Comics Damaged By CGC 4 4

[ExNihilo]

On 5/26/2022 at 10:20 AM, Dr. Balls said:

Agree on both parts about Media Mail. I'm getting read to sub and it's going Priority. Honestly, with all the costs associated with grading, is another $10 to ship all your books really that much of a stretch?

And yeah, it's a slippery slope. And I know CGC has the pre-screen option. But even with all the obvious variables a person can think of - one that sticks out would be a slice through the cover of a modern book. This book passed through numerous hands with that, and no one cared (or are required to care). It's just unfortunate that a little attentiveness can be squashed by corporate apathy.

The flipside is that the customer is notified, they get mad, blame CGC or post office, now it becomes all balled up and CGC has to waste time helping the customer deal with it. So I get that once you cross that line, it gets messy and time-wasting. So yeah, you're probably right about that - once you point out one flaw, what other flaws do employees have to look for, etc, etc.

I can see a situation where the responsibility would lie with the person receiving the book and entering it in the system.  If they don't identify that the package had been pre-opened (which should be easy with Media Mail) and notice similar damage to the book, then I can see how it would be ignored by everyone else down the chain.  The person who takes the book for grading has no idea that the damage would have occurred during shipping and might otherwise think the owner is submitting a book that has sentimental value and doesn't care about grade, only about encapsulation/preservation.

With regards to Media Mail, 100%.  I send my books secured and sandwiched with cardboard, and maybe bubble wrap depending on the books, and usually in a Priority Box so there's plenty of room to open the package without impacting the book.

I'm eager to see/hear how OP packaged/delivered their books.

[djpinkpanther67]

On 5/26/2022 at 12:48 PM, masterlogan2000 said:

I'm not trying to pick a fight here, and I apologize if my words have come across that way.

My point is moreso that damage could have occurred for two dozen other reasons, a dozen of which could place the blame squarely on CGC themselves.  Just look at Comics General and how many threads have been opened about Quality Control... allegations of books shipped to the wrong person, books seemingly swapped out, damage caused at the grading facility, mislabels, lack of grader notes, etc...

That's not to say that CGC is at fault here either.  It could very well have been shipping damage (which CGC should probably reach out and report before grading).  Maybe the OP missed a large defect or didn't secure the package properly for shipment.  Maybe this was shipped via UPS or FedEx and it got run over by a truck.  Again, we can go on and on about possible causes.

Every DAY there is another post claiming to have books that have been damaged, misgraded, mislabeled.  Some of these are legit.  Some of these maybe not so much.  As a collector, it's frustrating nevertheless.  It would be nice if we had a full checklist of items or a process to offer those people to help them get to the bottom of their problem.

FTFY

[Dr. Balls]

On 5/26/2022 at 11:37 AM, ExNihilo said:

might otherwise think the owner is submitting a book that has sentimental value and doesn't care about grade, only about encapsulation/preservation.

Good point. I am going to be subbing one for that very reason, and I don't care how it grades - it's just an old sentimental book of mine.

[comicquant]

Here's the list of packages USPS can and can't open (without a warrant).

https://faq.usps.com/s/article/Can-my-mail-be-opened

[Gonzimodo]

On 5/26/2022 at 2:22 PM, Dr. Balls said:

Good point. I am going to be subbing one for that very reason, and I don't care how it grades - it's just an old sentimental book of mine.

I can understand this, as I have my original GI Joe #7 in "well-read" condition on display in my room, even though I have a much better NM copy in my regular collection.  That's because it's the actual, first comic I bought that started this crazy obsession all those years ago.    I've seen many low-grade, low-guide-value, slabbed modern books for sale over the years, and I just don't understand why.  I can only guess that they were sentimental books like this that someone got slabbed and they ended up in an estate sale or something.  

[Dr. Balls]

On 5/26/2022 at 12:36 PM, Gonzimodo said:

I can understand this, as I have my original GI Joe #7 in "well-read" condition on display in my room, even though I have a much better NM copy in my regular collection.  That's because it's the actual, first comic I bought that started this crazy obsession all those years ago.   

Super cool you have your GI Joe first comic! That's an amazing thing to hang onto. I still have a couple books from when I collected in the 90's, but nothing from my childhood - which would have been cool because they would have been GI Joe, Daredevil, Moon Knight or Shang Chi (I was going through a pretty major Tae Kwon Do and Ninja thing when I was 10).

[eddly]

@NewWorldOrder

[Okeydoke]

Here's one I'll probably never get over 

That staple wasn't detached when it was submitted...

[Sweet Lou 14]

Is this going to be one of those threads where the OP never says anything again and we all speculate into infinity?

(Not that there's anything wrong with that.)

[kav]

On 5/29/2022 at 8:43 PM, Sweet Lou 14 said:

Is this going to be one of those threads where the OP never says anything again and we all speculate into infinity?

(Not that there's anything wrong with that.)

another drive by shouting.

[THE_BEYONDER]

On 5/29/2022 at 11:43 PM, Sweet Lou 14 said:

Is this going to be one of those threads where the OP never says anything again and we all speculate into infinity?

(Not that there's anything wrong with that.)

