Feb CLink Auction

[Sqeggs]

 

I've always wondered if HA would be able to stay such a dominant player with a fee structure so much higher than their competition.

 

That's a good point. Unless you have the clout to negotiate a lower fee, the seller's premium + the buyer's premium means that there is a substantial wedge between what the buyer pays and what the consigner receives. Maybe I'm wrong, but I have a suspicion that HA will end up with auctions consisting largely of OA and a few big-dollar books.

[cheetah]

 

I've always wondered if HA would be able to stay such a dominant player with a fee structure so much higher than their competition.

 

That's a good point. Unless you have the clout to negotiate a lower fee, the seller's premium + the buyer's premium means that there is a substantial wedge between what the buyer pays and what the consigner receives. Maybe I'm wrong, but I have a suspicion that HA will end up with auctions consisting largely of OA and a few big-dollar books.

 

I'm surprised more people don't try to sell on the boards. Yeah, you get some dumbasses, but there is no fee and you can generally get a price in line with what you'd get at auction. If you've got something that people are starting to talk about, you can generate a good price.

[pmpknface]

There's 1 item in this CL auction that I'm watching closely... I just hope the reserve isn't too high. Not sure if I'll be able to compete with it anyhow but I'm gonna try!

[EJR]

Just about every book on CL's auction has no reserve except for the really big ticket books like the All-Flash #1 CGC 9.4. Just put in a really strong bid at the last second and you might be lucky and win out! EJR

[Spiderphill]

3)I have a question? What are the odds of buying a GA book in VF or higher (from any source) which hasn't been pressed? Recently I had a book pressed and after I sold it I saw the book upped to a 9.2 from my pressed 8.0. My guess is that we are in the early stage of pressing pressed books hoping for still higher grades.

The implications of this are interesting. Are Matt and other pressers intentionally not ironing out every problem they see on a client`s book so that they or their cronies can buy the book if and when it comes up for sale so that they can further maximize its potential?

No, that speculation is insane.

[nearmint]

 

I've always wondered if HA would be able to stay such a dominant player with a fee structure so much higher than their competition.

 

That's a good point. Unless you have the clout to negotiate a lower fee, the seller's premium + the buyer's premium means that there is a substantial wedge between what the buyer pays and what the consigner receives. Maybe I'm wrong, but I have a suspicion that HA will end up with auctions consisting largely of OA and a few big-dollar books.

 

I'm surprised more people don't try to sell on the boards. Yeah, you get some dumbasses, but there is no fee and you can generally get a price in line with what you'd get at auction. If you've got something that people are starting to talk about, you can generate a good price.

 

Couldn't agree more, and that's exactly why I don't consign elsewhere anymore. It's either offered on my website, or on the boards. (thumbs u

[mrmitchgro]

 

I've always wondered if HA would be able to stay such a dominant player with a fee structure so much higher than their competition.

 

That's a good point. Unless you have the clout to negotiate a lower fee, the seller's premium + the buyer's premium means that there is a substantial wedge between what the buyer pays and what the consigner receives. Maybe I'm wrong, but I have a suspicion that HA will end up with auctions consisting largely of OA and a few big-dollar books.

 

I'm surprised more people don't try to sell on the boards. Yeah, you get some dumbasses, but there is no fee and you can generally get a price in line with what you'd get at auction. If you've got something that people are starting to talk about, you can generate a good price.

 

+1

 

Ever since I joined the boards, I've always offered books here first. Even if something doesn't sell, boardies will know who owns it if they see it posted elsewhere. I've done a handful of direct deals on books where I saw an eBay or CLink listing, searched for it here, and PMed the owner.

[clarkkentdds]

I find it peculiar that in the last ten years, I have never seen a listing from Heritage, Comiclink, or Comicconnect state:

 

"this book has been pressed"... "

"this book is a resub",

or "this book was previously a lower grade"

 

Obviously, the dealers are safeguarding consignors wishes (and their own) to not disclose this...

 

But let's look at the consequence of this...

 

This is so detrimental to the buyer!!!

 

Wouldn't this type of disclosure safeguard the longstanding collector/ client who has invested in the books for the purpose of collecting!!

 

That is the collector who is the backbone of the dealer's client base.

 

I'd love just once to read a listing in an auction from any of the big auciton house that states: "Oh heads up!... This book has been Pressed and resubmitted "

[clarkkentdds]

Just once I'd like to see a listing from one of the Big Dealers that actually discloses the very obvious background to a consignment. Instead of proliferating "the big secret". This would safeguard the buyer/ collector who represents the backbone of the hobby!

[batman_fan]

I find it peculiar that in the last ten years, I have never seen a listing from Heritage, Comiclink, or Comicconnect state:

 

"this book has been pressed"... "

"this book is a resub",

or "this book was previously a lower grade"

 

Obviously, the dealers are safeguarding consignors wishes (and their own) to not disclose this...

 

But let's look at the consequence of this...

 

This is so detrimental to the buyer!!!

 

Wouldn't this type of disclosure safeguard the longstanding collector/ client who has invested in the books for the purpose of collecting!!

 

That is the collector who is the backbone of the dealer's client base.

 

I'd love just once to read a listing in an auction from any of the big auciton house that states: "Oh heads up!... This book has been Pressed and resubmitted "

 

yeah but if they did, they wouldn't make as much money. Ultimately no one selling is going to do something that hurts their final price.

[clarkkentdds]

True... But what is this ultimately going to do to the "repeat customers"???

[jkrk]

True... But what is this ultimately going to do to the "repeat customers"???

