Which membership should I do? Also, what's a good benchmark $$ value to send in for grading? 1 1

[rob2e]

TL;DR = 1. Which membership to CGC should I get? 2. What $$ value benchmark should I use to send books in to be graded?

I am currently entering my entire collection into the Comic Base software application. I'm assuming I have about 1500 books (ish???). I have all eras from Silver to present, I may have a few Golden age as well. I collected, traded, bought, sold, and delighted over comics mainly in the 80s as a teen. But I haven't really done anything serious except buy a lot of current comics between say 2009 and 2014, and maybe a few since.

Once I catalog them, I was thinking about joining up with CGC and sending in my most valuable books.

I am looking for advice on which level of membership to do as well as what people think would be a good benchmark for sending books in to be graded. I was thinking of setting a dollar value mark. What do people think?

$50? $100? What's a good mark to use to send book in to be graded.

ThanX in advance to you all who offer advice on my questions.

Edited June 25, 2022 by rob2e
Mistake in title.

[Ed Hanes]

ELITE (to get the 10 % off, it is worth it if you send in a lot of books). I wouldn't have a book graded if the slab/book FMV isn't above the cost...unless you just want it slabbed for personal reasons

Edited June 25, 2022 by Ed Hanes

[jokiing]

Question 1: If you plan on sending in, lets say, around 50 books during the year long membership then you'll easily get value from the Elite membership with the 10% discount on grading. You also get the $150 credit.

Edited June 25, 2022 by jokiing

[revat]

Most people have very subjective preferred profit margins for hobbies.  And sometimes it’s dollar values, sometimes it’s percentages, sometimes it varies with any other number of factors, including risk and turnaround time.

the more time spent into research ahead of time will help you make the best decisions, and figure out the right math for your situation 

 

Edited June 25, 2022 by revat

[drmccoy74]

Unless you plan on selling them why waste money and risk getting them graded? Keep the money to buy more comics. If you get in a pinch there are local dealers and collectors that would buy them raw.

[rob2e]

On 6/26/2022 at 12:24 PM, drmccoy74 said:

Unless you plan on selling them why waste money and risk getting them graded? Keep the money to buy more comics. If you get in a pinch there are local dealers and collectors that would buy them raw.

I find in my area (Spokane, WA) there aren't many opportunities to sell them to dealers.

[theCapraAegagrus]

On 6/25/2022 at 5:48 PM, rob2e said:

$50? $100? What's a good mark to use to send book in to be graded.

Right now? $1k.

[rob2e]

On 6/27/2022 at 6:43 AM, theCapraAegagrus said:

Right now? $1k.

REALLY? Wow. A grand. I'm not sure I have any of value that high at this point. I MIGHT! 1 or 2, not sure yet, still pricing, haven't looked at the collection for MANY YEARS!

Why did you say "right now" $1k?

[theCapraAegagrus]

On 6/27/2022 at 2:09 PM, rob2e said:

Why did you say "right now" $1k?

Because it used to be $200 for me until the price increases and ridiculous TATs over the past 2 years.

[revat]

On 6/27/2022 at 11:09 AM, rob2e said:

REALLY? Wow. A grand. I'm not sure I have any of value that high at this point. I MIGHT! 1 or 2, not sure yet, still pricing, haven't looked at the collection for MANY YEARS!

Why did you say "right now" $1k?

This is literally so subjective and anecdotal that without knowing a person’s situation any and all answers are nearly useless to you.  I guess you might get something useful with sufficient sample size.

Like asking strangers on the street if they eat at Applebees or not to decide if you should go.

No - potential reasons: too unhealthy, too healthy, too expensive, too cheap, too far, unfriendly service, too friendly service, I got in a car accident in the parking lot once, The steaks are tough, the fries aren’t salty enough. I went to the one in Anchorage once, lighting was bad.

Yes - potential reasons:  close to my house, they have one really pretty waitress, my uncle works there and hooks it up, good happy hour drinks, i like that the fries arent salty.

