Incredible Hulk #181 - is it *that* red-hot? 17 17

[Homeboy32]

Thanks all! I received the 181 today and it really is a beauty. Was holding my breath, concerned there'd be some blemish, but it's in fantastic shape. Only small, very minor creases at the spine. I bought it from a private seller. My dad was at the B-Ball card convention in Chicago and I told him to keep an eye out for a 181 by chance. There was only 1 or 2 dealers selling comics. The guy didn't have the 181 at the show, but said it was back at his shop in NJ. Had a 9.0, 7.5, and 4.5 for sale. In the end I brokered the deal through my dad for the 9.0 for $9500. It's a high grade, white pages, and didn't have to pay a premium all are what I was looking for.

Edited August 10, 2021 by Homeboy32

[Homeboy32]

On 8/9/2021 at 4:21 PM, piper said:

I'm admittedly not looking at GPA on a regular basis for this book and in this grade, but that seems like a good buy at this price point.  I like the overall presentation of the book (strong colours, no white on the spine) and the controversial white pages.

Nice pick-up!

At this point, I'm playing with house money, as I bought my 8.5 copy for ~ $1450 several years ago.  I should have bought 10 copies.

Who would've known this book would be as valuable as it is? Great pickup for $1450. I should've bought mine several years ago too like I wanted. The question is, which one of today's books will be the next key? Impossible to predict.

[Sweet Lou 14]

On 8/9/2021 at 9:45 PM, Homeboy32 said:

Thanks all! I received the 181 today and it really is a beauty. Was holding my breath, concerned there'd be some blemish, but it's in fantastic shape. Only small, very minor creases at the spine. I bought it from a private seller. My dad was at the B-Ball card convention in Chicago and I told him to keep an eye out for a 181 by chance. There was only 1 or 2 dealers selling comics. The guy didn't have the 181 at the show, but said it was back at his shop in NJ. Had a 9.0, 7.5, and 4.5 for sale. In the end I brokered the deal through my dad for the 9.0 for $9500. It's a high grade, white pages, and didn't have to pay a premium all are what I was looking for.

Very nice 9.0 -- well done.

[Hulksdaddy1]

On 8/9/2021 at 9:28 PM, MGsimba77 said:

Sometimes its easier to score a good price like that when it's a private sale. Way better when fees can be avoided. Private sale or not, getting that particular 9.0 for under 10k is cause for celebration!

Absolutely. That's a little above $10.7k if that book was sold on eBay for the seller. And buyer possibly saved sales tax. Win/win. 

[Hulksdaddy1]

On 8/9/2021 at 9:45 PM, Homeboy32 said:

Thanks all! I received the 181 today and it really is a beauty. Was holding my breath, concerned there'd be some blemish, but it's in fantastic shape. Only small, very minor creases at the spine. I bought it from a private seller. My dad was at the B-Ball card convention in Chicago and I told him to keep an eye out for a 181 by chance. There was only 1 or 2 dealers selling comics. The guy didn't have the 181 at the show, but said it was back at his shop in NJ. Had a 9.0, 7.5, and 4.5 for sale. In the end I brokered the deal through my dad for the 9.0 for $9500. It's a high grade, white pages, and didn't have to pay a premium all are what I was looking for.

What's that spot?

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. Just messin' with ya!

[Homeboy32]

Bought the CGC grader notes for my newly purchased 9.0. Boy was that a let down. All it says is "light spine stress lines to cover" and "very light bends to cover". Not very elaborate for $5. Anyway, the stress lines are present, but don't see the very light bends to cover. I checked a 9.8 today and honestly it doesn't really look better at all then my 9.0.

Also my Wolverine #1 is damn near flawless and it graded an 8.0 couple years ago. I doubt they give 9.5+ grades to little people like me. Only to those large dealers that submit thousands of comics. 

[ADAMANTIUM]

On 8/10/2021 at 8:14 PM, Homeboy32 said:

Bought the CGC grader notes for my newly purchased 9.0. Boy was that a let down. All it says is "light spine stress lines to cover" and "very light bends to cover". Not very elaborate for $5. Anyway, the stress lines are present, but don't see the very light bends to cover. I checked a 9.8 today and honestly it doesn't really look better at all then my 9.0.

