Questions from a new guy (probably a rehash). 2 2

[2Sunny]

So, my apologies to the regulars who have probably seen this question come up year after year, but I hope folks will indulge my newness here.  Basically I pulled out a box of 225 comics that I'd had sitting on a shelf for 40 years because I saw the news that an ASM sold for $3.5 mil, and the over all market for comics was hot.  At first I was counting the dollars of my older comics, but then I started to actually reread a couple and lo and behold I found I still like comics and now I think I want to keep my collection and MAYBE even add to it or shift it around by selling some older books and buying some newer books to fill in the couple series I enjoy - like Return of the New Gods and Nova.

 

Anyways, getting to the point of the post.  If one is a collector and not a flipper does it make sense to Grade and Slab?  Are slabbed comics better preserved?  Does the cost of Grading & Slabbing go up over time?  What is the primary driver of folks who use CGC here?

 

I'm sure folks here have gone over this in some detail and have plenty of thoughts on the topic, and like I said if this topic is a tired dead horse and there is an older post hashing this discussion out in detail I'm more than happy to read through an older link, but in any case "thanks" to any who take time to reply.  AND - please, please don't anyone take this the wrong way - if this in anyway offends people who chose to Grade & Slab regularly then my sincerest apologies.  I really am just trying to figure out which if any of my comics I should send to CGC and why.

 

 

 

 

[ADAMANTIUM]

Anyways, getting to the point of the post.  If one is a collector and not a flipper does it make sense to Grade and Slab?  Are slabbed comics better preserved?  Does the cost of Grading & Slabbing go up over time?  What is the primary driver of folks who use CGC here?

Most people to my knowledge, slab to sell, but yes, the cost to cgc a comic DOES go up in time! It just went up this past summer, which is why there is a bottle neck of submissions now at cgc. They gave us a deadline to get books in at old tier pricing and benefits.

I slab most all my books just because they're more liquid. IF it pops and or it's time to let go, I can sell quickly without rethinking for months waiting for CGC to get done slabbing.

I read a lot, but for older gen books, the ones you mention, ie bronze silver or even copper ages: CGC restoration experts help to know what your buying, so I tend to buy those already slabbed.

I collect don't really flip, but there are always temptations, if your $1 bin diving and find a deal and or it's a double and it's not a upgrade copy.

So take what you want from all that  

On 10/16/2021 at 1:53 PM, Joe Peck said:

So, my apologies to the regulars who have probably seen this question come up year after year, but I hope folks will indulge my newness here.  Basically I pulled out a box of 225 comics that I'd had sitting on a shelf for 40 years because I saw the news that an ASM sold for $3.5 mil, and the over all market for comics was hot.  At first I was counting the dollars of my older comics, but then I started to actually reread a couple and lo and behold I found I still like comics and now I think I want to keep my collection and MAYBE even add to it or shift it around by selling some older books and buying some newer books to fill in the couple series I enjoy - like Return of the New Gods and Nova.

 

Anyways, getting to the point of the post.  If one is a collector and not a flipper does it make sense to Grade and Slab?  Are slabbed comics better preserved?  Does the cost of Grading & Slabbing go up over time?  What is the primary driver of folks who use CGC here?

 

I'm sure folks here have gone over this in some detail and have plenty of thoughts on the topic, and like I said if this topic is a tired dead horse and there is an older post hashing this discussion out in detail I'm more than happy to read through an older link, but in any case "thanks" to any who take time to reply.  AND - please, please don't anyone take this the wrong way - if this in anyway offends people who chose to Grade & Slab regularly then my sincerest apologies.  I really am just trying to figure out which if any of my comics I should send to CGC and why.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 16, 2021 by ADAMANTIUM

[ADAMANTIUM]

On 10/16/2021 at 2:00 PM, ADAMANTIUM said:

I read a lot, but for older gen books, the ones you mention, ie bronze silver or even copper ages: CGC restoration experts help to know what your buying, so I tend to buy those already slabbed.

CGC slabs are verified by the CGC "experts" that there is no restoration to the comic: pieces added, color touch, glue, marker filling in holes and there are more etc

TO buy a slab, it hopes to ensure your book is what it is, and the label helps to identify that...

for most books there are reprints to read etc. 

Most of what made me attempt to answer your question, is that yes, the pricing will go up over time, artists and writers etc for signature series will not be around forever......

