Label Modifications

[Red Hook]

Above the law, eh? Yeah, figured.

[FFB]

Above the law, eh? Yeah, figured.

 

Is there a law that says I need to use TM or © or ® to acquire an interest in my own intellectual property? If so, I'm unaware of it.

[Darthdiesel]

Any estimates as to what % of the 500-600,000 books that CGC has graded are in PLODs / Qualified labels?

 

http://www.gregholland.com/cgc/stats.asp

 

As of 9/20/2005 census...

Universal (Blue) 94.6%

Restored (Purple) 2.2%

Qualified (Green) 1.2%

Signature (Yellow) 2.0%

 

 

Them there figures are very interesting. For months and months I've been listening to claims about the Wild West atmosphere that prevailed prior to CGC, where every other book was restored/trimmed/whatever and that you had a very real chance of being stiffed when buying raw from a dealer, only to find out your problem when having the book professionally graded.

 

So, if that were the case....

 

Just where in god's name did all of those blue label books come from?

 

And where did all those 'I wasn't told it was trimmed' books disappear to?

 

I might not be a rocket scientist, but I can only assume that either...

 

(1) A number of people are telling porkies about just how 'bad' things were before our saviours arrived on the scene, or...

 

(2) CGC are missing a LOT more resto jobs than we could ever have imagined.

 

What do you reckon, folks?

 

(3) restored books still in the hands of those who restored them or had them restored were deterred enough by the stigma attached to the purple label that they did not risk sending them in.

[UnDeadChihuahua-migration]

Having more information on the label is a good thing.

 

But the overall goal of all of these changes seems to be to make certain types of restoration/conservation more acceptable to consumers, thereby making the PCS services more attractive. The timing is just too perfect.

 

I doubt anyone agrees with me, but the only thing on the conservation list that doesn't seem to be obvious restoration is deacidification.

 

How can repairing a tear be conservation??? The time for conservation was before the book was torn. That is when the condition of the book should have been preserved / conserved.

 

Some say that it is conservation because the tear could continue if unrepaired and that the book must be preserved for the future. I disagree. It's not like the book will automatically disintegrate if the tear reaches a certain length. The book is still there. It may be a lower grade due to a larger tear. But saying that repairing a tear is preserving the hobby for the future is really reaching.

 

I would also consider trimming to be restoration because it does return a book to an earlier and more desirable state. (Of course, the state is only more desirable if the trimming is not known.) It returns it to a state where it has crisp, sharp edges and corners.

 

(My 2 cents.)

[Darthdiesel]

These new labels rock!

[nearmint]

I would also consider trimming to be restoration because it does return a book to an earlier and more desirable state.

 

Except that a piece of it has been hacked off.

[mica]

I would also consider trimming to be restoration because it does return a book to an earlier and more desirable state.

 

Except that a piece of it has been hacked off.

Yes, Restored in this sense means to restore it to be "perceived" to be fine and dandy.

 

The word restore is the word that is tripping us up. But the deception is the result.

[nearmint]

I would also consider trimming to be restoration because it does return a book to an earlier and more desirable state.

 

Except that a piece of it has been hacked off.

Yes, Restored in this sense means to restore it to be "perceived" to be fine and dandy.

 

The word restore is the word that is tripping us up. But the deception is the result.

 

Mica, I always feel like I need a decoder ring to decipher your posts. Where's the deception? Trimmed books will have an APPARENT label that reads TRIMMED.

[Samurai-Bill]

These new labels rock!

 

YEAH !! YEAH !!

 

FIDDLE WHILE ROME BURNS !!

[Darthdiesel]

These new labels rock!

 

YEAH !! YEAH !!

 

FIDDLE WHILE ROME BURNS !!

 

I made sure to email CGc about my opinions and told them to keep up the great work. They truly are the best thing that's happened to this hobby and hope they continue to come up with monumental changes like this now and then to keep things fresh and appealing. I know if it's got the old codgers in a tizzy then it can't be all that bad

[Samurai-Bill]

sarcasm , doesn't suit you .

[mica]

Mica, I always feel like I need a decoder ring to decipher your posts. Where's the deception? Trimmed books will have an APPARENT label that reads TRIMMED.

Hi Jeff I believe UnDeadChihuahua was referring to an earlier discussion on how and why trimming is not called restoration, but in a sense it does 'restore' the book in a perceived way. The FF 3 book would be the classic example on how it was 'perceived' to be altogether there, but a very small slice is no longer present.

