What are the pros/cons of getting a modern slabbed?

[Reno McCoy]

Mitol, I'm just curious about what you have. I'm only collecting any book by Brubaker, Vaughan, Adam Hughes (cover) or Frank Cho (cover). But I'm just getting into the whole collecting thing.

[mitol]

Blue label books, I have a 9.8 collection, including all variants, of Kevin Smith's run on Daredevil Vol2. I also have 9.6 Signature Series copies of all three #1's signed by Smith, Quesada, and Palmiotti. Yeah, I'm a pretty big Kevin Smith fan. I'm also a huge Warren Ellis fan and have SS copies of Planetary #1 by Cassaday and Ellis. Then of course, there's Jim Lee. I'm almost finished his entire Hush run in 9.8 Signature Series. Just have to work on upgrading my #608 RRP. I'm not a huge fan of his work on Superman, but do have a SS copy of #204 signed by both him and Azzarello.

[blowout]

Pros would be protection,

 

You obviously haven't read any of the threads about Shaken Slab Syndrome. A comic in Mylar with a high quality backing board is likely as well, if not better, protected than one in a CGC slab.

[DiceX]

What are the pros/cons of getting a modern slabbed?

 

Con = You can't read it.

 

Pro = You can't read it.

[Kevin Boyd]

You obviously haven't read any of the threads about Shaken Slab Syndrome. A comic in Mylar with a high quality backing board is likely as well, if not better, protected than one in a CGC slab.

 

I have seen it with older books (pre-1990) that have been thrown around, but I've yet to see a modern book affected by SSS. Have you?

[hobbes]

I'm also a huge Warren Ellis fan and have SS copies of Planetary #1 by Cassaday and Ellis.

 

Those are some signatures I would like to have. Did you meet Ellis and Cassady or did you buy the SS slab?

[Reno McCoy]

Mitol, those are some nice books you have there....love to see some scans.

 

As for trying to get a SLEEPER in nicer condition, what are you doing to find one? I've looked at local shops and found nothing. I've considered buying bulk copies online in the hopes of gettng a really nice one, but that'd defeat the purpose. And ebay...hell...I've never got a copy better than 9.4 on ebay.

[mitol]

Did you meet Ellis and Cassady or did you buy the SS slab?

 

I met them as I goto quite a number of cons. Cassaday, for example, I've met quite a number of times as he seems to goto every major con.

[mitol]

As for trying to get a SLEEPER in nicer condition, what are you doing to find one?

 

You'd be surprised what can be found at cons, but that would be cutting it tight since for me, there are no other cons between now and Seattle. I was planning to ask around as I know quite a few modern collectors who are as anal with their books as I am. I bought bulk once and after receiving the books realized that they were probably prescreened and therefore, all the 9.8's were gone. Maybe Sleeper would be ok as it's not a pop title such as Jim Lee's Batman or Superman.

 

Here are a few scans.

 

[Reno McCoy]

Man, those are some sweet scans.

 

You mentioned asking for help from others at cons you can't attend. Have you ever done that in the past? The reason I ask is that I've never attended a con and don't see myself doing so in the near future. I'd love to have someone on my side and checking for a few key titles I'm interested in (which happen to be less popular books).

[mitol]

You mentioned asking for help from others at cons you can't attend. Have you ever done that in the past?

 

Sure, there are a few of us who goto a lot of cons throughout the year and we just end up helping each other out. But we were pretty good friends to start.

[blowout]

You obviously haven't read any of the threads about Shaken Slab Syndrome. A comic in Mylar with a high quality backing board is likely as well, if not better, protected than one in a CGC slab.

 

I have seen it with older books (pre-1990) that have been thrown around, but I've yet to see a modern book affected by SSS. Have you?

 

In person no, as I don't collect slabbed Moderns. But many posters on here have scanned examples of books with dinged corners and edges and posted them on the various threads discussing SSS.

It does happen, and lets face it, its not going to take much to reduce the grade on a 9.8.

[Kevin Boyd]

Yeah, but my point is that I haven't seen it on any recent books and I've lurked thru those threads with the many examples of SSS you are referring to and no one gave any examples from recent books. I'm not saying it can't be a problem, but you don't see a lot of cover overhangs on new books which would cause the problems you commonly see in shaken slab books.

 

Sure, you could violently shake any slabbed book and you may see problems. I could violently shake my mylar books and I may see the same problems, fewer problems or no problems at all, but my mylar books don't have 3rd party grades on them.

[blowout]

Yeah, but my point is that I haven't seen it on any recent books and I've lurked thru those threads with the many examples of SSS you are referring to and no one gave any examples from recent books. I'm not saying it can't be a problem, but you don't see a lot of cover overhangs on new books which would cause the problems you commonly see in shaken slab books.

Sure, you could violently shake any slabbed book and you may see problems. I could violently shake my mylar books and I may see the same problems, fewer problems or no problems at all, but my mylar books don't have 3rd party grades on them.

 

I agree that Modern books are certainly not as prone as older books to SSS. I just wanted to point out to those that were unaware of Shaken Slab Syndrome, that the CGC holder is not quite as bulletproof as some seem to believe.

[Reno McCoy]

Oh man, I'm thinking of buying more modern 9.8s. ARGH!

[Hobgoblin]

Oh man, I'm thinking of buying more modern 9.8s. ARGH!

 

I recently bought an AXM #4 CGC 9.8 and Sup/Bat #13 9.8. I haven't received the latter yet, but the AXM #4 is definitely not a 9.8 since being shipped.

[jordanscott]

I look at it same as i do for cards.....

 

i don't send cards to beckett/buy slabbed cards just to have....i get it done to protect them.....in 30yrs i might not be collecting cards/comics and should i choose to sell, it'd be nice to have a definate grade for sale purposes.....but in the meantime, I've got a reader copy of a book/binder copy of a card and a protected copy of a book/card that, baring disaster, will always been in good condition and nice to look at ....

 

30 yrs ago, people weren't thinking of slabbing those OPC Gretzky rookies or low numbered x-men......it just worked out that supply no longer meets demand...moreso for cards/books in great condition.....and people like the sense of security from getting the graded/authenticated version of what they want......

 

If i had an unlimited supply of money....i'd finish a reader set of JLA and then get a slabbed set as well.......

[helionaut]

Pros would be protection,

 

You obviously haven't read any of the threads about Shaken Slab Syndrome. A comic in Mylar with a high quality backing board is likely as well, if not better, protected than one in a CGC slab.

 

Even if you step on it?

[Hobgoblin]

Pros would be protection,

 

You obviously haven't read any of the threads about Shaken Slab Syndrome. A comic in Mylar with a high quality backing board is likely as well, if not better, protected than one in a CGC slab.

 

Even if you step on it?

 

In my opinion, slabbing a book is a great way to preserve a book. I took the advice of some forumites and got some mylites and fullbacks for my better books, but I'm still going to have some slabbed. I realize that shipping is the major problem, because they can be shaken aorund a lot. But, if they comeback unscathed, and you simply put them away or put them on display where they will remain undisturbed, it's got to be the best way for preservation. Plus, slabbed books have an added appeal of being in a sealed case. I'm personally going to get some slabbed so that I can just display them. I don't even care about having it done to up the resale value (unless of course my Uncanny 266 comes back as a 9.9, then I'd have to consider it, but it's unlikely).

 

And besides, some of the books I'm going to have slabbed are silver age books in the 4.0 to 7.0 range and have dinged up corners anyway, so I'm not worried about SSS or SCS with those books. The slabbed books are going to look nice on my shelf.