It is a whole ball of twine, that means I can't answer your questions for you  

I can only give info,

but the decision and the criteria that works for you, will be the ball in your court  

Edited October 16, 2021 by ADAMANTIUM

[StillOnly25Cents]

you will quickly find there is no one size fits all answer to your question

[Namtak]

On 10/16/2021 at 2:53 PM, Joe Peck said:

So, my apologies to the regulars who have probably seen this question come up year after year, but I hope folks will indulge my newness here.  Basically I pulled out a box of 225 comics that I'd had sitting on a shelf for 40 years because I saw the news that an ASM sold for $3.5 mil, and the over all market for comics was hot.  At first I was counting the dollars of my older comics, but then I started to actually reread a couple and lo and behold I found I still like comics and now I think I want to keep my collection and MAYBE even add to it or shift it around by selling some older books and buying some newer books to fill in the couple series I enjoy - like Return of the New Gods and Nova.

 

Anyways, getting to the point of the post.  If one is a collector and not a flipper does it make sense to Grade and Slab?  Are slabbed comics better preserved?  Does the cost of Grading & Slabbing go up over time?  What is the primary driver of folks who use CGC here?

 

I'm sure folks here have gone over this in some detail and have plenty of thoughts on the topic, and like I said if this topic is a tired dead horse and there is an older post hashing this discussion out in detail I'm more than happy to read through an older link, but in any case "thanks" to any who take time to reply.  AND - please, please don't anyone take this the wrong way - if this in anyway offends people who chose to Grade & Slab regularly then my sincerest apologies.  I really am just trying to figure out which if any of my comics I should send to CGC and why.

 

 

 

 

There is a relief for some key in high grade when its slabed,its more secured less damageable,and age better because of inert gaz they put in instead of air if i remember corectly.anyway,some of my key i would not opened if not to get it signed and reslab but thats just me i started small and tried raw first, but when buying online i dont like raw for big key too Risky,plus buying raw can be frustrating with some store who buy 7.5 or less crack it opened and sell it as higher grade

Edited October 16, 2021 by Namtak

[ADAMANTIUM]

On 10/16/2021 at 2:15 PM, StillOnly25Cents said:

you will quickly find there is no one size fits all answer to your question

+1

[MetalPSI]

^ That

I have a lot of raws that I am slowly getting graded  

I buy graded comics for my personal collection 

I tend to sell graded only, the stuff I no longer want, to fund the stuff I do want 

I'm not sure, but I'm probably going to have my entire collection graded, I don't have a ton of books

 

[Lazyboy]

On 10/16/2021 at 1:53 PM, Joe Peck said:

Anyways, getting to the point of the post.  If one is a collector and not a flipper does it make sense to Grade and Slab?

Probably not.

On 10/16/2021 at 1:53 PM, Joe Peck said:

Are slabbed comics better preserved?

No.

On 10/16/2021 at 1:53 PM, Joe Peck said:

Does the cost of Grading & Slabbing go up over time? 

Yes, fees increase occasionally and other associated costs like shipping never get any cheaper.

[fast eddie]

I have 45 years worth of my comic obsession,,,,,,, lots of boxes,,,,, I love to read them in my quiet moments,,,, I have maybe 15-20 "slabs",,,,,, I sell multiples when I come across them in my collection,,,,,,,, but I am not a big fan of slabbing and grading,,,,BUT,,,,,,, it is very reassuring having that big,valuable,beautiful,golden-age,silver-age, book in a case ,,,,protected from harm and curious children I am always nudging into the comic world,,, sell what you want to buy what you want,,,,,, so what if it is "Raw"? No such thing as a wrong turn as long as you are enjoying the hobby. Reading is fundamental!

[WolverineX]

only slab when you decide to sell.  

[Poekaymon]

I got back into the hobby in 2019 basically only because of CGC.  Without slabs, I simply wouldn't have had the confidence to deal in raws. Too afraid of getting scammed or getting books that had been restored, etc.  So throughout 2019 and the first half of 2020 I bought nothing but slabs.  So for buying, slabs are certainly safer.  Slabs are also much easier and safer to sell.  I've heard stories on here of sellers selling raws to people who send it back for a refund, only they send back a different, lower grade raw.  Slabs just help not to get scammed both ways.  

But I disagree that they aren't good for personal collections.  I do think they "preserve" them better in that there is less chance of them being damaged somehow.  My three year old has gotten his unsupervised hands on some of my slabs before.  Had they been raws, they would have been destroyed.  They also make it easy to display them.  You can get super cheap little plastic brackets and put them right up on the wall.  In fact, I've slabbed a couple low-grade books with the custom CGC label just because it's a relatively inexpensive "frame."

