Impact on resale: cracked CGC case?

[Wookiee-migration]

Question on a cracked case,

I am looking to purchase this but am afraid on the grade to become lower than it is. it is a 9.8 graded now.The book itself is still sealed, but the case has a major crack across the face and came open.

 

What would you all do? thanks in advance.

 

[GoldenPRGuy]

I know I am a little late to the convo, but here is my two cents as a collector ...

 

Despite the fact that many seem to think the case has reached the level of collectible, it has not to me. A case is a case. The only thing that matters is the quality of the book inside and the grade it is assigned.

 

The inner Barex well and the preservation sheets placed inside the comic protects it. The case is there to protect the inner well from getting smashed. A little crack in the plastic case means nothing from a preservation standpoint.

 

Aesthetics are different. If I buy a slabbed book from someone and I am unhappy with the case I would pay the re-holder fee. I don't ever assume I am paying anything for the case itself. That said if the crack was large enough and down the middle of the front or back it would be apparent in pictures and I would ask the seller before purchase to discount the cost due to the fact that I would resubmit. But honestly, with the kinda books I collect (value-wise) $37 bucks for a reholder means nothing to me, and I'd likely send with other books to be slabbed.

 

As a buyer talking to a seller I'd say, please let us know about the crack in advance. I'd much rather say I don't care then to think you tried to hide it from me. Again, as long as the comic is unharmed I won't care.

 

If it comes cracked or flawed in any way from CGC, send it back - this is something they missed in QC and will stand behind their service. I bet they will cover shipping and re-holder fees.

 

Note: Even uncracked cases can wear due to improper storage. I purchased two different books from two different sellers. Both happened to be slabbed in 2006 according to the census. Both had some very odd deterioration on the inside of the hard case that made me unhappy when looking at the cover of the book, but there was no damage on the inner well. I sent them back to CGC and they re-holdered them at no charge because they recognized it as a manufacturing defect. That's the kind of customer service I'd expect, and have yet to be disappointed by them.

 

 

[manetteska]

OK, here's my situation:

 

I bought a slab off of eBay with a good number of pictures showing the condition of the case. There was a scratch on the front of the case, a crack along the bottom back edge, and a crack on the top-left back corner. So...I knew there were issues going in, but mostly aesthetic. When a convention rolled around, I was going to get it re-slabbed.

 

The comic showed up, shipped in a manila envelope. That's it -- an envelope. Suffice it to say, more damage occurred during shipping, including making the crack on the corner bigger as to where I can now separate the case. I know it happened during shipping as several plastic pieces fell out of the envelope.

 

Previously, the case was bad and could have used a re-slab (and was going to get one). Now it is broken and definitely needs a re-slab.

 

Do I ask the seller for some money? Send it back for a full refund? Do nothing?

[GoldenPRGuy]

Again my take: does it bother you to look at? If so, ask... It can't hurt. But if they say no, ask yourself, did you buy the comic for the case or the condition of the book? Lets say it wasn't cgc'd and the seller sent it in a cheap plastic cover, regular acid leaching cardboard backing, in an unpadded priority mail envelop (sadly how many raw ebay purchases arrive). If the comic was undamaged would you care? First thing I do is put books in BCEmylar and archival backing, don't care what it came in. I think to some degree we have to assume the same with a cgc case.

 

This of course is not reality, I know, as people pay 10x for a stabbed copy of an identical grade raw copy. I think this is insane, but that's just me! But at the end of the day, again as a collector, it's the book not the case that I pay for!

[accessndx]

A bit off topic: if an old style CGC label gets sent in for reholdering...do they issue a new label?

[GoldenPRGuy]

Great question ... I have no idea. I did it once with two books but both my labels were the newer kind to begin with so they came back looking the same. I have often wondered if I bought a book with an old school label and sent it in, if it would come back with a new one. I'm sure a phone call would clear this up.

[dopy02]

Great question ... I have no idea. I did it once with two books but both my labels were the newer kind to begin with so they came back looking the same. I have often wondered if I bought a book with an old school label and sent it in, if it would come back with a new one. I'm sure a phone call would clear this up.

