How important are the following factors to you when choosing which book to buy? 5 5

[Kripsys99]

There was a post in the spring that generated a lot of discussion about how important boardies felt a good wrap was for a slabbed book (unless it's really bad, I couldn't care less). It got me wondering what importance board members place on other factors when choosing a book.

So, assuming it's an issue you want, price is right, etc. - how would you rank the following factors when deciding whether to buy a book?

A. Grade;

B. Page color;

C. Wrap;

D. Pedigree;

E. Holder (old, oldest, new, custom);

F. Previous pressing;

G. Holder condition;

Are there other factors you consider?

Are any of the factors deal breakers for you?

[piper]

It also depends on scarcity and cost of the book. I’m more flexible on items like registry, PQ, grade, etc. for a rare GA book than I am for a Hulk 181.

[Kripsys99]

Fair point. I guess I'm asking "all things being equal", what moves the needle most for you? When you have a couple of copies of the same book available to you, would you drop .5 in grade for a better wrap, etc. Just wondering people's preferences.

Edited March 9, 2022 by Kripsys99

[THE_BEYONDER]

On 3/8/2022 at 11:26 PM, Kripsys99 said:

Fair point. I guess I'm asking "all things being equal", what moves the needle most for you? When you have a couple of copies of the same book available to you, would you drop .5 in grade for a better wrap, etc. Just wondering people's preferences.

Wrap is the first thing for me.   If the wrap sucks, I need not consider other factors.   I collect books that are fairly plentiful in supply, so I don’t need to make any QP concessions.  
 

Having a real hard time finding a FF 112 for my personal collection. 

Edited March 9, 2022 by THE_BEYONDER

[Jesse-Lee]

I guess I'd say wrap then grade? But also, if it's a book I want to add to the collection (i.e., long-term hold, not going to sell anytime soon if ever), I'll often go for a lower grade if the higher grade is a massive jump. Like if the 9.8 is 4-5x the price of a 9.4/9.6, I'll go for the lower grade usually.

[Kripsys99]

On 3/9/2022 at 12:05 AM, Jesse-Lee said:

I'll often go for a lower grade if the higher grade is a massive jump. Like if the 9.8 is 4-5x the price of a 9.4/9.6, I'll go for the lower grade usually.

Totally agree on this point.

[theCapraAegagrus]

On 3/8/2022 at 10:54 PM, Kripsys99 said:

A. Grade;

B. Page color;

C. Wrap;

D. Pedigree;

E. Holder (old, oldest, new, custom);

F. Previous pressing;

G. Holder condition;

Are there other factors you consider?

Are any of the factors deal breakers for you?

1. What I consider to be the grade is the most important aspect.
2. Wrap.
3. Page color.
4. Previous pressing - would rather it not have been pressed.
5. Holder condition.
6. Holder.
7. Pedigree.

No other factors that I can think of right now.

Less than Off-white pages are a deal-breaker. Certain grades from specific eras are deal-breakers.

[Beastfeast]

On 3/8/2022 at 10:54 PM, Kripsys99 said:

There was a post in the spring that generated a lot of discussion about how important boardies felt a good wrap was for a slabbed book (unless it's really bad, I couldn't care less). It got me wondering what importance board members place on other factors when choosing a book.

So, assuming it's an issue you want, price is right, etc. - how would you rank the following factors when deciding whether to buy a book?

A. Grade;

B. Page color;

C. Wrap;

D. Pedigree;

E. Holder (old, oldest, new, custom);

F. Previous pressing;

G. Holder condition;

Are there other factors you consider?

Are any of the factors deal breakers for you?

Grade

Holder (I can't do custom labels.  They're so bad to me.)

Wrap

Page color

Holder condition

Previous Pressing

Pedigree

 

The only TRUE deal breaker is a custom label.  I won't buy it unless it's a CRAZY deal.  I hate 'em so much.  

[AnthonyTheAbyss]

On 3/8/2022 at 9:54 PM, Kripsys99 said:

There was a post in the spring that generated a lot of discussion about how important boardies felt a good wrap was for a slabbed book (unless it's really bad, I couldn't care less). It got me wondering what importance board members place on other factors when choosing a book.

So, assuming it's an issue you want, price is right, etc. - how would you rank the following factors when deciding whether to buy a book?

A. Grade;

B. Page color;

C. Wrap;

D. Pedigree;

E. Holder (old, oldest, new, custom);

F. Previous pressing;

G. Holder condition;

Are there other factors you consider?

Are any of the factors deal breakers for you?

