How Do You Grade Your Raw HG?

[PovertyRow]

When you're grading your raw books, how do you handle the High Grades? Do you just use NM for any NM or better? Do you use NM+? NM-? Do you actually try to break out the NM/Mint categories into the same numerics that CGC uses?

 

How about the borderline NM? Do you see a difference between VF/NM and NM- and VF+?

 

::edited to add:: Also, any input you care to add regarding the lesser grades. Do you use only mixed alpha (VG/F, VF/NM), only +/- (F-, VF+) or both?

 

You get the picture.

 

[Nefaria]

Most use the CGC grading scale

 

CGC Grading Scale

[awe4one]

NM is the highest I'll go on raw...

 

I will use the others (VF+, VF/NM, NM-) though I use VF+ infrequently. Primarily, I go with G, G/VG, VG, FN, FN/VF, VF, VF+ (Not often/there are only a couple comics in my collection with this designation), VF/NM, NM-, and NM...

 

Jim

[PovertyRow]

Most use the CGC grading scale

 

CGC Grading Scale

 

Well, Nef. That is one of the things I am wondering about. I don't think most folks use the CGC grading scale, especially in HG. Relatively speaking, most collectors hearken from simpler tijmes when Poor, Fair, Good, VG, Fine, VF and NM were the main grades. Pre-cgc there was even controversy over the use of thje "mixed alpha" grades (VG/F, VF/NM etc) vs the +/- grades (F+, VF-). I rememver Gary Carter was heatedly against the mixed alpha grade and was a proponent of the +/- grades.

 

I suppose, in retrospect, this thread could be expanded to the other grades as well. But the real tricky area, to my eye, are in the 9.2/9.4/9.6/9.8/9.9 and 10 spread.

[jimm94]

Hi Pov,

 

For most books, I use the full OSGG 2nd Ed./CGC grading scale. In some cases, however, I do just use G, VG, F, VF, NM. Also, there are a few instances where I will notate using non-existent "tweener" grades such as NM-/NM for a book that may fall just a bit short of of truly being the higher grade, but seems to exceed the lower.

 

I use alphabetical notation for raw books, and numerical notation for slabbed comics.

[uclapeterg]

NM is the highest I'll go on raw...

 

I will use the others (VF+, VF/NM, NM-) though I use VF+ infrequently. Primarily, I go with G, G/VG, VG, FN, FN/VF, VF, VF+ (Not often/there are only a couple comics in my collection with this designation), VF/NM, NM-, and NM...

 

Jim

 

I will usually go as high as NM for raw, also.

[Forbush-Man]

Well, I grade my raw up to 9.4 NM,....but I sold a book a couple months back that I was thinking of listing as 9.6, and the person who bought the book from me felt it was better than a 9.4,.....but I like to leave that to the X-purts.

 

As a side note: I've bought from some dealers VF/VF+'s that I feel, in CGC's eyes, would grade NM 9.4,.....so go figure.

 

I'm just too cheap to send them in and test my theory. Maybe you would bank-roll my experiments?!?

[sterlingcomics]

I try to discern between NM- and NM. If the corners look abfab then I may go high as NM+. But any higher...nope.

[FFB]

I use all of the grades on the Overstreet scale. I usually grade using the number and the alpha designation, such as 9.8 NM/MT. I won't call a book a NM 9.4 if I think it is a NM+ 9.6. The numbers are on the scale for a reason, and it seems silly not to use them if one is striving for accuracy.

[divad]

I use all of the grades on the Overstreet scale. I usually grade using the number and the alpha designation, such as 9.8 NM/MT. I won't call a book a NM 9.4 if I think it is a NM+ 9.6. The numbers are on the scale for a reason, and it seems silly not to use them if one is striving for accuracy.

 

I couldn't agree more. If a recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon of salt - you measure it. There's no reason to measure, if you're not going to be exact.

[jbud73]

I use all of the grades on the Overstreet scale. I usually grade using the number and the alpha designation, such as 9.8 NM/MT. I won't call a book a NM 9.4 if I think it is a NM+ 9.6. The numbers are on the scale for a reason, and it seems silly not to use them if one is striving for accuracy.

 

I couldn't agree more. If a recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon of salt - you measure it. There's no reason to measure, if you're not going to be exact.

 

Well grading is made easier for David given the fact he doesnt have any NM+ books.

