Bluefear Posted March 15, 2022 Posted March 15, 2022 I recently bought a 9.8 from one of the biggest sellers of graded comics on eBay. The book is not a 9.8. It has a huge color break along the spine. Very disappointing. So, I started looking at this seller's 9.8 books. This seller is selling so many books that are graded 9.8 that aren't 9.8's! I realize this is probably one of CGC's biggest customers, but are we supposed to still pretend that CGC doesn't have a bias?
THE_BEYONDER Posted March 15, 2022 Posted March 15, 2022 I believe your rant would get more traction if posted in Comics General Lazyboy 1
Lazyboy Posted March 15, 2022 Posted March 15, 2022 On 3/14/2022 at 8:00 PM, THE_BEYONDER said: I believe your rant would get more traction if posted in Comics General with pictures! djzombi and THE_BEYONDER 1 1
Bluefear Posted March 15, 2022 Author Posted March 15, 2022 This is the book I bought. But a quick look at this seller's ASM McFarlane 9.8's will show you many more examples of badly graded books. The worst example is I counted 5 color breaking spine ticks on one of their books.
Mystafo Posted March 15, 2022 Posted March 15, 2022 (edited) On 3/14/2022 at 8:26 PM, Bluefear said: This is the book I bought. But a quick look at this seller's ASM McFarlane 9.8's will show you many more examples of badly graded books. The worst example is I counted 5 color breaking spine ticks on one of their books. Question: Is this the only defect visible on the book? I only ask because I, myself, have had books in 9.8 holders that I didn't feel were 9.8 any longer if they had started that way. But these usually had signs in impact with the case (edge dents, corner dents, staples/cover pulled away from rest of book, etc.). If this is the only defect visible you must remember that a 9.8 is not perfect...close maybe, but there is (or should be) something keeping it from being a 9.9 or 10. Just my opinion, of course & ymmv. Edited March 15, 2022 by Mystafo The Lions Den 1
Sauce Dog Posted March 15, 2022 Posted March 15, 2022 9.8 grades ARE NOT PERFECT and do have defects. Likewise, some books will allow for spine ticks if they are a known common manufacturing issue (not saying it is the case for all books, some questionable grades come up often). This tick looks fine for a 9.8 book, and is nowhere near the car-crash of a mistake I see others posting (books with blunted corners, multiple creases, chips etc...)
lostboys Posted March 16, 2022 Posted March 16, 2022 I don't think a 9.8 should have a color break. I'd feel differently if there were more 9.9s and 10s available. I'm thinking a 9.8 with a color break is probably a dead giveaway the book has been pressed though. Bluefear 1
Spawnfreak Posted March 16, 2022 Posted March 16, 2022 On 3/14/2022 at 9:26 PM, Bluefear said: This is the book I bought. But a quick look at this seller's ASM McFarlane 9.8's will show you many more examples of badly graded books. The worst example is I counted 5 color breaking spine ticks on one of their books. I have NOT been sending in many ASMs precisely BECAUSE they have problems like this. Do I now send them, expecting 9.8s?
