Getting a GCG grade lower than expected

[J. Morrow]

Just me letting off some steam...

 

In general, I am not much of a complainer (though on that new Facebook survey, I did rate as being 57% person_without_enough_empathyy). But going to use this as an outlet to complain about myself sending in a book to the CGC with a flaw that I somehow missed. I have seen various people comment on receiving a CGC grade that was lower than they originally expected - so I figured its my turn. Of the few raw comics that I have sent in, most of mine have come back with a grade in the ball park of what I expected - with the exception of one - my X-Men #99.

 

I had actually purchased raw copies of X-Men 98 & 99 from a vendor a couple of years or so ago. In my opinion, both looked to be around 9.0's-9.4's. Back in April, I got both of these books back from CGC. As I expected, issue 98 came in with a grade of 9.4. However, issue 99 came back with a grade of 7.5 (What???)

 

I then started asking myself, "What did I miss? What did they catch that I did not see?" So for the first time ever, I decided to buy the grader notes. I got the notes to see that the grade was due to one comment, "Small Hole Through Book". I did not remember a small hole in the book; although I did remember there being "gripper" holes through the pages. The only thing I can think of without opening the slab is that there were too many gripper holes in the book to give it a good grade. Or maybe there is a tiny hole in the pages of the book that I missed. C'est La Vie....

 

Anybody else ever send something in to the CGC only to find out the comic had a flaw that you did not notice or that you missed when you submitted your comic?

 

See more journals by Jmorrow

[telerites]

 

Anybody else ever send something in to the CGC only to find out the comic had a flaw that you did not notice or that you missed when you submitted your comic?

 

Yes.

 

Other times, I have received higher grades than I expected.

 

Many times, I have received the grades I expected.

[c99c-migration]

Yes, I bought a raw Hulk 181 I thought would be between 5 and 6, came back at 4.0. Turns out the 7th wrap was married. I never noticed that, but they did.

[wardevil0]

I've had two come back several grades lower than I expected, somewhat inexplicably. I haven't bought the notes to see why, because I expect the notes to be inconclusive at best, like yours. "Small hole through book?" if you hold it up to the light, can you see a hole? Was the book pinned up by a thumbtack at some point? Anyway, I plan on cracking a modern that I estimated was a 9.4 and got a 6.5. A modern 6.5 is pretty worthless, so I'll go through it with a magnifying glass to see what I missed. Admittedly, I didn't evaluate it as thoroughly as I should have when I sent it in.

 

But yeah, some are higher, some are lower, most are pretty close. They value certain flaws differently than I do.

[thurstee98-migration]

I always get much lower grades than expected and 46 years of collecting, I don't expect 2 grades lower. I mean color retouched I cant see.why don't CGC do like baseball cards and put post its where the comic is retouched. I guess there $5.00 per order now service charge isn't enough.I pay 300% more on there return postage than I pay to ship. Now economy you cant have a comic worth anything to use and that $25.00 fee is $35-$40.00 when done now with shipping. They have the only game in town. PXG is getting better and many people are switching but who knows. Will my Jackpot 4 get a better price at pxg 4.5 or CGc 4.0.I got both grades. I also wonder if politics are involved and heard a lawsuit on a comic that is being accused of tampering by CGC.I know the person who filed it and has some proof. I do not know one way or another but I guess an expensive comic sufaces that is rare, I can see the reason it COULD happen .People are millionaires here not doing this for fun. Maybe money and statis.I now am buying almost all cgc comics as the prices to ship and services and the grades never the same of mine, Is not worth me gambling anymore. You can get good raw comics,but could you get a refund from a buyer on an altered comic? maybe is the answer but not all the fees you spent to grade it.I just ownder if the graders REALLY don't know whos comics they are grading. Big money comes from big dealers for expensive comics most of the time.

[telerites]

I always get much lower grades than expected and 46 years of collecting, I don't expect 2 grades lower. I mean color retouched I cant see.why don't CGC do like baseball cards and put post its where the comic is retouched. I guess there $5.00 per order now service charge isn't enough.I pay 300% more on there return postage than I pay to ship. Now economy you cant have a comic worth anything to use and that $25.00 fee is $35-$40.00 when done now with shipping. They have the only game in town. PXG is getting better and many people are switching but who knows. Will my Jackpot 4 get a better price at pxg 4.5 or CGc 4.0.I got both grades. I also wonder if politics are involved and heard a lawsuit on a comic that is being accused of tampering by CGC.I know the person who filed it and has some proof. I do not know one way or another but I guess an expensive comic sufaces that is rare, I can see the reason it COULD happen .People are millionaires here not doing this for fun. Maybe money and statis.I now am buying almost all cgc comics as the prices to ship and services and the grades never the same of mine, Is not worth me gambling anymore. You can get good raw comics,but could you get a refund from a buyer on an altered comic? maybe is the answer but not all the fees you spent to grade it.I just ownder if the graders REALLY don't know whos comics they are grading. Big money comes from big dealers for expensive comics most of the time.

 

Paragraphs, punctuation, spell check, and logic can be your friends.

[Silver Collector]

Oh yeah. I sent in a Batman 232. It looked like a 9.2 on "quick inspection". It came back as an 8.5. I totally missed a problem on the cover that another boardie picked out in the scan I had posted. I totally take the responsibility on not spending more time looking over the book before I sent it in. I'm trying to do better going forward.

 

Mike

[rodan57]

I got the notes to see that the grade was due to one comment, "Small Hole Through Book". I did not remember a small hole in the book; although I did remember there being "gripper" holes through the pages. The only thing I can think of without opening the slab is that there were too many gripper holes in the book to give it a good grade. Or maybe there is a tiny hole in the pages of the book that I missed.

 

Gripper holes are production related and not a defect. They also don't match, "Small Hole Through Book".

 

Will you crack the book?