Who Upgrades and Under What Circumstances?

[nearmint]

The Supes #14 has a minor tape pull on the back cover, but is nice otherwise. This was just what I wanted, an attractive but reasonably priced copy.

[rjpb]

I pretty much only upgrade books that are 2.0 or less - and usually only if it's a VG or so that I come across without looking that hard.

[awe4one]

I'll upgrade select comics in my collection or runs of titles when the opportunity presents itself. Much like Chrom, I've pretty much met my collecting goals. So in the quest for some other genre, title, or publisher to respark the collecting juices, upgrading is the only option other than stop collecting...

 

Jim

[the blob]

that's one of the nicer GA 4.5s I've seen. I guess they deducted a lot for the bottom right corner. Is the back in bad shape?

[shadroch]

I bid on books regardless of if I have it already. If the price is right,thats all I care about.if I find myself having a few of the same book,I'll offer the lowest one for sale.

[skybolt]

Here's a problem I run into with upgrading.

 

When I got back into collecting comics a few years ago, I purchased a raw Iron Man #1 listed as VF- for $250. I then shipped it over to CGC for standard grading and received a 6.0 grade. Later on I purchased a 9.0 and 9.4 CGC graded copies for reasonable prices. However, even though the 6.0 copy is now obsolete, I still refuse to sell at a $100 loss. So I'll probably wind up keeping it until the movie comes out or until it's value goes up.

 

My biggest mistake has always been paying extra for overgraded mid-grade SA Marvels, and being stuck with them because I don't want to lose on the exchange.

[Currin Comics]

Then free it from the slab, and put it back into your raw collection.

[skybolt]

My non-CGC graded raw collection is pretty dismal. If that Iron Man #1 was set free, it would probably be the best raw book I own.

[Currin Comics]

Free it-they did me wrong on my Silver Surfer 4-so back in the SS run it went.

[skybolt]

Free it-they did me wrong on my Silver Surfer 4-so back in the SS run it went.

 

What grade did they give you. Last year I bought a 9.2 CGC graded copy of SS #4. I love that cover.

[Currin Comics]

They gave me a 4.5, and I was at 5.5.

[skybolt]

They gave me a 4.5, and I was at 5.5.

 

My Iron Man #1 was in VF condition, except for 1/4 inch stain at the tip of the lower corner of the back cover. I bet if I took a pair of scissors and cut that little piece out, it would receive a 6.5 score.

[squidmo2000]

I am just starting to upgrade my ASM's 1-50.I wanted to complete the set first,but I have a few issues in lower grade that just don't go with the flow of the set.I had ASM #25 in 7.5,#26 in 5.0,and #27 in 7.5.It just didn't look right,so I got another #26 in 8.0 and now it looks better.I also realized I would never be able to afford ASM #1-10 in 8.0 or higher,so I settled on 5.0-6.0.I need to upgrade about 4-5 issues more,so the set will go steadily up from 5.0-9.0.Then I will sell all the doubles on Ebay in one auction as a nice starter set for a collector on a budget...

[143ksk]

I'll upgrade if the book I have is very low grade (<2.0) or restored or if I get a good deal on a nicer copy. Otherwise, I don't worry about it too much. I'm more a completist than trying to have the best condition books. Of course, I do like pedigrees so I will upgrade when I find one of them...

[shrunkenhead]

For the GA, I usually do not bother to upgrade unless it's a considerable shift upwards...say a 6.0 with some tanning to an 8.0 with off-white pages.

 

When I was dealing heavily into the bronze, I did a lot of .2 upgrades with the slabs, as to me collecting the BA books was all about condition (midgrade copies of just about anything mainstream can be found any given day on ebay). I am now flipping most of those books to suport my GA habit. I've sold a few larger lots at cost or slightly higher, just to free up some cash, but I have made out pretty well on individual (one or two-book lots) sales.

[tth2]

Upgrades are definitely my form of compulsive disorder. I upgrade my books to 9.6 and 9.8 when I can. I've never owned a book for which a 9.9 copy existed, but I think I would not feel compelled to upgrade from 9.8 to 9.9 or 10.0. I guess even my obsessiveness has limits.

[Larryw7]

I'm just starting to upgrade. I purchased a 5.0 World's Finest #3 from the latest Heritage auction, upgrading from a 2.5 copy. I plan to do the same with WF#4 when I get the chance(I currently have a 2.0). I want GA books to be at least 4.0; I'm sick of looking at ugly, low grade copies.

[Hobgoblin]

I have upgraded in the past, but it's usually because either I receive a good deal, or the book is a much better copy than what I own. For instance, if I like a certain GA cover then I'll purchase the book in VG condition. However, I probably won't upgrade until I see one in VF condition or better. Are there collectors out there that would upgrade even for a 0.2 difference?

 

Not to be rude, but isn't that really the only way people can upgrade a book? By purchasing a copy in better condition than what they have?

 

But yeah, I understand not buying a 5.0 copy if you have a 4.0 copy. That'd be a waste of money IMO. I have a Batman 189 in 5.0 that I'd really like to upgrade, but I probably won't buy anything other than an 8.0 or better.

[Jgel]

I upgrade all the time. If I have a collection/run that I am working on I will buy all 9.4's but if I find a great deal on a 9.6 I will upgrade without thinking twice. I wait and let the books find me

Not with moderns. I will wait for the book I want. I am working on EVERY Dawn book. Cry for Dawn 9.6 and all other Dawn issues 9.8. If a lower grade comes along I will pass. I have over 30 Dawn books in this collection so I can pass until I find the right grade,

[garthgantu]

I have almost as many upgrades on my want lists as I do 'non-upgrades'!

 

I've been working on upgrading my WDC&S and Uncle Scrooge runs, but finding them in better than FN/VF at guide or less is harder than you might think. I've also been upgrading certain Marvel SA runs in the past couple years, shooting to improve on many of the books I bought in 50 cent boxes in the '70s and read so much they dropped from FNs and VFs to VGs or so.

 

Having one copy to look at and another to read is the way to go. I much prefer flipping through the original book, even if in GD, to reading a reprint of any kind. The smell alone makes it worth the price of admission!