kimik Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 (edited) On 1/11/2022 at 9:01 PM, shadroch said: You were submitting a few hundred books a year and never looked into a dealer account? Yes. I did not bother since I had no interest in submitting for others. Dumb move on my part in the long run, I guess. Edited January 12, 2022 by kimik 1Cool and Artboy99 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Buzzetta Posted January 12, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted January 12, 2022 On 1/11/2022 at 10:40 PM, shadroch said: It's not short sighted when all you are concerned with is the short term. Some other empty suit can deal with the consequences down the road. Blackstone takes its 500 million, pumps up incredible short term results and unloads it on the public I agree that it looks like this is where it is going. Do we want to predict it taking a step further? Blackstone sells it off at a valuation that is not realistic for the new buyer to make a profit. The buyer sells CGC at a loss. The new buyer? Beckett eventually buys it placing a certain someone in charge and Steve sits behind a desk smoking cigars wrapped in pages from an Action Comics #1. Stronguy, Point Five, Comicshows and 8 others 2 2 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimik Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 I do not think there is any way that CGC would make a viable IPO. Maybe I am wrong, but as an investor I would not find it attractive as their current business model is not easy to scale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artboy99 Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 On 1/11/2022 at 9:10 PM, kimik said: I do not think there is any way that CGC would make a viable IPO. Maybe I am wrong, but as an investor I would not find it attractive as their current business model is not easy to scale. If they got everything to be consistent and for a long time duration I could see it. As it is I agree there are too many variables. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadroch Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 Someplace, lurking in the darkness, are a bunch of other suits staring at an industry generating hundreds of millions in revenue, driven by characters they own. Tony S 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoWitHurts Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 On 1/11/2022 at 10:10 PM, kimik said: I do not think there is any way that CGC would make a viable IPO. Maybe I am wrong, but as an investor I would not find it attractive as their current business model is not easy to scale. I would short it out of the box. William-James88 and kimik 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadroch Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 On 1/11/2022 at 9:29 PM, Artboy99 said: If they got everything to be consistent and for a long time duration I could see it. As it is I agree there are too many variables. In a world where bitcoin is near $50,000, anything is possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigLeagueCHEW Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 (edited) On 1/11/2022 at 4:15 PM, Sigur Ros said: You may literally the only person on Earth saying that. Here's one of the many saying otherwise... https://youtu.be/Cx3pQTYnyzY?t=478 Really? Be you mean? Take a CBCS rubberized slab, bow it backwards on the spine side. Let me know how it holds up compared to a CGC one. This video shows someone twisting a slab, who the hell does that anyway? Edited January 12, 2022 by BigLeagueCHEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post NewWorldOrder Posted January 12, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted January 12, 2022 (edited) On 1/11/2022 at 2:03 PM, Bookery said: I like the way you assume that it's my book that might not be graded correctly vs. CGC! I am far more consistent than CGC can ever be... no brag or a slam against CGC... but they've probably had 100 different graders over the years, and with me it's just me. Plus, customers believe my grades are equal to or more conservative than CGC (which has proven true over the years when they send them in, so it's not an idle assumption). I don't grade any raw book higher than 9.4, so with many moderns you get from me you are likely getting a 9.6 or 9.8, which is fine with me. Also, I've been doing this about twice as long as CGC. Most customers STILL prefer raw books (again, aside from the 9.8 chasers), and buying from me they have the option to keep it as is or send it off at some point down the road. Mentioned the incentives above. I sell plenty of CGC books too, though usually I buy them already graded. CGC's a perfectly fine company. But let's face it... they are "experts" because they say they are experts. I'm also an expert. Have been one for 40 years (okay... let's say 30... I figure it takes about 10 years to become a truly "expert" grader, covering all the possible ramifications with golden-age to modern, restoration issues, etc.). I'm guessing the majority of CGC graders don't have that 10 years experience yet. If I suddenly patented and began slabbing and grading vintage paperbacks, would I now be more of an expert than I was the day before I slabbed them in plastic? Obvious answer. You know, I am something of a grader myself. Edited January 12, 2022 by NewWorldOrder William-James88, Larryw7, theCapraAegagrus and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William-James88 Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 On 1/11/2022 at 11:08 PM, kimik said: Yes. I did not bother since I had no interest in submitting for others. Dumb move on my part in the long run, I guess. A dealer account does not mean you have to submit for others. CGC never knows if you are submitting for someone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewWorldOrder Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 (edited) On 1/11/2022 at 4:53 PM, Tony S said: I'm not sure how to say this. MOST COLLECTORS don't want their books slabbed. It's not a matter of most people need an incentive to buy raw - most people need an incentive to buy slabbed. I cannot count the number of slabbed books I've sold where I was asked to break it out of the slab for the buyer. I do agree that people are often times paying similar to graded prices for their raw books. But that they are says volumes. MOST COLLECTIONS have no graded books. MOST COLLECTORS want to be able to read or at least page through their comics. I think you are misunderstanding me a lot on this topic. I agree with you what said. However, there is no way most raw collectors will pay CGC 9.4 prices for a raw books for the same price just less CGC costs