Hand delivered books got damaged by CGC? 2 2

[B Boisse]

I tried sending CGC an email but no one has responded days later now. I submitted 8 books, hand delivered to CGC at Megacon in Orlando. I submitted them in top loaders for best protection but they don’t accept the top loaders and I had to take them out. Out of my books, I withheld sending several after they were inspected closely by myself and looked over by a basic grader at my local comic shop. Out the eight submitted, there were six  I was submitting for true grading purposes; the others are sentimental and I just wanted them encapsulated- the grade didn’t matter. Now these six were sent over the others because the others need pressing. These six were virtually flawless- and rightfully so, the grades were 3- 9.8’s and a 9.6 on four of them. BUT- the last two were both Ultimate Fallout 4’s STILL in their sealed poly bags. These were 9.8’s all day long; one I bought the day it was released years ago and the other was an eBay buy. BOTH of these books are now encapsulated with visible damages all along the spine with crimps and spine ticks including minor paint break, scored 8.5 and 9.0!!!!! THESE BOOKS WERE IMMACULATE! This is not damage that I didn’t see before submitting- this is a whole line of bends and ticks on each book! These are also the books that were graded and shipped separately due to getting the custom labels with Miles Morales on them. I live in Florida and CGC still won’t allow delivery to their headquarters so I figured submitting by hand to a convention should be just as good. I swear to God these books got knocked off a table or something! I’m furious about this but in doubt they’re gonna do anything right? I can’t even get a response! 

[KirbyTown]

On 8/1/2022 at 8:38 PM, B Boisse said:

I tried sending CGC an email but no one has responded days later now. I submitted 8 books, hand delivered to CGC at Megacon in Orlando. I submitted them in top loaders for best protection but they don’t accept the top loaders and I had to take them out. Out of my books, I withheld sending several after they were inspected closely by myself and looked over by a basic grader at my local comic shop. Out the eight submitted, there were six  I was submitting for true grading purposes; the others are sentimental and I just wanted them encapsulated- the grade didn’t matter. Now these six were sent over the others because the others need pressing. These six were virtually flawless- and rightfully so, the grades were 3- 9.8’s and a 9.6 on four of them. BUT- the last two were both Ultimate Fallout 4’s STILL in their sealed poly bags. These were 9.8’s all day long; one I bought the day it was released years ago and the other was an eBay buy. BOTH of these books are now encapsulated with visible damages all along the spine with crimps and spine ticks including minor paint break, scored 8.5 and 9.0!!!!! THESE BOOKS WERE IMMACULATE! This is not damage that I didn’t see before submitting- this is a whole line of bends and ticks on each book! These are also the books that were graded and shipped separately due to getting the custom labels with Miles Morales on them. I live in Florida and CGC still won’t allow delivery to their headquarters so I figured submitting by hand to a convention should be just as good. I swear to God these books got knocked off a table or something! I’m furious about this but in doubt they’re gonna do anything right? I can’t even get a response! 

You may want to try the Ask CGC forum, they seem to respond quickly. Good luck,

[theCapraAegagrus]

[Lazyboy]

On 8/2/2022 at 7:34 AM, theCapraAegagrus said:

Yup. Let's see those pre/post-submission pics. While we're at it. we might as well also get an explanation of how a book can be properly graded through a bag.

[dbotros]

I just received a Spider-Man 1 Platinum edition after pressing and grading. Similar issue as you noted "visible damages all along the spine with crimps and spine ticks including minor paint break" got it back as a 7.5, easiliy should have been in the 9's going out. I will never use their pressing service again! It only took 10 month to turn around.

[lostboys]

On 9/28/2022 at 10:48 AM, dbotros said:

I just received a Spider-Man 1 Platinum edition after pressing and grading. Similar issue as you noted "visible damages all along the spine with crimps and spine ticks including minor paint break" got it back as a 7.5, easiliy should have been in the 9's going out. I will never use their pressing service again! It only took 10 month to turn around.

Did you take before pics to make sure the book you got back is the book you sent in?

[Sauce Dog]

On 8/1/2022 at 9:38 PM, B Boisse said:

BUT- the last two were both Ultimate Fallout 4’s STILL in their sealed poly bags. These were 9.8’s all day long;

You submitted this book while still in the poly bags? How could you be sure they were 9.8s? Did you have them pressed to remove the subscription crease that typically is found on this book? 

