Accurate and confident grading...

[Old_Skool]

 

 

...and how long does it take until you reach the point where you can do it consistantly? I`ve been collecting on and off for 10 years now and still don`t feel that I am a great grader(maybe good or decent).My skill has improved over the years and I feel more at ease doing it but....does there ever come a time when you "have it down"? The part that gets tricky is the accumulation of defects in a given grade and how they affect that potential grade. For me the F,F+,F/VF,and VF- is where I am most unsure. How does everyone feel about their grading skills?

This is silly,but I wish someone would offer a class or seminar on basic grading.

Could work if they used visual aids and maybe modern comics that have been "aged" to give one a feel of how the grades differ.

 

Thanks for "listening".

[(un)cooldude]

Hmmm...is this my first post here? I think so.

 

Anyway, I've been lurking for a while, and my thoughts mirror Old_Skool_Mule's. My situation is a bit different though. I left the comics scene right around 1989-1990, and have recently returned...with a vengance of course. While I have a few runs that I still maintain from the 80's (Jon Sable, Starslayer, Warlord), I'm mainly picking up modern stuff from 1998 and on.

 

Do most of you take age of a comic into play when grading, or do you stick to the set guidelines, regardless of age? Just in case you're wondering, I haven't picked up an Overstreet Guide yet, but I plan on it.

 

As an aside, if someone were to post scans of a modern comic, to people still offer grading opinions? I'm just curious as I was considering doing just that to get a rough idea of what people thought.

 

Thanks for your thoughts guys, and sorry if I' m a wee bit off topic on this one.

[blutobc]

Welcome to the boards Ender !!!!

 

Is that like a Dead-Ender or maybe an Ender Wiggins?

 

Many of the folks on the boards will be glad to give friendly advice on modern grades and a couple may give not so nice advice....but it still is worth listening too.

 

It does appear that most folks, including CGC will give an older book more of a "benefit of the doubt" when grading - called the Golden Age Curve. And I for one tend to lean that way also.

 

Anyhoo, just post some scans and Get r Done.

[divad]

Do either of you guys own the Overstreet Grading Guide? If not, buy a copy and read it cover to cover. Then, read it again.

 

Here's a link to Amazon:

 

Overstreet Grading Guide

[Old_Skool]

 

Hey ender.Welcome to the boards.Lots of knowledge around here.You can always get an answer(or two)to any question.

 

The age per se won`t affect the grade of the book since the grade is the current condition of the comic book using the criteria agreed upon(usually Overstreet). I know with many of the older and more rare books that people will settle for lower grades just because the higher grades are`nt available or are way to costly.

 

Definately check out the current Overstreet Price Guide.If you can get their Comic Grading Guide too that is very helpful as it has some great photos and explains in detail what makes each grade different from the one above and below it.

 

You may want to check out the Modern Comics board they always have tons of scans of different grades(usually 9.2-9.8) of modern books. I always hit up the "grade my..." threads just to see if I come up with the same number as the more expearienced collectors do.

 

Alrighty,first post and I`m talking your ear off. See you around.

 

OSM

[(un)cooldude]

Do either of you guys own the Overstreet Grading Guide? If not, buy a copy and read it cover to cover. Then, read it again.

 

Here's a link to Amazon:

 

Overstreet Grading Guide

 

Dude, if you even bothered to read my post, I clearly stated that I had not yet picked up an Overstreet Guide. My posting made no reference as to whether or not I should buy a guide and study it like a good little Bingo, it was mearly a hello, and a couple of questions regarding conduct on the board.

 

Sheesh.

[sckao]

Dude, if you even bothered to read my post, I clearly stated that I had not yet picked up an Overstreet Guide. My posting made no reference as to whether or not I should buy a guide and study it like a good little Bingo, it was mearly a hello, and a couple of questions regarding conduct on the board.

 

Sheesh.

 

There are two guides.. the price guide and the grading guide. It wasn't clear if you didn't have one or the other (or both).

 

Oh, and welcome to the boards.

 

 

[garthgantu]

Welcome to the boards Ender !!!!

 

Is that like a Dead-Ender or maybe an Ender Wiggins?

 

Many of the folks on the boards will be glad to give friendly advice on modern grades and a couple may give not so nice advice....but it still is worth listening too.

 

It does appear that most folks, including CGC will give an older book more of a "benefit of the doubt" when grading - called the Golden Age Curve. And I for one tend to lean that way also.

 

I'll take a stab at some of this...

 

While I do believe that CGC 'grades on a curve' based on the age of a comic (this is pretty irrefutable once you see enough slabbed GA, SA and BA books), I don't think this is necessarily the 'common thinking' among collectors/dealers, or even regulars on these boards. Anecdotally, I'd guess that at least 60% of posters to these boards at least *claim* to grade the same across all ages of comics. Now this is not entirely feasible, as you'd be hard pressed to find a BA book with foxing, as just one example among many. And to the extent that CGC is forgiving of say, dust shadows on older books, it's understandable that a BA book with a dust shadow would likely be penalized more.

