Question about comic book chop 0

[doomwhistle]

Hello everyone!

I need to figure this out. I found an X-Men #98 that for some strange reason had it's front cover chopped too close to the title up top and at the bottom. When I compared the same comic book to another one, the variance was very noticeable.

Is this an acceptable condition for grading? Does it ding the grade? Clearly, this is a printer error and I was uncertain how the community in general feels about it.

Any comment/thoughts are welcome. I wish I had a photo to better articulate what I saw, but never got a pic.

[revat]

As long as you are sure it wasn't trimmed AFTER printing by someone else, it shouldn't impact the grade given by CGC (unless possibly there is actual content missing).

But also, comics are a visual medium. And comics are a collectible, and so naturally to some extent the value is based on how the comic looks.  So logically, the average person would probably pay more (how much more is the real question) for the comic that has better eye appeal, and centering is for most people one aspect of eye appeal.  

So in summary, it depends.  Depends on the size (and possibly angle) of the miscut, depends on the condition otherwise, depends on your collection preferences, depends on the possible purchase price relative to the 'standard' price for a normal copy, depends on your potential future goals with the comic, might even depend on your geography (for example if you live in Brooklyn vs Kiev the advice given to you might be different).

If you are looking for more specific advice, you have to provide more specific context.  But generally, yah, it doesn't compare favorably to a normal copy of the same grade.

[doomwhistle]

I figured as much. I mean it's still an X-Men 98 at a nice price. So perhaps worth the pick up anyhow.

[theCapraAegagrus]

On 3/14/2022 at 2:27 PM, doomwhistle said:

Does it ding the grade?

Keeps it out of the Mint/Gem Mint range.

[Axe Elf]

On 3/14/2022 at 1:27 PM, doomwhistle said:

I need to figure this out. I found an X-Men #98 that for some strange reason had it's front cover chopped too close to the title up top and at the bottom.

I don't see how it could have been chopped too close at the top AND at the bottom--that means it would be shorter than a normal copy of the same comic, and suggests that it was trimmed later.

[doomwhistle]

Yup. That’s what I am talking about.

[William-James88]

On 3/14/2022 at 2:27 PM, doomwhistle said:

Hello everyone!

I need to figure this out. I found an X-Men #98 that for some strange reason had it's front cover chopped too close to the title up top and at the bottom. When I compared the same comic book to another one, the variance was very noticeable.

Is this an acceptable condition for grading? Does it ding the grade? Clearly, this is a printer error and I was uncertain how the community in general feels about it.

 

Depends, are you hoping for a 9.8? Because I have had badly chopped comics get up to 9.4. And it won't affect any grade below. So if you think your comic is an 8.0, it will still be an 8.0 regardless of the chop.

[MAR1979]

A hot stake (sic) is better than a cold chop

 

Edited March 21, 2022 by MAR1979