CGC 9.8.....or is it???

[(un)cooldude]

I've got a couple of quick questions for you guys, in hopes that you can enlighten me a bit before I make a call for grader's notes tomorrow.

 

I recently bought this comic off eBay, slabbed, because I wanted to 'archive' a copy. Why? Because they printed my letter in the back. I've got 2 other copies of this same issue, one of which I'm SURE would grade better than this copy, but I wanted to get one already ready to go for safekeeping, because of my past experience with wait times, and costs associated with sending in my books. I got this one for about half of what it would cost me to send one in for slabbing...but I digress...

 

Looking over it after I got it, I noticed this:

 

 

I've circled the 'scuff' I see on the back cover of the comic, near the bottom, at the spine...if you look closely, you'll even see the color 'smudge' off to the left of the mark. This book does move around fairly easily in the holder, so I took another shot with the comic slid over in the holder, just to make sure it wasn't some stuff on just the liner:

 

 

I've circled both the 'scuff' again, as well as the now non-existent 'gap' between the book and the edge of the inner liner. Proving that it's not just a scuff on the inside of the liner causing this.

 

My question is this; Is this something allowable in a 9.8? I honestly don't see anything else wrong with it, but I've got a few other 9.8's, and this mark alone really makes me scratch my head.

 

The holder on this sucker took a bit of a beating in shipping (and previous handling I suspect), which has left numerous 'scuff' marks on the outside of the front of the holder, as well as a small chip in it! (I've circled the chip in the following photo. it's at the bottom of the holder)

 

 

I guess I'm kind of disappointed in this, but can live with the slightly chipped holder, IF the book is REALLY a 9.8. I'm not willing to blow another $35 to have this re-holdered, after my last experience with that whole process. What concerns me the most is that scuff on the back cover...

 

Thoughts?

[Silver Surfer]

Thoughts? Throw it up and EBay, sell it and buy a new copy. QC damage perhaps?

[FFB]

I don't think Overstreet's grading guide allows a scuff like that on the back cover, but if the scuff is a common printing defect, CGC will allow something like that in 9.8 if the rest of the book is perfect.

[(un)cooldude]

Thoughts? Throw it up and EBay, sell it and buy a new copy. QC damage perhaps?

 

*sighs*

 

Well, that might be a plan, but that was the first copy of that particular issue I've seen for sale on eBay, and the price was very good. As I said before, at least half of what it would have cost me to personally send in a book for grading, as well as what I had been quoted for one from other sellers I sometimes buy from.

 

Do you REALLY consider this a 9.8 though? That's my REAL question...

[(un)cooldude]

I don't think Overstreet's grading guide allows a scuff like that on the back cover, but if the scuff is a common printing defect, CGC will allow something like that in 9.8 if the rest of the book is perfect.

 

Looking in my latest copy of the grading guide, it says there should be NO cover wear. I've also got 2 other copies of this very same comic, one of which I also bought on eBay, and neither of them have ANY scuffs on them. The thing that kind of gets me though, is the fact that the color from the scuffed area is spread over to the left, in the white area. To me, this looks like it could be a printing defect...I mean, how else could the color get over there, if not at the press?

[FFB]

I don't think Overstreet's grading guide allows a scuff like that on the back cover, but if the scuff is a common printing defect, CGC will allow something like that in 9.8 if the rest of the book is perfect.

 

Looking in my latest copy of the grading guide, it says there should be NO cover wear. I've also got 2 other copies of this very same comic, one of which I also bought on eBay, and neither of them have ANY scuffs on them. The thing that kind of gets me though, is the fact that the color from the scuffed area is spread over to the left, in the white area. To me, this looks like it could be a printing defect...I mean, how else could the color get over there, if not at the press?

 

It is a printing defect. Of that there is no question. What I meant was, if it is a common defect that is found on a lot of copies of that particular book, CGC will permit stuff like that up to the 9.8 grade. They did the same thing with Avengers #500 Director's Cut because there was a 1/4" spine stress common to almost every copy of that issue.

 

If the printing defect on your book is not that common, then I don't know what to tell you. It is obvious that what you're looking at is not slab damage though, so apparently CGC will allow a production-related scuff like that on a 9.8 if the rest of the book is perfect.

 

As for whether you agree with CGC's grading, clearly you don't. And there's nothing wrong with that. Lots of people don't agree with their grading at this level, including me when it comes to production defects like this. It's definitely something to watch for when buying 9.8 copies of books in the future.

[(un)cooldude]

It is a printing defect. Of that there is no question. What I meant was, if it is a common defect that is found on a lot of copies of that particular book, CGC will permit stuff like that up to the 9.8 grade. They did the same thing with Avengers #500 Director's Cut because there was a 1/4" spine stress common to almost every copy of that issue.

 

If the printing defect on your book is not that common, then I don't know what to tell you. It is obvious that what you're looking at is not slab damage though, so apparently CGC will allow a production-related scuff like that on a 9.8 if the rest of the book is perfect.

