Should I restore this book? Action comics 252

[AmazingSaul]

Hello,

 

I just purchased this comic. It has a piece of tape inside as per the picture. I am not an expert on this issue. But would slight professional restoration work on this? I'd say its about a 5.0-5.5 with a defect on cover. The tape is not bleeding through. It was torn by maybe an eraser? So the person added tape to hold it. It left a nasty smudge on the cover. I need opinions please as I am debating if I should? It's a very nice copy otherwise.

 

http://outside-affiliatelinksnotallowed.ebay.com/outside-affiliatelinksnotallowed/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?campid=5337214861&toolid=10001&customid=CGCForum&mpre=http://www.ebay.com/itm/Action-Comics-252-DC-1959-SUPERMAN-1ST-App-Supergirl-RARE-1st-App-Metallo-/231020201390?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&nma=true&si=9yHGm8%252BokHLD93NUAyA9CT7i5gE%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

[faster friends]

NO

[Readymade Breakup]

The link isn't working. Or I should say, I cant get it to work. Is it the one with the "17" in pencil?

[BlowUpTheMoon]

The link isn't working. Or I should say, I cant get it to work. Is it the one with the "17" in pencil?

 

Here's the correct link.

[Readymade Breakup]

I remember when that sold a while back from that dude in New Zealand or Australia or whenever it was. I had an eye on it. I would be curios (although it seems to be in a colored/grey area) to see if that smudge of scribbling could be taken care of with a little dry cleaning. Maybe a clean and press rather than restoration.

[AmazingSaul]

I think it can now that I have it up close. It really isn't so bad. The problem is the tape holding tears.

[Readymade Breakup]

Coincidentally, I had a 252 with tape in about the same spot. I opted just to have it cleaned/pressed and graded. I toyed with the idea of having the tape removed and the tear sealed, but I figured that if I wanted to move it down the line and I was fairly certain that I did, that people would be more put off by a purple label than a blue w/tape. It graded a 3.5, but that was before the change in CGC's standards on tape. If I knew that I'd be keeping the book forever I'd likely have made a different choice. Good luck making yours!

[gadzukes]

You might want to have the tape removed, but that's probably all you want to have done to this. You're so lucky the tape isn't bleeding through more to the front.

Really nice looking comic otherwise.

[AmazingSaul]

That's the plan, to get that tape gone before some damage is done.

[newshane]

This might be a dumb question but I've never considered restoration of any sort.

 

Tape removal doesn't count as restoration does it?

 

If it does not, then I'd suggest having the tape removed. That's all I'd do to it. Maybe a clean and press as suggested before.

 

But restoration? I wouldn't.

 

[AmazingSaul]

I would only slight resto if I know for a fact it will grade 8.5 or higher. Believe it or not it would cost about $300 and I paid $700 being a value of maybe $1500 to $2000. It's a good return and you save the book. Otherwise only tape removal and press.

[zosocane]

The tape as it appears now should not be viewed as restoration.

 

There is a school of thought that books with tape should never receive a grade over 4.0. However, per the 2013 CGC press release on the use of tape, the tape here appears to be serving a "function," and so your book's grade should not be punished for the tape. In other words, this book should be about a 5.0 or 5.5 because it otherwise has the attributes of a 5.0 or 5.5. But the blue label you get back will say something like "One piece of tape on inside front cover." The CGC press release states, "CGC will continue to note tape on the label, as it has always done, whenever and wherever it is found on a book."

 

Bottom line: do not restore it; if you can get the tape off without further damage to the book, great. But tape removal isn't worth damaging the book further because you're not going to get a grade deduction for the use of the tape anyway (but you will get a legend on the label regarding tape if it remains).

 

Very glossy for a 54-year old book, congrats!