Received a 9.8 on this. Spoke to CGC - she said it’s a legit 9.8. Still new to grading. Thoughts? 4 4

[jokersup]

I have done 20 or so books personally graded.  Very new to this. I received this one back on Friday. There are 2 color breaking bends to the corner and another color breaking hit an inch to the right.  I received a 9.8.  

Over the weekend I received second and third opinions.  They felt I got lucky.      

When I called CGC my first contact today after reviewing the pictures was they stood by the 9.8.  “Maybe it was a 10 otherwise” and they thought the damage was minimal. “Could be an issue they see with that book on a consistent basis.”   
 

Looking for more experienced thoughts than my own

[joeypost]

I would not be happy if I purchased this as a 9.8.

[StillOnly25Cents]

the only 9.8 thing about that book is the 98 in the cert #

[Le Chat Noir]

Did it have the crease when you sent it?

[jokersup]

On 9/12/2022 at 8:30 PM, StillOnly25Cents said:

the only 9.8 thing about that book is the 98 in the cert #

I was surprised by how much damage there was to the book when I received it back.

I called in, spoke to a rep.  She started suggesting credits etc, until I sent her the pictures.  "Oh that little thing in the corner?"  She made it sound like it was virtually impossible to see the damage.  

I mean... I am not sure what else I can do here.  I have emailed multiple pictures.

[KCOComics]

On 9/12/2022 at 10:42 PM, jokersonyou said:

I was surprised by how much damage there was to the book when I received it back.

I called in, spoke to a rep.  She started suggesting credits etc, until I sent her the pictures.  "Oh that little thing in the corner?"  She made it sound like it was virtually impossible to see the damage.  

I mean... I am not sure what else I can do here.  I have emailed multiple pictures.

That's very disappointing. 

It was a mistake or an oversight. 

[PovertyRow]

Basically CGC is not the CGC of previous years.

[Deano73]

I take photos of my books before I send them in just in case.

[Lightning55]

Maybe they meant 8.8

Maybe the back cover doesn't count anymore.

If it was mint when you sent it, something happened after it left your hands.  If it got damaged on the way down, it wouldn't get a 9.8 looking like that.  "At least 2 graders" missed it completely???  Since it was graded 9.8, likely happened after grading, like it got dropped.  Couldn't even happen during return shipping.

The odd thing that is to get those diagonal color breaking creases, usually the paper has to get folded over fairly firmly, not just compressed by impact, to break color so cleanly.  Something just doesn't add up here.  Any chance you had more than one and they got case-swapped?

You could also start seeking insurance coverage - either your own or from CGC.  If that was mint book going out, its value is certainly about 1/3 to 1/2 now.  Something happened.  Proving it is quite another thing, though.

[spidermanbeyond]

That book is not a 9.8.  Did you take pictures/scan of the book before sending to CGC?  If you did not, in the future, always take pictures, especially on high value books.

Most likely what happened was damage to the books after they were graded.

Talk to someone at CGC who actually knows what they are doing.  You can send the books back for Grader's review - which will most likely determine that the book is not 9.8 and CGC will either buy the book from you (compensate you) or compensate you the difference (say book is 9.0 - you keep book and they compensate you the difference).  The bad thing is they always try to give you credit and not money back.

[theCapraAegagrus]

That is not a 9.8, CGC.

[jokersup]

On 9/13/2022 at 12:19 AM, Lightning55 said:

Maybe they meant 8.8

Maybe the back cover doesn't count anymore.

If it was mint when you sent it, something happened after it left your hands.  If it got damaged on the way down, it wouldn't get a 9.8 looking like that.  "At least 2 graders" missed it completely???  Since it was graded 9.8, likely happened after grading, like it got dropped.  Couldn't even happen during return shipping.

The odd thing that is to get those diagonal color breaking creases, usually the paper has to get folded over fairly firmly, not just compressed by impact, to break color so cleanly.  Something just doesn't add up here.  Any chance you had more than one and they got case-swapped?

You could also start seeking insurance coverage - either your own or from CGC.  If that was mint book going out, its value is certainly about 1/3 to 1/2 now.  Something happened.  Proving it is quite another thing, though.

This was the only copy of IIM9 I sent in for grading. Fairly small submissions to start, so no, didn’t get swapped for a second copy.  
 

I think my confusion is that I immediately brought this to their attention and AFTER looking at pictures they stood by the grade and I felt like a nuisance.  I don’t know a ton about all this but trying to have this fixed is an uphill battle.  Apparently if I try to sell this I look like a scammer.  

