Grading a Double Cover 2 2

[comicginger1789]

So, I have several double covers I have contemplated sending in. However, I am looking for a definitive answer as to how CGC grades them. From what I have seen, they will put both grades of the covers on the slab and then display the higher grade. For example, if the outer cover is a 9.4 it will say that and if the inner cover is a 9.6 it will also state that. From what I know, the label SHOULD read 9.6

Is this true? I only ask because of have seen some double covers where the overall grade was NOT the same as the grades assigned to the covers. Also, is this not further proof that CGC really only cares about the cover of the book? I mean what if you have a 9.4 outer cover, a 9.6 inner cover but there are pages with stains in the margins? Surely that book cannot warrant a 9.6......

Any info on this would help

[theCapraAegagrus]

I am under the impression that the inner cover grade represents itself and the whole book, and the outer cover grade represents the outer cover itself.

IIRC, they do list the higher grade on the sticker.

[comicginger1789]

On 9/2/2021 at 9:49 AM, theCapraAegagrus said:

I am under the impression that the inner cover grade represents itself and the whole book, and the outer cover grade represents the outer cover itself.

IIRC, they do list the higher grade on the sticker.

So, suppose the outer cover is a 9.4, the inner cover a 9.0. They would still give it a 9.4? To me that doesn't seem right if the rest of the book is a 9.0, including the inner cover. 

[theCapraAegagrus]

On 9/2/2021 at 10:02 AM, comicginger1789 said:

So, suppose the outer cover is a 9.4, the inner cover a 9.0. They would still give it a 9.4? To me that doesn't seem right if the rest of the book is a 9.0, including the inner cover. 

I agree. If I had any double covers in my PC, I would grade them without considering the outer cover grade. Theoretically, you could remove the outer cover and have a regular complete comic.

I can confirm that they use the higher grade on the sticker. Just saw a book that was 4.0 interior, 8.5 out cover, and the sticker says "8.5".

IMO CGC should grade the full comic book, and then have the note of what the outer cover is. The book I just saw should say (again, IMO), "4.0 Off-White to White Pages" with a note in the center that says, "Exterior Cover: 8.5".

[comicginger1789]

On 9/2/2021 at 10:08 AM, theCapraAegagrus said:

I agree. If I had any double covers in my PC, I would grade them without considering the outer cover grade. Theoretically, you could remove the outer cover and have a regular complete comic.

I can confirm that they use the higher grade on the sticker. Just saw a book that was 4.0 interior, 8.5 out cover, and the sticker says "8.5".

IMO CGC should grade the full comic book, and then have the note of what the outer cover is. The book I just saw should say (again, IMO), "4.0 Off-White to White Pages" with a note in the center that says, "Exterior Cover: 8.5".

I have even seen a book where the outer and inner covers were different grades and then the grade displayed on the case was like an average of those. Not sure if it was an accident, on purpose or ????? I want to find the book because it was odd for sure. 

[theCapraAegagrus]

On 9/2/2021 at 10:14 AM, comicginger1789 said:

I have even seen a book where the outer and inner covers were different grades and then the grade displayed on the case was like an average of those. Not sure if it was an accident, on purpose or ????? I want to find the book because it was odd for sure. 

I have seen that, too. That could have been the old policy. I remember it being a 9.2 with 9.4 and 9.0 covers.

[theCapraAegagrus]

On 9/2/2021 at 10:25 AM, OG Comic said:

 

I can confirm that they do not have a standard method of choosing what grade goes on the sticker.

[theCapraAegagrus]

On 9/2/2021 at 10:34 AM, OG Comic said:

Seems like the standard method to me. The book is a 5.0 before a bit of interior/back cover damage is factored in, no?

How would that standard apply to the "4.0 interior, 8.5 exterior" with the "8.5" sticker?

[comicginger1789]

On 9/2/2021 at 10:34 AM, OG Comic said:

Seems like the standard method to me. The book is a 5.0 before a bit of interior/back cover damage is factored in, no?

