Is it worth getting my comics slabbed anymore? 0

[myboyluke]

Hello all,

I haven't made a CGC submission in a couple of years, and since then the costs and wait times have climbed. Slabbing 3 books 3 years ago took a few months, which I found excessive - I can't imagine waiting a year or more like some people do these days. 

Since then, I have been slowly building up a little collection with some decent keys. While I would love to send them out to be slabbed, is it worth it anymore? Do slabs sell better than raw books? I'm on the fence myself - for higher value books I'd rather find a raw dog then pay for the slabbed grade...maybe lower value keys I'd spring for a slab, but the cost of higher quality books that are graded is making it less attractive to buy. 

My intent is to build up some inventory and start selling to get higher value books, in other words to have the hobby pay for itself. The question is this - is the cost of slabbing and the wait times worth it if you intend to have the hobby fund itself?

[theCapraAegagrus]

On 1/26/2022 at 10:08 AM, myboyluke said:

While I would love to send them out to be slabbed, is it worth it anymore?

Do slabs sell better than raw books?

The question is this - is the cost of slabbing and the wait times worth it if you intend to have the hobby fund itself?

1. That will change from person to person, and book to book.
2. Generally, yes.
3. Again, this will depend on each book independently.

I used to suggest that a threshold of $200 would make a book worth slabbing, but over the past couple of years that has gone up to $1k. If it's not worth more than $1k after being CGC'd, then I won't consider sending it in. Most people's minimum value will be different.

[revat]

On 1/26/2022 at 7:39 AM, theCapraAegagrus said:

On 1/26/2022 at 7:08 AM, myboyluke said:

While I would love to send them out to be slabbed, is it worth it anymore?

Do slabs sell better than raw books?

The question is this - is the cost of slabbing and the wait times worth it if you intend to have the hobby fund itself?

1. That will change from person to person, and book to book.
2. Generally, yes.
3. Again, this will depend on each book independently.

I used to suggest that a threshold of $200 would make a book worth slabbing, but over the past couple of years that has gone up to $1k. If it's not worth more than $1k after being CGC'd, then I won't consider sending it in. Most people's minimum value will be different.

agree its so subjective that asking the question without providing any background details is essentially moot.  But very generally the answer is the same as any other financial endeavor.  The more knowledge, experience, patience, and skill you have (are willing to learn), the better the odds are that you will be financially successful in your endeavor.  And those things of course can be balanced, tempered, or enhanced with specific personal preferences and goals that you personally have.

If you would leave your social security number here and the top three bank accounts you use, I can take a look at your finances and see if its worth it.

[comicginger1789]

On 1/26/2022 at 10:08 AM, myboyluke said:

Hello all,

I haven't made a CGC submission in a couple of years, and since then the costs and wait times have climbed. Slabbing 3 books 3 years ago took a few months, which I found excessive - I can't imagine waiting a year or more like some people do these days. 

Since then, I have been slowly building up a little collection with some decent keys. While I would love to send them out to be slabbed, is it worth it anymore? Do slabs sell better than raw books? I'm on the fence myself - for higher value books I'd rather find a raw dog then pay for the slabbed grade...maybe lower value keys I'd spring for a slab, but the cost of higher quality books that are graded is making it less attractive to buy. 

My intent is to build up some inventory and start selling to get higher value books, in other words to have the hobby pay for itself. The question is this - is the cost of slabbing and the wait times worth it if you intend to have the hobby fund itself?

A great question

So within this past year, I sent off my first ever CGC submissions. My first in February, returned early June. I have since sent off two (August and October) and they have not returned.

I purchase comics on occassion solely for the purpose of reselling to fund the hobby and last year, decided to start sending some of the nicer stuff to CGC. For example, if I find a book for $125 that I know I could sell raw for $200 BUT if graded where I think it could grade, it could be closer to $400, well I will go down that road and take the risk because from my own practices, I usually undergrade it seems. So I decided to do that.

In the last year, people have been doing this more and more in hopes of getting books back in time for movie or show releases only to have that plan fail. Thankfully, I only did this with one book (and I don't think it will hinder me when I get it back). My suggestion is if you are looking for quick money back to continue to fund your hobby, grading right now is lengthy and not the best option. We all hope 2022 sees this corrected, likely towards the latter half of the year as I am predicting that they have received a lot fewer books over the past 6 months compared to the six before that (but maybe not, maybe they are still getting as many submissions as they were last spring).