 

Repeat customers?

 

They're mostly addicts so they'll keep buying no mater what.

 

The sellers will only change their behavior if customers fail to show up. As of now...almost everyone is in the pool.

 

 

 

 

[mrmyst]

A possible solution I have offered previously...

 

 

Assign two grades to each book. The first grade would represent the actual current condition (similar to how CGC currently grades). However the second grade would represent the 'potential' grade of the book. If the condition of the book can be improved upon with conventional pressing, the second grade would reflect the best potential grade.

 

This simple additional grade would do so much to help restore the predictability of this hobby. For most regular collectors that really have no idea how pressing works or how to spot "candidates" this grade would level the playing field. As a high grade/ top census collector I hate having to 'defensively' press books I buy and sell so as to maintain census position and ultimately value. I'm not good at spotting pressing candidates, don't have the time, and frankly this is not why I got into this hobby....

 

A second 'potential' grade would establish a more transparent hobby and PRESSING WOULD NO LONGER BE MANDATORY!

 

These books would be snapped up immediately by folks who press and re-sub.

[Sqeggs]

A possible solution I have offered previously...

 

 

Assign two grades to each book. The first grade would represent the actual current condition (similar to how CGC currently grades). However the second grade would represent the 'potential' grade of the book. If the condition of the book can be improved upon with conventional pressing, the second grade would reflect the best potential grade.

 

This simple additional grade would do so much to help restore the predictability of this hobby. For most regular collectors that really have no idea how pressing works or how to spot "candidates" this grade would level the playing field. As a high grade/ top census collector I hate having to 'defensively' press books I buy and sell so as to maintain census position and ultimately value. I'm not good at spotting pressing candidates, don't have the time, and frankly this is not why I got into this hobby....

 

A second 'potential' grade would establish a more transparent hobby and PRESSING WOULD NO LONGER BE MANDATORY!

 

These books would be snapped up immediately by folks who press and re-sub.

 

And given that CGC is now effectively offering a pressing service, they would be accused of trying to drum up business if they awarded two grades. In addition, they would open themselves up to complaints should the book not receive the second grade after being pressed.

[jimbo_707]

The CGC is punishing books too severely for defects that could be pressed out (and not enough for some other things, like transfer stains, foxing, and dust shadows). I'd be fine with a grading system that didn't deduct any points at all for lights folds that could obviously be pressed out. People who are pressing books are really just working a flawed grading system.

[VintageComics]

The CGC is punishing books too severely for defects that could be pressed out (and not enough for some other things, like transfer stains, foxing, and dust shadows). I'd be fine with a grading system that didn't deduct any points at all for lights folds that could obviously be pressed out. People who are pressing books are really just working a flawed grading system.

 

They actually don't punish those defects very hard at all.

 

If you had two books side by side, and both contained exactly the same defects and eye appeal but one book had a bend or a non colour breaking crease in it, would you consider both books equal? Of course not. The one with the additional defect would be an inferior book.

 

 

 

 

[batman_fan]

The CGC is punishing books too severely for defects that could be pressed out (and not enough for some other things, like transfer stains, foxing, and dust shadows). I'd be fine with a grading system that didn't deduct any points at all for lights folds that could obviously be pressed out. People who are pressing books are really just working a flawed grading system.

 

They actually don't punish those defects very hard at all.

 

If you had two books side by side, and both contained exactly the same defects and eye appeal but one book had a bend or a non colour breaking crease in it, would you consider both books equal? Of course not. The one with the additional defect would be an inferior book.

 

 

 

 

But Roy, what's your definition of not too hard? Even a 0.2 point deduction can be five figures or more.

[jimbo_707]

If they're not punishing books much for those defects, how is it that people are getting such large bumps through pressing? Granted I'm sure the professional pressers are good at spotting books that are undergraded to begin with and then shamelessly taking full credit for the higher grades that come back after resubmission.

[VintageComics]

The CGC is punishing books too severely for defects that could be pressed out (and not enough for some other things, like transfer stains, foxing, and dust shadows). I'd be fine with a grading system that didn't deduct any points at all for lights folds that could obviously be pressed out. People who are pressing books are really just working a flawed grading system.

 

They actually don't punish those defects very hard at all.

 

If you had two books side by side, and both contained exactly the same defects and eye appeal but one book had a bend or a non colour breaking crease in it, would you consider both books equal? Of course not. The one with the additional defect would be an inferior book.

 

 

 

 

But Roy, what's your definition of not too hard? Even a 0.2 point deduction can be five figures or more.

 

But that's not a product of loose or strict grading, that's a product of what the market is willing to pay for those grades.

 

In other words, CGC didn't set the prices - only the grades. The market set the prices.

 

 

[VintageComics]

If they're not punishing books much for those defects, how is it that people are getting such large bumps through pressing? Granted I'm sure the professional pressers are good at spotting books that are undergraded to begin with and then shamelessly taking full credit for the higher grades that come back after resubmission.

 

if you have an otherwise NM book with a severe wave through the entire book it might grade in the VF range. That book deserves to be punished in grade since the wave affects the entire book.

 

If you have an otherwise NM book with a tiny non colour breaking crease it might grade in the NM range. The wear may not affect the grade at all, so CGC is not punishing non colour breaking defects.

 

They are punishing the ones that are worth punishing - meaning the grading scale accounts for a wide range of defects, from large to small.

 

How would you grade them differently? Would you ignore the wave and non colour breaking wear altogether? That would defeat the entire purpose of having a grading scale.