How do you feel about date stamps on front covers?

[FFB]

Hello everyone,

 

I have been collecting comics ever since I was a teen. When CGC came out, I never took it that serious at all. Sad cause when I look back at it, I did have the money pre-1999 to buy up all these keys. Anyways, I constantly see auctions on Ebay where they indicate the comic has a date stamp or written stamp. Was there some kind of acceptance by CGC that allows hand-written dates on the comics and just pass it off as a minor defect?

 

The Overstreet Grading Guide allows them all the way up to 9.9 Mint or 9.8 NM/MT. CGC follows that standard. They aren't "passing it off as a minor defect." Date stamps ARE a minor defect as far as most collectors are concerned. Not everyone agrees, and there are some high grade collectors who won't buy a book with a date stamp, but the rule that Overstreet's grading guide sets forth allows the stamps up to 9.8 or 9.9.

[the blob]

"Not MINT. A date stamp is just a tiny bit of ink that does not affect the structural integrity of the book one bit."

 

How about if I write my name on the cover? If I color in Superman's teeth? I fill out one of the coupons? They're all just a tiny bit of ink.

 

Hey, just my opinion and not one that's widely accepted.

 

I suppose if we actually have a legit 9.8/10.0 (not the "it's 60 years old and really nice, so let's call it a 9.8 even though if it was from 1967 we'd call it a 7.5") the stamp maybe shouldn't knock it below a 9.4. I guess I'd make that call when/if I ever have such a book in my hand.

 

As for 1/3 of GA books having a date stamp... what % of those would otherwise be a 9.4.... .00001%?

 

How many date stamps? I have a Superman 10 (I forget which issue exactly) where the drug store went absolutely nuts and must have stamped it 20 times. The book isn't a NM anyway, but shouldn't that be a defect?

 

In the 70s one of my LCSes used to identify all of its books with a pen mark on the back cover. Is that not a defect?

 

In any event. the 9.4 GA and SA markets are areas I rarely visit. My best slabbed GA book is a 9.2. I doubt any of my raws would hit 9.4, maybe a few of my SAs and none have date stamps. I don't think I have any slabbed SA 9.4s. So I guess I don't really have worry about this issue too much.

[FFB]

"Not MINT. A date stamp is just a tiny bit of ink that does not affect the structural integrity of the book one bit."

 

How about if I write my name on the cover? If I color in Superman's teeth? I fill out one of the coupons? They're all just a tiny bit of ink.

 

Hey, just my opinion and not one that's widely accepted.

 

I suppose if we actually have a legit 9.8/10.0 (not the "it's 60 years old and really nice, so let's call it a 9.8 even though if it was from 1967 we'd call it a 7.5") the stamp maybe shouldn't knock it below a 9.4. I guess I'd make that call when/if I ever have such a book in my hand.

 

As for 1/3 of GA books having a date stamp... what % of those would otherwise be a 9.4.... .00001%?

 

How many date stamps? I have a Superman 10 (I forget which issue exactly) where the drug store went absolutely nuts and must have stamped it 20 times. The book isn't a NM anyway, but shouldn't that be a defect?

 

In the 70s one of my LCSes used to identify all of its books with a pen mark on the back cover. Is that not a defect?

 

In any event. the 9.4 GA and SA markets are areas I rarely visit. My best slabbed GA book is a 9.2. I doubt any of my raws would hit 9.4, maybe a few of my SAs and none have date stamps. I don't think I have any slabbed SA 9.4s. So I guess I don't really have worry about this issue too much.

 

Obviously if there is ink writing on the cover that is not a date stamp and is obtrusive, then it will be downgraded more than if the writing weren't there. I am not saying that an otherwise 9.4 copy of a GA book is still a 9.4 if someone blacks in Superman's teeth. And if someone goes nuts with a date stamp, then the date stamp wouldn't meet the "relatively inconspicuous" requirement contained in the Overstreet grading guide, and the book will be downgraded moreso than if the book had a single, small date stamp.

 

I am not saying that date stamps are not defects. What I am saying is that if they are relatively inconspicuous, they are defects that are ALLOWED in the higher grades if the rest of the book is exceptionally sharp, per the Overstreet grading guide.

[sfilosa]

I am not saying that date stamps are not defects. What I am saying is that if they are relatively inconspicuous, they are defects that are ALLOWED in the higher grades if the rest of the book is exceptionally sharp, per the Overstreet grading guide.

 

Exactly!!!

 

 

And to further clarify, I Pruchased (and later sold) beautiful Strange Tales #102 that looked NM (NM- at worse), but had a store stamp in the middle of the book and part of the ink speared.

 

The grade of the book was CGC 8.0 (VF). So CGC will deduct if it's in a particular awkward spot or messy.

[the blob]

up in the top left hand corner. that's my final answer re: where the date stamp is ok!

[im-bi-migration]

Thanks for your input guys. The comic I had was a Hulk #181 CGC with what looked like a date stamp on it. But it was hand written and not "stamped". It is very small but nonetheless noticeable.

[FFB]

Thanks for your input guys. The comic I had was a Hulk #181 CGC with what looked like a date stamp on it. But it was hand written and not "stamped". It is very small but nonetheless noticeable.

 

It doesn't matter for grading purposes whether it's a date stamp, a handwritten date, or a handwritten or stamped distributor code. And if it's a handwritten name by the original owner of the comic book, Overstreet suggests that it shouldn't be downgraded below the 9.9 level.

[Forbush-Man]

Well the rhetorical question is - Do you like tattoo's on women?

 

Stamp on a book, stamp on her butt? Hmmm, Is it a nice butt or an ugly butt? Is it good ink or bad ink? Lovely looking butterfly or a picture of her former boyfriend staring up at you.

 

 

That is, by far, the best example I have ever seen !!! I SO much hope I will grow up to be just like you (,....if/when I ever grow up)!

 

Good point, Blazzing One!

 

It really all depends on what one views as beauty!

 

[im-bi-migration]

Fantasy football, that is a great technical answer to my question and eases my mind. Fuelman, I think just being in that situation is good enough for me.

[tilleycs]

If it's a book for my personal collection and a date stamp will help me get it cheaper, that's fine with me. If it's the same issue, same price, I'd choose one without a date stamp. I agree that books with date stamps do generally sell for less. That's been my experience.

[jbud73]

Have absolutely no problem with Date stamps, as others have indicated I think they are cool reminders of the age of the books. I have a slight issue with the Huge date stamps on some books and with books that have multiple stamps. A friend of mine's ASM 14 has 6 date stamps total, that many stamps does take away from the appeal of the book IMO.

[tth2]

A friend of mine's ASM 14 has 6 date stamps total

[Red Hook]

That's not a comic book....that's an ink pad!

[jbud73]

I'll try to get him to send me a scan of the front and back it was really weird.