The Modern Speculation Thread 5 5

[gradejunky]

I ask myself this all the time. Problem is, not many people on the bay or elsewhere are willing to pay much of a premium for a raw book you say is a 9.8. Even if it's blatantly clear that it is.

[fastballspecial]

Yes and no. Buyers will pay a premium for a book from a seller that they know can grade.

 

That being said there arent but a few people on this board that can call a 9.8 every time or even close to that.

 

I always sell a modern thats perfect at 9.6 for me. Yes it could be a 9.8, but I grade it a 9.6 and say I dont see any physical defects on it. Other boardies have other policies, but this one has worked for me for years.

 

Do buyers get 9.8s from some of my books? I am sure they do, but since I grade it a 9.6 everyone is happy. I get a slightly higher premium for the book and the buyer if they slab it gets a 9.6 or if lucky a 9.8 or better.

 

I am just as happy if they buyer flips the book and makes a profit as well when or if they slab it. They made a profit, I made a profit and they will come back to buy more.

 

[accessndx]

The other issue with declaring something a 9.8 is you're gonna get bottom feeders that take advantage of the system claiming you rooked them on the grade. They'll declare it's less than your stated grade and bean you for a partial refund or whatever. Sending a slab is going to eliminate at least some of the shenanigans. Also: the raws regardless of how they are shipped are more vulnerable to shipping damage even under the best of circumstances. So even if you did send a 9.8 when someone receives it, it may not be.

I guess the message here is: beware of raw sales issues.

[natevegas]

nah raws in NM 9.6 are going to sell all day long on ebay or anywhere else. The slabbed percentage is so small compared to the unslabed comic book market. Sticklers on here account for less than 5 percent of collectors. Buy the book not the grade.

[accessndx]

I never really pay too much attention to the stated grade on a raw, but I'm equivocal about auctions with pictures I can't enlarge and look at the perimeter and the back and front of the comic. The auctions that have one fuzzy picture of the front and it's cropped suck balls.

The folks that take the time to scan high resolution images and clearly show you the spine, the corners and everything in between get my attention and business.

Only time I'll pull the trigger on something else is when there's nothing else to grab.

Also folks that go the distance and state what they perceive the defects are really demonstrate their level of knowledge and professionalism. It may not be apparent from an image that there is "scuffing in the upper right hand corner" or "minimal creasing" or "CB spine ticks".....

It shows they aren't interested in tricking folks into buying something that's NM+ when it clearly is more in the NM- category. They want their customers to be happy with the end product and they ensure repeat business.

[fastballspecial]

The other issue with declaring something a 9.8 is you're gonna get bottom feeders that take advantage of the system claiming you rooked them on the grade. They'll declare it's less than your stated grade and bean you for a partial refund or whatever. Sending a slab is going to eliminate at least some of the shenanigans. Also: the raws regardless of how they are shipped are more vulnerable to shipping damage even under the best of circumstances. So even if you did send a 9.8 when someone receives it, it may not be.

I guess the message here is: beware of raw sales issues.

 

Again it depends on the seller. If you cant pack a book you cant pack a book.

Slabs get destroyed in the mail as well.

 

Slab sellers still get the headaches as some Canada buyer is causing all types of grief lately to slab sellers in the General Forum. They dont like the slab grade and file with paypal.

 

It happens both way. Buy the book, not the grade. Buy from an established seller or go cheap and take the risk.

 

 

 

 

[accessndx]

I read about that toolbag in Canada.....insta-block!!!

 

I'm sure slabs get destroyed as well, but it takes a bit more impact and injury to accomplish that....it is a slab after all.

In all honesty: there are raws that are packaged so well that I'm afraid of damaging them while unpacking. They're layered in so much bubble wrap and tape that it takes a bomb squad and a surgeon to unearth it.

I've caught myself cursing at the parcel at times...ROFL! Well, I guess that's better than the polar opposite.....the comic hastily thrown into a manilla envelope with "do not bend" written on the package...

[Mr. Hog]

Yeah, had a raw I paid $240 for sent to me that way. It,was In a ball by the time I got it.

[Mr. Hog]

I read about that toolbag in Canada.....insta-block!!!

 

I'm sure slabs get destroyed as well, but it takes a bit more impact and injury to accomplish that....it is a slab after all.

In all honesty: there are raws that are packaged so well that I'm afraid of damaging them while unpacking. They're layered in so much bubble wrap and tape that it takes a bomb squad and a surgeon to unearth it.

I've caught myself cursing at the parcel at times...ROFL! Well, I guess that's better than the polar opposite.....the comic hastily thrown into a manilla envelope with "do not bend" written on the package...

 

Do you recall his name?

[awakeintheashes]

What would Bosco do?

[accessndx]

I read about that toolbag in Canada.....insta-block!!!

 

I'm sure slabs get destroyed as well, but it takes a bit more impact and injury to accomplish that....it is a slab after all.

In all honesty: there are raws that are packaged so well that I'm afraid of damaging them while unpacking. They're layered in so much bubble wrap and tape that it takes a bomb squad and a surgeon to unearth it.

I've caught myself cursing at the parcel at times...ROFL! Well, I guess that's better than the polar opposite.....the comic hastily thrown into a manilla envelope with "do not bend" written on the package...

 

Do you recall his name?

 

No, don't remember it right now. I do believe I recall Jimmi Linguini replying about it somewhere in the forums (not that he dealt with that character, but as a Canadian he usually chimes in). You may have to sift thru his posts to find the thread it was in.