on expensive books. I am not talking about a ASM #301 in Fine condition here The reason I was in disagreement with the other boardie is he referred to CGC 9.8's. That he can sell for $80 and the CGC 9.8 sells for $100. I do not think any person who isnt high on crack cocaine would pay me the same money for a raw Hulk #181 that I grade at NM over a CGC copy in CGC 9.4 only buying merely saving on the CGC cost alone. Unless the seller is guaranteeing that if I get it graded if it does not come back at least a CGC 9.4 I can get my money back. I fully understand CGC isnt for everyone and can over grade sometimes, but the hobby still ranks them as #1 for grading so why take the risk for the same price versus a dealer who may have over graded the raw copy. I also never understand when people think you can't just crack out the CGC book and read it, but at least you know you have a NM unrestored copy versus rolling the dice buying it raw before you get it graded. Edited January 12, 2022 by NewWorldOrder silverseeker 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimik Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 On 1/11/2022 at 9:29 PM, Artboy99 said: If they got everything to be consistent and for a long time duration I could see it. As it is I agree there are too many variables. Even then, it is not a strong public company concept. Maybe if they can automate grading and encapsulation then you can scale by adding more lines of bots that work 24/7, but until then it will only be as scalable as the number of trained graders and encapsulators they can hire and retain. greggy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizards2 Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 On 1/11/2022 at 3:26 PM, october said: I have gone from hundreds of books a year sent to CGC, to dozens, to zero in 2021. I don't see that changing anytime soon with turnaround times and fees in a breakneck race to see which can end up worse. You grade better than them anyway..., Larryw7, silverseeker, Finhead and 1 other 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post MyNameIsLegion Posted January 12, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted January 12, 2022 On 1/11/2022 at 9:05 PM, D2 said: Who is angry? I just think it’s sad that, for one, you quit CGC and still troll their message boards? And 2, CGC doesn’t have more loyal and understanding partners. I have no skin in this game, that’s why my opinion is genuine. Is this some kinda of Stockholm Syndrome Performance art? I find these sycophantic posts too unbelievable for words, this must be some troll account. Timmay, Transplant, theCapraAegagrus and 6 others 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lou_fine Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 (edited) On 1/11/2022 at 8:31 PM, shadroch said: Someplace, lurking in the darkness, are a bunch of other suits staring at an industry generating hundreds of millions in revenue, driven by characters they own. I sincerely hope that you are not working on the belief that CGC by itself, is generating hundreds of millions in revenue on a annual basis. If that indeed was the case, it certainly would have cost Blackstone a whole lot more than just $500M to acquire CCG, which has something like 8 or 9 companies under its corporate umbrella, with CGC being one of the smaller of the nine. In fact, small enough to the point that the then ownership of CCG gave nothing but a passing thought to them as the coin side of the operations was what was important to them from both a business and personal interest point of view. Edited January 12, 2022 by lou_fine RockMyAmadeus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin76 Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 (edited) On 1/12/2022 at 1:19 AM, lou_fine said: I sincerely hope that you are not working on the belief that CGC by itself, is generating hundreds of millions in revenue on a annual basis. If that indeed was the case, it certainly would have cost Blackstone a whole lot more than just $500M to acquire CCG, which has something like 8 or 9 companies under its corporate umbrella, with CGC being one of the smaller of the nine. In fact, small enough to the point that the then ownership of CCG gave nothing but a passing thought to them as the coin side of the operations was what was important to them from both a business and personal interest point of view. On 1/11/2022 at 11:31 PM, shadroch said: Someplace, lurking in the darkness, are a bunch of other suits staring at an industry generating hundreds of millions in revenue, driven by characters they own. His comment reminds me of something out of Spawn 10 by Dave Sims Edited January 12, 2022 by Kevin76 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigur Ros Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 On 1/11/2022 at 10:05 PM, D2 said: Who is angry? You were literally told by a mod to keep it civil. On 1/11/2022 at 10:05 PM, D2 said: I just think it’s sad that, for one, you quit CGC and still troll their message boards? You: "This is the most popular forum for the hobby!" Also you: "OMG! Why are you here?" On 1/11/2022 at 10:05 PM, D2 said: I have no skin in this game, that’s why my opinion is genuine. For having no skin, you are by far the most invested in the conversation. Take care. Tony S, Cat and JJ-4 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazingbob Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 On 1/11/2022 at 11:10 PM, kimik said: I do not think there is any way that CGC would make a viable IPO. Maybe I am wrong, but as an investor I would not find it attractive as their current business model is not easy to scale. Are you looking at this from just the comics perspective? They just graded 1 million cards, do you know how profitable grading cards is? A lot more then comics I bet. 2 dimensional grading, no counting of pages. Grading probably takes less then a minute. Printing money. Again, Blackstone doesn't invest 500 million into a business not expecting to shine it up and move on later. This isn't the convention business model Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
namisgr Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 Which card grading service is realizing the best prices in the marketplace? Asking for a friend... Timmay 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theCapraAegagrus Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 I can't see CGC being valuable as a public trade based on the fact that vintage collectibles are finite. Once they stop receiving those, how many jabronis are really out there submitting Moderns fresh off the shelf for a Registry set? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...