However, if you aren't in a rush and you have certain books that will sell more graded (and you trust where you think it will grade at), then I would still submit. For me, like I mentioned, the books I am selling there was not rush to sell. They weren't hot books of the week. They were trusted keys and books people generally value and desire regardless of the movie world. I mean, if a raw VF copy for a book sells for $200-250 but a grade copy sells for double that or more in that grade, I think its a no brainer to grade it and wait for the extra profits. Again, I can see the desire for quick cash and a quick turnover if you enjoy buyer lots and don't want to dip into the actual pockets for the hobby. 

Hopefully this provides some insight! And as others have mentioned, some books it makes no sense to grade because a raw VG will sell for $150, graded for $200. Situations like this don't make sense to grade and there are plenty of books like this, across all eras and grades. It all requires decent pricing research and there are plenty of sites, apps and personal ways to do that to ensure that grading for resale is worthwhile. 

[lostboys]

To me it is because Ill never sell my collection. Its not an investment for myself. ill be leaving it to my daughter and it will all be 100% profit to her if she decides to sell it.

[rexinnih]

I plan to slowly sell off except for a few keys in retirement to keep me active. This makes me want to slab all the more. 

[shadroch]

On 1/26/2022 at 11:17 AM, lostboys said:

To me it is because Ill never sell my collection. Its not an investment for myself. ill be leaving it to my daughter and it will all be 100% profit to her if she decides to sell it.

Why not just invest the money you are spending on this and leave that and the raw comics to her.

[lostboys]

On 1/26/2022 at 11:10 PM, shadroch said:

Why not just invest the money you are spending on this and leave that and the raw comics to her.

Oh, no, don't get me wrong. I'm collecting for me. Buying what I like. I'm not planning on dying for another 40 years or so. Jeez 😆

[William-James88]

On 1/26/2022 at 10:08 AM, myboyluke said:

Hello all,

I haven't made a CGC submission in a couple of years, and since then the costs and wait times have climbed. Slabbing 3 books 3 years ago took a few months, which I found excessive - I can't imagine waiting a year or more like some people do these days. 

Since then, I have been slowly building up a little collection with some decent keys. While I would love to send them out to be slabbed, is it worth it anymore? Do slabs sell better than raw books? I'm on the fence myself - for higher value books I'd rather find a raw dog then pay for the slabbed grade...maybe lower value keys I'd spring for a slab, but the cost of higher quality books that are graded is making it less attractive to buy. 

 

Great question!

When it comes to slabbing, here are the best reasons to slab vs selling raw:

1. When there is a massive defect that can detract buyers. Example: I had a Daredevil 1 that looked like a 6.0 BUT there was part of the cover scraped off in the back. If I were to sell it as a 5.0, some buyers could tell me that my grade wasn't low enough (regardless of the pics showing the flaw) and it could turn off buyers who just don't understand how much a defect an affect the grade. Same for water damage, rust, marvel chipping, ect. So slabbing a book with those kinds of flaws cements a grade and makes them easier to sell. Because then you arent selling a "Daredevil that looks like 6.0 but has a big defect in the back" you are simply selling a "Daredevil 1 CGC 5.0". 
 

2. When it's very high grade. For keys, when you get to 9.0 and higher, there can be a massive difference. While you can write that a raw book is NM or higher, a buyer will not pay the same as they would for a CGC 9.6 unless you are selling a CGC 9.6 (or 9.4 or 9.8). And while you could sell it for cheaper, like at the price of a 9.2, you are leaving some money off the table for you. 

For low grade and midgrade (even up to 8.0), I found that raw books sell very very well. Buyers get this sense of maybe finding a gold mine. Like you say the book is a 6.0 but they think that maybe with a press, it could be an 8.0, so you end up selling it for the same price as a CGC 7.0. That happens a lot. 

I do like your approach that slabbing may not be the answer, and it isn't. For that mid grade raw book, while maybe it might grade higher than the grade you are selling it as, you would still have to get it pressed and graded, which takes a year and costs money. And the finally money you get would be more than if you sold it raw but maybe not more enough to justify your costs.

 

 

[William-James88]

And here 's my example:

 

[Math Teacher]

On 1/26/2022 at 12:17 PM, lostboys said:

To me it is because Ill never sell my collection. Its not an investment for myself. ill be leaving it to my daughter and it will all be 100% profit to her if she decides to sell it.

I am 100% in agreement with the sentiment of this post.

[Cratus]

On 1/26/2022 at 8:39 PM, rexinnih said:

I plan to slowly sell off except for a few keys in retirement to keep me active. This makes me want to slab all the more. 

This is my plan as well.  Slab keys and collect keys for purpose of selling them as I near retirement.