1.  Grade (9.8 minimum is a must since that makes up 95% of my collection...but there are some books I love that I can't afford in that grade...ie Jimmy Olsen #134)

2.  Label color...Blue and Yellow (No purple, no green, etc.)

3.  Grader (CGC or CBCS...everybody else gets a bit sketchy)

4.  Wrap and page color (both tied...there's a limit to how crooked a book can be and no modern book should be less than white)

5.  Pressing (another situation where it depends but I like my book ole natural)

6.  Holder condition (I guess that's the purpose of putting it in plastic...to take the scratches instead of the book)

7.  Pedigree, custom label, holder version (makes no impact on my decision at all)

 

***I do like the thinner holders over the thicker ones but that's just preference

[lostboys]

On 3/9/2022 at 9:29 AM, Beastfeast said:

Grade

Holder (I can't do custom labels.  They're so bad to me.)

Wrap

Page color

Holder condition

Previous Pressing

Pedigree

 

The only TRUE deal breaker is a custom label.  I won't buy it unless it's a CRAZY deal.  I hate 'em so much.  

 

My Wolverine #1 has a custom X-Men label.

[Beastfeast]

On 3/9/2022 at 10:52 AM, lostboys said:

 

My Wolverine #1 has a custom X-Men label.

[alexgross.com]

for silver age keys, chipping is often an issue. i'm not interested in a key with bad chipping on it, unless the price is truly a steal, which never really happens on keys. some books also seem to have the pages peeking out the right side sometimes. i dont like that either. so i'd say PRESENTATION might be one of your overall categories here.

i also mostly try to buy only white page books. i don't collect GA but if i did, i would not limit myself to WP books.

[Ken Aldred]

Basically, for me it was the best presentation for the least money.  So, if I could find a great-looking 9.0 with no obvious colour-breaking creases, an even wrap, fresh white pages, nice colour strike, and which appeared UHG, then I’d be satisfied with that value.

For anything with a hint of key status associated with it that time of affordable, apparent mintiness has now passed, of course.

Edited March 9, 2022 by Ken Aldred

[Point Five]

Vibrant cover colors is #1, top of the list for me. I consider the other factors you listed, but none of them are definite dealbreakers.

 

[KPR Comics]

Grade, Wrap then everything else in no particular order.  Only requirement, no tan or brittle pages.

[grendelbo]

My apologies - I'm not following your criteria exactly.

Price

Presentability

Completeness

Grade

Page Quality

Wrap

Pedigree

Slab Condition

Label

[Gaard]

Subscription creases are the worst. I once bought an Iron Man 7 thinking it was beautiful looking. When I got it, what I thought was part of the artwork was, in fact, a subscription crease. It immediately went into my "never remove these" box.

[Nazirite]

B- I do not purchase books with brittle pages

A- If I really want the book in my pc I could care less if it a 0.5, still no brittle pages 

G- I do not like noticeable marks on my slabs, like if I have to walk up to the slab and shine a light that’s one thing but to see it across the room, I won’t pay as much,  you never know if CGC will drop the grade on the reholder

C- Depends on the book

F- Could careless

E- Could careless

D- Could careless

I like well presenting copies, if it looks nice on display I will consider it, that being said for me it is a difference  between one missing page versus two wraps and a page missing. I don’t care to much about restoration on gold or silver keys. What I consider a key everyone else might not and that is okay lol.  I don’t like a million names written on a cover either. I wont drop a whole lot on a book with rusted staples, mainly because if I do buy the book those staples are coming out, could careless about maintaining the blue label if it means saving the book.  Just my 2 cents. 

Edited March 10, 2022 by Nazirite

[rjpb]

For slabbed books:

Price

Eye-appeal ( I'm less concerned about things like a slight miswrap than dull colors, foxing, dust shadows and like flaws)

Page Quality

My assessment of grade from what I can see vs. CGC's grade (this matches up most of the time, but there are times when the CGC grade seems way too generous to me, and other times overly harsh, though that can be due to defects not so obvious in the slab). 

Whether to keep or for resale I've bought books in very low grade, restored, and incomplete, so grade consideration is flexible, but I try to keep away from brittle pages, copies with a chunk missing from the entire book, extensive restoration, and severely faded books. 

[Kripsys99]

Nobody like brittle pages - not surprised. Wrap seems to be a 75/25 split in favor of wrap making a difference - seems in line with the previous thread. Surprised that everyone ranks pedigree dead last - I like the story/lineage that comes with pedigree books, and - while I won't go out of my way to grab a pedigree book - would take a pedigree label over a blue label given the choice.

Interesting takes all around!