My first CVA experience

[natas666-migration]

Describing my first experience with Comic Verification Authority.

 

I just received my first batch of books back from CVA today. I do have to say, it was a very pleasant experience. For those of you who don't know what CVA is, it's an additional verification only given to the books "exceptional" eye

appeal. To use the words of one of the owners Joe. I've never really agreed with the way a lot of these books in the "pressed book era" look. I get it, CGC uses a point scale. Some of these books with their mis-wrapping and poor centering look horrible. However are still assigned the 9.8 grade(LOOK AT THE ATTACHED PICTURE YOU'LL SEE WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT). The books with the CVA sticker on them are put in a data base using their CGC number a registered as the "best of the best". I consider myself an elitist and I will be looking for the CVA label on books I purchase from now on. They're just better looking.

Also, for those looking for honest and personalized service? I was shocked at how well I was treated! Well done CVA crew! I'm not easily impressed.

For those of you wondering, 3 of the 5 books I sent in received the "Exceptional" grade. I was kinda bummed out about the 2 that didn't make the grade. After comparing the books, I see why they didn't.

Take a look at them in my sets if it pleases you. They are Amazing Spider-Man #'s 175, 172 and 161.

 

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[Underground44]

Where's the CVA sticker?

[natas666-migration]

THIS IS ACTUALLY A PICTURE OF WHAT A BOOK LOOKS LIKE. LOOK AT MY ASM COMPLETE SET. BOOKS #161, #172 AND #175 HAVE THE STICKER.

[Jeffro.]

THIS IS ACTUALLY A PICTURE OF WHAT A BOOK LOOKS LIKE. LOOK AT MY ASM COMPLETE SET. BOOKS #161, #172 AND #175 HAVE THE STICKER.

 

 

 

OK, WILL DO! LOVES ME SOME ASM

[biggblaster]

So I need to pay another 12 or more dollars to tell me that my centered 9.8 is better than one that is un-centered? I can’t just figure it out for myself?

[pubmonkey]

WTTB's!

 

So these guys look at the comic through the CGC holder, call on eye appeal, and then name themselves the Comic Verification Authority?

What are they authorizing? What are they verifying?

 

I think I will start a company called PTMOE oh and add an A at the end. The sticker I shall place on the slabs will be on the right front side so as not to confuse the other companies competing for real estate. If you Paid Too Much On Ebay (oh and add Authority) you get this sticker. I will get a lot of them on my collection...and maybe this will make my collection more appealing to the elitists out there...

 

natas666 Thanks for sharing your own experience with this. At least we know their customer service is good.

[Lost]

What will they think of next....

[miraclemet]

Good to see that CVA has a presence here on the CGC boards....

 

So by your post it sounds like your mindset is that only CVA books are the best of the best? A great non-CVAed book isnt great?

 

I just dont get certifying something like eye appeal.

 

I can see it myself. I go after better looking books too. I determine which are better looking by looking at the books.

 

Just about everyone agrees about what makes a "better" book (centering/wrapping) so why have a 3rd party?

 

The only point of it is for slab sellers who want to charge a premium over current GPA rates by justifying the book as been the best of the best...

 

and is it the best of the census, or best of the census that has been seen by CVA?

 

And dont "best in grade" books often push the market anyway? (in part for the "undergraded-ness" and in part for the "presents well")

 

Can there be more than one best of the best in a grade? What happens when a better one comes along? Do they go to your house and pull off the CVA sticker?

 

 

[Magneto]

Something tells me this thread has some serious potential!

 

 

(Oh, and I am not supportive of the concept of CVA and will avoid spending money on any books they have "verified" - especially if the price is at a premium.

[mysterio]

Anyone who has bought a CGC 9.2 white paged book with staple rust through an online auction venue could see the value in something like CVA. While I am not a strong supporter of something like CVA I can see where some would see value in having at least some indication of strong eye appeal in a book they are buying online where they can't judge the book in hand.

 

Of course anyone can judge eye appeal on a book in hand. CVA would be worthless for con sales. But when buying a book online when you can't inspect it that is where CVA could convievably have some value.

 

In the interests of disclosure I do own one CVA book that I was going to buy whether or not it came with the shiny sticker. In hand it is a very pretty book, but then so are the others I bought in the same auction without the CVA stickers. Other auction purchases have not always been as attractive, because as we all know not all CGC graded books are equal even in the same grade level.

[Magneto]

I see your points Mysterio, but I guess my belief is that I don't need a third party to tell me if there is staple rust or not.

 

However, we will see whether or not the market accepts CVA or not.

[mysterio]

I don't disagree with you, I'm just saying that there could be room for something like CVA for online sales. If nothing else it is an attempt to quantify eye appeal when you can't hold a book in hand yourself. And again, I'm not pro-CVA by any stretch, I just see how there could be a perceived need for this in the marketplace. It will be interesting to see if it catches on.

[RockMyAmadeus]

Some of these books with their mis-wrapping and poor centering look horrible. However are still assigned the 9.8 grade

 

 

 

 

[RockMyAmadeus]

I don't disagree with you, I'm just saying that there could be room for something like CVA for online sales. If nothing else it is an attempt to quantify eye appeal when you can't hold a book in hand yourself. And again, I'm not pro-CVA by any stretch, I just see how there could be a perceived need for this in the marketplace. It will be interesting to see if it catches on.

 

[vaillant]

Miswraps and miscuts are a defect, and should be treated as such.

Rusted staples should be noted.

 

If anything, CVA will serve a purpose: to make CGC sensitive about considering these issues when grading.

[RockMyAmadeus]

Miswraps and miscuts are a defect, and should be treated as such.

 

 

Rusted staples should be noted.

 

If anything, CVA will serve a purpose: to make CGC sensitive about considering these issues when grading.

 

[seanfingh]

[natas666-migration]

That's how I feel too Mysterio.

[comix4fun]

THIS IS ACTUALLY A PICTURE OF WHAT A BOOK LOOKS LIKE. LOOK AT MY ASM COMPLETE SET. BOOKS #161, #172 AND #175 HAVE THE STICKER.

 

 

 

OK, WILL DO! LOVES ME SOME ASM

 

WHAT!?!?!

[miraclemet]

I don't disagree with you, I'm just saying that there could be room for something like CVA for online sales. If nothing else it is an attempt to quantify eye appeal when you can't hold a book in hand yourself. And again, I'm not pro-CVA by any stretch, I just see how there could be a perceived need for this in the marketplace. It will be interesting to see if it catches on.

 

I think CVA could have been useful back when people used to buy comics via catalogs (like Mile High)... but now that we are all on the internets dont most major sales sites/auction houses have good enough scanners that I can look at a book and determine its centering/wrap? And on the rare occasions that I worry about rust I just email the seller.

 

Again, CVA and CGC would have been amazingly useful back in the 80s. Think about the guesswork taken out of ordering a book that was listed as a CGC 9.0 w/CVA vs a CGC 9.0 (with no CVA notation)...

 

but now... not so sure theres a big enough need in the market place for it beyond trying improve sellers position to ask for max money...

 

I think of it as the "undercoat protection" of comics grading.