How can you tell when a CGC book was encapsulated?

[mlovest]

Well, I've tried asking the "Ask CGC" forum several times, but I guess this is to controversial a question--yeah right! How can you tell when a CGC book was graded and encapsulated? I asked a good question about how long a comic should stay in the holder, and the answer was 7 years. The follow up would be, how can you tell how long it's been in plastic, especially if you bought the book on-line or didn't submit it yourself? Why doesn't CGC date stamp the holder when it was graded? I hope the answer isn't call CGC. WHat a waste of time if you have a bunch of CGCed comics...

 

Thanks!

Mike

[COI]

Phone in the registration #. I believe they keep track of the dates each issue was encapsulated, but I could be wrong. I submit books through another dealer, so I'm not a charter member. Anyone know for sure?

[MonumentalCo]

If you call with the number on the label they can tell when the book was graded.

[ninanina]

If I can keep a comic in a plastic bag for 20 years without any noticeable wear and tear, I know you can keep a CGC comic encapsulated for more than 7 years without any wear and tear. So, if it's CGC'd I wouldn't worry about what "the recommendation" is about the 7 year time frame. The only reason I would get it re-graded is if the plastic was cracked or damaged to such a degree the grade of the comic could be compromised. I am sure the case will wear out long before the comic will.

 

I know this doesn't answer you're question, but I believe it was asked on the assumption you felt comics should be re-graded every 7 years.

 

That is, after all, only someones opinion is it not ?

[blowout]

The 7 year recommendation to change a CGC book is for the micro-chamber paper which sits between the cover and interior pages of the book. This paper has aroun a seven year effectiveness and then should be replaced. The rest of encapsulation process lasts for decades, as far as I am aware.

Of course, you cannot change the paper without removing the rest of the holder/inner-well, so I guess CGC have built a 7 year 'fail safe' into the procees for reholdering fees.

 

As for the grading date, if you are a paid-up member of the Collectors Society then you can type the CGC serial number into the database and your book info will come up, complete with grading date.

[fantastic_four]

I'm hoping they'll put the grading date on there once they do the label redesign that is supposed to increase the font size of the numerical grade. Unless we're all carrying around wireless, Internet-connected PDAs to shows in 10-20 years, having the date viewable on the web site doesn't help much when you're trying to make a decision about a book at a show.

[hammer-migration]

I thought that this paper inserted between the splash page and inside front cover (and the reverse as well) was INERT??? Isn't it?

[fantastic_four]

Dunno, but if you read this thread from the Ask CGC forum, Gemma says to swap slabs every 7 years to keep the microchamber paper at "peak effectiveness":

 

http://66.223.46.51/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=askcgc&Number=76376&Forum=askcgc

[Peter_Parker59]

The fact that the inside paper isn't any longer at peak effectiveness doesn't mean it has become useless, nor has it become a danger for the comic.

Besides, remember what this paper stands for. It's there to concentrate on it all the atmosphere's components which could damage the comic in the long term.

 

I think that a slabbed comic book is already quite well protected from the ambient air by being encapsulated (not meaning it's not in contact with the outside atmosphere, of course). Thus, this white paper they put behind the cover must have a lot less work to do than if it were left plain in the atmosphere.

For these reasons, I don't think resubmitting CGC books once every 7 years is really necessary.

[fantastic_four]

You're assuming a bit there...Gemma didn't go into much detail. She could have meant that it stops soaking acids up after 7 years, or she could have meant that the microchamber paper itself becomes acidic after 7 years. Hard to say, although I would hope and highly doubt it's the latter of those two.

[Illiterati-migration]

Dunno, but if you read this thread from the Ask CGC forum, Gemma says to swap slabs every 7 years to keep the microchamber paper at "peak effectiveness"

 

You sure that wasn't "peak expenditure"? Why would CGC want to send out a product that will NEVER garner them another red cent?

[fantastic_four]

You sure that wasn't "peak expenditure"?

Are you being facetious, or were you too lazy to click the link and read Gemma's words yourself?

[Illiterati-migration]

Are you being facetious, or were you too lazy to click the link and read Gemma's words yourself?

 

I was being facetious.