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FF #1 on ebay. Grading ????

45 posts in this topic

The only thing that would satisfy my desires is to own a 10.6 copy of FF #1...obviously I'm going to be unsatisfied for a long, long time to come.

 

Does your "significant other" find you equally difficult to satisfy? grin.gif

 

Seriously, the more I look at it, the more the book comes across as a VG- 3.5, IF the back cover is pretty clean. Being a high grade collector, I'll be the first to admit that grading lower end stuff is not my strong suit, but I've seen enough books to know that it isn't a Good 2.0. I've found that high grade freaks like myself are often pretty far off when it comes to grading anything under 7.5, but thats why we are discriminating snobbish bastiches who don't mind paying 20X Guide for perfection. grin.gif

 

 

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I'll be the first to admit that grading lower end stuff is not my strong suit
Yea, really...low grade books make my head hurt when grading. High grade is so much EASIER!!! That's what I pay more money for--to make my grading job easier! tongue.gif

 

And don't go bidding on any 9.0 or better Fantastic Fours I don't own!!! It'll get ugly if I catch you beating me on or unnecessarily raising the price on MY comic books!!!! wink.gif

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And don't go bidding on any 9.0 or better Fantastic Fours I don't own!!! It'll get ugly if I catch you beating me on or unnecessarily raising the price on MY comic books!!!!

 

You mean like that F.F. 108 CGC NM+ from a few weeks ago? Really nice book...and to think, you were less than half a dollar from outbidding me grin.gif

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You mean like that F.F. 108 CGC NM+ from a few weeks ago? Really nice book...and to think, you were less than half a dollar from outbidding me
Well...you're lucky on this one. I already own a copy of #108, so I won't have to put the smack-down on yo' arse THIS time. mad.giftongue.gif
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It would really great if someone could scan in a CGC graded Good or Very Good so we can compare. Problem is, I am thinking that this grade could be just a bit rare considering all the hi-grade collectors on these posts.

 

Anyone?

 

I enjoy the differences in opinion, but I am basing my opinion on what was taught to me by an overstreet advisor and what I read in overstreet.

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Re: Wager on the grade?

 

How about we let the winning bid determine the grade? If it stays where it is @ $810.00, it's a good. If it sells for $1684.00 it's a VG. At $1247.00, it's a G/VG so we're both right or both wrong - we'll call it a draw. I noticed that early FF's are actually getting a bit higher than guide on values right now, so let's give or take 15% either way.

 

What's at stake?

 

Bragging rights.

 

And if you win, we'll let a poll decide. Umm, naturally no poll will be necessary if I win. Fair? grin.gif

 

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There is NO way this copy would grade out cgc 3.5 vg-

 

Okay, like I said, I am hardly the cream of the crop when it comes to grading lower end stuff, but I looked again at the book and am just not seeing it. First off, let's admit this is hardly the best scan to work with, but the book has no chipping, no visible pieces out, the edges and corners look sound for the most part and yes, the spine has wear, but it looks completely intact with no chunks, flaking, or loose pieces. Also, there is a visible crease in the center of the book, but can't a VG technically have a subscription crease (book-length) running down the length of the front cover? (the crease on this book is hardly that bad). At least, VGs graded to Overstreet criteria a few years could have a sub-crease (I don't own the new Grading Guide myself , maybe I should invest in it grin.gif )

 

If someone with the opinion that this is a 1.5-2.0 book please detail your reasoning, I would love to read it. (I am not being sarcastic here, refining my grading skills is always something I strive to do, and this looks a perfect example of divergence of grading opinion.)

 

Thanks!

 

 

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I say it's a 2.0 because of the COMBO of all the defects...

 

Right, I understand this, but when I look at the book, and think of Good 2.0 (which, on a numerical scale, to me indicates a book that has 80% wear), this particular book just doesn't meet that standard. I don't know, I can see G/VG 3.0, but 2.0 or lower? Nah...

 

 

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Whenever I think of a book that I want to call a Good, I always think of that Horrible copy of Action #1 that has a huge chunk missing from the cover (incluidng the #1 part) and that it got a 2.5 and pretty much think that there is no way this FF#1 is worse than that, so it's a G/VG at least.

