Certified Collectibles Group (CCG) Acquires Classics Incorporated 3 3

[red rocks-migration]

any idea on the price matt got? I hope he can afford his dream action 1 now with the sale price

[Tony S]

Holy cr@p. I just commented on how this business approach was a conflict of interest. I don't want my grading company to be in the business of restoration or grade improvements. Impartiality goes out the window now.

 

Dr. Balls summed it up neatly on the first page. If Matt and his employees that do the pressing actually work for the company that does the grading - how often will the pressing "pre or proscreen" be wrong? How often will restoration slip by the pressing staff? Even if CGC maintains they keep it separate - like say the graders don't know the books came from the pressing division of the company - it still raises the appearance of impropriety, One can almost imagine the conversations: "Holy ! The pressing division estimated 7.5 unrestored on this Avengers 4 and the graders gave it 6.5 with a micro trim on the top edge. We have a problem - call the head grader and see what can be worked out!"

 

Also makes me wonder - as others have - about the discounts. Now that Classics Incorporated is just a division of CGC is the 20% submission discount going to still be offered? I would guess it probably would. CGC now wants customers to submitt books for pressing. Offering a discount on grading would encourage customers to try the pressing service.

 

It seems like an ugly marriage. Oh well....

 

[COI]

One advantage to those that don't care about pressing is going to be the huge increase in high grade books as the census numbers explode due to the integrated, institutionalized pressing "ringer" comic books will now be put through. Should definitely bring prices down moving forward. (thumbs u

 

Stick a fork in bronze.

 

Really It's going to be virtually everything post 1966, and basically every Marvel post FF 1....but all of that was happening already I guess. This will just speed up the inevitable wind down of values.

and again I will postulate:

If collecting comics is about collecting and enjoying them, is a softening of prices a bad thing?

 

If collecting comics was entirely about enjoyment, CGC wouldn't have made it past 2001.

[arexcrooke]

One advantage to those that don't care about pressing is going to be the huge increase in high grade books as the census numbers explode due to the integrated, institutionalized pressing "ringer" comic books will now be put through. Should definitely bring prices down moving forward. (thumbs u

 

Stick a fork in bronze.

 

Really It's going to be virtually everything post 1966, and basically every Marvel post FF 1....but all of that was happening already I guess. This will just speed up the inevitable wind down of values.

and again I will postulate:

If collecting comics is about collecting and enjoying them, is a softening of prices a bad thing?

 

Only if you sell.

[ikoncomics]

JOEYPOST needs in on this!! CFP joint venture!

 

joey is just fine the way he is. Many of the new services CGC is touting I have offered to my customers for years (and for less).

 

Joey has only done a few books for me. but wow he did an awesome job.

i say stay Golden Joey stay golden

 

when do we hear about the price increase that cgc is going to have next year?

i need to know if i need to go ahead and submit these 200 books this year.

But i dont think this is a bad thing. but we will see

 

[sterlingcomics]

If collecting comics was entirely about enjoyment, CGC wouldn't have made it past 2001.

[sterlingcomics]

Also makes me wonder - as others have - about the discounts. Now that Classics Incorporated is just a division of CGC is the 20% submission discount going to still be offered? I would guess it probably would. CGC now wants customers to submitt books for pressing. Offering a discount on grading would encourage customers to try the pressing service.

 

Pricing structure and how it all plays out in the real world is going to be interesting. I think 2013 will be the year we move from pressing to seeing some interesting market shifts that will be interesting to see unfold. Personally, I don't think we've seen anything yet. About to teeter over the edge.

 

Where's Joe?

[MrBedrock]

For those of you who weren't too keen on pressing up to this point, the hobby has just completely passed you by.

I nominate Andrew for head pot-stirrer.

[Magneto]

Wow! Log off comics general for a couple of hours and everything goes crazy!

[xsmr2-migration]

I see a lot of people worrying or complaining about "conflict of interest". But is it, really?

 

 

Coin collectors apparently don't think so, as NGC and NCS have been under the same umbrella company from the very beginning.

 

 

[BEAUMONTS]

All they have to do now with this "one stop" pressing/grading/waiting service is somehow eliminate the need/want to collect......... maybe that will "take care" of itself

But most importantly how is this going to alter the time line of there PEDIGREE BOOK... I guess the history, collecting, and "hobby" part isn't as important as the BSD self-destructo methodology.

[xsmr2-migration]

Seems unethical. Does this mean that having my books pressed will now certainly promise a higher grade? In other words, if I throw them an extra $20 I can have all my 9.6 books magically upgrade?

 

Maybe so, maybe not...but that's how people are gonna look at it.

 

 

 

Not every book can be improved by pressing.

 

If your book is a particular grade because of tears, stains, color-breaking creases, etc., then pressing won't do one bit of good.

[BEAUMONTS]

This has that peculiar smell of the area between the testicles of the bull and the tail.

[DiceX]

This has that peculiar smell of the area between the testicles of the bull and the tail.

 

Taint it the truth?

 

 

[xsmr2-migration]

This won't address CGC's turnaround times at all will it?

 

 

This is purely a guess, but I assume it will have virtually no effect on turnaround times, either positive or negative.

 

 

[skypinkblu]

For those of you who weren't too keen on pressing up to this point, the hobby has just completely passed you by.

 

I'm just wondering if there will be a sticker or a signature of the pressing company

 

 

That way we can make sure to see the superior work that was done...yes, that's the ticket, it should be shouted from the rooftops in Purple ink:) or Blue, or Hot Pink;)

[batman_fan]

A lot of people will complain and say it's a conflict of interest publicly, but then turn around and use the service privately.

 

Pretty much sums it up. At some level, it enables a great business model used by reveal people but only better. Review incoming books and offer a paid service to access the upgrade potential. If you don't want to pay it fine but they do it anyway to determine what books to buy, upgrade and resale or offer the list of potential upgradable books as a paid service to people.

[ComicConnoisseur]

I see a lot of people worrying or complaining about "conflict of interest". But is it, really?

 

 

Coin collectors apparently don't think so, as NGC and NCS have been under the same umbrella company from the very beginning.

 

As I have stated many many times just about whatever issues happened in the coin and baseball card slabbed markets has eventually happened in comics.

They have been doing it longer.

[xsmr2-migration]

I, for one, just don't see what the big deal is here. Nelson has been pressing & submitting books to CGC for years - he has zero to do with the actual grading of the books, and nothing I've read so far indicates that that will change in the future.

 

CGC's reputation for impartiality is one of the cornerstones of their company - if it ever got out that books pressed by Classic Incorporated received preferential treatment, it would sink their business model & destroy the company. Why on earth would they risk that?

 

 

 

(thumbs u

[ciorac]

Congrats to Matt on the deal...look forward to getting everything done on one ticket!!

 

Matt called me this evening and he is, understandably, very excited. I'm excited for him. He has worked his tail off for many years to build his business up, and this will be a huge step for him.

 

Congrats Matt!!!!!!!!!!