Grader Notes - What a joke

[VintageComics]

Until CBCS becomes "real" competition nothing will change. All CGC had to do is make the modern 1975 tier change so far and their profits soared.

 

CBCS is holding themselves back so far.

 

Don't get me started on their terrible comic holders and their signature series program of verifying dead guys. Come on Man........

FYI, I hit the mod button on this post. If people can't discuss CBCS in a positive light without posts getting deleted, they shouldn't be allowed to slam them either.

 

I agree, all people should be given a fair opportunity!

[Bomber-Bob]

I'd just prefer they not grade as harshly as they are at this moment....

 

 

Great time to be a buyer.

 

I was thinking the same thing. They are tight as heck again.

 

I've gotten quite a few books, both for myself and my clients, that are just a single grade level under where they should be, including a book that was a cracked 9.0, pressed out some significant flaws, and it came back...9.0. Also have a gorgeous FF #1 GRR that has a printer's crease that was graded as a regular crease, and hammered down to an 8.5.

 

That, of course, shouldn't be. I love CGC...really do...but this over-tightness hurts substantially.

 

I think tight grading by CGC is good for the hobby. Historically, they were always tight. When they first started most everyone had to adjust their personal grading and tighten up to CGC standards. They got even tighter when Borock left and Haspel was in charge. It wasn't until Hapsel left that they got loose, too loose. IMO, they are now just adjusting back to the way they used to grade. Have I submitted books that I felt were undergraded? Of course, plenty of them. But I would still rather have the tight grading. I also feel they are more consistent when they are tight. Consistent grading is very important.

[porcupine48]

 

Amen. What's your favorite flavor?

Orange all day!

[Logan510]

I'd just prefer they not grade as harshly as they are at this moment....

 

 

Great time to be a buyer.

 

I was thinking the same thing. They are tight as heck again.

 

I've gotten quite a few books, both for myself and my clients, that are just a single grade level under where they should be, including a book that was a cracked 9.0, pressed out some significant flaws, and it came back...9.0. Also have a gorgeous FF #1 GRR that has a printer's crease that was graded as a regular crease, and hammered down to an 8.5.

 

That, of course, shouldn't be. I love CGC...really do...but this over-tightness hurts substantially.

 

I think tight grading by CGC is good for the hobby. Historically, they were always tight. When they first started most everyone had to adjust their personal grading and tighten up to CGC standards. They got even tighter when Borock left and Haspel was in charge. It wasn't until Hapsel left that they got loose, too loose. IMO, they are now just adjusting back to the way they used to grade. Have I submitted books that I felt were undergraded? Of course, plenty of them. But I would still rather have the tight grading. I also feel they are more consistent when they are tight. Consistent grading is very important.

 

A wise man once told me that too tight or too loose is bad grading, striving for consistency was the most important thing.

 

That being said, I've had books come back that some might consider "gift" grades during so called tight periods and the reverse has also been true.

[VintageComics]

I'd just prefer they not grade as harshly as they are at this moment....

 

 

Great time to be a buyer.

 

I was thinking the same thing. They are tight as heck again.

 

I've gotten quite a few books, both for myself and my clients, that are just a single grade level under where they should be, including a book that was a cracked 9.0, pressed out some significant flaws, and it came back...9.0. Also have a gorgeous FF #1 GRR that has a printer's crease that was graded as a regular crease, and hammered down to an 8.5.

 

That, of course, shouldn't be. I love CGC...really do...but this over-tightness hurts substantially.

 

I agree. It's the inconsistency that is annoying and they have swung tight again so that even previous books being regraded are not being graded consistently.

 

@Bob, yeah I know you like tight grading but for people who make a living on graded books it's just money out of the pocket, and often a lot of it. I prefer consistent. Whether tight or loose, just keep it there and then everyone can figure out what they like and what they don't.

 

 

[MCMiles]

What? CGC has been a little on the loose side for a while.

[VintageComics]

What? CGC has been a little on the loose side for a while.

 

Might depend on the tier.

 

I've had a few come back in the same grade or lower and they weren't overgraded the first time.

[MCMiles]

What? CGC has been a little on the loose side for a while.

 

Might depend on the tier.

 

I've had a few come back in the same grade or lower and they weren't overgraded the frist time.

 

I knew you were going to say that, being a BSD and all, but I was including quite a few express books and several walk throughs in my assessment

[jimbo_707]

The main reason I'd be interested in notes would be to find out whether the staples are rusty and whether there are any tears that affect the interior artwork. (I think a detached centerfold is always noted on the label, right?)

[Transplant]

What? CGC has been a little on the loose side for a while.

 

Might depend on the tier.

 

I've had a few come back in the same grade or lower and they weren't overgraded the first time.

Have you ever had an overgraded book?

[VintageComics]

What? CGC has been a little on the loose side for a while.

 

Might depend on the tier.

 

I've had a few come back in the same grade or lower and they weren't overgraded the frist time.

 

I knew you were going to say that, being a BSD and all, but I was including quite a few express books and several walk throughs in my assessment

 

Short of onsite grading I've only used the walk through tier this year in Sarasota and mostly in higher grades. I've had a few books that stayed the same grade even after much improvement. Could very well be that it's just me and RMA was joking.

