Vault Grading?????????....huh?

[DeadpoolJr.]

The commander of the Vault grading bought these. I guess in a few day's they will be graded !!

 

comicart1 ( 95 *)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-37-Walking-Dead-Comics-92-117-All-9-issues-100-3-specials-/221349299380

I predict many 9.8's, a few 9.9's, and a 10.

[nevermind]

I sent a book in to them. Why not? I gave PGX a chance, they sucked. I even gave that Comic book Grading Company a chance. Awful. Worst than PGX. I will say I did send it before I read through this thread and I didn't realize the stupid claims they were making about their books selling for more than CGC's. Not that I thought it was wise to start a company and attack the industry leader but there was a clear opening in turnaround times, not quality. A few things I would pick apart about the arguement against this company.

 

You have to send your comics to a PO box. (Same as CGC and PGX)

 

Yeah, but CGC has a physical address too and its not a residence. (You have to contact CGC to get that address. It is not listed on their website. Is it fact that Vault is out of a residence? And if so is that a big deal? Lots of big big companies started out of a residence.

 

They don't list any names on there website. ( I don't see a single name on CGC's website. Maybe I just can't find it. Has anyone tried to call and ask?)

 

Too expensive. ( agreed, especially before their temporary "deal" which is what kept me from even trying them. They are going to have to be less expensive than CGC if they want to get a foot hold.)

 

I have to say I only read the first 30 pages of the thread so if I missed anything I apologize. It seemed like it was getting a bit silly and off topic anyway.

 

So anyway I sent them a single bronze book, nothing special, no key or anything. See below. I'll let everyone know how it turns out. Good or bad. -Steve

 

 

 

 

[BlowUpTheMoon]

They don't list any names on there website. ( I don't see a single name on CGC's website. Maybe I just can't find it. Has anyone tried to call and ask?)

 

About the graders.

[nevermind]

They don't list any names on there website. ( I don't see a single name on CGC's website. Maybe I just can't find it. Has anyone tried to call and ask?)

 

About the graders.

 

My mistake. -Steve

[nevermind]

Speaking of Comic Book Grading Company, What happened?

 

http://www.comicgrading.com/cgi-bin/cbgc.pl

[slym2none]

Speaking of Comic Book Grading Company, What happened?

 

http://www.comicgrading.com/cgi-bin/cbgc.pl

 

The most common guess is that the name is too similar to the CGC's moniker.

 

 

 

-slym

[TintiGooner]

I was at my LCS in San Jose, CA a few weeks ago and one of the employees started talking to me about a man who came to the store and was asking the employee questions about starting a new comic book grading service. The employee knows I regularly submit books to CGC and asked if I would submit books to a new company. I said I would if the secondary market saw the value and if I would be able to sell for an equal or greater profit than I do with CGC books. We spoke about the many barriers to entry that have already been mentioned in this thread. After I read this thread I remembered the conversation I had and yesterday I spoke to the employee about it. It turns out that that man (he left an email address with Gianni as a name) had come back and dropped off a graded book as an example – it was a Vault graded book. I told the LCS employee about this thread and how the new company had really hurt itself with questionable selling activities. It turns out that the Vault employee had mentioned that he would be willing to do local pickups to save customers on shipping charges. I do not recall reading if the Vault’s location was known or not, but there definitely is a Vault presence in San Jose.

[nevermind]

So I did not get the book back yet, but it is graded and shipped. They gave me a number I could enter in at their website and it has the grader notes so I have no idea what that $55 charge is for. If you want to see go to the site at the bottom of the grading page where it says "enter asset ID #" and enter 140000000009 -Steve

 

[awakeintheashes]

I was at my LCS in San Jose, CA a few weeks ago and one of the employees started talking to me about a man who came to the store and was asking the employee questions about starting a new comic book grading service. The employee knows I regularly submit books to CGC and asked if I would submit books to a new company. I said I would if the secondary market saw the value and if I would be able to sell for an equal or greater profit than I do with CGC books. We spoke about the many barriers to entry that have already been mentioned in this thread. After I read this thread I remembered the conversation I had and yesterday I spoke to the employee about it. It turns out that that man (he left an email address with Gianni as a name) had come back and dropped off a graded book as an example – it was a Vault graded book. I told the LCS employee about this thread and how the new company had really hurt itself with questionable selling activities. It turns out that the Vault employee had mentioned that he would be willing to do local pickups to save customers on shipping charges. I do not recall reading if the Vault’s location was known or not, but there definitely is a Vault presence in San Jose.

 

Thanks for the info. It appears Gianni didn't sell off his accounts or share in the company as claimed a few pages back.

[Iceman399]

So I did not get the book back yet, but it is graded and shipped. They gave me a number I could enter in at their website and it has the grader notes so I have no idea what that $55 charge is for. If you want to see go to the site at the bottom of the grading page where it says "enter asset ID #" and enter 140000000009 -Steve

 

Notes

Minor obvious or hidden defects. Minor corner chips, edge flecks, and ink smudges. Sharp corners and smooth front cover with high reflectivity. No obvious surface wear on the front cover, some surface wear on the back cover. Minor, almost imperceptible, non color breaking bends on back cover . Cover is recreated in Captain America Vol 4 #28.

