scburdet Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 At the risk of abusing the forum hive mind, I've got another one (disclaimer, I've been trying to figure out what books are worth sending for the Roy Thomas signing). Here's a copy of Dr. Strange 169. I'd feel comfortable expecting at least an 8.0 based on previous submissions, except for the store stamps. I know there's supposed to be leniency about these at CGC, but it seems like it can't be a non-factor. There's a date stamp in the arm of the astral projection. It's light that at a glance, you don't notice it. On the reverse is a store stamp. Hard to miss. Would this book be doomed to come in lower than an 8.0? Maybe those small stains at the top of the back cover are a bigger problem.... Mmanick and Galen130 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPark Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 8.0, some don't like date stamps but I do. I don't think they usually impact the grade except in very high grade conditions. And how cool is it to see the actual day the book came in?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scburdet Posted June 13, 2022 Author Share Posted June 13, 2022 On 6/13/2022 at 10:43 AM, PeterPark said: 8.0, some don't like date stamps but I do. I don't think they usually impact the grade except in very high grade conditions. And how cool is it to see the actual day the book came in?!? As far as that goes, I used Google maps to look at the address of what I assume was a bookstore in the late 60s. It appears to be a completely residential neighborhood now. But that's also what gives me pause since it's not a simple date stamp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KCode98 Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 I think the stamp is really cool. It's a part of history that can never be brought back. scburdet 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grendelbo Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 (edited) 7.0/7.5 Store stamp won't matter in this grade range. I'm not sure what the highest grade possible would be. Overstreet would say 9.2 I think. Here's some high grade showing that VF/NM can happen. @zzutakMaybe you can lend some insight. Thanks for posting. Edited June 13, 2022 by grendelbo scburdet 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzutak Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 Agreed -- the store stamp and distributor date stamp should not be your biggest concern. In my opinion, the more critical defects (aside from the handling wear along the top edge of the front cover) are the stains along the top and left edges of the back cover. If you're looking for a sure-fire 8.0 VF, I don't think this is the ticket. One man's opinion. scburdet and grendelbo 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff2099 Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 I go 7.0/7.5; agreed that the stamps aren't an issue - the one on the front is nicely placed and the one on the back is solidly pressed so it's very clear. cool book thanks for posting. scburdet 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qalyar Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 Clear, relatively unobtrusive store stamps and date stamps do not affect the grade of books (from the appropriate time period) except well into the 9.x range, and sometimes not even then. The back cover stains, on the other hand.... The FC UL also looks a little soft, and there's some hint of wear on the spine there. It's sometimes tough to evaluate stains in photos because lighting makes things look funny, but I'm going to guess 7.0 here because CGC has really dinged stains hard lately. On the other hand, they're small and there's no tidelines, so a good day with a nice grader might get that one or two grades higher. It's certainly not a shoe-in for an 8.0, though. Which is a shame, because it really does present beautifully from the front. scburdet 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmanick Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 7.5 and nice presenting. The date stamp is awesome as well. I don't live to far from that city scburdet 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scburdet Posted June 14, 2022 Author Share Posted June 14, 2022 (edited) On 6/13/2022 at 6:54 PM, Qalyar said: Clear, relatively unobtrusive store stamps and date stamps do not affect the grade of books (from the appropriate time period) except well into the 9.x range, and sometimes not even then. The back cover stains, on the other hand.... The FC UL also looks a little soft, and there's some hint of wear on the spine there. It's sometimes tough to evaluate stains in photos because lighting makes things look funny, but I'm going to guess 7.0 here because CGC has really dinged stains hard lately. On the other hand, they're small and there's no tidelines, so a good day with a nice grader might get that one or two grades higher. It's certainly not a shoe-in for an 8.0, though. Which is a shame, because it really does present beautifully from the front. On 6/13/2022 at 10:43 AM, PeterPark said: 8.0, some don't like date stamps but I do. I don't think they usually impact the grade except in very high grade conditions. And how cool is it to see the actual day the book came in?!? Thanks for all the super feedback! I got super dinged on a stain recently, so now I'm totally paranoid (one of the stains is barely noticeable). I actually have a 2nd copy of this book with no stains and no stamps. But it presents from the front at least a point lower 😭 Edited June 14, 2022 by scburdet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcjames Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 On 6/12/2022 at 8:52 PM, scburdet said: At the risk of abusing the forum hive mind, I've got another one (disclaimer, I've been trying to figure out what books are worth sending for the Roy Thomas signing). Here's a copy of Dr. Strange 169. I'd feel comfortable expecting at least an 8.0 based on previous submissions, except for the store stamps. I know there's supposed to be leniency about these at CGC, but it seems like it can't be a non-factor. There's a date stamp in the arm of the astral projection. It's light that at a glance, you don't notice it. On the reverse is a store stamp. Hard to miss. Would this book be doomed to come in lower than an 8.0? Maybe those small stains at the top of the back cover are a bigger problem.... I like the provenance going back to 1968. And it's on the back, well-placed and fully legible. scburdet 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galen130 Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 7.5/8.0. I wouldn't worry about the stamps...IMO. scburdet 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
