How do you decide what grade to shoot for for your set?

[phtmEVENstrngr]

Hi all.

 

I'd like to start a cgc set. Up until now I've only collected raw books with few (3) exceptions.

 

How do you decide what grades (and what paper quality) to shoot for? Price and population are obviously factors, but in a series with a reasonably high population what else do you take into account? How do you decide to shoot for 9.2's instead of 9.4's or 9.6's? (Is a 9.2 WP more desirable than a 9.4 OW-W?)

 

Any tips are much appreciated.

 

L

[joe_collector]

I buy the book, not the grade...unless it's really, really, really cheap.

 

I would much rather own a beautifully cut, high-color, white-pages 9.2 than a freakshow cut, bad color, OW CGC 9.6, especially as the high-end 9.2 will cost me 1/5 or lower than the low-end 9.6.

[oakman29]

I buy the book, not the grade...unless it's really, really, really cheap.

 

I would much rather own a beautifully cut, high-color, white-pages 9.2 than a freakshow cut, bad color, OW CGC 9l.6, especially as the high-end 9.2 will cost me 1/5 or lower than the low-end 9.6.

 

NUFF SAID!

[jimbo_707]

I primarily collect GA.

 

The things I care about most are bright colors, fresh paper, rust-free staples, and good eye appeal generally (i.e., no really ugly defects).

 

Most of my books are in the 7.5 to 9.2 range, but I'll go lower or higher depending on the book. I don't like to pay for ultra high grades because, really, the difference between a 9.2 and a 9.6 or 9.8 is very slight and the price difference is very large. Below 7.5 you usually start to get too many color-breaking creases for my liking.

 

I won't deliberately buy a book with cream-to-off-white-pages, but I have bought raw books that ended up getting that designation, and I'm not losing too much sleep over it. I usually stick to off-white-to-white or white. Once in a while I'll accept off-white depending on the publisher and the scarcity of the book.

 

If I ever start buying SA again, I'll only accept white pages for those.

[Hado]

Spider-Women 9.8 WP only

[thunsicker]

For me it totally depends on age. I don't like buying anything below fine. For anything more recent (post 1965) I don't like anything below near mint.

 

EDIT: I should also say I don't like buying anything older (pre 1965) above very fine as it gets way too expensive. And I avoid 9.8's for more recent books for the same reason.

[Meeklo]

My paycheck decides for me!

[Wally's Comics]

How do you decide what grade to shoot for your set?

 

 

I gotta big set that is Grade A!

 

 

 

 

[Meeklo]

How do you decide what grade to shoot for your set?

 

 

I gotta big set that is Grade A!

 

 

 

 

…of COMICS Wally….we are talking about COMICS!

[kav]

Budget wise its midgrade for me

[makeminemego]

A lot of it comes down to pocketbook issues, how quickly you want to build your collection, and how much grade means to you vs cost.

 

My collection is 99% mid grade books, 3.5-7.0, all with at least off-white pages, no rusty staples, and no substantial stains(and I say substantial in the most conservative way possible-I'm fine with a dime sized stain on the back cover, no bigger).

 

For me, I'm happier with my really nice Amazing Spider-Man #2 4.5 OW-W than I would be with an 8.5 that would set me back as much as my entire 2-10 run cost me.

 

Just personal preference. To each his own, no wrong answer here.

[Gem_Mint]

For me, copper/modern 9.8 white pages only.

 

Silver, that depends...Mega keys like AF15, 1.5 is the lowest. But minor keys, like FF 48, 49...I'm happy with 5.0's and up.

 

The price jump from 7.0-9.0 in those are so crazy...I probably would never own a 9.0 silver age key

[phtmEVENstrngr]

Thanks for the information everyone! The help is much appreciated.

[GoldCap]

My main focus is GA right now, which, with my budget I am looking for books in the 1.0-4.0 range. If the book is complete and the cover is attached, I'm game. This is the only way I'm going to ever come close to completing the run in my lifetime

[sundrycollect]

I look at the census first. Some of the books I want are super scarce in the grade I want. So...that leaves the option of finding one in the wild. That can be hard.