am rebuilding my collection with a serious focus this time around. I am on the hunt for a few books but wanted to get some opinions on comic gradings. When I find a better replacement for my current cgc, I want to be able to sell the current without issues.

 

My question is: What are acceptable or desired(demanded) minimum grades for each age? Besides Modern/copper which is basically 9.8 or btr.

 

Thanks to all in advance for your opinions, it will help me greatly in rebuilding my collection so that I can sell the replaced ones to fund some of their replacements! (thumbs u

 

Brian

 

Reading between the lines of what everyones is saying, buy the book you want in the grade you can afford. Selling to upgrade will most likely not be an issue as there will always be someone in the same boat as your were in when you brought it originally to buy it of you now. It may be a harder sell and a longer process but you should get there.

[maloney414]

I just do not want to get stuck with a low grade cgc I can not get rid of when I find a better copy to replace it due to the market. This will help me when shopping around at cons and markets. This applies to older books.

 

Honestly, forget about trying to generalize the different ages.

 

The best thing you can do is research each book before buying and pay an accurate price. Not all SA are created equal you know?

 

You can check eBay completed listings from your phone at a con. If the book has a lot of auctions in red you know the current owners are "stuck" at their asking prices.