[comicginger1789]

I am also in the firm "not a 9.8" camp

Either they buggered it up during encapsulation OR the grader messed up big time. I would also be peeved if I bought such a book expecting perfection and seeing that. In good faith, someone would crack and sell raw. In poor faith, someone would sell as a 9.8 and never disclose these obvious flaws.

Solution here? I would request CGC credit you the cost to get it graded in the first place, maybe tack on a free credit towards another book for the trouble and call it a day. Crack this and enjoy raw or sell raw so it does not get out there as a mis-graded 9.8. 

Overall, yet another reason why I take pictures before sending. Cumbersome and can be time consuming but if you are someone only sending in 100 books or less a year, you can manage that. I know I was happy when because I received my Thor 337 back and there was a tiny smudge mark along the spine. I swore it was not there before sending yet when I review my photos (and even the video I took), the smudge was there. The time that had elapsed (9 months) had me forget it so it was reassuring to know it was there before. On the flipside, such videos and images can also allow you to have a case should a book be damaged in CGCs hands.

[WolverineX]

On 9/12/2022 at 12:37 PM, jokersonyou said:

I have done 20 or so books personally graded.  Very new to this. I received this one back on Friday. There are 2 color breaking bends to the corner and another color breaking hit an inch to the right.  I received a 9.8.  

Over the weekend I received second and third opinions.  They felt I got lucky.      

When I called CGC my first contact today after reviewing the pictures was they stood by the 9.8.  “Maybe it was a 10 otherwise” and they thought the damage was minimal. “Could be an issue they see with that book on a consistent basis.”   
 

Looking for more experienced thoughts than my own

THat's a 9.2- 9.4

 

If you want to see a 9.8 book, take a look at my 9.4 slabbed ASM 361.

 

 

 

[jokersup]

On 9/13/2022 at 7:41 AM, comicginger1789 said:

I am also in the firm "not a 9.8" camp

Either they buggered it up during encapsulation OR the grader messed up big time. I would also be peeved if I bought such a book expecting perfection and seeing that. In good faith, someone would crack and sell raw. In poor faith, someone would sell as a 9.8 and never disclose these obvious flaws.

Solution here? I would request CGC credit you the cost to get it graded in the first place, maybe tack on a free credit towards another book for the trouble and call it a day. Crack this and enjoy raw or sell raw so it does not get out there as a mis-graded 9.8. 

Overall, yet another reason why I take pictures before sending. Cumbersome and can be time consuming but if you are someone only sending in 100 books or less a year, you can manage that. I know I was happy when because I received my Thor 337 back and there was a tiny smudge mark along the spine. I swore it was not there before sending yet when I review my photos (and even the video I took), the smudge was there. The time that had elapsed (9 months) had me forget it so it was reassuring to know it was there before. On the flipside, such videos and images can also allow you to have a case should a book be damaged in CGCs hands.

Appreciate that.   Awesome advice.
 

Definitely less than 100 books thus far for me.  
 

I know I have pictures of the cover before and might have of the back.  I’ll have to look back.  It’s been a while.  

[namisgr]

I would think the comic was damaged after grading, either during the encapsulation or shipping steps (shaken comic syndrome), or switched with another copy or given the wrong label.  The book you've got in hand is obviously several grade units from a 9.8.

 

Edited September 13, 2022 by namisgr

[jsilverjanet]

I find it hard to believe that the damage was done once encapsulated 

[jaybuck43]

I feel like Customer Service was like "What are you complaining about, we gave you a gift".  No, that book is no where near a 9.8.  Personally, I'd have it at 9.0, though I'd need to see it more closely to check the corners etc.  The only thing you can do is if you go to sell it, sell it for a % of 9.8 price.  So if it's a $1,000 book in 9.8, list it for 750.  And if you decide to go the auction route, make SURE to mention several times the issue and post multiple pictures clearly showing it.  

[jsilverjanet]

That type of damage on a modern book is graded about an 8.5 by CGC standards based on my previous submission 

[namisgr]

On 9/13/2022 at 10:11 AM, jsilverjanet said:

I find it hard to believe that the damage was done once encapsulated 

Some of the damage does seem in unlikely places, like that prominent finger crease along the edge.  That's what I tried to convey using the term 'during encapsulation', which covers the entire time between a book being graded and it being finished with encapsulation.

And I thought the thumbprints showing up on so many grader's notes was bad - this damage is egregious.