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Whenever I think of a book that I want to call a Good, I always think of that Horrible copy of Action #1 that has a huge chunk missing from the cover (incluidng the #1 part) and that it got a 2.5 and pretty much think that there is no way this FF#1 is worse than that, so it's a G/VG at least.

 

Whew..for a minute I thought I had to quit grading low grade books altogether...glad I'm not alone on this one. grin.gif

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Zillatoy, you're comparing a Golden Age to a Silver Age. (I am assuming that Action 1 was not a reprint) CGC grades Golden Age a more leniently, so it's not a fair comparison.

 

Simply this, overstreet describes a VG as an average - worn book. Good, is a below average book. If you think this is an average condition book, then you probably feel it's a VG. If you think (like I do) this is below average, then you would have to agree it's a G.

I mean, come on - how can this be an "average" condition comic book? confused.gif

 

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First of all, you are talking about two different eras..and CGC has readily admitted grading books more loosely that come before 1954.. Action came out in 1939... and FF came out in 1961. I had a book that was VERY similar to this and it got a 2.0..I should check to see if I have a scan of it still.

Also, there are less copies of Action..and a lot of people have postulated that the more copies CGC see , the more strict they grade.

Finally, I think CGC missed the boat about the 2.5. With that much missing, it was more like a 1.5, I think.

 

BTW If you still think it's a vg-, I have a lot of vg- books I could sell ya. smile.gif

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Simply this, overstreet describes a VG as an average - worn book. Good, is a below average book. If you think this is an average condition book, then you probably feel it's a VG. If you think (like I do) this is below average, then you would have to agree it's a G.

 

I disagree grin.gif Surprise, surprise. My opinion is that you're not using the entire grade range here.... your statement above almost seems to imply that G is the next grade below VG. But there is (as you obviously know, I don't mean to sound patronizing) vg-, gvg, g+, G.... Each one of these has a distinct feel to them in terms of the accumulation of defects. This is not a G book! grin.gif IMO.

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Willing to go G/VG at best. LET'S SEE WHAT IT SELLS FOR. I have noticed that low grade FF's have been for the most selling for a little above grade according to overstreet prices.

 

I have re-read good in overstreet and in that grade they start talking about pieces missing, staples unattached that this comic apparently doesn't have. It's still very worn and dirty. Although staples are not disconnected from the comic, with a bit of handling, they soon could be. There just doesn't seem to be a lot of comic holding it together.

 

A VG can have this that OR the other-thing, but when it has this, that AND the other-thing then it must be down-graded. How much? Well that's where opinions come into play I suppose.

 

But still I would consider this a below average copy, not an average worn copy which is what a VG is. But, I'll meet you half way.

 

If I am right about it being a G, it won't go much higher. If it is a G/VG then it should sell for about $1200.00.

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A glance at OS Grading Guide has made me reassess my position here. I'm upgrading the book to G/VG, in the 3.0 range. As for grading the book based on what it sells for on eBay, that's a fool's proposition. The book must be graded based on what it is, not what it sells for. If we did the latter, there'd be lots and lots of ultra super mint +++ 12.0 books out there in sucker's, uh... speculator's, collections. (Does the name jgreen ring a bell?)

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FF's have been pretty close to guide on e-bay, but this is a #1. I'm thinking it won't go past $1200 or $1300. (Unless buyers think it's a G - in which case it won't go much higher. But, you're probably right.

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Okay, I would hedge my bets if I were selling it on ebay and call it fair/good (but I am insanely harsh when grading my books, whether they are 1 week old or 30+ years old)...BUT since I know that a good comic can look like complete junk (modern or old), and the scan on this book is large enough to show that it still maintains SOME eye appeal, I say it sells for a wee-bit over 1000 (maybe 1100).

 

If it sells for 1100...the buyer did not get a bargain, but they did not get ripped-off either (and who know, lets say the buyer does what I would do with such a book, and decides to slab it...it probably would get at LEAST a CGC 2/2.5, making it a book that probably holds it's value, no matter how stagnant future low-grade prices are for Silver-Age books).

 

My local LCS has an FF 2 on thier wall that is raw, and honestly looks to be in a bit better shape than this FF1, for $1500...if I had the bucks, and could be assured restoration was not done on this book, I would pounce on it, and slab it, all in the time it takes a person to snap their fingers laugh.gif

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