The BIGGEST problems in the hobby right now

[Timely]

Tape is the most amateur of repairs. The problem is, like with most things, it will have to be all or nothing. Either all tape is restoration or none of it is. Tape was "grandfathered" in as acceptable and allowable as a defect, not restoration.

 

If "new" tape added to a book is now considered restoration, 2 things will happen. Sooner or later someone will find a way to artificially age the tape, fooling CGC and others, or the tape will naturally age on its own and 25 years from now those "restored taped" CGC books will get cracked out and they will get universal grades. Either way, its not gonna fly.

 

Perhaps books with tape should be qualified for the tape! That will stop the new tape tapers! (thumbs u

 

 

[Bronty]

You can suggest your own "problems", but there is one area which I don't ever hear anyone dispute. And in my opinion, it is the biggest problem right now.

 

 

It is tape.

 

When you can take a 1.0/1.5/1.8/2.0 copy of a book with a spine split, completely tape up the split, and the book improves in grade to somewhere around a 4.0, you have a serious problem.

 

Tape damages the book. There is no question about that. In many/most cases, it can't be removed without further damaging the book. Yet there is a loophole in CGC's grading that allows for this procedure to happen, and its happening on some of the biggest books in the hobby, all for the sake of money.

 

"New" tape should be classified as restoration. What do I mean by new tape?? Tape that has obviously been added recently with the only purpose being to restore the book's appearance to a better condition. I am not talking about the old brown tape that was put on books 50 years ago. That tape should be counted as a defect only.

 

The problem is that this would take judgement on the part of CGC. They will have to judge each book on its own merits and defects. They will have to alter their stance, but they should do it. More books (I am talking about books like Superman #1) are being damaged everyday, by people taping up the spines. Rice paper is removable, tape is not, but rice paper is considered restoration, while tape actually raises the grade?? That doesn't even make any sense.

 

The problem is what do you do with all of the books which are already out there.

 

great post dale

[comicwiz]

If "new" tape added to a book is now considered restoration, 2 things will happen. Sooner or later someone will find a way to artificially age the tape, fooling CGC and others, or the tape will naturally age on its own and 25 years from now those "restored taped" CGC books will get cracked out and they will get universal grades. Either way, its not gonna fly.

 

Dollar store tape (not the 3M kind) that is clear - put that beside a window or in direct sunlight and you'll have "aged" looking yellowed tape in no time.

[comicwiz]

Outside of the discrepancy where a book improves in grade (which I agree is ridiculous), wouldn't the unsightliness of tape on a book itself be a deterrent? I'm thinking far worse than a date stamp or writing on a cover. It can go from a 1.5 to 4.0, but I'm not having it regardless of what CGC thinks.

 

well I am seeing some label notes that say "tape on interior of spine"

 

So the smart ones are putting the tape where you can't see it

 

Yeah, I figured this much was going on. A shame really that there isn't any penalty for its use, but I am glad it is at least noted on the label when it's used in the interior of a comic.

[Transplant]

Tape is the most amateur of repairs. The problem is, like with most things, it will have to be all or nothing. Either all tape is restoration or none of it is. Tape was "grandfathered" in as acceptable and allowable as a defect, not restoration.

 

If "new" tape added to a book is now considered restoration, 2 things will happen. Sooner or later someone will find a way to artificially age the tape, fooling CGC and others, or the tape will naturally age on its own and 25 years from now those "restored taped" CGC books will get cracked out and they will get universal grades. Either way, its not gonna fly.

 

Perhaps books with tape should be qualified for the tape! That will stop the new tape tapers! (thumbs u

 

If it improves a defect, it's restoration, no matter the type of tape or length of time since applied. It should NEVER be allowed to improve a grade without sitting in a PLOD.

[Spiderphill]

A few of our own have taped back a cover for resale on big books and it's sad really. I would never entertain a taped up book.

[Spiderphill]

Cgc has to treat detached covers and reattached with tape the same. That's all. They can reattach all they want but it gets no grade increase. So let books with detached covers get graded a bit higher than current. It would get all the detached covers resubbed and nobody would bother taping books.

[TupennyConan]

Top Problem:

 

Tape.

[Mister O]

Perhaps books with tape should be qualified for the tape! That will stop the new tape tapers! (thumbs u

 

I agree, the books that are tapped should have either PLOD or at the very least the qualified certification. The best scenario to maintain integrity and save face by CGC is to qualify all tapped books.

 

It makes sense to qualify books only because the grade bump given by CGC regardless. At least the book would not be graded as universal (blue label) and only qualifies (green label) for the increased grade bump due to the tape being added.

 

As some have stated buy the book and not the grade. However, for those that are not as educated in the hobby as some, people will rely on CGC standards and this is where the qualification will help those people when spending large sums of money on books. We want the hobby to be healthy for all involved and integrity is paramount for this to happen.

 

 

[solm4st3r]

Shill bidding on ebay and auction sites is a top problem. It has probably cost a lot of us money, and made some for a few others...

[Hamlet]

Just don't see the tape issue as all that major.

 

I treat tape as I would very undesirable "restoration" like trimming.