 

wait what???

[Timmay]

So I did not get the book back yet, but it is graded and shipped. They gave me a number I could enter in at their website and it has the grader notes so I have no idea what that $55 charge is for. If you want to see go to the site at the bottom of the grading page where it says "enter asset ID #" and enter 140000000009 -Steve

It appears you have been fleeced out of $55.

[comix4fun]

So I did not get the book back yet, but it is graded and shipped. They gave me a number I could enter in at their website and it has the grader notes so I have no idea what that $55 charge is for. If you want to see go to the site at the bottom of the grading page where it says "enter asset ID #" and enter 140000000009 -Steve

 

Notes

Minor obvious or hidden defects. Minor corner chips, edge flecks, and ink smudges. Sharp corners and smooth front cover with high reflectivity. No obvious surface wear on the front cover, some surface wear on the back cover. Minor, almost imperceptible, non color breaking bends on back cover . Cover is recreated in Captain America Vol 4 #28.

 

wait what???

 

 

 

 

[Darkowl]

You unlock this door with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension - a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind. You're moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. Ideas such as a comic book grading company only known as Vault, who shamelessly assigns 9.4 comic books with the label, "Extraordinary". You've just crossed over into the Twilight Zone.

 

[kav]

Every time some would-be competitor to CGC crops up and does a poor job it only strengthen's CGC's chokehold. And rightfully so, I guess.

[ChrisInBaltimore]

I'm still amazed no one has come along and made a solid run of it. All you need is to be honest, a slightly lower cost, and faster turn around times.

 

All those things would be possible right out of the gate.

 

Oh and our other collectible hobbies dominated by one grading company like comics?

[comix4fun]

I'm still amazed no one has come along and made a solid run of it. All you need is to be honest, a slightly lower cost, and faster turn around times.

 

All those things would be possible right out of the gate.

 

Oh and our other collectible hobbies dominated by one grading company like comics?

 

 

The cost of starting up this type of a business is far higher than many people realize. That doesn't lend itself to lower cost. Faster turn around times maybe, because gaining trust won't be immediate and thus submissions scant.

 

The dollars needed just to get the doors open and up and running, for a real competitor, would be seven figures in the first year, easily.

[ChrisInBaltimore]

I'm still amazed no one has come along and made a solid run of it. All you need is to be honest, a slightly lower cost, and faster turn around times.

 

All those things would be possible right out of the gate.

 

Oh and our other collectible hobbies dominated by one grading company like comics?

 

 

The cost of starting up this type of a business is far higher than many people realize. That doesn't lend itself to lower cost. Faster turn around times maybe, because gaining trust won't be immediate and thus submissions scant.

 

The dollars needed just to get the doors open and up and running, for a real competitor, would be seven figures in the first year, easily.

 

Even if you started small? I think it would be a slow endeavor with maybe 50-100 books in the first year if you were lucky. It'd half to be a side job until it took off, which might take years.

 

However, I'm not an expert, clearly.

[CAHokie]

How or where would you get the custom made plastic casings? I would assume that is the most expensive part. Labor and grading can all be done by the one or two startup people.

[comix4fun]

I'm still amazed no one has come along and made a solid run of it. All you need is to be honest, a slightly lower cost, and faster turn around times.

 

All those things would be possible right out of the gate.

 

Oh and our other collectible hobbies dominated by one grading company like comics?

 

 

The cost of starting up this type of a business is far higher than many people realize. That doesn't lend itself to lower cost. Faster turn around times maybe, because gaining trust won't be immediate and thus submissions scant.

 

The dollars needed just to get the doors open and up and running, for a real competitor, would be seven figures in the first year, easily.

 

Even if you started small? I think it would be a slow endeavor with maybe 50-100 books in the first year if you were lucky. It'd half to be a side job until it took off, which might take years.

 

However, I'm not an expert, clearly.

 

 

Doing this half-way would be a recipe for disaster. You'd need to recruit a "name" in the hobby to be the "face" of the company at conventions, etc. You'd need to travel to all the major conventions, meet people, prints 10's of thousands (if not more) promotional flyers, you'd have advertise in all the major trade publications.

 

Doing 50-100 books in the first year isn't going to get you repeat business, or create a brand, or create value for your customers in the form of a premium paid for their graded items. Without those things you might get the odd submission but not repeated continual business.

 

For this type of business that people will be looking to as a way to "add value" to their collectibles, it's go all in or don't go at all.

[comix4fun]

How or where would you get the custom made plastic casings? I would assume that is the most expensive part. Labor and grading can all be done by the one or two startup people.

 

 

It would, most likely involve having a mold created for production, 5 figures easy.