 

As for whether you agree with CGC's grading, clearly you don't. And there's nothing wrong with that. Lots of people don't agree with their grading at this level, including me when it comes to production defects like this. It's definitely something to watch for when buying 9.8 copies of books in the future.

 

Thanks for the clarification on that FFB, I do agree with all the points you raised. I was looking for some other opinions on whether this could be an allowable defect in a CGC 9.8 grade, and if others thought that it was a printing defect, as I have come to think. As for whether I fully agree with the grade...well...I haven't finalized my decision on that as of yet. Again, that's another reason for making this post; to gain some opinions from others. I rarely see this type of thing discussed, so I figured I'd ask.

 

Honestly, for me to try and sell this, and then try to acquire another one in 9.8 grade with no worse issues with it than this one has would be pretty difficult I think, which is the reason I don't think it would be a smart move to sell it and begin hunting again. If anything, I may consider getting my other MINT copy (Hey, it's BETTER than this one, IMO) graded this summer in Chicago, if CGC is doing onsite stuff. Really though, I've got many other targets in sight right now, and I'm trying to minimize the cash loss by flipping needlessly.

 

Thanks for your input though FFB!

[Hobgoblin]

Looks a lot like a 9.8 Astonishing X-Men #4 that I have. Has a couple scuffs on it just like that.

[Silver Surfer]

Thoughts? Throw it up and EBay, sell it and buy a new copy. QC damage perhaps?

 

*sighs*

 

Well, that might be a plan, but that was the first copy of that particular issue I've seen for sale on eBay, and the price was very good. As I said before, at least half of what it would have cost me to personally send in a book for grading, as well as what I had been quoted for one from other sellers I sometimes buy from.

 

Do you REALLY consider this a 9.8 though? That's my REAL question...

 

No, especially for a modern. 9.8's basically should be emmaculate.

[Silver Surfer]

It is a printing defect. Of that there is no question. What I meant was, if it is a common defect that is found on a lot of copies of that particular book, CGC will permit stuff like that up to the 9.8 grade. They did the same thing with Avengers #500 Director's Cut because there was a 1/4" spine stress common to almost every copy of that issue.

 

Its funny you should mention that book because I was searching EBay last night to see if I could find one and when I read this thread that was the first book to come to mind. Just a quick scan at the census and surprisingly there are 32 9.8's in the registry but I have yet to see one for sale.

[DiceX]

CGC 9.8.....or is it???

 

Looks like the label says "9.8" to me.

Seriously. If that's the only defect on the book...that's why it's not a "10.0".

[bullseye]

i would hold another copy for onsite grading, if you get the 9.8 flip it, if not, your letter was in it and you have a 9.8 example of it, even though the scuff is there, they must have either missed it, which i doubt, or there were several with that defect.

[FFB]

CGC 9.8.....or is it???

 

Looks like the label says "9.8" to me.

Seriously. If that's the only defect on the book...that's why it's not a "10.0".

 

Plus, the pictures are magnified and are making the scuff look 4 times bigger than it actually is.

[(un)cooldude]

Dice-X: As far as I can see, that would be the only defect on the book. After looking it over as closely as possible as I could, I could almost see what looks to be the beginning of a bindery tear on the bottom front of the spine. I think I'd actually have to crack the book out to be sure though. The scuff itself, just for the record, is a little over 1/4" in length, and maybe 1/32" in width. So yes, it's pretty small. But, as I mentioned earlier, I have 2 other raw copies of this, and the one I actually received from my LCS with my pulls HAS to be a 9.9 or 10.0 then, if this hit 9.8. This was why the scuff made me go 'huh?'. The other raw copy that I bought is pretty high-grade as well, but I think it's got a couple of minor flaws. Not bad for something bought on eBay that went through the mail.

 

I will most definitely keep my copy that I think would hit 10.0 in mind for on-site grading when I go to WW Chicago this year, assuming that CGC will be there. Normally I wouldn't even bother with all this, but like I said, the issue has sentimental meaning to me. Hey, I have 3 copies now, so I still even have a reader!

[Aces]

You know, they might have just missed it.

[(un)cooldude]

Well, I just called this afternoon to get the grader's notes on this comic, and guess what? There weren't any!

 

I guess that once a comic is graded at 9.8 and above, there's nothing noted. I was told that all 3 graders gave it a 9.8, so your guess is as good as mine as to whether this was seen by them or not.

 

So, if nothing else, I learned a little MORE about the inner workings of CGC headquarters..

 

I did, however, get some good information regarding another comic I'm looking into buying, that graded out at a 9.4. Now the question is whether or not I want to pony up for it!

[Kieranel]

Looks a lot like a 9.8 Astonishing X-Men #4 that I have. Has a couple scuffs on it just like that.

 

I just bought an Astonishing 9.8 CGC from an Ebay seller and it has a scuff spot just off the spine on the left upper part in between "Whedon and Cassaday".

Is this the same scuff as you have on your slabbed book?

 

 

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