CGC Green Eggs Grading Contest Round 9

[stanley1883]

I'd like to give a great big WTF to CGC. I can stack the World of Fantasy next to some 6.0 from earlier rounds and they'd be identical.

 

What I learned from this tourney:

 

1) I've gotten better

2) I still suck

3) CGC is inconsistent

4) Crack GA CGC 6.0 slabs, resubmit, get CGC 8.0's back

 

At least I found a business model.

 

 

On a completely unrelated note, I will buy any and all CGC 6.0 GA books you have.

[MR SigS]

Another 3 and -1

[Senormac]

+ 6 for me..... but NOT + 10

[thirdgreenham]

I'd like to give a great big WTF to CGC. I can stack the World of Fantasy next to some 6.0 from earlier rounds and they'd be identical.

 

What I learned from this tourney:

 

1) I've gotten better

2) I still suck

3) CGC is inconsistent

4) Crack GA CGC 6.0 slabs, resubmit, get CGC 8.0's back

 

At least I found a business model.

 

On a completely unrelated note, I will buy any and all CGC 6.0 GA books you have.

 

I will have a look for you on Monday. (thumbs u

[Unca Ben]

This has been a lot of fun, but I suspect grading from a scan is a lot different from grading a book in hand.

 

That may account for some of the questions regarding the final CGC grades. Probably not all, but some.

 

If this were somehow a contest where participants graded the book in person before encapsulation, perhaps some of the submitted grades would reflect that.

 

2¢

[catrick339]

That MM is VG minus?

 

Huh.

 

I had it as a slider between 2 and 2.5 and finally, reluctantly, went with the higher grade.

 

And I was STILL a full point off.

 

Huh.

 

 

[timfinz]

I'm having difficulty making comparisons to comparable books that are CGC graded previously. Case in point is the MMC #12 CGC Graded at 4.0 versus the tournament copy?

 

What makes this 4.0 only 0.5 of a grade higher than the MMC in the contest?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know from the March Madness contest that I would grade each of the books four times and spread my grading out between at least two days. Once each day during the day (light) hours and once each day during the evening (dark) hours. I found that my grade swings on some books was up to 1.5 grades.

 

What I don't do is check the census to see what has been graded. What I do is find a graded copy that is as close to or is the same grade that I think the book is. I try and draw my conclusions from there and grade up or down as I feel appropriate.

 

The feeling I'm getting from some of the grades being posted here by CGC (and this is nothing against the tournament or Andy and Shin, you guys are doing a great job and thanks) is that they are slipping into PGX territory?

 

Anybody?

[thirdgreenham]

I think ucleben is mostly right with the fact that we are only looking at the scans. They had the books in their hands and flipped through every page. They felt the firmness or lack thereof. The scan may not do the book justice.

 

 

[timfinz]

I think ucleben is mostly right with the fact that we are only looking at the scans. They had the books in their hands and flipped through every page. They felt the firmness or lack thereof. The scan may not do the book justice.

 

 

Or maybe the book may not do the scan justice! $1.00

 

[rjpb]

That MM is VG minus?

 

Huh.

 

I had it as a slider between 2 and 2.5 and finally, reluctantly, went with the higher grade.

 

And I was STILL a full point off.

 

Huh.

 

 

Despite the spine roll and back cover stain, that copy has too much front cover eye-appeal to be a 2.0/2.5 for me. I went with CGC 3.5 based on some recent lower grade GA I've bought slabbed, but 3.0 would have seemed reasonable.

 

I know many claim to treat back cover damage the same as front cover damage when grading, and apparently CGC has indicated they do the same, but frankly I don't believe that is usually the case with either CGC or many of the others who claim to do so. At the very least eye-appeal is going to be a factor when one is on the bubble about a grade.

 

It can work both ways - which is probably why I'm often grading lower than CGC when it comes to fading, dust shadows, foxing, writing, and chipping/pieces out of the cover.

[timfinz]

That MM is VG minus?

 

Huh.

 

I had it as a slider between 2 and 2.5 and finally, reluctantly, went with the higher grade.

 

And I was STILL a full point off.

 

Huh.

 

 

Despite the spine roll and back cover stain, that copy has too much front cover eye-appeal to be a 2.0/2.5 for me. I went with CGC 3.5 based on some recent lower grade GA I've bought slabbed, but 3.0 would have seemed reasonable.

 

I know many claim to treat back cover damage the same as front cover damage when grading, and apparently CGC has indicated they do the same, but frankly I don't believe that is usually the case with either CGC or many of the others who claim to do so. At the very least eye-appeal is going to be a factor when one is on the bubble about a grade.

