The Waiting Game..... posted by bagofleas

[CSJournals-migration]

The nature of grading.

 

As graded comic collectors, we all know how it's a patient man's way of collecting. You can fork out the money to buy already graded books like I did for the first five years of my collecting cgc books, or you can submit books yourself, which is mostly what I do now.

 

But the length of time to get them back after submission can be agonizingly slow. We understand that that's the case ahead of time, but it doesn't make it any less frustrating. But that's what happens when everybody wants books done in massive volume all year long.

 

Paying the extra $10 per book for Fast Track is always an option, and one that I very often take advantage of, but when you're submitting a lot of books, that extra cost adds up fast!!! So depending on what I've budgeted myself for my current round of invoices, I may or may not do Fast Track.

 

In the case of the four current invoices I have at CGC, only one is Fast Tracked, and that one is only because I want it back YESTERDAY.

 

It is my ASM #300, which I sent to Kaholo1256 (thanks buddy!!) for getting MacFarlane to sign. I would normally be willing to wait the regular time for it, but it's a personal thing and not for selling. It is the copy that my late father and I picked up right off the shelf back in 1988.

 

It has been graded and cracked a total of FIVE TIMES now!!!!! But when it comes back to me for this last time, it will have signatures from Tom DeFalco, Bob McLeod, David Michelinie, Stan Lee and Todd MacFarlane!!!

 

It was 9.6 at first but fell to 9.4 during the multiple cracking sessions. I had it pressed this last time to try and get it back up to 9.6, so hopefully that will be the case, but regardless of the grade, it is a very sentimental book to me.

 

The other three invoices however are in the process of going through at the normal snail's pace. I've been patient, but I dying to know what they get.

 

Among the three invoices are six total books. Four of them are for my Marvel 25th Anniversary Border Covers set!! One is for my Indiana Jones set, and one is for my What If set.

 

Two of them were sent to Surfer99 for Herb Trimpe to sign at Phoenix Comic Con, les than a month before he passed away. I am so thankful to him for getting those done for me.

 

Heck, once the Transformers #22 and Indiana Jones #17 come back, they will be not only the only signed and graded copies, they will both be the only graded copies that will ever exist that are signed by Herb!!!!

 

So while it may be mind numbing to have to wait so long, it just makes it that much sweeter when they finally make their way back to you!

 

The picture below is of my copy of Transformers #5, which I'm contemplating cracking for Bob Budiansky to sign at Baltimore Comic Con. Ive never seen him attending a show before and the only reason he is going to this one is to support the Heroes Initiative. I want to be sure to take advantage of him being there, and I have a few books I can get signed by him, but this cover was always one of my faves of the original series.

 

See more journals by bagofleas

[Ogami]

I look forward to seeing all of your Marvel 25th Anniversary books in one journal.

[Jeffro.]

[bagofleas]

I look forward to seeing all of your Marvel 25th Anniversary books in one journal.

 

You and me both. I'm only missing two books to have them all raw. But they're not all graded yet, because I'm just waiting to try and get sigs on as many of them as possible.

 

And they won't all be 9.8 when I'm done, a few will be 9.6, but I'll eventually get all 9.8s on them.

 

I'll be getting two copies done at Baltimore, hopefully onsite.

[surfer99]

I am right there with you my friend. The waiting can be rough and I don't like paying for fast track. I'm dying to ge back the last book I need to complete my missing years set...I've had this huge journal about it done for months just waiting on that last book, .

 

So glad we got you those sigs from Herb. Amazing timing and very thankful to have met him beforehe passed on...neat guy.

 

 

[Ogami]

I look forward to seeing all of your Marvel 25th Anniversary books in one journal.

 

You and me both. I'm only missing two books to have them all raw. But they're not all graded yet, because I'm just waiting to try and get sigs on as many of them as possible.

 

And they won't all be 9.8 when I'm done, a few will be 9.6, but I'll eventually get all 9.8s on them.

 

I'll be getting two copies done at Baltimore, hopefully onsite.

 

We share a love of many of the same runs/sets/books. I think this is a great set idea.

 

I thought about doing this set, a Secret Wars set, a few other copper centric sets.

 

I'm still looking for my next big thing. I have a few ideas...

[ENVYotb73]

I'm actually waiting on my first order ever placed using the basic modern tier. My lord its an excruciatingly long wait, its been over a month and still hasn't moved passed received.

 

Unfortunately the sheer number of books I have to send in has forced me to be more economical and curtail the fast tracking. Its like getting 3 books done for the price of two. But man, its painfully slow this way .

 

Btw I love your Transformers #5, I'm actually sending in my own along with some other early TF in my next batch! That cover is one of my favorites!!

[Rockblazer]

Interesting, I seem to be the opposite anymore. I tend to find graded books online and submit my own less. I compare what my total cost is if I buy a raw copy with shipping, CGC grading and shipping and if it's close I'll buy the graded book almost every time.

[Ogami]

Well BoF and I are talking about Signature Series books on less popular issues, and those often have to be created by the fan of the work, as dealers can't often afford to take risks on less popular books with specific sigs.