[slym2none]

Yeah, had a raw I paid $240 for sent to me that way. It,was In a ball by the time I got it.

 

Paying that much for a comic, I wouldn't just expect, but demand the book be shipped in a box and be insured.

 

 

 

 

-slym

[Mr 9.8]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TODD-THE-UGLIEST-KID-1-CGC-9-8-SS-KEN-KRISTENSEN-SIGNED-FIRST-PRINT-/261246873976?pt=US_Comic_Books&hash=item3cd386f178

 

WOW!

Good luck to the seller.

[rayjay77]

Yeah, had a raw I paid $240 for sent to me that way. It,was In a ball by the time I got it.

 

Paying that much for a comic, I wouldn't just expect, but demand the book be shipped in a box and be insured.

 

 

 

 

-slym

 

yeah i recently made the mistake of not shipping properly( it was my first one) and caused a big stink so gave a full refund and that was that.. i learned though and now no matter what it is it will be bombproof.. plus not saying this is what happened, but i had no proof of wether it was damaged or not, so to avoid all this unsureness its just better to be secure the first time.

also pertaining to todd, i recently sold my todd # 1-4 on ebay and some sniped it at the last second for 1.25. lucky ..

Edited July 15, 2013 by rayjay77

[Spacy]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TODD-THE-UGLIEST-KID-1-CGC-9-8-SS-KEN-KRISTENSEN-SIGNED-FIRST-PRINT-/261246873976?pt=US_Comic_Books&hash=item3cd386f178

 

WOW!

Good luck to the seller.

 

[ranx]

This last week has seemed slower then slow...I dunno...anyone else feel like da speculation got hot for a little while and then suddenly took a dip in an ice cold pool followed by a stiff wind and someone telling you your looks awefully small?

[accessndx]

This last week has seemed slower then slow...I dunno...anyone else feel like da speculation got hot for a little while and then suddenly took a dip in an ice cold pool followed by a stiff wind and someone telling you your looks awefully small?

 

The calm before SDCC. Let's face it the con season really takes the wind out of the speculation sails.

[darkstar]

I ask myself this all the time. Problem is, not many people on the bay or elsewhere are willing to pay much of a premium for a raw book you say is a 9.8. Even if it's blatantly clear that it is.

 

I disagree. If the seller makes a claim that the book is a 9.8 grade in the title and description of his auction and he has any sort of history on ebay with feedback to back up his grading abilities then someone will pay a premium for it. Obviously it depends on the book and the market at the time. Look at issues of the last of us, a seller on ebay was moving nm/m copies for 45 dollars, nm copies have been selling for around 30.

[darkstar]

I read about that toolbag in Canada.....insta-block!!!

 

I'm sure slabs get destroyed as well, but it takes a bit more impact and injury to accomplish that....it is a slab after all.

In all honesty: there are raws that are packaged so well that I'm afraid of damaging them while unpacking. They're layered in so much bubble wrap and tape that it takes a bomb squad and a surgeon to unearth it.

I've caught myself cursing at the parcel at times...ROFL! Well, I guess that's better than the polar opposite.....the comic hastily thrown into a manilla envelope with "do not bend" written on the package...

 

Do you recall his name?

 

his name is guerrierhabs

 

http://www.ebay.com/sch/guerrierhabs/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686

 

Look at his feedback left for others or read about him in the general forum.

 

He buys slabs and finds something wrong with them, and then wants some form of compensation in return.

 

Meanwhile, if you look at his listings, he points out that he doesn't take returns on CGC graded books. Oh the hypocrisy.

 

This is written at the beginning of every listing he makes:

 

FRAUDULENT EBAYERS WILL BE REPORTED TO EBAY AS WELL AS PAYPAL AND THE AUTHORITIES OF MY CITY AND THE BUYER'S CITY. EVEN FOR 20$ I WILL TAKE LEGAL ACTION AGAINST ANYONE, IN THE CANADA OR U.S. AS I ONLY SHIP TO NORTH-AMERICA. I TAKE PICTURES OF THE ITEM BEFORE AND DURING THE PACKAGING AND I KEEP THE PICTURES TO MYSELF IN CASE SOMETHING GOES WRONG. I ALWAYS SHIP WITH INSURANCE AND TRACKING SO EVERYONE KNOWS WHERE THE PACKAGE IS AT ALL TIMES. NO ONE HAS EVER GOTTEN AWAY WITH FRAUD ON ME. I KNOW EVERY TRICK IN THE BOOK. 1ST TIME EBAYERS AND THE ONES WITH LESS THAN 10 TRANSACTIONS NEED TO CONTACT ME BEFORE BIDDING OR I WILL CANCEL THEIR BID. I DO NOT SHIP OUTSIDE OF NORTH AMERICA. I DO NOT ACCEPT RETURNS ON CGC ITEMS SINCE THEY ARE GUARANTEED BY CGC. PERIOD.

 

who would want to deal with this clown?

[paperheart]

This last week has seemed slower then slow...I dunno...anyone else feel like da speculation got hot for a little while and then suddenly took a dip in an ice cold pool followed by a stiff wind and someone telling you your looks awefully small?

 

The calm before SDCC. Let's face it the con season really takes the wind out of the speculation sails.

 

i think the sixth gun imploding 75% in a matter of moments might have had something to do with it