 

It can work both ways - which is probably why I'm often grading lower than CGC when it comes to fading, dust shadows, foxing, writing, and chipping/pieces out of the cover.

 

So then with the assumption that eye-appeal is going to be a factor have you had the chance to view the HA archived CGC 4.0 copy in my post above?

 

I for one would appreciate your comments and thoughts on that copy vs. the tournament copy. Albeit we have never had either copy in hand I still have difficulty coming to terms with the two grades for these two books.

[rjpb]

The Heritage archive 4.0 has a huge stain on the left front cover, and some staining on the back as well, though not as badly as the 3.5, it also has about a 1" spine split on the bottom. I would not consider it a 4.0 - all things considered it's about the same overall condition as the 3.5.

 

Personally I'd probably rather have the 3.5 - pending a first hand look at page quality - as sometimes CGCs "Light-tan" is just plain tan, and their cream can be anything from tan to off-white.

[Senormac]

I'm having difficulty making comparisons to comparable books that are CGC graded previously. Case in point is the MMC #12 CGC Graded at 4.0 versus the tournament copy?

 

I know from the March Madness contest that I would grade each of the books four times and spread my grading out between at least two days. Once each day during the day (light) hours and once each day during the evening (dark) hours. I found that my grade swings on some books was up to 1.5 grades.

 

What I don't do is check the census to see what has been graded. What I do is find a graded copy that is as close to or is the same grade that I think the book is. I try and draw my conclusions from there and grade up or down as I feel appropriate.

 

 

Your patience in coming to a final decision about a grade is good process. I don't compare to other graded books either. My gut and my understanding of grades are my only tools.

[Boboset]

I'm having difficulty making comparisons to comparable books that are CGC graded previously. Case in point is the MMC #12 CGC Graded at 4.0 versus the tournament copy?

 

I know from the March Madness contest that I would grade each of the books four times and spread my grading out between at least two days. Once each day during the day (light) hours and once each day during the evening (dark) hours. I found that my grade swings on some books was up to 1.5 grades.

 

What I don't do is check the census to see what has been graded. What I do is find a graded copy that is as close to or is the same grade that I think the book is. I try and draw my conclusions from there and grade up or down as I feel appropriate.

 

 

If you compare the 2005 graded 4.0 to a current 3.5 you're doing it wrong. You can utilize similarly graded examples to great effect, but there's some things to consider first.

 

Sub dates are extremely important and they hold the keys to unlocking grading trends. Does CGC grade tight or loose during a given time period? Does that fluctuate within specific grade ranges and ages? You can discover many more trends with further research.

[timfinz]

I'm having difficulty making comparisons to comparable books that are CGC graded previously. Case in point is the MMC #12 CGC Graded at 4.0 versus the tournament copy?

 

I know from the March Madness contest that I would grade each of the books four times and spread my grading out between at least two days. Once each day during the day (light) hours and once each day during the evening (dark) hours. I found that my grade swings on some books was up to 1.5 grades.

 

What I don't do is check the census to see what has been graded. What I do is find a graded copy that is as close to or is the same grade that I think the book is. I try and draw my conclusions from there and grade up or down as I feel appropriate.

 

 

If you compare the 2005 graded 4.0 to a current 3.5 you're doing it wrong. You can utilize similarly graded examples to great effect, but there's some things to consider first.

 

Sub dates are extremely important and they hold the keys to unlocking grading trends. Does CGC grade tight or loose during a given time period? Does that fluctuate within specific grade ranges and ages? You can discover many more trends with further research.

 

Grades fluctuate with different graders too similarly to this tournament. How many graders are there at CGC? How many have there been? What are their credentials?

 

I know you can go the website and find the somewhat current information but what about previously? Also are we able to determine who looked at what book? Is there an "inspected by number" tagged to the books as they are graded? Do they not compare previously graded books to determine if they are being consistent? Is that part of quality control?

 

What you are telling me still doesn't address the issue of consistency. It apparently gives credibility to it!

[Warlord]

One

 

One

Do tell.

 

 

3.5

 

7.0 - I guess I should have checked the census - but it's not always up to date, and I would have had to coin flip between a tough 6.0 or a soft 8.0.

 

So, I realize there are all kinds of tools out there to help one figure out a grade, but doesn't using the census to pick your grade take away the "skill" (or lack there-of in my case ) and intention of the contest?

 

No census checking for me... as my 6.5 grade on that book will testify!