 

But for the most part, I'm very much in favor of no "GA forgiveness" in grading. If you practice such "forgiveness" in your grading, where does it end? You've got some sliding scale that values various defects more heavily for each genre of books? What about across different publishers who used different qualities of paper?

 

Basically, a 9.4 GA book should look as "new and fresh" as a 9.4 SA or BA book. The fact that it's decades older just makes its high grade that much more impressive.

 

And if you extend the "forgiveness" model into Platinum and Victorian age books, you've got a real problem... a Victorian Age 'comic' with pages missing would still qualify as NM if the sliding scale slid that far

 

Look, it's hard enough already to gauge other peoples' grading curves; if you add "Age forgivness" then you have no idea what you're dealing with. One man's VF becomes anothers GD+.

[ArAich]

, and a couple of questions regarding conduct on the board.

 

First order of business...don't be a right from the get-go...

[arexcrooke]

Welcome to the boards, and to echo ArAich comment, dont be a [!@#%^&^] right off of the bat. It takes time to develop some respect from the others on here. You might have a ton of knowledge, and im sure the members on this board would love to hear it. However, if you start off like a jacka**, then nobody will pay you any mind. Either that, or youll get flamed to death.

[divad]

Do either of you guys own the Overstreet Grading Guide? If not, buy a copy and read it cover to cover. Then, read it again.

 

Here's a link to Amazon:

 

Overstreet Grading Guide

 

Dude, if you even bothered to read my post, I clearly stated that I had not yet picked up an Overstreet Guide. My posting made no reference as to whether or not I should buy a guide and study it like a good little Bingo, it was mearly a hello, and a couple of questions regarding conduct on the board.

 

Sheesh.

 

Woooooooooo! I can tell that this is the start of a wonderful relationship! (Bite me big daddy!)

[Old_Skool]

 

I own both the current price guide and the grading guide.The grading guide has helped me a lot and I refer to it quite often.I noticed a differant version of the grading guide at the bookstore the other day.Looks like the info is the same but the photos and visuals are differant.

 

 

Not sure why the new guy came out swingin` like that.

[(un)cooldude]

, and a couple of questions regarding conduct on the board.

 

First order of business...don't be a right from the get-go...

 

Well, let's have a look at the first post that was directed towards myself. Even though I indicated that I did not have a copy of the Overstreet Guide...and let's put our thinking caps on here for a moment, and read the title of the thread again, then consider which guide I may be talking about...

 

No, the title of the thread was not Accurate Pricing, and Grading.

 

So, excuse me for not specifying which Guide, as we were supposed to be talking about _grading_, yes?

 

That being said, I immediately get told to 'not be a ' by people here, simply because I responded to what I percived to be a smart-[!@#%^&^] comment directed towards myself, with an equally smart-[!@#%^&^] reply...that was not intended to [!@#%^&^] someone off...but gee, it's funny how quickly other people can make that assumption, and engage on a big pile on! I'm sorry that some people just live to make others unhappy, but if you want to encourage people to participate, treating them like isn't a good way to start.

 

I will also go on to state that that's a pretty sweeping generalization of what you think I meant regarding conduct, as opposed to what I did mean; how someone might ask for grading help? I was in no way talking about 'being nice', rather, I was simply asking how one might go about doing a specific task, like the one I was referring to in my post.

 

If you really care about fostering good relations with new-commers to these forums, calling them a '', wouldn't really be my #1 choice. Instead of divadrabnud and myself talking about it, and possibly straightening our initial impressions of one another, other's have saw fit to attack and insult first. Thanks guys, I really feel welcome now.

 

For those that did offer words of welcome, and try to help out, I thank you for doing so. It's just unfortunate that some people see attacking others as a form of entertainment that they must simply engage in.

[FFB]

I own both the current price guide and the grading guide.The grading guide has helped me a lot and I refer to it quite often.I noticed a differant version of the grading guide at the bookstore the other day.Looks like the info is the same but the photos and visuals are differant.

 

 

Not sure why the new guy came out swingin` like that.

 

He hasn't yet developed the thick skin that one needs to ward off divad's smartassedness. It will come in time, assuming everyone doesn't jump on him for it.

 

Welcome, Ender!

[divad]

I own both the current price guide and the grading guide.The grading guide has helped me a lot and I refer to it quite often.I noticed a differant version of the grading guide at the bookstore the other day.Looks like the info is the same but the photos and visuals are differant.

 

 

Not sure why the new guy came out swingin` like that.