 

it probably makes more sense to provide some of your own priorities and criteria so people can tailor their answers to you so they don’t waste their own time and yours.

maybe provide some specific examples of books you have and ask for why someone would grade/not grade and get an idea.

but very seriously as I previously stated, as this is mostly a hobby/side business, preferred margins really do wildly vary and really nobody knows your financial situation and collection goals but you. 

 

 

 

Edited June 28, 2022 by revat

[rexinnih]

Your questions, at least to me, are a bit of personal opinion. If I planned to submit many, many books and would come out ahead, then the Elite. My threshold is $100 FMV for a graded book but I am in it for the long run and don't plan to start selling off my collection until my retirement years. 

[rob2e]

On 6/28/2022 at 11:47 AM, rexinnih said:

Your questions, at least to me, are a bit of personal opinion. If I planned to submit many, many books and would come out ahead, then the Elite. My threshold is $100 FMV for a graded book but I am in it for the long run and don't plan to start selling off my collection until my retirement years. 

I'm 56, so I kind of AM in my retirement years? Or at least almost.

[zzutak]

If you are only 56 and already retired, you really don't need our advice about $$$. 

[rob2e]

On 6/28/2022 at 1:16 PM, zzutak said:

If you are only 56 and already retired, you really don't need our advice about $$$. 

That's kind of un unfriendly attitude toward a noob here, no? I still wanna get the most out of my collection, and I was told this was a friendly atmosphere.

[rob2e]

On 6/28/2022 at 1:40 PM, Uncle Satan said:

I don't think you read his post correctly, it was a compliment 

I see how with certain eyes it could be a compliment, but this is a forum about CGC and getting help/advice with CGC. His "compliment" notwithstanding, it didn't seem in the spirit of help regarding CGC, but more so a social commentary on my "retirement" even though I'm medically retired, not because I'm rich or anything.

I still want HELP with CGC.

I came here for noob help and advice, not necessarily for compliments.

Ha!

[rob2e]

On 6/28/2022 at 1:47 PM, Uncle Satan said:

If your skin isn't thick enough to accept a compliment you're going to have a bad time here  Lighten up is my advice.

See again, not friendly. I have thick enough skin, I just wish when people took time to type out responses to me it was maybe ABOUT THE SUBJECT! Not personal commentary. Maybe I'm asking too much? Haha

[rob2e]

On 6/28/2022 at 1:50 PM, Uncle Satan said:

GLWTS!

Thanks for switching to a friendly attitude.

[drmccoy74]

On 6/28/2022 at 2:47 PM, rexinnih said:

Your questions, at least to me, are a bit of personal opinion. If I planned to submit many, many books and would come out ahead, then the Elite. My threshold is $100 FMV for a graded book but I am in it for the long run and don't plan to start selling off my collection until my retirement years. 

I mean that's cool and all but no way would grade keepers at $100. Maybe if I got a raw book at a few 100 and wasn't sure about color touch or trimming I would so I could ask for a return to an honest seller. 1 K would be my threshold 

[rob2e]

On 6/29/2022 at 3:58 PM, drmccoy74 said:

I mean that's cool and all but no way would grade keepers at $100. Maybe if I got a raw book at a few 100 and wasn't sure about color touch or trimming I would so I could ask for a return to an honest seller. 1 K would be my threshold 

I appreciate that. I think a few people are saying 1k. There's another outfit in Eugene, OR (PGX) that I could actually drive over and DROP OFF IN PERSON, but apparently they are not as sought after (respected) as CGC?

[steveinthecity]

On 6/29/2022 at 6:18 PM, rob2e said:

I appreciate that. I think a few people are saying 1k. There's another outfit in Eugene, OR (PGX) that I could actually drive over and DROP OFF IN PERSON, but apparently they are not as sought after (respected) as CGC?

A good deal of info and opinion can be found about them on these boards and other sites with some simple searching.  Here’s just one place to start:

 

http://www.justafanboy.com/PGX/

 

Of course you should draw your own conclusions.