Grade Label Watermark? 1 1

[dclark2441]

Apologies if this is in the wrong place, I just joined the forums and really just joined the hobby in general. I recently bought a few slabs, two of which were graded in 2021 according to the CGC verification and have the "CGC" watermark very faintly behind the grade. However, another book I bought does not. The book shows up on the verification page, it was bought from a reputable ebay seller, and was graded in mid 2020, but the white label is just white with the grade, no watermark. I couldn't find much about it online but it seems like this watermark was started some years ago and best I can tell should be there. Should I be concerned or is that watermark not necessarily ubiquitous? Thanks in advance for any help!

[ADAMANTIUM]

6 hours ago, dclark2441 said:

Apologies if this is in the wrong place, I just joined the forums and really just joined the hobby in general. I recently bought a few slabs, two of which were graded in 2021 according to the CGC verification and have the "CGC" watermark very faintly behind the grade. However, another book I bought does not. The book shows up on the verification page, it was bought from a reputable ebay seller, and was graded in mid 2020, but the white label is just white with the grade, no watermark. I couldn't find much about it online but it seems like this watermark was started some years ago and best I can tell should be there. Should I be concerned or is that watermark not necessarily ubiquitous? Thanks in advance for any help!

some pics of the slab in question would be nice, but I'm sure it is ok if it shows up in the cgc verification. The cert lookup is the only verification that I've ever known or heard of, but what you mention is interesting, pics or something just to educate would be nice  

still as long as the cert lookup looks good, you should be too  

[theCapraAegagrus]

I don't have CGC watermarks on the grade sticker in any of my slabs.

[Lightning55]

I don't see a CGC watermark in the grade box.  Except for some with custom labels, which have a spider-web design there in the background, or Wolverine's claw marks.  Yet other custom label slabs don't have them, just depends on the label/character.

[valiantman]

http://cgcdata.com/labels

[Lightning55]

33 minutes ago, valiantman said:

http://cgcdata.com/labels

Good info.  But specifically related to the OP's question, he sees a CGC watermark behind the grade number in the grade box.  No one has seconded that motion so far.

[valiantman]

30 minutes ago, Lightning55 said:

1 hour ago, valiantman said:

http://cgcdata.com/labels

Good info.  But specifically related to the OP's question, he sees a CGC watermark behind the grade number in the grade box.  No one has seconded that motion so far.

I think the "darkness" of the watermark varies... both of these have CGC repeated diagonally behind the grade (in the box), but one is obviously much clearer than the other.  

I wouldn't be surprised if some slabs have no watermark (because it was printed far too lightly to be visible).

Edited May 17, 2021 by valiantman

[dclark2441]

Thank you for all the responses. I didn't post a picture because the watermark is so faint that it wouldn't show up in an image. That definitely makes sense, that some were printed so faint they don't appear at all. Like I said, it does show up in the database and it seems like you guys think that is the main barometer for whether or not it is legit, so I'm feeling a lot better about it. Thank you again!

[JazzMan]

The watermark stands out clearly under black light.

 

I also did a modern slab and it does not have a water mark in the grade box.  I wonder if they changed it since the label can't be changed without visible damage on the current slabs.

[dclark2441]

14 minutes ago, JazzMan said:

The watermark stands out clearly under black light.

 

I also did a modern slab and it does not have a water mark in the grade box.  I wonder if they changed it since the label can't be changed without visible damage on the current slabs.

Interesting. So you have a current label that does not have the watermark? What’s confusing is that I have two books graded in 21 that have it very faintly and can bee seen under a light like that, but another book graded in 20 that does not. With what you and some others are saying it seems like it is inconsistent even across the modern labels. Perhaps it is printed so faintly it sometimes doesn’t show up as valiantman suggested. 

[kav]

If they use a radio active water mark then uou can get super powers by handling your books! 

[greggy]

4 minutes ago, kav said:

If they use a radio active water mark then uou can get super powers by handling your books! 

That's what she said. 

[kav]

3 minutes ago, greggy said:

That's what she said. 

who said that?

[JazzMan]

3 hours ago, dclark2441 said:

Interesting. So you have a current label that does not have the watermark? What’s confusing is that I have two books graded in 21 that have it very faintly and can bee seen under a light like that, but another book graded in 20 that does not. With what you and some others are saying it seems like it is inconsistent even across the modern labels. Perhaps it is printed so faintly it sometimes doesn’t show up as valiantman suggested. 

This one bellow was graded March 2021 and does not have the watermark.  I checked another newer slab that was graded November 2019 and it also does not have the watermark.