Do back cover defects affect grade as much as front cover? 0

[dikran]

In terms of aesthetics, I find back cover defects less important than if the front was similarly affected. It got me thinking if there was a deduction difference between a front cover spine tick, crease, smudge etc. and the same defect on the back cover. 🤔

[Vixom]

I haven't noticed any difference. I have had many books with 9.4 9.6 9.8 front covers yet cgc graded them accordingly to their criteria and I received 6.5 8.0 etc. I agree though that certain defects and their location are preferably to others. I would say just about anyone who buys the book and not the grade agrees.

[Vixom]

I should say they received. Anyways I value these books accordingly. I would sell a true 8.5 first and keep the 7.5 with the near mint front cover.

[Qalyar]

CGC awards technical grades, which by definition, are not intended as a measure of visual appeal. So, yes, front cover defects are (generally, anyway) weighted exactly the same as back cover defects. But of course, they have different impact in terms of visual appeal.

[Topnotchman]

I feel cgc allows flaws like stains and pieces missing a grade bump when it’s on the back cover.  

[The Lions Den]

I call this the "give-back" theory. 

If we deduct the grade due to certain flaws on the back cover, the "give-back" theory supports boosting the grade due to the overall attractiveness of the front cover. It's common for this theory to be applied to certain books after hearing a phrase like "But it's so nice otherwise..."  

[Randall Ries]

I want a book I buy to be graded according to the shape of the entire book. This is the reason I feel grader notes should be included as part of the service. We all have 7.0 books that look 9.0 or better. It'd be nice to know why since the cover looks great both front and back it took it in the pants. Must be something in the book. But the flaws can't be seen.

[The Lions Den]

On 11/25/2021 at 6:53 PM, Randall Ries said:

I want a book I buy to be graded according to the shape of the entire book. This is the reason I feel grader notes should be included as part of the service. We all have 7.0 books that look 9.0 or better. It'd be nice to know why since the cover looks great both front and back it took it in the pants. Must be something in the book. But the flaws can't be seen.

Which brings to mind another old CGC saying: "Yeah, but it's going to look great in the holder!"   

And RR, it's amazing how the holder can disguise certain flaws, but there are flaws that can be seen through the holder if you know what to look for and where to look...  

 

[The Lions Den]

On 11/25/2021 at 5:21 PM, Topnotchman said:

I feel cgc allows flaws like stains and pieces missing a grade bump when it’s on the back cover.  

One of things graders like to see is a book with a nice back cover that doesn't affect the grade of the front cover...

[shadroch]

Does anyone think a book looks better in a slab than in a mylar?

[dikran]

Drives my crazy when I buy a super nice front cover book and flip it over to see all the flaws on the all black back cover 

[comicginger1789]

I have ASM 252 that the front cover looks 9.6ish easy. On the back however, is where there are 8-9 minute spine ticks. To me the back cover is more 8.0 ish (and personally where I graded the book at and was expected upon its return).

CGC gave it a 9.0...which may be generous for some or sensible given that the front was sharp, the back less so and they averaged it out.  

[AsterixTheGaul]

For older golden/early silver age comics where your talking 2.0-6.0 grades I think the front cover should count for more. I care MUCH more about a defect in the front vs. back in an old Whiz comic or something like that. But when you in the 9.x's then perfection on both sides should count.

 

[The Lions Den]

On 11/25/2021 at 9:18 PM, comicginger1789 said:

I have ASM 252 that the front cover looks 9.6ish easy. On the back however, is where there are 8-9 minute spine ticks. To me the back cover is more 8.0 ish (and personally where I graded the book at and was expected upon its return).

CGC gave it a 9.0...which may be generous for some or sensible given that the front was sharp, the back less so and they averaged it out.  

Nice to hear some of the old methods are still relevant...assuming the book was graded in the last few years.  

[comicginger1789]

On 11/26/2021 at 9:39 PM, The Lions Den said:

Nice to hear some of the old methods are still relevant...assuming the book was graded in the last few years.  

Yes book was graded this past summer.

[LowGradeBronze]

On 11/26/2021 at 1:54 AM, shadroch said:

Does anyone think a book looks better in a slab than in a mylar?

I love the clarity of a mylar but I find the fit is often quite snug and getting comics in and out without causing harm is a palaver (board sandwich,) so I prefer bags (without tape.) IMHO mylar does look better than slab though, to answer your question. 

Edited November 28, 2021 by LowGradeBronze

[MAR1979]

On 11/25/2021 at 8:54 PM, shadroch said:

Does anyone think a book looks better in a slab than in a mylar?

It's tough call and while on the whole I'd probably choose a brand new crystal clear Mylar, there is something about a book inside an original 1st gen CGC slab I really like. Not sure what it is exactly but despite the lack of clarity they give me a good feeling when I see them.

On my "Oakland" Superman 234, which I purchased raw back in 1998,  I see the defect that prevents it from being a 9.8. I'm positive it will press out and receive a 9.8, however I like the original slab too much to do that.


 

Edited December 3, 2021 by MAR1979

[The Lions Den]

On 11/28/2021 at 2:47 PM, MAR1979 said:

It's tough call and while on the whole I'd probably choose a brand new crystal clear Mylar, there is something about a book and original 1st gen CGC slab I really like. Not sure what it is exactly but despite the lack of clarity they give me a good feeling when I see them.

On my "Oakland" Superman 234, which I purchased raw back in 1998,  I see the defect that prevents it from being a 9.8. I'm positive it will press out and receive a 9.8, however I like the original slab too much to do that.


 

Nice!   

[William-James88]

On 11/23/2021 at 7:04 PM, dikran1 said:

In terms of aesthetics, I find back cover defects less important than if the front was similarly affected. It got me thinking if there was a deduction difference between a front cover spine tick, crease, smudge etc. and the same defect on the back cover. 🤔

There is no difference in grading if the defects are in the back or front. Case in point, there was someone on the boards who just could not understand why his great looking book came back mid grade. Well it turns out there was a colour breaking crease in the back that was hard to make out since the add in the back was on a white background and had a lot of empty space. but when you looked at the words on the add, you could see that the colour break went down for several inches. So instead of a 9.0 or higher, the book was a 6.0 or something like that. 

An even more obvious example is the coupon cut. Clearly, cutting a piece off the front cover would make a book look far worse than cutting a piece from the back. But the books come back 0.5 either way.

Makes me super happy. I was able to own this beautiful 80 year old key book for cheap due to the cards being clipped from the back.

[dikran]

On 11/29/2021 at 10:07 AM, William-James88 said:

There is no difference in grading if the defects are in the back or front. Case in point, there was someone on the boards who just could not understand why his great looking book came back mid grade. Well it turns out there was a colour breaking crease in the back that was hard to make out since the add in the back was on a white background and had a lot of empty space. but when you looked at the words on the add, you could see that the colour break went down for several inches. So instead of a 9.0 or higher, the book was a 6.0 or something like that. 

An even more obvious example is the coupon cut. Clearly, cutting a piece off the front cover would make a book look far worse than cutting a piece from the back. But the books come back 0.5 either way.

Makes me super happy. I was able to own this beautiful 80 year old key book for cheap due to the cards being clipped from the back.

Love that cover so much! This is a great example of why there is such huge price variation between 0.5s.