This must be the nicest 7.5 on the planet......

[sfilosa]

Quote:

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I admit it.. I am a cover freak!

 

 

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Look at it this way; If you took my copy, and an inferior looking 8.5 or 9.0, and told someone outside the hobby that the 1K difference was due to a defect you can't see, who would come off as more of a ? The label freak? Or the eye-appeal, or "cover" freak?

 

Again, I'm not saying this book is not deserving of a 7.5, but I am starting to wonder if the # on the label is deserving of the price differences in cases like these

 

BUT ---

 

Why are restored books with a small color touch worth 1/3 the value of an unrestored book?

 

Because as collectors, we want CONFIRMATION that our books are what they APPEAR TO BE.

 

To me, EYE APPEAL is very important. But you know, when I have a very high grade looking book and I see a tiny chip out of the interior pages, IT DOES BOTHER ME.

 

1) Obviously, the value of the book isn't is much but also

2) The book isn't as perfect as it seems to be.

[COI]

BUT ---

 

Why are restored books with a small color touch worth 1/3 the value of an unrestored book?

 

Because as collectors, we want CONFIRMATION that our books are what they APPEAR TO BE.

 

To me, EYE APPEAL is very important. But you know, when I have a very high grade looking book and I see a tiny chip out of the interior pages, IT DOES BOTHER ME.

 

1) Obviously, the value of the book isn't is much but also

2) The book isn't as perfect as it seems to be.

 

I see you're point, and I agree to an extent. I guess it's up to each individual collector to decide for themselves how important eye appeal is, vs. the technical grade, and how much more(or less) a book is worth based on these factors. Personally, if it's a really high $$$ book, like a major key, I'd happily buy a copy with slight color touch for 1/3 the price. But I also realize that some collectors, for whatever their reasons, will not accept any restored books in their collection, and I can understand that. It's all a matter of perception, I guess.

[Fury's_Revenge]

Again, the "subjective" grading thing comes to light. I'm sorry...and maybe this is a personal thing...but sharp corners are not the most important thing to me. I personally would rather have a white cover book with dinged edges(not extensively...the spidey is a good example). I have some books graded at 9.2 that have ,what I would consider, brown covers. CGC grades these a 9.2, but poor spidey with a white cover and dinged edges gets a 7.5!! I would agree that your book has SUPER eye appeal. I think this should be weigh heavily on a books grade. I would much rather have your book in a 8.5-9.0 than my "brownies" in a 9.2!!! I would be happier with the purchase in that case, too!!!! Do you think eye appeal is not considered enough when grading? Of course with my philosiphy, "subjective" becomes a whole other ball game!!!

[COI]

For those of you still interested, here's a massive scan thanks to newtsamson.

 

[DiceX]

Great looking 7.5

[burntboy]

Great looking 7.5

 

again, i agree that this might be the best looking 7.5 on the planet, but the real proof will be in the graders notes.

 

i don't think that LRC is so bad (can't tell if it has a touch of water damage or a chip missing/plus the blunting) to bring the book down that far on it's own. if the notes shed no further light, i'd get it regraded in a heart beat.

 

but, it may have something that simply can't be seen on either cover. (this is where graders notations on the label would be nice.).

 

in any event - good luck with it........and let us know what you learn.......

[VintageComics]

See that's the thing.

 

Eye Appeal isn't a factor in the GRADE.

 

Should it be, maybe, but it isn't.

 

 

There could be lots of things wrong with this book.

 

1) Maybe there is tanning in the interiors.

2) Maybe there is a light staining on the interiors

3) Maybe a few pages have chips at the corners.

 

I'm not saying this book has any of these items (the graders' notes should tell), but none of those items would diminish the EYE APPEAL.

 

I kinda posed this question in an earlier thread and did not get a response...How much should eye appeal affect the grade....I'm sure there are a lot of collectors that would be willing to pay well over...say 7.5 price, for a 7.5 that looked like a 9.0, than an 8.0 for example that looked like an 6.5...get my meaning? I think that being anal on an invisible stain on an other wise 9.2 looking book is kind of rediculous. I submitted a book that came back an 7.0 and every seasoned collector in the area saw the book and swore up and down it was a solid NM- or better. Got any thoughts?

[sfilosa]

I'll be the first to admit that Eye Appeal means a ton to me but at the same time I get "suckered" into the LABEL GRADE GAME.

 

Almost every day I think about why am I paying 3 times as much for a 9.4, then a 9.0, and that's assuming the 9.4 clearly looks better then the 9.0. And of course if the 9.4 doesn't really look any better then the 9.0, that makes me feel worse.

 

There is no right way to collect, and there's nothing wrong with creating goals / standards and changing them whenever you feel like it.

