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What do rusty staples do to reduce grade on this book.

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CGC doesn't seem to downgrade much for it. I have a 9.0 and an 8.5 with rusted staples, and without the rust, they'd still be the same grade.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if rusted staples that don't affect the paper are one of those "eye appeal" defects that only make a difference in downgrading at the 9.8 level or above.

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I have a bunch of Journey Into Mysterys where the staples are so rusted, its actually affected the paper around it. Without the rust I would grade most of them in range of Fine - Fine+. Please advise how the rust would affect the grade. They were at one time stored in an area that had a lot of humidity and moisture. There is no water or moisture damage to the books, but they do have the rust. A local dealer explained he wouldn't grade them much better the Fair, mostly because he feels the rust will only get worse and eventually destroy the comic. Is this true? If so, should I consider restoration or should I go after better copies. Anyone?

(glad you asked this question, thanks)

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You have to grade the book as it IS at the time of grading, not WHAT it will be in 25 to 100 years if those staples aren't replaced. I'd say that the book would best be described as a qualifier. A Fine/Fine- with rusty staples (overall VG??), and it's value and desireability diminished, same as if it had a penned name on the cover unless it was the marking of a known Pedigree that the general concensus of was increased value. Rusted staples are a sign of indeterminate things to come, especially when the rust has migrated to the paper from the staples.

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Rust migration shouldn't automatically reduce the books to Fair. I'm not sure how it should affect grade, so I'd mostly agree with Hammer's call to make it a qualifier until there's more consensus about these types of defects that Overstreet hasn't explicitly described yet. I dunno if the new Grading Guide covers it or not; I hope I remember to check it when I get access to my copy! Has anybody seen a slabbed example of a book with rust migration from the staples? I think I have, and I think it was a blue top and not the "Qualified" grade, but I can't remember for sure.

 

This is a perfect example of why CGC and the back-issue community as a whole should widely use a "conserved" grade as opposed to a "restored" grade. The staples on those Journey Into Mysterys should be either replaced or have the rust removed, because they likely will continue to frick up the book. However, due to the lack of common sense in the current vintage comics marketplace, the value of those books would go down if you had that conservation work done!

 

Steve Borock pointed this exact problem out in that article he wrote in the 2001 Overstreet Price Guide, where he noted how stupid it is for a comic with a piece of removed tape with the CGC Restored grade to be worth less than that same comic with the tape still in place and the glue eating away at the paper. I think there's something that CGC can specifically do to help change collectors' perceptions of this type of work--create a separate grading category for "conserved" books.

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Here's an eBay ad which shows a book with a rusty staple which has stained the paper according to the label notes. The books grades a 7.5 and the seller thought it would grade a 9.0 when he sent it in because he apparently missed the rusty staples.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33808&item=2153485251

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Great argument for restoration. Can the staples be replaced without any restoration showing - if it was done professionally. Anybody know a professional that can answer this. Doesn't appear to be something too complicated. Also, I am wondering if its worth it?

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Can the staples be replaced without any restoration showing - if it was done professionally.

 

It depends. Staple replacement CAN be done that is almost, if ont impossible, to detect. However, if the area around the staples already has rust migration? I seriously doubt it. The paper is usually going to be too fragile for the kind of handling staple removal/re-adding requires.

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A local dealer advised me that he replaced a rusty staple from a book with a clean staple from the same vintage and it came back from CGC with an universal label. The book may not have been really high grade enough for the graders to take that much notice so they may have missed it! confused.gif

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A local dealer advised me that he replaced a rusty staple from a book with a clean staple from the same vintage and it came back from CGC with an universal label. The book may not have been really high grade enough for the graders to take that much notice so they may have missed it!

 

Very possible, especially with great care in aligning indentations combined with a bit of subterfuge in the indentation metal stain department.

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was that book from the seller ryback from suffolk UK?

 

Yeah...I am pretty sure this is the one. I have two of them in pretty much the same condition (except for the staples) and I did not keep them seperated so I am only 99 44/100% sure. wink.gif

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Yeah...Ricky told me to be wary (and I appreciate the heads-up) on his grading but I bought it anyway. I think I got a nice book at a fair price.

What grade do you estimate this book at?

 

After getting slammed on a bunch of overgraded books recently it was rather refreshing to get a book that was somewhat near what I had anticipated.

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