General discussion thread - keep the other threads clean 29 29

[divad]

I haven't read this whole thread but has anyone mentioned the old and new version of the Overstreet Grading Guide? I find myself referring to them both quite often.

 

No, but I would suggest to Chip to try and find a copy of the 2nd Edition and read it cover-to-cover.

[crassus]

I haven't read this whole thread but has anyone mentioned the old and new version of the Overstreet Grading Guide? I find myself referring to them both quite often.

 

No, but I would suggest to Chip to try and find a copy of the 2nd Edition and read it cover-to-cover.

 

I agree completely. For me the 2nd Edition is the go to book. I have tried and so far failed to figure out how to calibrate OSGG grades to CGC grades. No grading system can be completely consistent or coherent, but at least with the OSGG you have something to read and to study, and that is a big help if you are trying to improve.

[techtre2003]

I haven't read this whole thread but has anyone mentioned the old and new version of the Overstreet Grading Guide? I find myself referring to them both quite often.

 

No, but I would suggest to Chip to try and find a copy of the 2nd Edition and read it cover-to-cover.

 

I agree completely. For me the 2nd Edition is the go to book. I have tried and so far failed to figure out how to calibrate OSGG grades to CGC grades. No grading system can be completely consistent or coherent, but at least with the OSGG you have something to read and to study, and that is a big help if you are trying to improve.

 

It seems people recommend the 2nd Edition. Why is that better than the 3rd edition?

[crassus]

I haven't read this whole thread but has anyone mentioned the old and new version of the Overstreet Grading Guide? I find myself referring to them both quite often.

 

No, but I would suggest to Chip to try and find a copy of the 2nd Edition and read it cover-to-cover.

 

I agree completely. For me the 2nd Edition is the go to book. I have tried and so far failed to figure out how to calibrate OSGG grades to CGC grades. No grading system can be completely consistent or coherent, but at least with the OSGG you have something to read and to study, and that is a big help if you are trying to improve.

 

It seems people recommend the 2nd Edition. Why is that better than the 3rd edition?

 

Specifically, its better than the 1st edition, which I am looking at again now. The 1st edition is based on the 100 point grading system, and each major grade tier, g to vg to f up to vf had a "defect section" which I did not find as a learner very helpful. The whole 1st edition is still to me imponderable.

 

The 2nd edition is on the 10 point system, each grade has clearer illustrations of defects, better examples of grades, and a more accessible table for each grade tier of what is or is not consistent with the grade.

 

I have not seen the third edition.

 

 

[Ogami]

 

That might have been part of the problem all along, Chip.

 

What, that he only turned on a light to list books here, but turned it off to list on ebay?

[Chip Cataldo]

I don't list books here other than CGC slabs.

 

Peace,

 

Chip

[techtre2003]

I haven't read this whole thread but has anyone mentioned the old and new version of the Overstreet Grading Guide? I find myself referring to them both quite often.

 

No, but I would suggest to Chip to try and find a copy of the 2nd Edition and read it cover-to-cover.

 

I agree completely. For me the 2nd Edition is the go to book. I have tried and so far failed to figure out how to calibrate OSGG grades to CGC grades. No grading system can be completely consistent or coherent, but at least with the OSGG you have something to read and to study, and that is a big help if you are trying to improve.

 

It seems people recommend the 2nd Edition. Why is that better than the 3rd edition?

 

Specifically, its better than the 1st edition, which I am looking at again now. The 1st edition is based on the 100 point grading system, and each major grade tier, g to vg to f up to vf had a "defect section" which I did not find as a learner very helpful. The whole 1st edition is still to me imponderable.

 

The 2nd edition is on the 10 point system, each grade has clearer illustrations of defects, better examples of grades, and a more accessible table for each grade tier of what is or is not consistent with the grade.

 

I have not seen the third edition.

 

 

That makes sense. I've seen a few different people recently recommend grabbing the 2nd edition so I was just curious. I don't have any of them so I think I'm gonna grab the 2015 edition when it comes out in December!

[mikenyc]

 

That might have been part of the problem all along, Chip.

 

What, that he only turned on a light to list books here, but turned it off to list on ebay?

 

Roy's a pragmatist.

[thirdgreenham]

That alone makes all the difference in the world.

