Is this a generous 9.4??

[dam60]

I am very, very interested in this Heritage Batman 103. However, when I look at the scan, I am not sure if this was graded correctly. I don't want to blow my war chest without checking people's thoughts on a few things.

 

Here are some comments:

Cover

(1) blunted top left corner

(2) spine ding about 1/4 of an inch below top left corner

(3) spine ding about 1/4 of an inch above the machine gun

(4) spine ding in the handle of the machine gun

(5) spine ding about 1/4 of an inch below the dog's leg

(6) rounded bottom left corner

(7) "chipping" on the top above "LS and"

(8) "chipping" on the top right immediately before the corner

and then maybe I am not seeing this right, but it looks like a crease on the bottom right hand corner, starting about 1 inch above the bottom and making a line that breaks color on the bottom most part of Batman's cape.

 

I didn't look at the back too closely, but both of the bottom back corners seem to be blunted

 

Whare are your thoughts? A solid 9.4???

 

Thanks for any and all thoughts/comments

[chrisco37]

I have 9.0's that are nicer than this book! And my only graded SA 9.4 blows this book out of the water!

 

If you bid on this one, Dam, you're "buying" a grade for sure. Still, a nice book though.

 

Heritage does it again!!!!!

 

Chris

[dam60]

Chris, you would be so proud of me! My grading skills are really getting better and I have really come to trust my own grading even more so than CGCs (as this example shows). I didn't think it would be a 9.4 either and that will certainly influence my bid (if I do decide to bid!)

 

Thanks,

 

DAM

[chrisco37]

That book is a 9.0 at best. Good eye at spotting this gross error! Bid accordingly (although you someone will pay a 9.4 price for this I'm sure....sucker!)

 

Chris

[Prophet78]

I found a batman 400 from Heritage that was pretty bad and they had it has a 9.8. Dam, you did a good job picking up on this book. That book is SERIOUSLY over graded. I am not good at grading, but I know this book was given the holy grail of over grading. This book is a 8.5 at best. 9.0 is still a blessing!

 

-Jeremy-

[ArAich]

DAM: ...in my opinion this book just squeaked by with the 9.4 grade...one thing to keep in mind is that the high magnification of the book does make the flaws stand out and that is what makes you question the grade...

Overall the book looks like it has high gloss and is very tight and white..

I would suggest calling CGC for graders notes to ease your mind as far as the extent of the flaws that you pointed out, which are there, but under 2.5(?) magnification may seem worse than they actually are...

[chrisco37]

Good points, Rick. I still think this is over-graded though. Corners are slightly blunted. Multiple spine stress (some even breaking color).

 

Maybe a 9.2, considering the scan does magnify the flaws. Maybe!

 

Calling CGC is an excellent idea.

 

Chris

[Prophet78]

Flaws are flaws. How big they are effects grade I am sure. Could the age of this book affect its grade? Given its age, doesn't CGC have different standards for each age? You would think it would all be equal, but I have read that they grade different by age.

[dam60]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How lucky am I!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just was on the phone with Steve himself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

He walked me through the graders notes:

"Spine stress tine lines that break color"

"Finger crease bottome right edge front cover"

 

I asked him about the chipping and he said that it might be because of the scan itself or it might be a slight abrassion.

 

Also gave me some great suggestions for some original art pieces!

 

Thanks Steve!

 

I might bid around the NM price as I still think the book is not a 9.4 (I would give it a 9.2) but if I see it in person and it looks a lot better than I had thought, I might bid higher . . .

 

DAM

 

 

[ArAich]

Flaws are flaws.

 

Yes...but one thing to consider is that positive aspects of a book should also be taken into account..

 

Could the age of this book affect its grade?

 

In my humble opinion...Yes... I think a book of this era has slightly differant grading criteria (whether CGC admits it or not) and takes into account my first point with a little more importance as well as rating minor flaws with slightly less importance....JMHO...

[Prophet78]

Interesting. I still think that book is over graded.

 

-Jeremy-

[drbanner]

I'm not sure about the chipping, but the color-breaking spine stress and "finger crease" in the bottom right put this book in the 9.0-9.2 range for me. Without the crease I'd agree with a straight up 9.4. However, the grading guide does not mention/allow creases until VF 8.0?? Nice looking book though!

 

Whooa...just noticed the ad on the back cover, forget the book - how much for the bike!?!?

[Bugaboo-migration]

Hmmmm.......all the attention that this book is getting on the boards has made me decide to take a serious run at it myself. I'm also looking for G.I. Joe #21 in cgc 9.8 grade.

[B-Smooth]

[hammer-migration]

9.4?? With HOW many spine stresses and no corners? How come all it took was receiving a phone call from STEVE and this book magically was transformed into a 9.4 once again in your opinion and all of the defects you noted were cured like a leper at Lourdes? After that phone call, are you thinking that possibly it was grossly UNDERGRADED? Sure, why not. Since STEVE called, this book should have gotten a 10.2!!!! I imagine that getting a call from STEVE is akin to the deeply religious and easily led receiving their calling from God. Now, if you ever want to have your own opinion about anything ever again, and possibly see ANYTHING else (unimportant little things....like FLAWS on the book itself) except the label and grade on CGCed books, you'll have to find a de-programming center.

[chrisco37]

"Uh-oh! Uh-oh! Uh-oh! Uh-oh! Uh-oh! Uh-oh! Here comes the Hammer....."

[dam60]

I was happy for Steve to come up and take responsibility for his grades and explain to me his thoughts, and if you read my post, I still don't think it's a 9.4:

 

I might bid around the NM price as I still think the book is not a 9.4 (I would give it a 9.2) but if I see it in person and it looks a lot better than I had thought, I might bid higher . . .

 

So not sure where you got this from:

9.4?? With HOW many spine stresses and no corners? How come all it took was receiving a phone call from STEVE and this book magically was transformed into a 9.4 once again in your opinion and all of the defects you noted were cured like a leper at Lourdes

 

BTW - the book has moved since my post this AM and I was not the bidder. I was going to bid the $450 w/ BP, but now it's at $500 and for that I would rather use the money elsewhere.

 

DAM

 

[hammer-migration]

Not worth delving into. HE called, *hence the book is EASILY a NM 9.4 and all obvious flaws that go completely contrary to what a NM should be (for example: ALL of the flaws you ORIGINALLY noted as being more indicative of a 9.0) shall forever more go unnoticed. I agree. Done on this subject (can't debate with someone on the Lord's automatic dialing list).

 

PS: And FAR more than often, I PRAISE CGC or yield benefit of doubt rather than Hammer them, regardless of their opinion of me. But that certainly isn't going to induce selective blindness when I see flaws on a book with a grade affixed that makes no sense whatsoever, CGCed or Raw. I'm not that easily led, excited or impressed by "celebrity" opinion. EVERYONE has the potential to be right or wrong. In my opinion, the Bat 103 has the WRONG grade on it.

[ArAich]

hence

 

Pay up...hammer....pay up....

[dam60]

Just a quick FYI - I called CGC and randomly got Steve (one of the main reasons I was so excited). I had never met / talked to Steve before. In fact, Hammer, you are one of three board members to have my cell number

 

Best,

 

DAM