current turn around rates at CGC 79 79

[Bomber-Bob]

I don't understand. If CGC sees a flaw that holds the grade down, what do you want them to do ? I think the customers that actually buy these 9.8 slabs expect an accurately graded product. Why the feeling of entitlement here ? Look at the big picure here. The Modern market is as strong as ever. I think an accurately graded product helps this market.

[Gaard]

Has a reason ever been given as to why 9.6s typically don't have grader notes?

[1Cool]

I don't understand. If CGC sees a flaw that holds the grade down, what do you want them to do ? I think the customers that actually buy these 9.8 slabs expect an accurately graded product. Why the feeling of entitlement here ? Look at the big picure here. The Modern market is as strong as ever. I think an accurately graded product helps this market.

 

Doesn't take much time to write "two spine ticks on spine" or "blunted corners" in the grading notes. Problem I have is if you send four modern 9.6s back in you will probably get 1 or 2 9.8s out of the batch. May not be worth the time and money but when there is no reason for a 9.6 compared to the 9.8 then you have a problem.

[drbanner]

I don't understand. If CGC sees a flaw that holds the grade down, what do you want them to do?

Grade that flaw like they have always graded that flaw, not tighter than they have always graded that flaw. Tight grading isn't the issue, changing grading standards is the issue.

[1Cool]

Has a reason ever been given as to why 9.6s typically don't have grader notes?

 

I think the difference between a 9.6 and 9.8 on some books is the graders mood and way the light hits the book at the time its graded. I don't think they want to type "because I say so" in the graders notes.

[Bird]

I don't understand. If CGC sees a flaw that holds the grade down, what do you want them to do?

Grade that flaw like they have always graded that flaw, not tighter than they have always graded that flaw. Tight grading isn't the issue, changing grading standards is the issue.

 

+1

 

I am not trying to convey any sense of entitlement...I am just commenting on the new staff, new TATs, and the common experience of a "tight" grading cycle and suggesting these things may be related. I asked about moderns as there have been comments about modern grading being more strict than other eras so I think it is important to discuss what types of books are being graded "tightly" so that the information in more easily understood.

 

The only thing anyone is entitled to are validity and reliability. Both seem possibly in question at the current time and I think it worth exploring that a little more in depth.

[StuporMan]

Anyone else get that newsletter from CGC with new turnaround times?

[Old Fashion PB and J]

I sent in 3 books expected 9.8s, all 3 got 9.8s.. They were shipped last week, so I don't think grading is tight

 

You were fortunate.

 

Imho, this last year has been the tightest CGC has ever been on Moderns - I do a ton of SS books where I crack out 9.8s and I've never experienced this many grade drops upon resubmission.

 

I like tight grading as much as the next guy, but I feel they've moved the needle way too far in the other direction now.

Out of about 100/120 books submitted last year I had (2) 9.6s. So I haven't seen it yet, hopefully I don't.

 

Are you subbing mostly moderns?

Late bronze, copper for the most part. Not too many post 2000 books.

[Old Fashion PB and J]

I don't understand. If CGC sees a flaw that holds the grade down, what do you want them to do ? I think the customers that actually buy these 9.8 slabs expect an accurately graded product. Why the feeling of entitlement here ? Look at the big picure here. The Modern market is as strong as ever. I think an accurately graded product helps this market.

I think a lot of guys gamble with books that may have a small CB crease that is hard to spot, maybe two? There are also a ton of new pressers out there so I would bet that results may vary.

[Old Fashion PB and J]

I don't understand. If CGC sees a flaw that holds the grade down, what do you want them to do?

Grade that flaw like they have always graded that flaw, not tighter than they have always graded that flaw. Tight grading isn't the issue, changing grading standards is the issue.

 

+1

 

I am not trying to convey any sense of entitlement...I am just commenting on the new staff, new TATs, and the common experience of a "tight" grading cycle and suggesting these things may be related. I asked about moderns as there have been comments about modern grading being more strict than other eras so I think it is important to discuss what types of books are being graded "tightly" so that the information in more easily understood.

 

The only thing anyone is entitled to are validity and reliability. Both seem possibly in question at the current time and I think it worth exploring that a little more in depth.

If they were not tight/loose in cycles you wouldn't get resubs.

[Old Fashion PB and J]

Has a reason ever been given as to why 9.6s typically don't have grader notes?

 

I think the difference between a 9.6 and 9.8 on some books is the graders mood and way the light hits the book at the time its graded. I don't think they want to type "because I say so" in the graders notes.

Could be a blemish, smudge, miscut, eye appeal. I would guess all defects are graded different.

[BeachBum]

For me when it comes to weekly new releases being subbed I don't think that CGC is grading any tighter than usual, but the publisher print runs have gotten worse. Marvel continues to be an issue from week to week and even DC has changed cover stock recently for the worse.

[RockMyAmadeus]

I don't understand. If CGC sees a flaw that holds the grade down, what do you want them to do?

Grade that flaw like they have always graded that flaw, not tighter than they have always graded that flaw. Tight grading isn't the issue, changing grading standards is the issue.

 

This, this, this.

[Chadwick]

I don't understand. If CGC sees a flaw that holds the grade down, what do you want them to do?

