9.8 grading but visible flaws? 0

[finalfan7asy]

I recently purchased a book online that has a 9.8 CGC Universal Blue Label grade, however, the book has minor noticeable flaws. The photos below show a couple spine stress lines and a small top right lite corner bend which breaks color. Do these flaws fall within the 9.8 grading criteria? 

Edited February 26, 2018 by finalfan7asy

[James J Johnson]

Scan of full label, please. Full front slab scan, showing the perimeter of the slab on all sides, if possible.

Edited February 26, 2018 by James J Johnson

[finalfan7asy]

17 minutes ago, James J Johnson said:

Scan of full label, please. Full front slab scan, showing the perimeter of the slab on all sides, if possible.

Do you think the grade label was switched?

[James J Johnson]

Doesn't appear to be tampered with, I don't see any signs of it at all! Clean as a whistle all the way around, excellent pics. Even more of a mystery is that bottom left front cover corner on a 9.8! Is the book loose within the holder? Is there enough slack for it to move around in there and contact the edges with any force at all? 

[finalfan7asy]

7 minutes ago, James J Johnson said:

Doesn't appear to be tampered with, I don't see any signs of it at all! Clean as a whistle all the way around, excellent pics. Even more of a mystery is that bottom left front cover corner on a 9.8! Is the book loose within the holder? Is there enough slack for it to move around in there and contact the edges with any force at all? 

No, It does not move around at all. I plan to get it reholdered because the case has an aroma of smoke that won’t clear. 

[finalfan7asy]

Was CGC lenient with grading at anytime?

[James J Johnson]

3 hours ago, finalfan7asy said:

No, It does not move around at all. I plan to get it reholdered because the case has an aroma of smoke that won’t clear. 

 

2 hours ago, finalfan7asy said:

Was CGC lenient with grading at anytime?

There are perceived subtle swings noted, but this one, with the back cover rack crimps, depressions, and funky bottom front cover corner appears to be an extreme untypical example of CGC grading.

[finalfan7asy]

12 hours ago, James J Johnson said:

 

There are perceived subtle swings noted, but this one, with the back cover rack crimps, depressions, and funky bottom front cover corner appears to be an extreme untypical example of CGC grading.

 I own a fair amount of 9.8 grades in my collection and none of them present like this one.

[Rip]

No chance that's a 9.8. I would return it or something. That's terrible.

[Jack Linguini]

On the flip side. Here's an X-Men 132 that was given a 7.5 grade. For the life of me this looks better than

some 9.2/9.4 books I have:

 

[James J Johnson]

2 hours ago, finalfan7asy said:

 I own a fair amount of 9.8 grades in my collection and none of them present like this one.

You're absolutely correct. I haven't seen the like of that before slabbed 9.8 by the CGC. Very untypical for the typically tight CGC grading on the upper end of the scale, which is why I asked for scans showing the state of the case on all sides.

[Jack Linguini]

After I cut her open I see this flaw on the back. But sometimes my mind just can't figure it out.

 

[James J Johnson]

I can't figure this one out either! Not even a half hour ago, I had linguini with clam sauce for supper. It was delicious! Just the way I like it, with a lot of chopped up clams in it. Ironically, it was the first time in years I had it, and now coincidentally, you show up here, a Linguini, not moments after I finished my meal, giving me the unexpected honor of personally thanking you and the rest of the Linguinis! I promise to have it much more often!