 

I hate white LED lights but they are terrific for grading. Everything literally jumps out at you. I use my cell phone light at cons when lighting is poor. Everyone makes fun of me but at least I'm not buying a book I don't want to.

 

When you're grading from a scan (like in the grading contest) the scan is magnified, and the scanner uses a white LED light making the defects in the scan relatively easy to spot.

 

If you then get the book in hand and grade under a poor, luminescent, yellow light, many of the defects will actually not look as bad or disappear completely, causing the book to look better in hand.

 

That might have been part of the problem all along, Chip.

 

You use a cell phone light to look at comic books?

[thirdgreenham]

Hello everyone,

 

In the Giving Tree thread, I posted the grade the ST #115 had received when it was put in the PGM section previous to me purchasing it (which consensus-wise was a 4.0 average). I didn't agree with that grade when I got the book in-hand (I usually disagree with the PGM grading) but as to not cause trouble here on the CGC forum that's the grade I quoted when people inquired. People have had it out for me in that thread since the beginning so I didn't want to rock the boat.

 

Regarding my eBay sales, I grade the best I can when putting up several hundred comics each week. I offer a no-questions-asked 14-day return policy where I even pay the return shipping if anyone isn't satisfied for any reason (including the book's grade). I am a Top-Rated Power Seller on there with nearly $100,000 in sales over the past 12 months (nearly all raw comics). I have 99.7% positive feedback (over 500 this month alone) and high Detailed Seller Ratings across the board (including "Item As Described"). If someone isn't satisfied with a grade on any book they purchase I have them return it and I re-evaluate my grade before I re-list. Nearly all of the time I will inquire exactly what the buyer thought was wrong in my grading so I can improve.

 

Peace,

 

Chip

 

You've sold nearly $100,000 in raw books on eBay in the last 12 months?

[Chip Cataldo]

They weren't all raw, but most of them were, yes. Also it's not 100% comics, but again most of my sales were.

 

Peace,

 

Chip

Edited September 7, 2014 by Chip Cataldo

[N/A]

Part timer

[Chip Cataldo]

Part timer

Huh?

 

Peace,

 

Chip

[N/A]

With only $100k in annual sales it must be part time.

[Chip Cataldo]

It's full time and my only source of income. I'm not well-off by any means. I pay the bills and put food on the table. We have a few nice things but hardly live anything remotely close to a plush life.

 

That dollar amount is me working as hard as my low-motivation self will allow on mostly commission sales. If some weeks I have to sell 300 $1 books to get by, that's what I do.

 

I currently support myself, my girlfriend, our daughter and my g/f's mother.

 

Peace,

 

Chip

[N/A]

My deepest apologies. I can assure you that you could do MUCH better in today's market. $100k sales in comics working full time is very low.

[Awax]

Someone else in that house needs to work.

 

[N/A]

Or need to help with the comic sales. My Wife is a part time bag and boarder.

[darkstar]

grading one long box is a cup of coffee and good lighting.

 

This is actually a terrific point.

 

Poor lighting will destroy grading skills. Happens to me at cons all the time when not all the lights are on. Books look completely different under a nice, white, bright light.

 

Defects literally pop out under good lighting.

 

the light on your smartphone camera works really well when looking for slight imperfections.

[Chip Cataldo]

My deepest apologies. I can assure you that you could do MUCH better in today's market. $100k sales in comics working full time is very low.

Thank you...no worries. I've just started out. This was the first year of me deciding that my low-level retail jobs were something I could do better than, so I decided to do so. I have a destroyed credit rating so I started out small with zero cash to invest. I had some very wonderful people offer to have me sell books on consignment and when I started earning a bit more than I needed to pay the bills I would just look for things to buy that I could re-sell and make more profit. It's growing steadily...I just have to find a way to work harder. I put up 525 auctions last week. I need to make that 750...then 1,000. The more I sell, the more I make. The fact that I can work from home is both a blessing and a detriment, but I do what I can there.

 

Eventually it will get better, but for someone with zero credit line or investors I'm doing the best I can with what I have. Food is on the table and the bills are paid. More and more of my stock is stuff that I own outright. I've made some great friends on here that have become great business connections. I just have to keep working as hard as I can, and obviously improve my comic grading.

 

Peace,

 

Chip