Grade that flaw like they have always graded that flaw, not tighter than they have always graded that flaw. Tight grading isn't the issue, changing grading standards is the issue.

 

+1 million.

[RockMyAmadeus]

I sent in 3 books expected 9.8s, all 3 got 9.8s.. They were shipped last week, so I don't think grading is tight

 

You were fortunate.

 

Imho, this last year has been the tightest CGC has ever been on Moderns - I do a ton of SS books where I crack out 9.8s and I've never experienced this many grade drops upon resubmission.

 

I like tight grading as much as the next guy, but I feel they've moved the needle way too far in the other direction now.

 

Much, much too far.

 

My latest sub was 280 SS books. Got a fair number of 9.8s....but I SUB 9.8s...and the rest was all over the map. 9.4 80's, 9.0 70's.

 

Things that didn't use to be a problem...like production corner chips, which are as common as anything in 1980's books...are now being taken into account. Also, printer's creases, which used to be taken into account wayyyy back in the early days, and then no longer taken into account (which is as it should be) are now apparently being taken into account.

 

The issue is that I knew what CGC graded 9.8, and what they did not. Now, I'm back to second guessing, and looking for total perfection before submitting (and still not getting above 9.8, either.) I cannot waste my time submitting a Web of Spiderman #31 and getting a 9.4. That slab is worth much less than it cost to get done. That's not acceptable.

 

Also, I'm getting grading notes like "top front cover rippling/warping, bottom front cover rippling/warping"...on books like Silver Surfer #44 (1991). Every single copy of that book has that issue, as do most Marvels of that time frame (which is partly why Marvel went to offset printing and abandoned newsprint in 1992, and DC did the same.)

 

That's something that Shawn Caffrey knows, because he's done this for so long. It's not something that the "new graders" seem to know, and it seems to be having an effect on grades.

 

CGC cannot change its standards at halftime. We shall see how this turns out.

 

This I know, and this I hope everybody at CGC understands: if a book is in a 9.8 slab, and it hasn't been damaged in the process...and there are enough ultra, ultra, ultra anal SS guys who don't let anything happen to the book in the process...and it comes back in a 9.6 or 9.4 slab....it's not going to be conducive to business.

 

It's high time for a "guaranteed grade" program...and it's certainly possible to implement, if the will is there.

[RockMyAmadeus]

By the way...as I have always said, I don't care if the turnaround time is 6 months...so long as my books aren't hammered, I'm fine with it.

 

Others do other things for other reasons, but time is not an issue for me....so long as I'm nut subbing 7 copies, and getting 4 9.6s and 3 9.4s.

 

I'd much rather sacrifice speed for consistency, rather than the other way around.

[STORMSHADOW_80]

Long Beach Comic Expo Modern Fast Track Signature Series, 4 books

Rec'd 2/24

Verified 2/25

Scheduled For Grading 3/3

Graded 3/4

Quality Control 3/8

Shipped 3/9

 

CCS is going pretty quickly also right now. Just got a notice that 3 SS books I turned in at the same time as the books above have been rec'd by CGC. Only 2 weeks without fast tracking the pressing

So to start a new current turn around rate tracking...

 

3 Modern Fast Track SS Books

Rec'd/Verified 3/10

[LordRahl]

I don't understand. If CGC sees a flaw that holds the grade down, what do you want them to do ? I think the customers that actually buy these 9.8 slabs expect an accurately graded product. Why the feeling of entitlement here ? Look at the big picure here. The Modern market is as strong as ever. I think an accurately graded product helps this market.

 

As others have said Bob, it's not a matter of tighter grading... it's a matter of the grading now does not match the grading previously. If you are going to change how you grade, you need to let people know. I know what a CGC 9.8 used to look like. Now I don't. That impacts what I should be submitting but right now, I have no idea. In my most recent sub, one book in particular is a dead nuts 9.8. The only reason it isn't a 9.9/10 is because they artificially hold back those grades (fine whatever, I never expect anything above 9.8). There is nothing wrong with the book, not even 1 spine stress. Yet somehow it came back a 9.6. Another book which is similarly sharp but had an obvious stress mark, came back a 9.8. It makes no sense.

[Praxis52]

Long Beach Comic Expo Modern Fast Track Signature Series, 4 books

Rec'd 2/24

Verified 2/25

Scheduled For Grading 3/3

Graded 3/4

Quality Control 3/8

Shipped 3/9

 

CCS is going pretty quickly also right now. Just got a notice that 3 SS books I turned in at the same time as the books above have been rec'd by CGC. Only 2 weeks without fast tracking the pressing

So to start a new current turn around rate tracking...

 

3 Modern Fast Track SS Books

Rec'd/Verified 3/10

 

Ok, what's your secret?! I'm still waiting for mine to move from Graded to QC. Also, my CCS books are still with CCS.

 

[Jordysnordy]

Anyone else get that newsletter from CGC with new turnaround times?

 

This??

 

Current CGC Turnaround Times:

 

Modern/Signature Series: 38 Days

Fast Track Modern: 11 Days

Value: 40 Days

Fast Track Value: 24 Days

Economy: 40 Days

Fast Track Economy: 24 Days

Standard: 15 Days

Express: 5 Days