CGC moden era - grading questions - how high?

[W16227]

Hi All,

 

Caught the collecting bug again recently.

 

Been doing a lot of research and preparing to submit some books for grading.

 

The bulk of my collection is from the early 90s. At least - that is when I knew what to do and how to take care of the books. This was when I got out of college and had some disposable cash. Unfortunately - also coincided with one of the most overprinted times for collecting and the "foil cover of the month club".

 

So - at least 50% of the books (understatement I am sure) - no real value in going the CGC route. Even with a 9.8 - the costs do not add up to value. This seems to be the sweet spot for books from this era (obviously depends a lot on the specific book).

 

Example - a Simpsons Comic #1 - even at a 9.6 would be potentially worthwhile

 

But a Volume 3 Superboy #1, best bet wold be to put back in the box for 20 more years. Even a 9.9 (based on comicspriceguide) barely adds value.

 

 

For the others - going through a lot of the examples and posts here - I have a good idea of what potentially can be a 9.8 (or at least what not to even try and submit).

 

My books -majority read once (if that) and bagged/stored in home conditions (no garage or attic)

 

 

My real question is for those who have sent in well cared for modern books - are there any 9.9 or 10 coming back? It seems that these are really the only ones possible that can get that grade. I understand that to even have a chance at that - the books need to be beyond perfect - but I do have many that I can go over with a microscope and see no flaws.

 

 

Not expecting to get 20-30 on a 50 book submission - but 1? 2? never?

 

 

Just working on the submission plan. Ultimate goal is to get rid of a ton of the bulk items I have - so I can focus on older and more valuable books. Would love to get a couple of the real premium grade ones - so I could keep a couple and the others used to fund more estate sale hunts.

 

 

thanks in advance!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[divad]

WTTB (thumbs u

 

put back in the box for 20 more years

 

This.

[BlowUpTheMoon]

My real question is for those who have sent in well cared for modern books - are there any 9.9 or 10 coming back? It seems that these are really the only ones possible that can get that grade. I understand that to even have a chance at that - the books need to be beyond perfect - but I do have many that I can go over with a microscope and see no flaws.

 

Unless you are submitting books with heavy card stock covers, don't expecting getting 9.9s or 10.0s back.

[W16227]

My real question is for those who have sent in well cared for modern books - are there any 9.9 or 10 coming back? It seems that these are really the only ones possible that can get that grade. I understand that to even have a chance at that - the books need to be beyond perfect - but I do have many that I can go over with a microscope and see no flaws.

 

Unless you are submitting books with heavy card stock covers, don't expecting getting 9.9s or 10.0s back.

 

Those are actually the ones I was thinking would stand any chance at all -

 

I have several that I purchased before the card stock "covers" were every other issue-- and of course many from after that. A lot of the "special" issues were printed on the heavier paper as well.

 

One set that comes to mind - is the Superman Doomsday Hunter/Prey series. I have looked over my set and see no dings, ink bleed or shading blemish at all - and the bindings are perfect.

 

Course - looking at the ebay market - that book does not seem to be a good sale at all - unslabbed copies are nowhere near the comicspriceguide values.

 

and to divad - , yea 20 more years for the 3rd gen SB probably does not improve things much. I am trying to take a realistic view of the current collection - what will most likely happen with issues like that - is I will have to bundle a lot together and hope to get some $$ on ebay.

 

Goal is to use the lower end items as practice and trim down the bulk. That way - I can keep hunting around for items like I found at an estate sale yesterday - Superman 102 and Superboy 48. Probably not a real steal at $25 for both - but cool finds for me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[slym2none]

Don't forget - the NM98 CGC 10 was in a dealer's box for who knows how long, and while I may be mistaken, I don't think it had a backing board in the bag. I could be (and probably am) totally wrong on that, and if so, someone here will (gladly!) correct me soon enough.

 

 

 

-slym

[W16227]

Don't forget - the NM98 CGC 10 was in a dealer's box for who knows how long, and while I may be mistaken, I don't think it had a backing board in the bag. I could be (and probably am) totally wrong on that, and if so, someone here will (gladly!) correct me soon enough.

 

 

 

-slym

 

 

and the shame of it all - this is the type of book I was collecting but it was released about 1 year before I graduated - so instead of tons of really cool books with value below a 9.8 - I have tons of superman dies/reborn books that pretty much everyone already has (or doesn't want) !

 

 

[joe_collector]

and the shame of it all - this is the type of book I was collecting but it was released about 1 year before I graduated - so instead of tons of really cool books with value below a 9.8 - I have tons of superman dies/reborn books that pretty much everyone already has (or doesn't want) !

 

So what was stopping you from spending a few bucks a week on comics while you were in college/university?

[W16227]

and the shame of it all - this is the type of book I was collecting but it was released about 1 year before I graduated - so instead of tons of really cool books with value below a 9.8 - I have tons of superman dies/reborn books that pretty much everyone already has (or doesn't want) !

 

So what was stopping you from spending a few bucks a week on comics while you were in college/university?

 

- well, that few bucks a week was spent on beer.........