 

I'm actually getting a big urge to buy some VG to FN Timely's as I love many of the covers, but just don't have the desired to pay $800 or more to get copies in VF (of just regular issues). And this is from someone who's lowest CGC graded book is VF- (7.5), which I have two out of over 200 CGC books.

[blazingbob]

My guess is that this book has foxing or staining that are reflected in the grading notes. From my experience staining is one of CGC's hardest grade defects, worse than creasing as far as I'm concerned since I've seen small stains hammered down to 8.0's yet a 9.0 Journey Into Mystery (Yes I sold it so I can talk about it) has a very NOTICEable corner crease that breaks color.

 

.

[sfilosa]

Do I hear Diamond Run?

 

Actually, other than that crease, the book looked excellent.

 

I one of those people that believe one defect (even an inch corner creases) shouldn't have as much effect as multiple smaller defects.

[uclapeterg]

I'm a person who can better deal with multiple "small" defects. I don't think I would ever buy a book with a 1" corner crease even if the rest of the book is "perfect" if the book is priced at 9.0 or above. There was that JIM graded 9.2 with a significant corner crease I remember seeing awhile back - argh!!!

 

I have bought books with corner creases -- they were mid-range (6.5-7.0) books.

[g-man]

COI....did you get the notes yet>?

[sborock]

From the notes: It was down graded because the book was "squashed" while it was laying open at the centerfold. The book does not want to close anymore and won't lay flat. Probably (bad) amatuer press job , looks much better in the holder.

[burntboy]

From the notes: It was down graded because the book was "squashed" while it was laying open at the centerfold. The book does not want to close anymore and won't lay flat. Probably (bad) amatuer press job , looks much better in the holder.

 

well that resolves that - book won't lie flat!!! that's why it look so good in the holder but has the "hidden" defect most of us suspected......................

 

so, i gotta agree that if i were a true collector and wanted a copy of this book to fill in a run, it would be WAY MORE than adequate to do that for me........

 

so it's NOT the nicest 7.5 on the planet - but may be one of the nicest LOOKING 7.5's on the planet..........

[sfilosa]

The real question is:

 

Could a professional pressing job fix it?

[divad]

From the notes: It was down graded because the book was "squashed" while it was laying open at the centerfold. The book does not want to close anymore and won't lay flat. Probably (bad) amatuer press job , looks much better in the holder.

 

Perhaps it has a killer centerfold spread?

[fantastic_four]

From the notes: It was down graded because the book was "squashed" while it was laying open at the centerfold. The book does not want to close anymore and won't lay flat. Probably (bad) amatuer press job , looks much better in the holder.

 

Is there a crease somewhere on the interior related to this? Seems like you could fix it by pressing it while closed, as someone already suggested. I'm surprised you guys downgrade for that.

[burntboy]

From the notes: It was down graded because the book was "squashed" while it was laying open at the centerfold. The book does not want to close anymore and won't lay flat. Probably (bad) amatuer press job , looks much better in the holder.

 

Is there a crease somewhere on the interior related to this? Seems like you could fix it by pressing it while closed, as someone already suggested. I'm surprised you guys downgrade for that.

 

and i'm surprised that you're surprised...........

 

i would think that a book that has been squashed OPEN and won't lie flat is some how akin to a spineroll.

 

and i doubt that this would be an easy disassembled press job as every page has been bent out of shape and would probably need to be pressed individually (or at least in small groups.)

 

having said that (i was thinking along the "relaxing the paper - heat methodology", i suppose the use of significant pressure under a dry press on the entire assembled book, might do the trick........

 

interested in what folks think here.

[Ze-man]

I gotta say I dissagree... then agree with you Harry.

To me the defect this book now has is not as severe as a spine roll .

From just the basic facts we know about this book, and not seeing it in person.

It still seems to me all it would require is it to be pressed again while the comic is not open.

This would refold the nartural crease the book had when it came off the press, which was subsequently forced open when it was pressed improperly.

And re presssing it while closed would more then likely resolve the "wanting to open " tendencies it now exhibits.

No di-assembling the book seems needed.

 

Just a guess on my part tho.

 

Ze-

[fantastic_four]

It still seems to me all it would require is it to be pressed again while the comic is not open.

This would refold the nartural crease the book had when it came off the press, which was subsequently forced open when it was pressed improperly.

And re presssing it while closed would more then likely resolve the "wanting to open " tendencies it now exhibits.

No di-assembling the book seems needed.

 

Those are my thoughts as well. Most spine rolls (folding the book in half along the spine while reading so you can hold the book in one hand) are far worse and often result in severe color breaks, although some of the lighter ones don't. Spine rolls which don't break color seem about like the defect on this Spidey 13 and not worth downgrading for since they're reversible.

 

However, as you said, it's hard for us to say since we're not seeing the book and instead only hearing about it...some of the assumptions we're making could easily be incorrect.