Is this restoration?

[isiTrue]

You said the seller listed this as VF/NM which is a 9.0. The edge and corner wear alone would knock this down to about a fine+ 6.5 IMO. Plus the creasing area in the center of the cover, which probably isn't restoration. I would consider returning as not as described if it is an option.

 

The plan was to purchase this copy, have any creases pressed out, and end up with a possible 9.2 blue label 30c variant for my collection. So much for that idea.

 

The book cost $13.50 with shipping included. The seller offered a $2.00 refund for the grading "oversight". I'll just keep it for that price, I guess.

[isiTrue]

Take them in a room that is well lighted and turn off the flash.

 

The problem with taking photos is that they always come out too dark.

 

I have to use flash on the camera because if I don't, the picture comes out blurry due to increased exposure time. Yet the flash seems to make the image too dark... I'm guessing it's from the reflection off the cover.

 

 

It's usually still a bit blurry when taking close pictures, but perhaps I will try it outside in natural daylight.

[fantastic_four]

I'm surprised at all the pic requests--you guys have really never seen these sorts of paper ridges before? Seems hard to believe if you've got more than a few hundred comics.

[Aman619]

You said the seller listed this as VF/NM which is a 9.0. The edge and corner wear alone would knock this down to about a fine+ 6.5 IMO. Plus the creasing area in the center of the cover, which probably isn't restoration. I would consider returning as not as described if it is an option.

 

The plan was to purchase this copy, have any creases pressed out, and end up with a possible 9.2 blue label 30c variant for my collection. So much for that idea.

 

The book cost $13.50 with shipping included. The seller offered a $2.00 refund for the grading "oversight". I'll just keep it for that price, I guess.

 

Tell him you want your money back and you get to keep the book.

 

 

: )

 

[isiTrue]

You said the seller listed this as VF/NM which is a 9.0. The edge and corner wear alone would knock this down to about a fine+ 6.5 IMO. Plus the creasing area in the center of the cover, which probably isn't restoration. I would consider returning as not as described if it is an option.

 

The plan was to purchase this copy, have any creases pressed out, and end up with a possible 9.2 blue label 30c variant for my collection. So much for that idea.

 

The book cost $13.50 with shipping included. The seller offered a $2.00 refund for the grading "oversight". I'll just keep it for that price, I guess.

 

Tell him you want your money back and you get to keep the book.

 

 

: )

 

 

 

Uploaded five more photos. I think that's more than enough of them.

[isiTrue]

So... even with the printers creases, it's a 6.0 / 6.5?

[buttock]

Those aren't printers' creases. They're from handling.

[isiTrue]

 

Some say it's a 7.5 Others that it's a 6.0 / 6.5. Some say they are paper ridges. Printers creases. Now it could be from handling (btw, what sort of handling?).

 

I really don't know what to think at this point.

 

At least it's pretty certain that it's not a form of restoration.

[Dr. Balls]

Drop something heavy on a comic book and compare the markings. Looks like something blunt and heavy was dropped on the book and created the mark - which is totally reasonable, as long as the dropped object fell onto the book when it was closed, and the rest of the pages acted to dissipate the force, resulting in an indented depression on the paper, rather than a fiber-breaking tear.

 

Is there some reason the OP would think a FN/VF 30¢ variant would be worth restoring (like maybe for practice or something)? This is around an $60 book max in this grade? If you paid $13.50 for it, you got a deal, my friend.

[isiTrue]

Drop something heavy on a comic book and compare the markings. Looks like something blunt and heavy was dropped on the book and created the mark - which is totally reasonable, as long as the dropped object fell onto the book when it was closed, and the rest of the pages acted to dissipate the force, resulting in an indented depression on the paper, rather than a fiber-breaking tear.

 

Is there some reason the OP would think a FN/VF 30¢ variant would be worth restoring (like maybe for practice or something)? This is around an $60 book max in this grade? If you paid $13.50 for it, you got a deal, my friend.

 

But there are five of those marks on the book, some at different angles and different lengths. That's what is so strange.

 

I agree about the sense in restoring a book of this value, and practice did cross my mind. But for me, it looked very similar to tear seals at first. So I asked.