Also my Wolverine #1 is damn near flawless and it graded an 8.0 couple years ago. I doubt they give 9.5+ grades to little people like me. Only to those large dealers that submit thousands of comics. 

So much to unpack

Grades are not to the privileged, I'm sure that was tongue and cheek, but 

 

Anyway, creases break color, but light bends can be pressed and stresses maybe if they dont break color. If that's what you're wondering

But all is fair in love and comics, ha, still very nice 9.0. A presser like @joeypost who's respected and patient may be able to spell it out further if there is any hope, and with decent pics

 

Edited August 11, 2021 by ADAMANTIUM

[jcjames]

On 8/10/2021 at 6:14 PM, Homeboy32 said:

Bought the CGC grader notes for my newly purchased 9.0. Boy was that a let down. All it says is "light spine stress lines to cover" and "very light bends to cover". Not very elaborate for $5. Anyway, the stress lines are present, but don't see the very light bends to cover. I checked a 9.8 today and honestly it doesn't really look better at all then my 9.0.

Also my Wolverine #1 is damn near flawless and it graded an 8.0 couple years ago. I doubt they give 9.5+ grades to little people like me. Only to those large dealers that submit thousands of comics. 

I bought a WW1 ('87) for a couple bucks out of a box at a con and had George Perez sign it, turned out 9.8. Same with three Secret Wars #1 I pulled from boxes for a Zeck/Beatty signing, again all came out 9.8. I never looked close enough to see if they were super high grade, just looked for "nice-looking" ones to get signed (I'd prefer not to have a sig on a 9.8 book actually). But those were submitted by just little ol' me, who subbed maybe 5 books total that year. 

I also submitted a, IMO, pristine Monstress #1 through a "big dealer" and it came back 9.4 with a cb crease on the back that wasn't there when I subbed it. 

I don't sub many books, haven't in a few years. But if there is anything to CGC going easy on their whales, I wouldn't know either way. 

 

Edited August 11, 2021 by jcjames

[CK-1]

On 8/10/2021 at 9:14 PM, Homeboy32 said:

Bought the CGC grader notes for my newly purchased 9.0. Boy was that a let down. All it says is "light spine stress lines to cover" and "very light bends to cover". Not very elaborate for $5. Anyway, the stress lines are present, but don't see the very light bends to cover. I checked a 9.8 today and honestly it doesn't really look better at all then my 9.0.

Also my Wolverine #1 is damn near flawless and it graded an 8.0 couple years ago. I doubt they give 9.5+ grades to little people like me. Only to those large dealers that submit thousands of comics. 

CGC graders definitely don't know who submitted the comics, and those graders notes are actually pretty useful as "very light bends" are likely press-able.

[Kevin76]

On 8/10/2021 at 10:28 PM, CK-1 said:

CGC graders definitely don't know who submitted the comics, and those graders notes are actually pretty useful as "very light bends" are likely press-able.

"Very light bends" have been on books that have been pressed, usually a bend on the over hang and no matter what you do, the paper doesn't want to cooperate all the time.  Not everything comes out.   

[thehumantorch]

On 8/10/2021 at 7:14 PM, Homeboy32 said:

Bought the CGC grader notes for my newly purchased 9.0. Boy was that a let down. All it says is "light spine stress lines to cover" and "very light bends to cover". Not very elaborate for $5. Anyway, the stress lines are present, but don't see the very light bends to cover. I checked a 9.8 today and honestly it doesn't really look better at all then my 9.0.

Also my Wolverine #1 is damn near flawless and it graded an 8.0 couple years ago. I doubt they give 9.5+ grades to little people like me. Only to those large dealers that submit thousands of comics. 

Nope.  I get high grades all the time.  Odds are you just haven't learned to grade to CGC standards.  Please post some pics and perhaps we can point out defects that you've missed.

[Kevin76]

On 8/10/2021 at 9:14 PM, Homeboy32 said:

Bought the CGC grader notes for my newly purchased 9.0. Boy was that a let down. All it says is "light spine stress lines to cover" and "very light bends to cover". Not very elaborate for $5. Anyway, the stress lines are present, but don't see the very light bends to cover. I checked a 9.8 today and honestly it doesn't really look better at all then my 9.0.