 

reholdered with a new style label

[manetteska]

Again my take: does it bother you to look at? If so, ask... It can't hurt. But if they say no, ask yourself, did you buy the comic for the case or the condition of the book? Lets say it wasn't cgc'd and the seller sent it in a cheap plastic cover, regular acid leaching cardboard backing, in an unpadded priority mail envelop (sadly how many raw ebay purchases arrive). If the comic was undamaged would you care? First thing I do is put books in BCEmylar and archival backing, don't care what it came in. I think to some degree we have to assume the same with a cgc case.

 

This of course is not reality, I know, as people pay 10x for a stabbed copy of an identical grade raw copy. I think this is insane, but that's just me! But at the end of the day, again as a collector, it's the book not the case that I pay for!

 

I have an email out to the seller now, though I doubt a resolution will come easily.

 

What gave me more pause is this line re: reholder fees on the site:

 

"**Reholder service is for a chipped, scratched or cracked holder that has not been opened or had its seals broken. We will place your comic in a new holder."

 

It seems that now that the case is cracked to the point where I can get to the inner well/separate the back and front, I need to send it in for a full re-grade.

 

[Mark 1]

I bought a cracked case WD 1 for $400 under GPA....it was even listed in GPA as a cracked case from eBay.

 

As long as the inner well looks fine...i'd buy a cracked case book all day. I sent it to CGC for a $15 reholder...plus shipping was $30 tops and I have a sweet book!

[manetteska]

I bought a cracked case WD 1 for $400 under GPA....it was even listed in GPA as a cracked case from eBay.

 

As long as the inner well looks fine...i'd buy a cracked case book all day. I sent it to CGC for a $15 reholder...plus shipping was $30 tops and I have a sweet book!

 

Was the case able to be separated from front and back pieces? If so, my inner well looks fine and I'm good with a $15 fee instead of $50 or so for a re-grade.

[Hado]

Pictures?

[accessndx]

I'm not sure you can send it in for reholdering without having it regraded. When I submitted an invoice for reholdering there's a "grading" fee listed on the invoice.....plus it's stated that the reholdered items are checked for tampering, etc. The confluence of these things gives me the impression that they at least give the comic a once over before reholdering....hence mini-grading unless they suspect there's been some alteration...then it's probably a full-on grade.

[manetteska]

Pictures?

 

Back, bottom-right (known crack); doesn't appear to have suffered during shipping

 

 

Back, top-left (known crack; though not as big before shipping)

 

 

The biggest culprit, at front, top-left (known but opened much further during shipping)

 

 

 

Same crack/opening looking at it straight-on

 

 

Some pieces that came out of the envelope

 

 

Forcing the two slab covers apart

 

 

 

 

[Tony S]

It cost $37.50 to reholder it IF you send it in alone. If you are already submitting books, it won't cost anywhere near that.

 

+1. If you are already getting books sent back to you the return shipping could be as little as nothing to a few bucks, depending on how many books you are already sending.

 

If the book is not all that valuable and you are only getting one book back from CGC, ask for UPS shipping. $10 for the first book, $2 for each additional book.

 

 

[jimbo_707]

I personally wouldn't care about a crack in the holder unless it interfered with the artwork. I buy comic books, not plastic holders.

[ariomalv]

i have this CGC coming today , do i need to keep it or refund it ? thank you for the help

 

 

both sides like that , it is superman unchained #1 , the seller says it is ok , the books is still closed and safe from moisture

[the blob]

i doubt anything to many buyers. so long as it is in your description, you have done your job. 95% of bidders won't even notice it in there (most people on ebay don't know how to read) and 95% won't care about a minor crack. it isn't as if the CGC case is actually air-tight or moisture-resistant to start with.

[ariomalv]

so the books basically still in a safe condition ? can it be damaged in the future if it has a crack like my picture above ?

 

thanks

[seanfingh]

so the books basically still in a safe condition ? can it be damaged in the future if it has a crack like my picture above ?

 

thanks

 

Where is the crack? If you are referring to the fact that the case is not completely sealed, that is the way ALL CGC cases are manufactured. They are not airtight or completely closed.

[The Kaptain]

i have this CGC coming today , do i need to keep it or refund it ? thank you for the help

 

 

both sides like that , it is superman unchained #1 , the seller says it is ok , the books is still closed and safe from moisture

 

That is normal. The cases are not supposed to be air tight.