[p lennon]

i sent in a silver surfer 4 unread and untounched since perchase in 1969 i sent it in i compared it with a copy you graded in march 2019 there are 4 floors in that book yet you gave it a 9.8 if thats the case mine is 10 time better and i am not happy about the issue it has got damaged in the procees of grading and it has been given a 9.0 a joke i have added the scan of the book book before it was sent to you and also witnessed when i handed it into the london office it is floorless it as only been given a 9.0 and a purple label. i want to now where the colour touch is because it cannot be found and even contacting the london office they cant tell me this is a high end book what is your proposels.to sort this out. 

 

[Cat]

On 6/8/2022 at 7:50 AM, p lennon said:

i sent in a silver surfer 4 unread and untounched since perchase in 1969 i sent it in i compared it with a copy you graded in march 2019 there are 4 floors in that book yet you gave it a 9.8 if thats the case mine is 10 time better and i am not happy about the issue it has got damaged in the procees of grading and it has been given a 9.0 a joke i have added the scan of the book book before it was sent to you and also witnessed when i handed it into the london office it is floorless it as only been given a 9.0 and a purple label. i want to now where the colour touch is because it cannot be found and even contacting the london office they cant tell me this is a high end book what is your proposels.to sort this out. 

 

Dude, keep your stuff confined to one thread. 

It's 'flaw' not 'floor'. 

Being unread doesn't automatically improve its grade. 

[joeypost]

How much tape did you use? Never, ever use tape as a security measure. Makes taking the book out safely a challenge. Use just enough to hold everything in place and rely on bubble wrap and packing peanuts to provide shock absorption. 

[Beige]

It's a bit shilly in here.

[The Lions Den]

On 5/29/2022 at 5:33 PM, Okeydoke said:

Here's one I'll probably never get over 

That staple wasn't detached when it was submitted...

And I can't help but notice that the terminology is inaccurate as well. The staple doesn't become detached, the cover and/or pages do... 

[Northwest]

On 6/7/2022 at 2:50 PM, p lennon said:

i sent in a silver surfer 4 unread and untounched since perchase in 1969 i sent it in i compared it with a copy you graded in march 2019 there are 4 floors in that book yet you gave it a 9.8 if thats the case mine is 10 time better and i am not happy about the issue it has got damaged in the procees of grading and it has been given a 9.0 a joke i have added the scan of the book book before it was sent to you and also witnessed when i handed it into the london office it is floorless it as only been given a 9.0 and a purple label. i want to now where the colour touch is because it cannot be found and even contacting the london office they cant tell me this is a high end book what is your proposels.to sort this out. 

 

If you lookup the graders notes it should help clarify https://www.cgccomics.com/grading/cgc-grader-notes/

[Gawells1980]

On 5/26/2022 at 1:17 PM, zzutak said:

WTF?  CGC awarded a 6.5 FN+ to a book that's been sliced down the center?  Would you mind providing a pic that clearly shows the label and certificate #? 

Absolutely I will post the pictures and perhaps I should have logged back on with an update.  Yes, a CGC Operations manager did review the case and look at the shipping and receiving cameras and determined that one of their employees did in fact slice the book's cover when opening the package.  They are in the process of paying out the insurance on it as I am typing this.  So they did make if right. (*Still a loyal CGC FAN)   In the picture you have to zoom in to see the slice (it was made with a razor) but you can clearly see it.   As far as the other things I read, I work at the United State Postal Service as a clerk for years.   Yes, a postmaster, a supervisor, or the inspector generals office can open Media Mail if they suspect the contents do not meet media mail standards.  I shipped priority btw.  No, a Postmaster or supervisor CAN NOT open any other type of mail legally.  We had a instance at the Portsmouth Post Office where I was a 204B (transitioning to a supervisor role) where we had a suspicious package come in.  We could not legally open it.  We contacted the Inspector Generals office and they came down and opened it.  THEY DID NOT CUT IT WITH A RAZOR BLADE TO OPEN THE BOX.  They were very careful seeing as, if what we thought was in it was in it, and it was, they didn't want to damage the evidence in what became a federal criminal trial.  When I said CGC Damaged my copy of Spawn 1, I wasn't just randomly placing blame or trying to offend anyone, I worked for the exact federal institution that shipped the package and know the laws surrounding how packages are handled and what is and is not acceptable.  I am OCD crazy when it comes to submitting.  I usually know a grade within half a point before I submit, especially if it is a clients book.  I go over them carefully and thoroughly to make sure there will be no surprises.  But that is not really the important part of this.  CGC did what is right.  They took care of the issue I had and after they verified one of the receiving clerks had damaged it, they are paying out the insurance on it.  THANK YOU CGC!  The insurance will be enough for me to replace the Spawn #1.

 

BTW if you can't see the cut, it runs though spawns fingers pointing directly to his head.

 

Sorry I haven't logged on in a while.  I should have updated when the issue was resolved.

[Nic8612]

On 6/21/2022 at 12:12 PM, Gawells1980 said:

CGC Operations manager did review the case and look at the shipping and receiving cameras and determined that one of their employees did in fact slice the book

 

As if things couldn't get any worse, now we can't even trust them to open a box properly. 

 

Good lord

[Gaard]

On 6/21/2022 at 2:29 PM, Nic8612 said:

As if things couldn't get any worse, now we can't even trust them to open a box properly. 

 

Good lord

And what makes it worse is the fact that this particular employee didn't even say to his boss, "Hey boss, I f'ed up."

 

Have you ever wondered...

all of these QC issues. Nobody noticed? It just seems like there's way too much of a cavalier attitude down there. Add that to the "don't say a word" way of doing things, and I really don't see a bright future for CGC.