Bakerbr13 Posted May 12, 2017 Share Posted May 12, 2017 What defects / grade can you live with? For reference, I have collected vintage baseball cards for quite a while. Graded vintage baseball cards. I have recently started to pick up the occasional graded comic. I am looking for some knowledge/opinions when it comes to comic book collecting and grading. My first question is, what defects can you live with? spine stress? chipping? tears? etc.... Second question is, what grade is acceptable for you? I know that the age of the comic comes into play, but for most collectors, is there a grade that you stick your nose up at? For example, I recently just bought asm #300. It is graded an 8.5. I bought the graders notes and it was docked for "spine stress lines breaks color". This defect looks relatively small and does not appear to take away from a nice looking cover. I found it to be acceptable. Now with that example, would that score/graders notes turn you off from a comic? I'm just trying to get an understanding of how this community views defects/grading compared to the baseball card community. I'm trying to be a sponge and soak up as much knowledge as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junkdrawer Posted May 12, 2017 Share Posted May 12, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisco37 Posted May 12, 2017 Share Posted May 12, 2017 No hard fast rule. I'm a big fan of SA books in the 7.0-9.0 range. Nice book at a significant discount compared to the next level. But my FF5 and ASM14 are both "only" 4.0's. My Nick Fury's are all 9.0 or better. I'll avoid books with moderate chipping. I don't think they deduct enough for that. Didn't think I'd ever accept "pieces missing", but my AF15 has a piece out of the BC so, you know. Azkaban 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakman29 Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcjames Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 1 hour ago, chrisco37 said: No hard fast rule. I'm a big fan of SA books in the 7.0-9.0 range. Nice book at a significant discount compared to the next level. But my FF5 and ASM14 are both "only" 4.0's. My Nick Fury's are all 9.0 or better. I'll avoid books with moderate chipping. I don't think they deduct enough for that. Didn't think I'd ever accept "pieces missing", but my AF15 has a piece out of the BC so, you know. Very hard to say - depends on the book, depends on the defects. However, unless it's very HTF or mega-key or a grail, there are several nearly universal "no thanks" defects: Cut/missing pieces Tanning Ragged cover But of course if the price is right, I'd take an AF15 with all of those and more... if the price is right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squidmo2000 Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 5.0 to 9.4,when I started my Spidey and FF sets,I knew the early books would never be 9.0 and up....so I set my sights on mid to high grade,so I could complete them.I tried to gradually bump up the grades as the run went on,and I did for the most part.I am very content being in the middle of the pack,heh... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt. Eckhardt Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 Sadly because of budget constraits, upper mid grade is "where I live." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artboy99 Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 depends entirely on the book. A more modern book I expect very high grade. A more rare hard to find book, I may overlook things. An example is my Planet Comics 15. Very hard to get book, it is expensive and I also was trying to find a copy that didn't have brittle pages so I was willing to buy this copy: piper 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robot Man Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 About the only defects I CAN'T live with are brittle, mold, and rat chews. Just about everything else is up for option if the price is right... ComicConnoisseur and F For Fake 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piper Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 1 hour ago, Robot Man said: About the only defects I CAN'T live with are brittle, mold, and rat chews. Just about everything else is up for option if the price is right... I agree with you about brittle pages but when I saw the Contact 12 with slightly brittle pages, I had to have it. For me, I hate spine splits, missing pages, and coverless books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piper Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 I also agree it depends entirely on the age, demand, and scarcity of the book. Would I like a better copy of some of my SA keys? Yes. Can I afford to? No. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomo Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 I'd take a raggedy cover, barely clinging by a thread than a popped staple any day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman76 Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 I could care less what condition it is in, as long as I can still look through it and enjoy it, even if it is missing pieces or covers. I'll take anything, I just like old comics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvelmaniac Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 I do not collect as an investment, I collect for the enjoyment of collecting and to complete my runs so... Any and all grades are OK with me depending on the age/value and how long I have been looking for a certain issue. If it is a higher dollar (which is subjective depending on your income/budget) older book and it is a PR 0.5 - FR-1.0 and does not fall apart in my hand just touching it then that is fine with me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robot Man Posted May 15, 2017 Share Posted May 15, 2017 On 5/13/2017 at 10:09 AM, piper said: I agree with you about brittle pages but when I saw the Contact 12 with slightly brittle pages, I had to have it. For me, I hate spine splits, missing pages, and coverless books. The only way I can buy a book with "brittle pages" is to have it in hand raw. There are degrees of brittle. If it's on a CGC case, I will pass. And I LOVE coverless books. Especially when buying a stack of nice fat GA ones. I love to figure out which issues they are and I can read them without any fear of damage. Also gives me a quest to put together incomplete books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spracknetch23 Posted May 16, 2017 Share Posted May 16, 2017 I don't mind an interior defect (coupon cut, non-story page missing, center wrap loose or detached) if it means getting an SA key book with great cover eye appeal at a fraction of the price. What I like least are mold and water damage, tape, and remaindered books. I'd rather have coverless than remaindered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...