Having said all that, earlier this year I decided I wanted a higher percentage of raws in my collection.  Partially because I am more confident in evaluating raws and also because I have no intention to sell.  I also have a nice raw storage system now, with a lock, and already have enough things to go on display.  And because my slab collection was getting out of control and they do take up a lot of space.  So I cracked most of my slabs and have either only been buying raws or in some cases I buy a graded book and then immediately crack it.  In fact, I have cracked a lot of 9.8s in the last 6 months, which might surprise people, but I still like some extra assurance that something is a high grade book. 

[Point Five]

For someone who's been a regular on here since 2005, and is generally a big believer in CGC's service... I really don't slab more than 10-20 books a year. I tend to buy lower-grade GA, not higher-grade SA/BA/CA, and for most books it's just not worth it for me to slab... not *just* the actual cost to slab and ship/insure, but also having a book tied up for months and months to go through the process, and the investment in my time to get it all done.

I'm unlikely to slab unless a book is worth (say) $300 or more raw, and even then, only if I plan to sell and the slab will clearly add a fair amount of value.

Slabs also take up more storage space, and if you live in an apartment that is a non-zero factor as well.

 

[kav]

I have never slabbed a single book.  

[Randall Dowling]

I would only slab a book if I was going to sell it and knew that I would make more money slabbed than raw plus grading fees.  Ideally, significantly more.  

[catman76]

The primary driver of folks who slab their comics is wanting the highest made up grade number on it. It's this competition with others and themselves so they can feel like they have something important and better than other people because they have a comic book encased in plastic that has a high number on it. That's all it is for 99 percent of people slabbing comics. 

[2Sunny]

Wow, all great answers and clearly lots of thought involved.  Anyone who knows me knows I change my mind almost as often as I change my underwear - I know TMI    - but here's what I'm thinking at the moment.

I have a list of books in my collection that aren't of interest to me.  Based on what I've learned so far, I estimate their total value at around $1500 or so if CGC graded.  Is it worth it to spend $33 plus shipping, tax, etc to slab? I would be spending about $600 for 16 books?  What do folks use as a rough discount from slab to raw? 

  Again thanks for all the great input!!

 

P.S. Any money I net would probably go towards purchasing more Nova comics cause I have almost a complete first 20, but I'm missing a couple

 

Action Comics 261 - 5.0

Action Comics 263 - 4.0

Adventure Comics 269 - 5.0

Adventure Comics 288 - 4.0

Adventure Comics 312 - 5.0

Batman 130 - 5.0

Brave & Bold 36 - 6.0

Brave & Bold 44 - 7.0

Brave & Bold 88 - 4.0

Detective Comics 272 - 3.0

Detective Comics 277 - 5.0

Detective Comics 278 - 4.0

Justice League 5 - 4.0

Justice League 13 - 7.0

Justice League 82 - 6.0

Justice League 87 - 6.0

Edited October 16, 2021 by Joe Peck

[Point Five]

With respect, I don't think slabs will add value to those books and they are fairly common in lower grades. I would sell all of them raw and do something else with the slabbing money.

 

[2Sunny]

On 10/16/2021 at 5:09 PM, Point Five said:

With respect, I don't think slabs will add value to those books and they are fairly common in lower grades. I would sell all of them raw and do something else with the slabbing money.

 

Kinda what I figured. Thanks.  So . . . what's the best way to sell raw comics? As a group?  Auction sites? Ebay?

[Vixom]

On 10/16/2021 at 5:12 PM, Joe Peck said:

Kinda what I figured. Thanks.  So . . . what's the best way to sell raw comics? As a group?  Auction sites? Ebay?

Group faster easier as it's 1 listing, 1 shipping. Money could be about the same if they are all the same title. 

Single likely more money but more work. 

Anywhere raw books are sold with the combination of most traffic least fees. Ebay is great if you know how to use it. If you aren't a ebay pro or unwilling to learn how to be the best bet is consignment. 

Slabbing is all up to you. Do you ever want to read that book again? Do you prefer the slab look? Will it increase the value? Hundreds or thousands of ?s to ask.

I buy sell collect raw or slab. I have no preference. When buying a deal is a deal. When selling if I can make more money raw then its sold raw. If slabbing is more beneficial then slab it is. 

I have my dads golden age collection most high grade white pages. No slabs or even bags boards back then. Not that slabbing doesn't protect books but it's certainly not necessary. 

[Lazyboy]

On 10/16/2021 at 3:57 PM, catman76 said:

The primary driver of folks who slab their comics is wanting the highest made up grade number on it. It's this competition with others and themselves so they can feel like they have something important and better than other people because they have a comic book encased in plastic that has a high number on it. That's all it is for 99 percent of people slabbing comics. 

 I believe you're thinking of Registry participants. A large number of submissions are from sellers who only care about how that number translates into more money for them.