Discount Markings & Grading

[manetteska]

I purchased several un-bagged comics recently and was sorting through them today for grading. I noticed the seller marked many of these copies on the top or bottom to (most likely) denote some type of pricing for them.

 

In most cases it is a single pen stroke on the bottom; sometimes it's two or three.

 

Below is an example showing the marking on the bottom and the small mark on the front page (may have to zoom in to see it on the scan; it's in the white triangle to the right of the center arrow).

 

 

 

Again, not all copies have cover markings, just trying to get a feel for how to grade these.

 

Let's say the comic is a NM- ignoring the marker completely.

 

Do I grade it:

 

a. A NM- Qualified

b. VF+ -- i.e. take the original grade and subtract 0.5 (or similar) to get a new grade

c. Do a) and b) and call it a VF+ Qualified

d. Other

 

Thanks for the help.

 

-- dave

[FineCollector]

The only analogy I'm aware of in collectibles is trading card boxes, where unsold boxes were markered across the top when the distributor cleared them out. Unmarked boxes are worth much more. I don't think we have to be that harsh, though.

 

Taking off a half-grade is best. It's unobtrusive, but you're still acknowledging it. Those who care won't want the book at all, so no point catering to them. Those who equate that to a distributor spray-type defect will think you're a harsh grader, and appreciate the discount.

[joeypost]

This may have been a dealer who sold books unbagged and boarded. I have seen many of the old timers just use a different color marker or sharpie to draw a line down all the books in a box and color coordinate the sales.

 

 

Black line = $1.00

Red line = $5.00

etc.

 

Regarding how they would be graded it is likely they would get dinged slightly. I don't see how they could consider it restoration (as they don't distributor ink) but it might be worth it to ask CGC before sending the books in.

 

[manetteska]

Thanks for the input.

 

Joey - That's exactly what this seller did. In order to make sure people weren't un-bagging higher-priced comics to pass them off as "cheapies" he put a line (or several) across the bottom to quickly figure it out.

 

I'll copy my post over in the Ask CGC section to see what they think.

[manetteska]

I re-posted this over in the Ask CGC section and received a very quick response; essentially, Joey was spot-on:

 

"A pen or pencil markings like you are describing is not something we would Qualify for, so the markings would simply be treated as a defect and factored into the grade."

...

"In a case like the one you have pictured, assuming the book is otherwise a NM-, it would likely be downgraded one step."

 

I believe "one step" means from a NM- to a VF/NM.

 

Good to know.

[joeypost]

I re-posted this over in the Ask CGC section and received a very quick response; essentially, Joey was spot-on:

 

"A pen or pencil markings like you are describing is not something we would Qualify for, so the markings would simply be treated as a defect and factored into the grade."

...

"In a case like the one you have pictured, assuming the book is otherwise a NM-, it would likely be downgraded one step."

 

I believe "one step" means from a NM- to a VF/NM.

 

Good to know.

 

That is worth sharing. Thank you for doing the leg work.