Still inside poly bag != Near Mint book

Edited October 1, 2022 by Sauce Dog

[CHASEnBLUE]

I had several books in one batch this year which came back 9.0 to 9.2 and 80% of them had the same front cover lower left corner damage that they did not have when I pre-screened them and shipped them off. I would not ever waste my time to send damaged comics that I expect 9.8 to worst case 9.6 comics in, other than some older comics which I already have a solid projection of a lower grade. I have had CGC grade more than 500 comics in recent years so this was no doubt an anomaly. Short version, same issues as the OP to some degree with the back and forth about did I have pics taken ahead of time, yada yada.

Never needed to do that with successful pre-screens on my end which were 90%+ accurate when CGC's grading was done. They finally agreed to a C&P and re-grade in this case, but the comics came back with the same grade. Long story and very frustrating to say the least. Honestly, and not gaslighting, I truly do not believe they re-pressed my books.

I mention this because from the start with them I was automatically assumed to be in the wrong as I did not have pics of my raw submissions (which I have never needed to do) - unreal. It does happen folks and I am normally a very positive supporter of CGC and their grading services, to include fantastic pressing work in the past. However, this previous experience was no doubt eye-opening and concerning. 

Will I take pics going forward of every book submitted now? No. Too time consuming. Do I pack bullet-proof? No doubt and always have. Part of the risk factor I guess - though I expected more consideration in light of the amount of money I have spent with them over the years. 

At some point in the few months of constant back-and-forth, I asked if they looked at my history of submissions to see the grades usually obtained. No of course. NEVER for modern comics especially was this pattern of grading received. Just sayin'...yes they are the expert graders in the end, but many of us know what we are sending them ahead of time and that should be taken seriously and have at least SOME merit. Call me clueless, I deserve it maybe  but if a grader has a stack in front of them to grade, and 10 of 14 or so all had the same exact damage to some degree, as a customer I would think that common sense would prevail and one would wonder if there was an issue - obviously not though in my case, such as asking if this submitter has a history of submitting damaged comics. Too much to ask?

Lastly, for those wondering about how the damage could have been done, I was ADAMENT about them checking their cameras etc., but no luck there I was told. 

It is what it is, so I guess going forward just cover yourself by taking the extra time to photograph and save/store your submission files. Not sure if that will make a difference other than proving to some degree that the damage was not caused by you the submitter.

To be continued, I'm sure.  

Finally, I have had great success with @Tony S with amazing results from his C&P work - truly talented and exceptional work!!! Looks like a few of these (though not all) can be saved so he will work his magic for me - though more $$$ is being put into what is in my opinion a mishandling of my submissions on CGC's end.

Edited October 1, 2022 by CHASEnBLUE

[Lazyboy]

On 10/1/2022 at 2:01 AM, CHASEnBLUE said:

I did not have pics of my raw submissions (which I have never realized I needed to do)

Fixed.

[THE_BEYONDER]

On 9/30/2022 at 10:04 PM, Sauce Dog said:

You submitted this book while still in the poly bags? How could you be sure they were 9.8s? Did you have them pressed to remove the subscription crease that typically is found on this book? 

Still inside poly bag != Near Mint book

This

I thought HG UF 4s HAD to be pressed to get higher than 9.4

[joeypost]

Personally, I don’t consider books dropped off at shows as “hand” delivered. I drop off books at their facility, and even with that the books get moved around more than one would think. 
 

Additionally, regarding  poly-bagged books there is an expectation that because they have been bagged the book must be near mint or better in condition. Personal experience has proven to me the exact opposite is true. If they were poly-bagged and boarded I could see thinking this way, but the poly-bag is little more than a Saran Wrap and the book can, and usually does get damaged by rough handling or by the bag itself.

[MAR1979]

On 10/3/2022 at 12:26 PM, joeypost said:

Personally, I don’t consider books dropped off at shows as “hand” delivered. I drop off books at their facility, and even with that the books get moved around more than one would think. 
 

Additionally, regarding  poly-bagged books there is an expectation that because they have been bagged the book must be near mint or better in condition. Personal experience has proven to me the exact opposite is true. If they were poly-bagged and boarded I could see thinking this way, but the poly-bag is little more than a Saran Wrap and the book can, and usually does get damaged by rough handling or by the bag itself.

 

IMHO even a 9.4 is lucky in a poly-bag.   When I still purchased new comics I hated them. it meant I had to buy several copies and keep opening until I got one that met my standards.  I soon grew weary of that ploy and simply removed myself from that treadmill by purchasing one at con or other after market mechanism that met my criteria.  It probably saved me money in the long run and certainly helped me maintain sanity

 

 

Edited October 3, 2022 by MAR1979