How are signed comics graded? Will it devalue score? 0

[plansixtysix]

How are signed comics graded? Will it devalue score?

[revat]

On 8/19/2021 at 10:04 AM, plansixtysix said:

How are signed comics graded? Will it devalue score?

Assuming you are talking about CGC grading.  Very generally, signatures are counted as marks or writing that lower the score of a comic.  The more messy or big or obtrusive, the more significant the grade drop.  Generally, the higher the score of the book, the more the writing will lower the score.  HOWEVER, a small, unobtrusive signature inside the cover or on the splash page still can be eligible for a 9.8, assuming that is the only flaw.  ALSO, if the grade of the book is sufficiently low independent of the signature, the negative grade effect of the signature can be minimized or eliminated.  This is all if you want the comic to have a blue universal label, the most common one.

YOu can request a qualified green label, where they ignore signature entirely, and grade the book as if the signature was not there.  The signature is the 'qualification'.  In most cases (but not every case) this is not preferable.

The paragraphs above assume you are not talking about CGC Signature Series.

 

So the answer is...it depends.  If you want more specific advice, I suggest you post a picture of the comic you're talking about.

[marvelmaniac]

Welcome To The Boards!!!

Excellent info above, one thing that was not mentioned in its entirety...

CGC will treat any signature as a defect unless they witnessed the signing and the book then went directly to CGC for grading, in this case the book would receive a Yellow Signature Series Label.

https://www.cgccomics.com/grading/labels/

[Lirion]

On 8/26/2021 at 11:19 AM, marvelmaniac said:

Welcome To The Boards!!!

Excellent info above, one thing that was not mentioned in its entirety...

CGC will treat any signature as a defect unless they witnessed the signing and the book then went directly to CGC for grading, in this case the book would receive a Yellow Signature Series Label.

https://www.cgccomics.com/grading/labels/

Curious, what about those artists (we'll use J Scott Campbell for this example) who sell signed copies on their own websites with COAs?  I'd think it one thing if it was some random guy saying so and so signed this, here's a COA  that I printed out versus an artist with a known web store front.

[revat]

On 8/27/2021 at 9:03 AM, Lirion said:

On 8/26/2021 at 8:19 AM, marvelmaniac said:

Welcome To The Boards!!!

Excellent info above, one thing that was not mentioned in its entirety...

CGC will treat any signature as a defect unless they witnessed the signing and the book then went directly to CGC for grading, in this case the book would receive a Yellow Signature Series Label.

https://www.cgccomics.com/grading/labels/

Curious, what about those artists (we'll use J Scott Campbell for this example) who sell signed copies on their own websites with COAs?  I'd think it one thing if it was some random guy saying so and so signed this, here's a COA  that I printed out versus an artist with a known web store front.

Its a pretty flat, transparent policy so they don't have to make value judgments about this certificate vs that certificate or this website vs that website, or get accused of favoritism.  If a customer is submitting a random previously signed book, no yellow label. From a market perspective they can make everyone play their game. There's nothing stopping any artist (and I think CGC actually does with JSC) from arranging a signing/witnessing with CGC directly and then selling CGC SS books themselves on their website.

[Lirion]

On 8/27/2021 at 12:49 PM, revat said:

Its a pretty flat, transparent policy so they don't have to make value judgments about this certificate vs that certificate or this website vs that website, or get accused of favoritism.  If a customer is submitting a random previously signed book, no yellow label. From a market perspective they can make everyone play their game. There's nothing stopping any artist (and I think CGC actually does with JSC) from arranging a signing/witnessing with CGC directly and then selling CGC SS books themselves on their website.

Thanks. I finally came across something about it within CGC. I understand the logic behind it,, but I think there should be a point to which CGC makes exceptions. Then again, CGC doesn't make anything extra off the artists signing the books and selling them on their own websites.

[revat]

On 9/1/2021 at 1:36 PM, Lirion said:

Thanks. I finally came across something about it within CGC. I understand the logic behind it,, but I think there should be a point to which CGC makes exceptions. Then again, CGC doesn't make anything extra off the artists signing the books and selling them on their own websites.

What are the circumstances under which exceptions would be made, and what would be the motivating factors for Cgc for creating exceptions?

[Lirion]

On 9/1/2021 at 5:26 PM, revat said:

What are the circumstances under which exceptions would be made, and what would be the motivating factors for Cgc for creating exceptions?

I was referring to the blanket policy that CGC has on signatures. That it doesn't matter if there's a COA from the artist themselves, photographic and video proof, verified by another company (ie Beckett/CBCS), etc. 

Circumstances don't really matter since one new guy getting into the grading aspect of comic books isn't going to change the mind of an established grading company, nor that of those members who have been doing this forever. It's an exercise in futility and I hate exercise.

[djzombi]

There really needs to be a FAQ that includes this question and the polybag question, each of which I see posts about multiple times per week.