 

It was sold as a VF/NM book. I thought I was getting a deal, yes. But Comicspriceguide lists it at $28 for a 9.0, and if it's now a 6.5, it's worth $8.

 

Can it even be a 6.5 if those marks aren't printers creases?

 

 

[Dr. Balls]

Drop something heavy on a comic book and compare the markings. Looks like something blunt and heavy was dropped on the book and created the mark - which is totally reasonable, as long as the dropped object fell onto the book when it was closed, and the rest of the pages acted to dissipate the force, resulting in an indented depression on the paper, rather than a fiber-breaking tear.

 

Is there some reason the OP would think a FN/VF 30¢ variant would be worth restoring (like maybe for practice or something)? This is around an $60 book max in this grade? If you paid $13.50 for it, you got a deal, my friend.

 

But there are five of those marks on the book, some at different angles and different lengths. That's what is so strange.

 

I agree about the sense in restoring a book of this value, and practice did cross my mind. But for me, it looked very similar to tear seals at first. So I asked.

 

It was sold as a VF/NM book. I thought I was getting a deal, yes. But Comicspriceguide lists it at $28 for a 9.0, and if it's now a 6.5, it's worth $8.

 

Can it even be a 6.5 if those marks aren't printers creases?

 

 

A 6.5 is worth more than $8 in fair market value (not guide) - a person usually pays $15 for a beat-to-plss variant in VG, so a FN is a little more. I collect them in titles that I like, so I usually check in on 30¢ variants occasionally.

 

But, back to the issue at hand - To me, they do not look like printers creases. Printers creases come from printing or bindery issues, and nothing the placement of those creases (not on the edge, not on the spine) or the patterns of the machinery suggest that they came from a problem during production.

 

Yes, you might have bought it as a NM, and it's not - but it's still worth more than what you paid - so despite not getting an *amazing* deal, you got a *good* deal. It might not be worth going after the seller over. But, on the flipside, sellers like that never learn to be more exacting on their grades unless people yell at them about it.

 

So, I'd complain to the seller about the grade and ask what he'd like to do to about it - and go from there...

[isiTrue]

Drop something heavy on a comic book and compare the markings. Looks like something blunt and heavy was dropped on the book and created the mark - which is totally reasonable, as long as the dropped object fell onto the book when it was closed, and the rest of the pages acted to dissipate the force, resulting in an indented depression on the paper, rather than a fiber-breaking tear.

 

Is there some reason the OP would think a FN/VF 30¢ variant would be worth restoring (like maybe for practice or something)? This is around an $60 book max in this grade? If you paid $13.50 for it, you got a deal, my friend.

 

But there are five of those marks on the book, some at different angles and different lengths. That's what is so strange.

 

I agree about the sense in restoring a book of this value, and practice did cross my mind. But for me, it looked very similar to tear seals at first. So I asked.

 

It was sold as a VF/NM book. I thought I was getting a deal, yes. But Comicspriceguide lists it at $28 for a 9.0, and if it's now a 6.5, it's worth $8.

 

Can it even be a 6.5 if those marks aren't printers creases?

 

 

A 6.5 is worth more than $8 in fair market value (not guide) - a person usually pays $15 for a beat-to-plss variant in VG, so a FN is a little more. I collect them in titles that I like, so I usually check in on 30¢ variants occasionally.

 

But, back to the issue at hand - To me, they do not look like printers creases. Printers creases come from printing or bindery issues, and nothing the placement of those creases (not on the edge, not on the spine) or the patterns of the machinery suggest that they came from a problem during production.

 

Yes, you might have bought it as a NM, and it's not - but it's still worth more than what you paid - so despite not getting an *amazing* deal, you got a *good* deal. It might not be worth going after the seller over. But, on the flipside, sellers like that never learn to be more exacting on their grades unless people yell at them about it.

 

So, I'd complain to the seller about the grade and ask what he'd like to do to about it - and go from there...

 

Ah, okay. So how does one find out fair market value for a given book? I have only used comicspriceguide and ebay listings.

Also, I've read here that some consider comicspriceguide to overvalue books. Or is that only for certain publishers/titles?

 

I mentioned the problem politely to the seller in the beginning, and they offered a $2.00 partial refund, so I'll just leave it at that.

 

Thanks for your input. I feel better about keeping the book now.