JTD Posted March 16, 2022 Posted March 16, 2022 (edited) On 3/16/2022 at 3:00 AM, lostboys said: I don't think a 9.8 should have a color break. I'd feel differently if there were more 9.9s and 10s available. I'm thinking a 9.8 with a color break is probably a dead giveaway the book has been pressed though. Can you explain why you think this about the dead giveaway for being pressed?…I’ve don’t recall ever reading anything about this phenomena…genuinely curious… Edited March 16, 2022 by JTD
lostboys Posted March 16, 2022 Posted March 16, 2022 (edited) On 3/16/2022 at 11:49 AM, JTD said: Can you explain why you think this about the dead giveaway for being pressed?…I’ve don’t recall ever reading anything about this phenomena…genuinely curious… I think a book with a color break that has not been pressed would probably also have bends where the color break is and that should knock it down to a 9.6, at least. If you press it, now all it has is the 1 defect = 9.8 My Walking Dead 19 is a CGC 9.6. It has 1 color break on the spine. I can clearly see spine bends where the break is. A press would have removed those bends and possibly made it a 9.8. Edited March 16, 2022 by lostboys
KPR Comics Posted March 16, 2022 Posted March 16, 2022 It’s a spine tic. Completely allowed in 9.8 Sauce Dog and Mystafo 2
chrisco37 Posted March 18, 2022 Posted March 18, 2022 Keep paying 2x the price of a 9.6 folks. And, yes. A defect that small is allowed in 9.8. jcjames 1
THE_BEYONDER Posted March 18, 2022 Posted March 18, 2022 On 3/18/2022 at 2:11 PM, chrisco37 said: Keep paying 2x the price of a 9.6 folks. And, yes. A defect that small is allowed in 9.8. More like 3x chrisco37, jcjames and William-James88 3
Bluefear Posted March 22, 2022 Author Posted March 22, 2022 On 3/16/2022 at 6:37 PM, KPR Comics said: It’s a spine tic. Completely allowed in 9.8 It is not a spine tick. It is a color breaking spine tick. Can you please provide the grading standard that states color breaking spine ticks/stresses are allowed in 9.8's? I'm not familiar with it. Overstreet which has been around a lot longer than CGC clearly states it is not allowed for a 9.8. Actually, color breaking spine stresses aren't even allowed in 9.6's. CGC deliberately doesn't give clear guidance on their grading standards so they can get away with this. I bet you if I cracked this slab and submitted in 10 times it wouldn't get a 9.8. It only got a 9.8 because of the submitter. One of CGC's largest customers.
Bluefear Posted March 22, 2022 Author Posted March 22, 2022 On 3/22/2022 at 6:16 PM, The Velcronomicon said: That's what a spine tick is. I was under the impression a spine tick is an indent (or impression) along the spine that doesn't break color.
Bluefear Posted March 22, 2022 Author Posted March 22, 2022 On 3/22/2022 at 6:17 PM, The Velcronomicon said: CGC doesn't adhere to Overstreet standards, never have. In fact Overstreet has changed some of their standards because of CGC. I agree and it's a valid point. But has CGC ever given their standard? Because lately it seems like it's really changed from what I have expected for over a decade.
KPR Comics Posted March 23, 2022 Posted March 23, 2022 On 3/22/2022 at 7:01 PM, Bluefear said: It is not a spine tick. It is a color breaking spine tick. Can you please provide the grading standard that states color breaking spine ticks/stresses are allowed in 9.8's? I'm not familiar with it. Overstreet which has been around a lot longer than CGC clearly states it is not allowed for a 9.8. Actually, color breaking spine stresses aren't even allowed in 9.6's. CGC deliberately doesn't give clear guidance on their grading standards so they can get away with this. I bet you if I cracked this slab and submitted in 10 times it wouldn't get a 9.8. It only got a 9.8 because of the submitter. One of CGC's largest customers. No
The Lions Den Posted March 23, 2022 Posted March 23, 2022 (edited) On 3/22/2022 at 7:31 PM, Bluefear said: But has CGC ever given their standard? Their standards for the grades 9.8 - 10.0 have always been that it's up to their own discretion. If you'd like a more detailed breakdown, a 10.0 is basically a perfect book with no discernable flaws (and no manufacturing flaws, either). As good as it ever gets. A 9.9 is nearly as perfect, but it will typically have one tiny flaw which is so miniscule it's almost invisible---an exceptional copy in every other way. And a 9.8 will typically have one or two very minor flaws which keep it from being a 9.9 or a 10.0. To put it another way, finding a 9.9 or a 10.0 is similar to looking for a needle in a haystack... Edited March 23, 2022 by The Lions Den grendelbo, The Velcronomicon and This is Who We Are 3