 

 

 

 

Well when they say inner cover is a 5.0, I would assume that means the ENTIRE cover, front and back. Not just the front. You are right that even if the cover is a 5.0, maybe something in the interior pages brings it down to 4.5 ( a dog eared corner, a stain in the margins, a small tear to an interior page). It just seems there is no clear standard CGC has come up with for these. 

[comicginger1789]

This is what CGC should be doing

1. Grade the outer cover only (display on label)

2. Grade the inner most cover and entire book and display this grade on the label

3. The grade from 2. should be the overall grade displayed in the white box

To me, grading each cover and then assigning a grade in between or something to that effect is dumb. Reality is, the outer cover (or covers if more than two) don't matter and could be removed, leaving a perfectly fine comic. That is why the inner most cover along with the pages should be the focal point of their grading. The additonal outer cover or covers can just be noted. 

Edited September 2, 2021 by comicginger1789

[comicginger1789]

On 9/2/2021 at 10:44 AM, OG Comic said:

What do you do when the outer cover is better than the interior cover? I've seen it.

Good point, that does only apply when the inner cover is better....and I am not saying anyone would or should do that. I am just saying CGC doesn't seem to have any consistency with how they grade these types of books. If they do, a little transparency (and consistency) would be nice. 

[theCapraAegagrus]

On 9/2/2021 at 10:42 AM, OG Comic said:

Oh sorry, didn't realize you were referring to that book. Sounds like an anomaly. Got a pic?

[comicginger1789]

I will try to find it but I have even seen a double cover where the inner was a 6.0, the outer a 5.5 and the whole book was graded 5.0 (in the white label). Error on CGC? Or some cryptic secret method of grading the entire book that we don't know about. 

[comicginger1789]

I guess averaging the book out makes the most sense since they are grading the entire book. So if the book would receive a 4.5 grade with one of the covers and a 6.0 with the other, calling the overall somewhere in between makes sense. Because you can't just ignore the uglier cover and say it does not affect the grade. 

 I am starting to lean towards this as feeling like the best appraoch. I do NOT agree with them just picking the higher graded cover and slapping that grade on the book. If the outer cover is a 3.0 and looks like , in a slab, thats all you see. But if the inner cover is a 6.0, okay, call the entire book 4.5 or so. Makes more sense to me than calling it a 6.0.

[comicginger1789]

On 9/2/2021 at 10:53 AM, OG Comic said:

I don't understand what you find confusing. They grade the entire book.

Okay....but one of the covers on my book is a 4.0, the other a 6.0. How is assigning the book an overall grade of 6.0 accurate if part of my entire book is a 4.0?

[theCapraAegagrus]

On 9/2/2021 at 11:00 AM, OG Comic said:

I don't see anything wrong with these, they're all graded correctly 

[comicginger1789]

On 9/2/2021 at 10:55 AM, OG Comic said:

Great because that's not what they do.

Take this book. They gave the book a 9.4 which is the highest graded cover. Which means they ignore the lower grade, which is part of the book which would go against you saying they grade the entire book wouldnt it?

[Ryan.]

They ignore the grade of the lesser cover. They do not ignore the entire rest of the book. Grades are not derived strictly from covers. 

[rjpb]

I can see going with whatever cover has the higher grade as the big number on the label, otherwise there would be an incentive to remove the lesser cover to get a better grade, which could be done even if it was the inner cover.

Now I'm wondering how CGC would treat a double cover book where someone had torn off the outer front cover back in the day, but the back cover stayed on still attached to the staple. Something like "Qualified 8.0 Double cover. Incomplete. Missing outer front cover." maybe?

[comicginger1789]

On 9/2/2021 at 1:13 PM, Ryan. said:

They ignore the grade of the lesser cover. They do not ignore the entire rest of the book. Grades are not derived strictly from covers. 

So they ignore the lower graded cover (but do share it on the notes on the label) and grade the entire book with the best cover? I guess that makes sense....it is just weird that they also post the grade of that other cover as well and that sometimes the book falls on that grade exactly, other times it falls in between the grade of the lower and higher cover.