A "Boarding" Question

[FFB]

Curious, at what price range do you consider a book expensive enough to switch from a Mylite2 to a 4Mil Mylar $20, $50, $100 or over?

 

I've traditionally used the Cole Mylites for my Bronze; my Cole top of the line 4Mil Mylars (with those nasty flaps) are currently used for my Golden Age books. I use poly bags for my Modern books, which I replace every 2 years or so.

 

In regards to mylites: I've always found myself "tearing" them while trying to enclose the flap on the back of the book. As a result, I want to go with the thicker 4Mil mylars. In addition, I'm also tired of the variance of the use of different vendor products, so I want to "Standardize" as well. Thanks FFB for the info. I was leaning on blazingbob's recommendation but there's enough cost difference for me to try eGerber's first. Most of my 52pagers and up are slabbed, or on the way to be slabbed, so I hope that won't be an issue.

 

Thanks for the additional info-

 

I have my Amazing Spidey Annual #2 in a 4 mil Archive, and there are no problems with it.

[fantastic_four]

James, can you post a link to that research? I can't recall whether that was where they said that sealing the environment was ok as long as an alkaline reserve was placed within the environment, or whether I read that in a different place. But I do recall reading the research that I think you're referring to.

 

Here's a link to the thread here, which links to some graphs back on the LoC site (oops, thread was actually in "comics general" forum):

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=comicgen&Number=294618

[FFB]

Thank you sir!

[FFB]

Thank you sir!

 

By the way -- it was the email that the Library of Congress sent to you that you posted on page 3 of that thread where I got the "encapsulation is ok if you include an alkaline board/buffer in the environment" bit.

[shadroch]

I switched over to Mylite2s a couple of years.I pretty much just use the Mylars on really expensive books.As I still have a couple hundred cheaper books in Mylar,and every expensive book I've bought has come with one,I doubt I'll ever buy any again.

 

Curious, at what price range do you consider a book expensive enough to switch from a Mylite2 to a 4Mil Mylar $20, $50, $100 or over?

 

somewhere around the $50 dollar mark.I really like the mylite2s. They are so superior to the original mylites that I think they may suffer from having the same name. Those mylites crinked and tore so easily.Mylite2s display well,and seem fairly secure.I once let my lab get ahold of a mylite2 with a board and a worthless comic. It withstood her chewing for a few seconds.

[deathlok]

I just ordered from my LCS 200 SA Mylite2s and 200 SA Fullbacks.

 

He is charging me $80 for them. which is a small discount form ordering direct from Gerber, at least on shipping.

 

I have the Mylite2s, which seem flimsy. I don't have the Fullbacks yet, but expect them soon. I have used the Fullbacks before and they are very rigid. Although I have never used them with the Mylite2s.

[fantastic_four]

By the way -- it was the email that the Library of Congress sent to you that you posted on page 3 of that thread where I got the "encapsulation is ok if you include an alkaline board/buffer in the environment" bit.

 

It almost seems to be an excuse, though. Why not split the sides AND use a buffer? Everybody's complaining about the "7-year CGC/PGA/3PG expiration date," because that's about as long as they can recommend that the microchamber paper lasts taking into consideration that most comics are stored in less than ideal conditions, shipped around the country, carted to cons, etc, so they should just put little slits down the sides and tops of the well and outer case to further allay the fears since there's somewhere for the acids to escape to.

[FFB]

By the way -- it was the email that the Library of Congress sent to you that you posted on page 3 of that thread where I got the "encapsulation is ok if you include an alkaline board/buffer in the environment" bit.

 

It almost seems to be an excuse, though. Why not split the sides AND use a buffer? Everybody's complaining about the "7-year CGC/PGA/3PG expiration date," because that's about as long as they can recommend that the microchamber paper lasts taking into consideration that most comics are stored in less than ideal conditions, shipped around the country, carted to cons, etc, so they should just put little slits down the sides and tops of the well and outer case to further allay the fears since there's somewhere for the acids to escape to.

 

I don't know that the acids need to escape if they are being absorbed into the alkaline buffer.

 

One benefit of having the book sealed along all four edges is that it keeps out environmental pollution, such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, which are readily absorbed by paper and turn into sulphuric acid and nitric acid, which result in breakdown of the paper.

[fantastic_four]

I don't know that the acids need to escape if they are being absorbed into the alkaline buffer.

 

But could it extend the amount of time before you have to change the buffer? I dunno yet.

 

 

One benefit of having the book sealed along all four edges is that it keeps out environmental pollution, such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, which are readily absorbed by paper and turn into sulphuric acid and nitric acid, which result in breakdown of the paper.

 

I also later wondered whether the research showing that unsealed edges were preferrable took external contaminants into consideration. I asked another question wondering whether the "advanced aging tests" could really take that into consideration--I would think that they don't. I also wondered whether unsealed edges were fine in a library's cold room or vault, but not so fine in the average American household where the atmosphere isn't as controlled.

 

They responded that the professor who could answer that had just retired and they didn't have a replacement yet. I should ask it again since six months or so have passed...

[uclapeterg]

I switched over to Mylite2s a couple of years.I pretty much just use the Mylars on really expensive books.As I still have a couple hundred cheaper books in Mylar,and every expensive book I've bought has come with one,I doubt I'll ever buy any again.