Also my Wolverine #1 is damn near flawless and it graded an 8.0 couple years ago. I doubt they give 9.5+ grades to little people like me. Only to those large dealers that submit thousands of comics. 

The defects are there, sometimes you can't see them through the case 

[MGsimba77]

It should be noted that graders notes were not meant to be comprehensive. If they were to record everything on every book it would take forever. CGC only charges for notes because of the demand and the off chance they indicate something pressable enough to upgrade. Defects are not always plainly visible. Sometimes the back spine could have light stress marks but enough of them combined with the front spine to push it down to 9.0. You won't see them on white paper without a magnifier. Sometimes there could be non visible fingerprints or very light foxing on the back cover.

There looks to be a bit of overhang on the right bottom corner that could be part of the light bending. I could see enough spine ticks just from glancing the scan to be consistent with a 9.0. I have a number of 9.0s and 9.2s....the biggest difference is usually the amount of spine ticks.

[Pantodude]

On 8/17/2021 at 8:42 PM, Kevin76 said:

Also my Wolverine #1 is damn near flawless and it graded an 8.0 couple years ago.

To echo what has been said above, the defects are likely there (or else what is CGC for, right?), just not plainly visible through the case or limited view angles.  There is also the interior to consider, of course.  

Edited August 18, 2021 by Pantodude

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

On 8/17/2021 at 9:05 PM, MGsimba77 said:

It should be noted that graders notes were not meant to be comprehensive. If they were to record everything on every book it would take forever. CGC only charges for notes because of the demand and the off chance they indicate something pressable enough to upgrade. Defects are not always plainly visible. 

What drives me nuts is the inconsistency.  One note for one book might indicate bindery tears and rusty staple, and the next grader note from a book with the same defects will reflect neither condition.  This is not an exaggeration and it is not in my head.  I've got concrete examples.  I guess its just something we must live with.  

When I buy a book over a certain dollar amount, I will have already gotten the grader notes.  Time and again, there are things going on with the book not reflected in the notes, and only visible with the book in hand.  

I like happy endings, but there's not always a happy ending for some of the bigger acquisitions I've made.

[Kevin76]

On 8/18/2021 at 10:28 AM, GreatCaesarsGhost said:

What drives me nuts is the inconsistency.  One note for one book might indicate bindery tears and rusty staple, and the next grader note from a book with the same defects will reflect neither condition.  This is not an exaggeration and it is not in my head.  I've got concrete examples.  I guess its just something we must live with.  

When I buy a book over a certain dollar amount, I will have already gotten the grader notes.  Time and again, there are things going on with the book not reflected in the notes, and only visible with the book in hand.  

I like happy endings, but there's not always a happy ending for some of the bigger acquisitions I've made.

Some graders there are just super tough. If they have 20 graders (so I've heard)  can't expect everyone to think the same thing each and every time 

[Homeboy32]

On 8/17/2021 at 8:38 PM, thehumantorch said:

Nope.  I get high grades all the time.  Odds are you just haven't learned to grade to CGC standards.  Please post some pics and perhaps we can point out defects that you've missed.

Here are pics of the only bends I could find. Absolutely not visible unless you look at the right angle using decent lighting. First one is under the 9. Second one is just above Wolverine's shoulder.

[thehumantorch]

On 8/18/2021 at 5:57 PM, Homeboy32 said:

Here are pics of the only bends I could find. Absolutely not visible unless you look at the right angle using decent lighting. First one is under the 9. Second one is just above Wolverine's shoulder.

Thanks.  Could you start a thread in the grading area of the forum and include shots of the complete front and back cover?

[Pantodude]

On 8/18/2021 at 7:57 PM, Homeboy32 said:

Here are pics of the only bends I could find. Absolutely not visible unless you look at the right angle using decent lighting. First one is under the 9. Second one is just above Wolverine's shoulder.

There's about a $3K price difference between a 9.0 and a 9.2.  Assuming a grade bump is possible and you consider re-submitting, keep in mind that a re-grade risks not only the "White" pages, but even the potential 9.2 and even the original 9.0 if the book is damaged en route to or during the resubmission process.    As my good friend Harry once said, "You've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky?  Well, do ya, punk?"  

Edited August 20, 2021 by Pantodude

[Off Panel]

Obligatory note that the 181 9.8 with White pages finished at $86K in this week's ComicLink auction.