Do Ink smudges lower the overall grade of a comic?

[ericc123]

I finally have a chance to buy a great comic at what consider to be a fair price from a major dealer and when I get the scans the comic is perfect. This comic which is graded a 9.2 looks closer to a 9.4 but when I got the scan of the back cover I was shocked! It looks like the inks from the ad on the back cover have smudged. The back cover is white so the ink smudges are very noticeable. Now I am not too bothered by the smudges but if I was to send this book to CGC would the grade be lowered by the inks on the back cover?

 

Thanks in advance,

Eric

[FFB]

I finally have a chance to buy a great comic at what consider to be a fair price from a major dealer and when I get the scans the comic is perfect. This comic which is graded a 9.2 looks closer to a 9.4 but when I got the scan of the back cover I was shocked! It looks like the inks from the ad on the back cover have smudged. The back cover is white so the ink smudges are very noticeable. Now I am not too bothered by the smudges but if I was to send this book to CGC would the grade be lowered by the inks on the back cover?

 

Thanks in advance,

Eric

 

It is a defect, but whether it lowers the grade depends on the severity of the smudging and the other defects the book has. If it is a 9.2/9.4, then a little bit of smudging might not affect the grade, especially if it is production related. But if it's a big smudge resulting from post-production causes, then you are probably looking at some kind of deduction.

 

Can you post a scan?

[sfilosa]

I wish I knew the answer myself, as I have a structurally perfect Silver-Age book at CGC right now, but you can actually see the ink from the prior issue on the back cover (obviously it was stored on top of the prior issue). And there is a touch of ink on the front cover (but not much) probably from the issue after that.

 

I won't be able to tell you for a few months the grade (ahhhhh).

[VintageComics]

Ink smudging is a different defect than ink transfer, which is what i think you were talking about Steve...ink transfer is allowed to some degree even on very hi grade books...My X men #2 CGC 9.2 (which is no longer mine) had quite a bit of ink transfer on the front cover, but the only reason it got a 9.2 was for "5 or 6 very minor stress lines that barely break colour". CGC considers it a production flaw as the books are stacked before the ink dries. I also sold a raw Daredevil #7 9.0 to Harley Yee and we both agreed on the grade...the book had transfer on the front AND back covers with 2 slight staple tears and a stress or two....

my old X men #2 CGC 9.2

Ink smudges on the other hand are different, and early Marvels were notorious for it because of the terrible ink quality they used....you could leave fingerprints all over the book if not careful. Not sure how CGC handles it, but i'd say it safe to bet that you'd have a hard time getting a book in the 9's with smudging...just my opinion..

Any one have any hi grade CGC's with smudges...

[comicdonna]

Their is a huge spot on this comic. I am not sure what it is, but still graded a 9.0

[VintageComics]

WOW. Is that the spot under the "D" at the spine...that's huge...I suppose because it's a GA book there may be some more leniancy???

[divad]

Their is a huge spot on this comic. I am not sure what it is, but still graded a 9.0

 

That whole book is a smudge!

[divad]

Ink smudging is a different defect than ink transfer . . . Ink smudges on the other hand are different, and early Marvels were notorious for it because of the terrible ink quality they used....you could leave fingerprints all over the book if not careful. Not sure how CGC handles it, but i'd say it safe to bet that you'd have a hard time getting a book in the 9's with smudging...just my opinion..

Any one have any hi grade CGC's with smudges...

 

Roy, I totally agree - "smudges" are distinct from "transfer" and tend to come from greasy paw prints

 

A very common defect in my college days (along with chocolate ice cream and beer bottle rings)

[sterlingcomics]

Based on my experiences, smudges (at least from fingerprints) will KILL a book's CGC grade. Ink spray defects subjectively affects the grade based on impact on a book's look.

[FFB]

I finally have a chance to buy a great comic at what consider to be a fair price from a major dealer and when I get the scans the comic is perfect. This comic which is graded a 9.2 looks closer to a 9.4 but when I got the scan of the back cover I was shocked! It looks like the inks from the ad on the back cover have smudged. The back cover is white so the ink smudges are very noticeable. Now I am not too bothered by the smudges but if I was to send this book to CGC would the grade be lowered by the inks on the back cover?

 

Thanks in advance,

Eric

 

It is a defect, but whether it lowers the grade depends on the severity of the smudging and the other defects the book has. If it is a 9.2/9.4, then a little bit of smudging might not affect the grade, especially if it is production related. But if it's a big smudge resulting from post-production causes, then you are probably looking at some kind of deduction.

 

Can you post a scan?

 

Here are the scans, by the way:

 

 

[sfilosa]

That is definitely a distribution / storage defect and might effect the grade, but no where near as much as "dirty fingerprints".

[divad]

That's classic ink transfer or "stack staining" definitely not "smudging". I agree with Steve - it will be considered, but not to the extent of a handling defect, like true smudging.