 

Whether it sits in a higher graded blue label book or not, I'm going to be willing to pay more for the untaped version than the untaped version.

 

Apparently some people disagree and are willing to pay more for those books.

 

As long as its listed on the label, the market should be able to function.

 

[Spiderphill]

Idk what this hobbies biggest problem is but I do see a lot of silver age mid-high grade declining rather quickly. But when you have people playing the CPR game like crazy, shill bids when you try to buy a book in some cases, and tape reattaching covers for a grade/premium. Once an oblivious buyer/collector learns this. How do you think they feel? This cycle cannot maintain forever.

[TupennyConan]

My BIGGEST problem in the hobby right now was my inability to buy the Byrne FF Omnibus for $63 in Chicago due to its heavy weight.

[Waylander]

Variants

[mikephoen]

You can suggest your own "problems", but there is one area which I don't ever hear anyone dispute. And in my opinion, it is the biggest problem right now.

 

 

It is tape.

 

When you can take a 1.0/1.5/1.8/2.0 copy of a book with a spine split, completely tape up the split, and the book improves in grade to somewhere around a 4.0, you have a serious problem.

 

Tape damages the book. There is no question about that. In many/most cases, it can't be removed without further damaging the book. Yet there is a loophole in CGC's grading that allows for this procedure to happen, and its happening on some of the biggest books in the hobby, all for the sake of money.

 

"New" tape should be classified as restoration. What do I mean by new tape?? Tape that has obviously been added recently with the only purpose being to restore the book's appearance to a better condition. I am not talking about the old brown tape that was put on books 50 years ago. That tape should be counted as a defect only.

 

The problem is that this would take judgement on the part of CGC. They will have to judge each book on its own merits and defects. They will have to alter their stance, but they should do it. More books (I am talking about books like Superman #1) are being damaged everyday, by people taping up the spines. Rice paper is removable, tape is not, but rice paper is considered restoration, while tape actually raises the grade?? That doesn't even make any sense.

 

The problem is what do you do with all of the books which are already out there.

 

Agree 100% Dale. I'm doing the only thing I can about it now, and voting with my $$$. I will not be bidding on the 'tec 27, 31 or 33 in the comiclink auction for example, because of the tape. All of those are recent tape jobs, done to raise the grade.

[Columbia Comics]

Second biggest problem: This guy

 

 

[Old Fashion PB and J]

Yet there is a loophole in CGC's grading that allows for this procedure to happen, and its happening on some of the biggest books in the hobby, all for the sake of money.

Team Derail®, clean up on isle 3.

Almost fell over.. Butthurt over tape... Yet the "biggest books" in the hobby are being pressed and dry cleaned all the time. Staples removed? Fine.. Pressed? Fine.. Take the book apart and put it back together? Fine.. But TAPE!!!! RRRAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[Transplant]

Yet there is a loophole in CGC's grading that allows for this procedure to happen, and its happening on some of the biggest books in the hobby, all for the sake of money.

Team Derail®, clean up on isle 3.

Almost fell over.. Butthurt over tape... Yet the "biggest books" in the hobby are being pressed and dry cleaned all the time. Staples removed? Fine.. Pressed? Fine.. Take the book apart and put it back together? Fine.. But TAPE!!!! RRRAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

No offense Pat, but the things you listed aren't damaging the book. Even if you think they are, it's nothing compared to what tape does to a book. Rewarding the application of damaging tape and considering a previous defect fixed, while keeping it in a blue label, is waaaaaayy bigger of problem. AINEC.

[Old Fashion PB and J]

Yet there is a loophole in CGC's grading that allows for this procedure to happen, and its happening on some of the biggest books in the hobby, all for the sake of money.

Team Derail®, clean up on isle 3.

Almost fell over.. Butthurt over tape... Yet the "biggest books" in the hobby are being pressed and dry cleaned all the time. Staples removed? Fine.. Pressed? Fine.. Take the book apart and put it back together? Fine.. But TAPE!!!! RRRAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

No offense Pat, but the things you listed aren't damaging the book. Even if you think they are, it's nothing compared to what tape does to a book. Rewarding the application of damaging tape and considering a previous defect fixed, while keeping it in a blue label, is waaaaaayy bigger of problem. AINEC.

I know. But I cant help but feel that it is more than just that. I think anything destructive to a book is bad.

[Dale Roberts]

Yet there is a loophole in CGC's grading that allows for this procedure to happen, and its happening on some of the biggest books in the hobby, all for the sake of money.

Team Derail®, clean up on isle 3.

Almost fell over.. Butthurt over tape... Yet the "biggest books" in the hobby are being pressed and dry cleaned all the time. Staples removed? Fine.. Pressed? Fine.. Take the book apart and put it back together? Fine.. But TAPE!!!! RRRAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

No offense Pat, but the things you listed aren't damaging the book. Even if you think they are, it's nothing compared to what tape does to a book. Rewarding the application of damaging tape and considering a previous defect fixed, while keeping it in a blue label, is waaaaaayy bigger of problem. AINEC.

I know. But I cant help but feel that it is more than just that. I think anything destructive to a book is bad.

 

You mean like leaving spine roll in a book??