Comic grade for comics that have 'clear' oil fingerprints on front/back cover

[michchan]

Okay, so I just bought another copy of a Batman Adventures Mad Love 1st printing and noticed that in the light you can see these oily 'clear' like fingerprints/smudges on cover and back cover (in the black areas). They won't show up on scans or pictures, but in hand, in the right light they are noticeable. Would these greatly drop the grade? Outside of this, it only have very minor spine ticks, so I graded it around a 9.0-9.2 but didn't know how the fingerprints would drop the grade.

 

Any input would be appreciated

[chrisco37]

I think it probably only matters in the highest grades.

[michchan]

Yeah, that's what I thought as well and after looking through the book again I would grade it around a 9.4, though with fingerprints the grade is a bit dubious atm

[H0RR0RSH0W]

I doubt finger prints would drop it much although they would drop it. The way I would look at it if I were you is the even with the prints it will not move the book out of the "mint" realm. It sounds like it is still a high grading book either way. I would say the description falls in the realm of slight/minor discoloration.

[crazyhips]

On some of the newer books u can wipe them off with a towel.

[divad]

Okay, so I just bought another copy of a Batman Adventures Mad Love 1st printing and noticed that in the light you can see these oily 'clear' like fingerprints/smudges on cover and back cover (in the black areas). They won't show up on scans or pictures, but in hand, in the right light they are noticeable. Would these greatly drop the grade?

 

Yes.

[divad]

Yeah, that's what I thought as well and after looking through the book again I would grade it around a 9.4, though with fingerprints the grade is a bit dubious atm

 

Fingerprints on a 9.4 will drop it at least to a 9.0, if not lower. It depends on their severity.

[MultiSig Mike]

What if you get someone to sign, like Bruce Timm? How do you avoid fingerprints on the cover during signing?

[steveinthecity]

What if you get someone to sign, like Bruce Timm? How do you avoid fingerprints on the cover during signing?

You cut a flap in the bag in the area you'd like the sig placed. The rest of the book avoids exposure to direct handling.

[mschmidt]

I think it probably only matters in the highest grades.

 

You're right - but they hammer it there. I've seen several 9.8s drop to 9.4s because of fingerprints.

[slym2none]

Does oil show up under a UV light?

 

 

 

-slym

[bighairjer]

I've had several WDs come back 9.8 with a nasty print or two.

 

[divad]

I've had several WDs come back 9.8 with a nasty print or two.

 

You're a luck fella bhj, cuz those were a slack-azz grading job . . .