 

 

[BeachBum]

What? CGC has been a little on the loose side for a while.

 

Might depend on the tier.

 

I've had a few come back in the same grade or lower and they weren't overgraded the first time.

 

Moderns are tight at CGC, have been for awhile but that's fine with me. I'm usually not surprised when a book fails 9.8 pre-screen. Marvels and IDWs are tough at the moment. Print run quality at Marvel varies from week to week.

 

From what I've seen so far the other company they are a bit loose on Moderns, especially with the uber higher grades. This is from firsthand experience, cases in hand. But that's just my opinion and what do I know, right?

[MCMiles]

What? CGC has been a little on the loose side for a while.

 

Might depend on the tier.

 

I've had a few come back in the same grade or lower and they weren't overgraded the first time.

 

Moderns are tight at CGC, have been for awhile but that's fine with me. I'm usually not surprised when a book fails 9.8 pre-screen. Marvels and IDWs are tough at the moment. Print run quality at Marvel varies from week to week.

 

From what I've seen so far the other company they are a bit loose on Moderns, especially with the uber higher grades. This is from firsthand experience, cases in hand. But that's just my opinion and what do I know, right?

 

I'm in even bigger disagreement here. They are giving gifts out like a drunk Santa Claus in moderns. The other company is actually not giving production defects a pass for moderns and handing out tighter grades.

[RockMyAmadeus]

What? CGC has been a little on the loose side for a while.

 

Might depend on the tier.

 

I've had a few come back in the same grade or lower and they weren't overgraded the frist time.

 

I knew you were going to say that, being a BSD and all, but I was including quite a few express books and several walk throughs in my assessment

 

Short of onsite grading I've only used the walk through tier this year in Sarasota and mostly in higher grades. I've had a few books that stayed the same grade even after much improvement. Could very well be that it's just me and RMA was joking.

 

 

Well, I can't speak for RMA...

 

...oh, wait, that's me.

 

 

No, I'm not joking. The last 2-3 months have been tight. I've had cracked books that were markedly improved that retained the same grade, without any "grade limiting" flaws. And, I've done some rather remarkable work that resulted in a single grade level bump.

 

Nothing major, and nothing where you could say "well, RMA, you just don't know how to grade", like I'm expecting a 9.4 and I get a 6.5. No, I got a 9.2, and the same (half level down) throughout large subs, without a corresponding "balance" in "looser" grades....which points to a pattern. My books, my client's books...since about the beginning of Sept.

 

I wouldn't care, if the silly market didn't react so wildly to such subtle differences in level of preservation, but it does. All that matters to the market is the number in the left hand corner.

[VintageComics]

Something I've learned from buying over the years is that everyone sees a book differently.

 

I know it sounds silly, and a defect is a defect, but I can count the number of times I passed on a book that someone else bought thinking it would get the grade they need. And also visa versa. We all see defects differently and I guess all that counts is what the grading company sees at this point.

[MCMiles]

What? CGC has been a little on the loose side for a while.

 

Might depend on the tier.

 

I've had a few come back in the same grade or lower and they weren't overgraded the frist time.

 

I knew you were going to say that, being a BSD and all, but I was including quite a few express books and several walk throughs in my assessment

 

Short of onsite grading I've only used the walk through tier this year in Sarasota and mostly in higher grades. I've had a few books that stayed the same grade even after much improvement. Could very well be that it's just me and RMA was joking.

 

 

Oh, the joke went over my head.

[VintageComics]

The last 2-3 months have been tight.

 

That's been my experience as well. (thumbs u

 

Since about NYC.

[mschmidt]

What? CGC has been a little on the loose side for a while.

 

Might depend on the tier.

 

I've had a few come back in the same grade or lower and they weren't overgraded the first time.

 

Moderns are tight at CGC, have been for awhile but that's fine with me. I'm usually not surprised when a book fails 9.8 pre-screen. Marvels and IDWs are tough at the moment. Print run quality at Marvel varies from week to week.

 

From what I've seen so far the other company they are a bit loose on Moderns, especially with the uber higher grades. This is from firsthand experience, cases in hand. But that's just my opinion and what do I know, right?

 

I'm in even bigger disagreement here. They are giving gifts out like a drunk Santa Claus in moderns. The other company is actually not giving production defects a pass for moderns and handing out tighter grades.

 

I've also looked at a bunch of moderns from that other company and agree with Dre - they're super soft on the high grades. Think CGC around 2010 when every resubbed 9.6 would come back a 9.8. But in this case they're doing it with 9.9s as well, which just makes it even worse :doh:

[RockMyAmadeus]

What? CGC has been a little on the loose side for a while.

 

Might depend on the tier.

 

I've had a few come back in the same grade or lower and they weren't overgraded the first time.

 

Moderns are tight at CGC, have been for awhile but that's fine with me. I'm usually not surprised when a book fails 9.8 pre-screen. Marvels and IDWs are tough at the moment. Print run quality at Marvel varies from week to week.

 

From what I've seen so far the other company they are a bit loose on Moderns, especially with the uber higher grades. This is from firsthand experience, cases in hand. But that's just my opinion and what do I know, right?

 

Like you know how to grade...

 

[MCMiles]

I know you two guys are top notch graders, but you're the last two I'd trust when getting an opinion on one company versus the other.