 

He hasn't yet developed the thick skin that one needs to ward off divad's smartassedness. It will come in time, assuming everyone doesn't jump on him for it.

 

Welcome, Ender!

 

Gee, and I thought I was being helpful . . .

[divad]

I own both the current price guide and the grading guide.The grading guide has helped me a lot and I refer to it quite often.I noticed a differant version of the grading guide at the bookstore the other day.Looks like the info is the same but the photos and visuals are differant.

 

 

Not sure why the new guy came out swingin` like that.

 

[divad]

smartassedness

 

Counselor - Is this a word?

[FFB]

I own both the current price guide and the grading guide.The grading guide has helped me a lot and I refer to it quite often.I noticed a differant version of the grading guide at the bookstore the other day.Looks like the info is the same but the photos and visuals are differant.

 

 

Not sure why the new guy came out swingin` like that.

 

He hasn't yet developed the thick skin that one needs to ward off divad's smartassedness. It will come in time, assuming everyone doesn't jump on him for it.

 

Welcome, Ender!

 

Gee, and I thought I was being helpful . . .

 

It's all in how you wield the hammer.

 

[divad]

, and a couple of questions regarding conduct on the board.

 

First order of business...don't be a right from the get-go...

 

Well, let's have a look at the first post that was directed towards myself. Even though I indicated that I did not have a copy of the Overstreet Guide...and let's put our thinking caps on here for a moment, and read the title of the thread again, then consider which guide I may be talking about...

 

No, the title of the thread was not Accurate Pricing, and Grading.

 

So, excuse me for not specifying which Guide, as we were supposed to be talking about _grading_, yes?

 

That being said, I immediately get told to 'not be a ' by people here, simply because I responded to what I percived to be a smart-[!@#%^&^] comment directed towards myself, with an equally smart-[!@#%^&^] reply...that was not intended to [!@#%^&^] someone off...but gee, it's funny how quickly other people can make that assumption, and engage on a big pile on! I'm sorry that some people just live to make others unhappy, but if you want to encourage people to participate, treating them like isn't a good way to start.

 

I will also go on to state that that's a pretty sweeping generalization of what you think I meant regarding conduct, as opposed to what I did mean; how someone might ask for grading help? I was in no way talking about 'being nice', rather, I was simply asking how one might go about doing a specific task, like the one I was referring to in my post.

 

If you really care about fostering good relations with new-commers to these forums, calling them a '', wouldn't really be my #1 choice. Instead of divadrabnud and myself talking about it, and possibly straightening our initial impressions of one another, other's have saw fit to attack and insult first. Thanks guys, I really feel welcome now.

 

For those that did offer words of welcome, and try to help out, I thank you for doing so. It's just unfortunate that some people see attacking others as a form of entertainment that they must simply engage in.

 

And I thought I was an angry young man . . .

 

Take a deep breath , and start over . . .

[FFB]

, and a couple of questions regarding conduct on the board.

 

First order of business...don't be a right from the get-go...

 

Well, let's have a look at the first post that was directed towards myself. Even though I indicated that I did not have a copy of the Overstreet Guide...and let's put our thinking caps on here for a moment, and read the title of the thread again, then consider which guide I may be talking about...

 

No, the title of the thread was not Accurate Pricing, and Grading.

 

So, excuse me for not specifying which Guide, as we were supposed to be talking about _grading_, yes?

 

That being said, I immediately get told to 'not be a ' by people here, simply because I responded to what I percived to be a smart-[!@#%^&^] comment directed towards myself, with an equally smart-[!@#%^&^] reply...that was not intended to [!@#%^&^] someone off...but gee, it's funny how quickly other people can make that assumption, and engage on a big pile on! I'm sorry that some people just live to make others unhappy, but if you want to encourage people to participate, treating them like isn't a good way to start.

 

I will also go on to state that that's a pretty sweeping generalization of what you think I meant regarding conduct, as opposed to what I did mean; how someone might ask for grading help? I was in no way talking about 'being nice', rather, I was simply asking how one might go about doing a specific task, like the one I was referring to in my post.

 

If you really care about fostering good relations with new-commers to these forums, calling them a '', wouldn't really be my #1 choice. Instead of divadrabnud and myself talking about it, and possibly straightening our initial impressions of one another, other's have saw fit to attack and insult first. Thanks guys, I really feel welcome now.

 

For those that did offer words of welcome, and try to help out, I thank you for doing so. It's just unfortunate that some people see attacking others as a form of entertainment that they must simply engage in.

 

Dude, take a deep breath, go for a walk outside, calm down, and come back later. His initial comment may have read as though it was a tad bit sarcastic, but this response is like killing cockroaches with a nuke. Take it down a notch or five. Have a beer. You'll live longer.