[jbud73]

When you're grading your raw books, how do you handle the High Grades? Do you just use NM for any NM or better? Do you use NM+? NM-? Do you actually try to break out the NM/Mint categories into the same numerics that CGC uses?

 

How about the borderline NM? Do you see a difference between VF/NM and NM- and VF+?

 

::edited to add:: Also, any input you care to add regarding the lesser grades. Do you use only mixed alpha (VG/F, VF/NM), only +/- (F-, VF+) or both?

 

You get the picture.

 

Michael to answer your question, I use all the half grades - In fact I just sold a book I called FN- (5.5) the grade I feel most people use the least. The proper designation for a comic book for anyone who knows what they are doing, should be to use BOTH the Alpha and numeric grades. Hence the term Alphanumeric is used when discussing grade and comic books.

 

With respect to HG - I go as high as NM+ (9.6). I don't sell anything I think is better than that . I just called those books F$king gorgeous.

[divad]

Post deleted by divadrabnud

[Nefaria]

Most use the CGC grading scale

 

CGC Grading Scale

 

Well, Nef. That is one of the things I am wondering about. I don't think most folks use the CGC grading scale, especially in HG. Relatively speaking, most collectors hearken from simpler tijmes when Poor, Fair, Good, VG, Fine, VF and NM were the main grades. Pre-cgc there was even controversy over the use of thje "mixed alpha" grades (VG/F, VF/NM etc) vs the +/- grades (F+, VF-). I rememver Gary Carter was heatedly against the mixed alpha grade and was a proponent of the +/- grades.

 

I suppose, in retrospect, this thread could be expanded to the other grades as well. But the real tricky area, to my eye, are in the 9.2/9.4/9.6/9.8/9.9 and 10 spread.

 

Truthfully I didn't absorb the full meaning behind your post and dismissed it with a link to CGC's grading scale. After replying I noticed your ultra high post count and said to myself, jeez, I just threw some cr ap in the wind that you already knew. After rereading and studying the other replies I agree with FBB. When I posted some HG comics on eBay either slabbed or raw I used the dual designation. (NM 9.4). Mostly because I felt there was enough people out there in eBay land that understood both designations or at least one. But ya I'm from the old school of P,G,VG etc. too.

[PovertyRow]

I use all of the grades on the Overstreet scale. I usually grade using the number and the alpha designation, such as 9.8 NM/MT. I won't call a book a NM 9.4 if I think it is a NM+ 9.6. The numbers are on the scale for a reason, and it seems silly not to use them if one is striving for accuracy.

 

I couldn't agree more. If a recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon of salt - you measure it. There's no reason to measure, if you're not going to be exact.

 

Well, this, too is getting into the core of my question. Mainly because when it comes to grading, many folks have a different size teaspoon. If grading were as simple as sliding a half teaspoon measure into a container of salt and then levleing off the excess, such a question would have no meaning. But when one can submit the same book, unatlered, to a grading company and get back different grades depending on...who knows? The tide? The phase of the moon? The graders, last social encounters? ...then obviously we are getting into a non-standard, neh?

 

But the question is not what folks think we should do. The question is what folks well - do do.

[PovertyRow]

Truthfully I didn't absorb the full meaning behind your post and dismissed it with a link to CGC's grading scale. After replying I noticed your ultra high post count and said to myself, jeez, I just threw some cr ap in the wind that you already knew.

 

 

OK - that was pretty funny!

 

So, confidentially, do you confidently feel confident to venture into the 9.8 - 10.0 range with confidence?

[Nefaria]

So, confidentially, do you confidently feel confident to venture into the 9.8 - 10.0 range with confidence?

 

If I thought a comic was in that high of a HG I'd submit it; however, if it was an off/cheap issue like avengers #389 and in super condition I'd list it with the dual designation and great scans to back up your claim. Perhaps as a Flawless 9.8 NM/MT but I would never say 9.9 or 10.0 due to the extreme difficulty in acquirig that grade. Without great scans I never bid past OS FN/6.0 maybe up to VF/8.0 on newer cheaper stuff.

 

BTW Happy

[Darthdiesel]

everything is nm/mt and damn all who disagree

[divad]

everything is nm/mt and damn all who disagree

 

 

[jbud73]

Message deleted - please don't throw me in jail Mr. Dunbar. I'll return to tending my crops now.