[UnDeadChihuahua-migration]

Thanks Mica. That is what I was trying to say. I am probably oversimplifying things by thinking of "restoration" as anything done to a book to improve it's perceived condition.

 

I guess have a problem with a 3rd party independent grading company trying to change the way people think about restoration / conservation in order to compel them to use their new pressing / conservation services.

 

While in the short (or medium term) the majority of the hobby may follow along, what happens in 5 or 10 years if the wants/needs of hobbyists change.

 

For example, they say pressing is not restoration and will not be noted on the label. They offer a pressing service. I infer from this that they are encouraging people to press their books.

 

In 5 or 10 years, the vast majority of hobbyists may regard pressing with the same disdain that they have for trimming. There may also be better ways to consistently detect pressing. What happens to the value of all of the books that were pressed?

 

I believe service providers should follow the wants/needs of a hobby, and not try to periodically redefine a hobby to help their bottom line.

[mica]

Thanks Mica. That is what I was trying to say. I am probably oversimplifying things by thinking of "restoration" as anything done to a book to improve it's perceived condition.

Glad to be of service.

[divad]

Nah, if they really want to help us out they should note on the label "Heritage owned Inventory".

 

CAN I VOTE FOR THIS LABEL NOTATION?

 

I know I'm late to the party . . . but I really like this one!

[nearmint]

I guess have a problem with a 3rd party independent grading company trying to change the way people think about restoration / conservation in order to compel them to use their new pressing / conservation services.

 

I'd be concerned about that, too, if CGC were giving conserved books Certified labels rather than Apparent labels.

 

As I said before, I think the hobby as a whole is going to treat Apparent labels as PLODS, regardless of whether they're Apparent/restored or Apparent/conserved.

 

I don't think people are going to rushing to send their books to CGC for conservation when the books will end up with Apparent labels.

 

Apparent is the new PLOD.

[UnDeadChihuahua-migration]

I guess have a problem with a 3rd party independent grading company trying to change the way people think about restoration / conservation in order to compel them to use their new pressing / conservation services.

 

I'd be concerned about that, too, if CGC were giving conserved books Certified labels rather than Apparent labels.

 

As I said before, I think the hobby as a whole is going to treat Apparent labels as PLODS, regardless of whether they're Apparent/restored or Apparent/conserved.

 

I don't think people are going to rushing to send their books to CGC for conservation when the books will end up with Apparent labels.

 

Apparent is the new PLOD.

 

(Of course, pressed books won't be given Apparent labels or noted anywhere on the labels...but maybe that is a separate issue from the label redesigns.)

 

I do understand what you are saying, and it may be correct that there won't be a rush to send in books for conservation. But I still believe that the CGC / PCS stance on conservation and pressing may sway opinions on which books to buy. Experienced collectors who are set in their ways are probably not going to be influenced, but newer collectors who are being told by CGC / PCS / dealers that conservation is a good thing may find themselves seriously burned when the kool aid wears off.

[Mr. Zipper]

How can repairing a tear be conservation??? The time for conservation was before the book was torn. That is when the condition of the book should have been preserved / conserved.

 

Some say that it is conservation because the tear could continue if unrepaired and that the book must be preserved for the future. I disagree. It's not like the book will automatically disintegrate if the tear reaches a certain length. The book is still there. It may be a lower grade due to a larger tear. But saying that repairing a tear is preserving the hobby for the future is really reaching.

 

Agreed partially.

 

Sealing a tear in an area to prevent the cover from ripping off with normal opening and closing (nasty staple tear) would be conservation IMO.

 

Sealing an edge tear of the cover, where there is no risk of the book falling apart, is restoration IMO.

 

[UnDeadChihuahua-migration]

This is probably a lame analogy, but that's never stopped me before...

 

Around 5 years ago when we were remodeling our house, we put in a central heat/air system. I had planned to go with an all-electric system. The HVAC guy, our contractor, and others talked me into going with a gas heat / electric cooling system because it was less expensive to operate.

 

For the first couple of winters, we saved money. Then natural gas prices began increasing drastically.

 

This year our gas bill is projected to be 70%-100% higher than last year (and several times what we would have paid for an electric system.)

 

The point (if there is anything close to resembling one) is that things can change quickly. Making major decisions - even those recommended by experts in a field - can lead to drastic consequences if things do change.

[ArAich]

I know if it's got the old codgers in a tizzy then it can't be all that bad

 

I may be an old codger but ain't in no damn tizzy...