 

Curious, at what price range do you consider a book expensive enough to switch from a Mylite2 to a 4Mil Mylar $20, $50, $100 or over?

 

For my collection , it was FF 1-150 in Mylar; everything else in Mylite2.

[jimm94]

Loosely related to this topic, I have serious concerns about the long term preservation of page quality. With all the high grade books that seemingly change hands so frequently, one can only guess as to the life shortening damage we are unintentionally causing by changes in environment through exposure and handling. Although they have been circulating for practically as long as they originally lay dormant, several collectors have lamented the degradation of page quality within numerous Edgar Church books. Other primo atom and golden age comics could suffer the same fate if they haven't begun to already. I sincerely hope the most celebrated silver age pedigrees and non-pedigreed high grade books do not follow suit.

 

I hope the current generation of collectors is not ruining their most beloved comics because they buy/sell/trade/handle them so much. I potentially foresee this as proving akin to past malfeasant activities such as trimming and color touch on golden age books. We don't want to repeat old mistakes in the hobby or create new, equally irreversible ones.

 

I own relatively few valuable comics, but I have to resist the urge to flip through my short boxes on an almost daily basis. Comics are certainly meant to be looked at, but I feel a certain sense of obligation as their caretaker to make sure they are well preserved for future generations to enjoy.

[shadroch]

But thats the beauty of CGC. Once a book is CGC'd,it doesn't matter how often you handle the book. You can ship it around the world,subject it to floods,use it as a placemat,whatever. If it was a 9.4 in Sarasota,its still a CGC 9.4. Unless the label falls off.

[BachelorOfComix]

But thats the beauty of CGC. Once a book is CGC'd,it doesn't matter how often you handle the book. You can ship it around the world,subject it to floods,use it as a placemat,whatever. If it was a 9.4 in Sarasota,its still a CGC 9.4. Unless the label falls off.

Exactly. All these collectors paying premiums for "White Pages" may actually be buying Off-White or Cream pages.

[jimm94]

I think you forgot to include a sarcasm graemlin in your post, Shad.

 

I do believe that a book is safer overall once encapsulated. That is one of the primary compelling reasons I can think of for slabbing my long term "keepers". However, even in a near or truly airtight well, CGC'd books remain at least partially vulnerable to external environmental factors. The slab does not make a book completely impervious to changes in temperature and humidity, not to mention the current hot topic of slab damage.

[Forbush-Man]

But thats the beauty of CGC. Once a book is CGC'd,it doesn't matter how often you handle the book. You can ship it around the world,subject it to floods,use it as a placemat,whatever. If it was a 9.4 in Sarasota,its still a CGC 9.4. Unless the label falls off.

 

Shadroch,

Have you read any of the "Shaken Comic Syndrom" or "I'm Over it" threads? Some concerns about the comic shifting within the inner well causing damage during shipping. Might want to check it out.

[shadroch]

But thats the beauty of CGC. Once a book is CGC'd,it doesn't matter how often you handle the book. You can ship it around the world,subject it to floods,use it as a placemat,whatever. If it was a 9.4 in Sarasota,its still a CGC 9.4. Unless the label falls off.

 

Shadroch,

Have you read any of the "Shaken Comic Syndrom" or "I'm Over it" threads? Some concerns about the comic shifting within the inner well causing damage during shipping. Might want to check it out.

 

As long as sellers insist on maintaining a no return on CGC books,and buyers are willing to accept it,SCS is irrelevant. Long as the label says CGC X,thats what it is.

[Mr. Zipper]

life shortening damage we are unintentionally causing by changes in environment through exposure and handling. Although they have been circulating for practically as long as they originally lay dormant, several collectors have lamented the degradation of page quality within numerous Edgar Church books.

 

I hope the current generation of collectors is not ruining their most beloved comics because they buy/sell/trade/handle them so much.

 

Interesting point.

 

I've wondered whether the simple act of shipping a book with pristine page quality could markedly degrade the paper.

 

Almost any item that is shipped probably spends a good portion of its journey in poor envirnonmental conditions -- from the freezing hold of a FedEx cargo plane to a humid sorting center to spending the day in the back of a hot delivery truck to sitting on my porch until I get home from work.

 

It's possible that in a 3 day journey, a Church book could degrade more than it did in the entire period it sat in Edgar's closet.

 

[*paull*]

For those that use Mylite2 bags... what do you use to seal them?

 

 

By the way, those 4mil mylar sleeves with a flap are the absolute worst product on the market. It's almost impossible to get a book into one of those without damaging it. Who thought that was a good idea?

[Mr. Zipper]

For those that use Mylite2 bags... what do you use to seal them?

 

Regular old tape which I peel off before removing a book. If the tape tears and won't come off the mylite2, I just go over it with a new piece of tape when I reseal the bag

 

By the way, those 4mil mylar sleeves with a flap are the absolute worst product on the market. It's almost impossible to get a book into one of those without damaging it.

 

Agreed. They look great, but in practice, are dangerous to use...

[*paull*]

Any concerns about using acidic tape? Or are you not worried since it's not in contact with the book? If that's the case, do acid-free boxes make any sense?