 

was also in that lull - from junior high through college where I did not have the bug

 

 

much better now, though

 

 

 

 

[MyThreeSons]

In the early 90's I was in grad school at Columbia in NYC. I ordered all my new books from from diamond. At that time my friends and I would each buy 20 or more copies of a book based primarily on the artist. These books were immediately bagged, boarded and boxed. Needless to say it panned out in some instances i.e new mutants 98 and others not so much. I recently submitted 150 of these "modern" books to CCS for Matt to press, and then onto CGC. Most came back 9.8 and a few 9.6, but no 9.9 or 10.0 This has been my own experience. Hope this helps, Brian

[W16227]

In the early 90's I was in grad school at Columbia in NYC. I ordered all my new books from from diamond. At that time my friends and I would each buy 20 or more copies of a book based primarily on the artist. These books were immediately bagged, boarded and boxed. Needless to say it panned out in some instances i.e new mutants 98 and others not so much. I recently submitted 150 of these "modern" books to CCS for Matt to press, and then onto CGC. Most came back 9.8 and a few 9.6, but no 9.9 or 10.0 This has been my own experience. Hope this helps, Brian

 

Definitely does - I think that one poster had the key - the cardstock covers are probably the best bets for any realm of possibility -

 

Also realized that the census tool can give me a probability for any given book.

 

Couple examples of what I have NM+

 

Simpsons #1 - 457 graded, only 5 ever 9.9 or higher. My book has to be in the top 1% ish (obviously not including any pre-grade rejects)

 

Flash 92 (modern - first appearance of Impulse) - none of 125 above 9.8.

 

 

Course I know that there are way more variables in play - but I can look at the data (# submitted vs ultra premium grade given ) and use that to help my thought process.

 

 

 

 

[BlowUpTheMoon]

Simpsons #1 - 457 graded, only 5 ever 9.9 or higher. My book has to be in the top 1% ish (obviously not including any pre-grade rejects)

 

 

Also, your first submission may be a HUGE eye opener.

[rjpb]

while not all CGC 9.8s are potentially a 9.9 or 10, as some probably should have been graded lower, I suspect all 9.9s and 10s could easily have ended up a 9.8.

 

I don't know that anyone actually submits books expecting a 9.9 or 10.

 

 

[W16227]

Simpsons #1 - 457 graded, only 5 ever 9.9 or higher. My book has to be in the top 1% ish (obviously not including any pre-grade rejects)

 

 

Also, your first submission may be a HUGE eye opener.

Simpsons #1 - 457 graded, only 5 ever 9.9 or higher. My book has to be in the top 1% ish (obviously not including any pre-grade rejects)

 

 

Also, your first submission may be a HUGE eye opener.

 

Very true! - the "coupon" I am going to use to submit some variations of books. Will help me to gauge what may or may not be worthwhile. As rjpb pointed out - people do not generally expect the super premium grades - and I do not realistically think any are guarantees. I look at it as the comic lottery - the general qualifications of several books I own get me that ticket (cherry picked book, newer book, bagged right away and stored properly) -- but that only gets me a "chance".

 

And that chance really only means I have a reasonable chance of some 9.8s

 

 

[divad]

Simpsons #1 - 457 graded, only 5 ever 9.9 or higher. My book has to be in the top 1% ish (obviously not including any pre-grade rejects)

 

 

Also, your first submission may be a HUGE eye opener.

 

Odds are.

[joe_collector]

was also in that lull - from junior high through college where I did not have the bug

 

I was just making the point that a LOT of people re-entered the hobby when comics were red-hot speculative material, and it had nothing to do with timing or money or age or anything other than comics were "hot" and suddenly the "thing to do".

[W16227]

was also in that lull - from junior high through college where I did not have the bug

 

I was just making the point that a LOT of people re-entered the hobby when comics were red-hot speculative material, and it had nothing to do with timing or money or age or anything other than comics were "hot" and suddenly the "thing to do".

 

That trend is actually one of the reasons I stopped at the time - I was a big x-men fan - but then "x-everything" kept coming out. Was a lot of $ just to keep up with titles - and the run also made the older books more expensive.

 

Then - marriage - no $$$ - kids -even less $$$.

 

I have to laugh at the irony - I could have kept the books from the first run (though many were well read), never bought a book the second time around - and the collection would be worth 2x as much taking up 1/2 the space and would be 5x as easy to get rid of anything I did not want.

 

 

 

[timfinz]

Post more of your books to the PGM thread and you'll get an idea of what your books conditions are somewhat!

It's not 100% accurate but it is a good monitor!

[W16227]

Post more of your books to the PGM thread and you'll get an idea of what your books conditions are somewhat!

It's not 100% accurate but it is a good monitor!

 

It's been very helpful so far - especially with training my eye and what to look for. The older comics - would never really even grade (at least the values of the ones shown anyway) - just wanted to get a good idea of what to look for when I see the older pieces.

 

 

[stanley1883]

9.9 and 10 are super RARE. I've only seen a few of the DC 3d covers come back as 9.9 and those are super thick. The way I go about it, FORGET 9.9 and 10 even exist. View the 9.8 as the highest possible and go from there. That way you can never be dissapointed and if you do get a 9.9 or 10, its like you won the lottery.

[Bill1]

Well there's rare, and there's RARE...... the IDW's seem to have their fair share of 9.9 and 10.0's....