Do you grade the moderns you buy ? 1 1

[JoeBrrr]

hopefully I’m not alone here in this but with all the flipping/variants/“key” chasing going on at my LCS - I’m starting to feel like an old man compared to other customers. 
 

So I love going to NCBD to pick up new titles - I’m not the best with what indies or big 2 specs are on the way but often I find myself having a book that’s heating up that I’ve read. 
 

I always choose the best copy at least by my eye test - and I read once quite carefully w/ condition in kind - then bag and board.

I know there’s not a definitive answer but in your opinion can a book still get 9.8/9.6 despite being read if it looked like that coming off the shelf. I would go back to my younger days of buying 2 copies one to read and one to sleeve but it’s too expensive these days. 
 

thoughts - or does everyone read trades and digital copies these days and avoid the pain of realizing the random book I read is now a “hot 10” first app. sold out everywhere.  

[Dr. Balls]

I’ve picked a few that got 9.8s from my LCS that actually came out of the longboxes. I don’t buy a lot of moderns, but I definitely look to see if it’s a NM+

[newshane]

On 1/13/2023 at 3:04 PM, JoeBrrr said:

 

I know there’s not a definitive answer but in your opinion can a book still get 9.8/9.6 despite being read if it looked like that coming off the shelf. I would go back to my younger days of buying 2 copies one to read and one to sleeve but it’s too expensive these days. 
 

Yes, you can read a book carefully and it can come back NM plus or higher. 

Based on what I've seen, at least at my local comic shops, you'll never find anything above a 9.4 if it's sitting on the shelf. 

The best thing to do is order them online from a service. I got 9.8s all day doing it that way. 

Just order a few copies and use one as a reader and keep one to submit. You can always stack the readers and sell them to recoup the cost. 

It might be a good idea to try TPB or digital, as you mentioned in your post. 

Edited January 14, 2023 by newshane

[JoeBrrr]

On 1/13/2023 at 5:47 PM, newshane said:

Yes, you can read a book carefully and it can come back NM plus or higher. 

Based on what I've seen, at least at my local comic shops, you'll never find anything above a 9.4 if it's sitting on the shelf. 

The best thing to do is order them online from a service. I got 9.8s all day doing it that way. 

Just order a few copies and use one as a reader and keep one to submit. You can always stack the readers and sell them to recoup the cost. 

It might be a good idea to try TPB or digital, as you mentioned in your post. 

I usually go TOB but for example I can’t wait till April/July to read zdarsky’s Batman run. 
 

I’ve tried ordering online via TFAW and midtown and got far worse than my LCS who no longer bag and board as it’s cost prohibitive. Any ideas on sites to use?

I’ve had good luck with pre orders of exclusive variants where they guarentee 9.2/9.4 or better but at that point I usually pay the extra $30-40 for them to slab it guaranteed 9.8 the waiting time has been fresh though. 

[JoeBrrr]

On 1/13/2023 at 4:32 PM, Dr. Balls said:

I’ve picked a few that got 9.8s from my LCS that actually came out of the longboxes. I don’t buy a lot of moderns, but I definitely look to see if it’s a NM+

Since I’ve come back to the hobby I’ve found almost no stores bag and board anything other than wall books and variants - I totally get it from the store pov with the rising costs supply chain issues and shortages of some products. 

[newshane]

On 1/14/2023 at 12:56 PM, JoeBrrr said:

Any ideas on sites to use?

 

https://www.dcbservice.com/

They always sent me minty fresh copies back in the day. You can also upgrade to Mylards and fullbacks. Great company. I haven't done business with them in several years though. 

There are also "9.8 subscription" services. You tell them the books they want, they send you a slabbed 9.8. This is expensive though. But guaranteed. 

I can't seem to find the guy I used to work with. A Google search turned up a few options. 

https://www.made-the-grade.com/cgc-9-8-subscription-service/

[Dr. Balls]

On 1/14/2023 at 11:58 AM, JoeBrrr said:

Since I’ve come back to the hobby I’ve found almost no stores bag and board anything other than wall books and variants - I totally get it from the store pov with the rising costs supply chain issues and shortages of some products. 

I wonder if that's a time issue for the larger stores? My buddy who owns our LCS (I live in a small town) bags and boards everything that comes in, but he might get 100-200 new comics a week max? So it doesn't take him long, and the upside is that it's protected right after it comes out of the box. Raw books on the shelf would be sad to see, but I get it.

I was stunned that I spent $25 on a pack of generic bags and boards on my last trip. Four years ago, you'd pay that for Mylites and halfbacks.

[fastballspecial]

I picked a black ASM 36 right off the shelf/rack and slabbed it 9.8. I sent it to a boardie years ago
as a thank you. You can find 9.8 on the rack, but its not going to be every day or every month.

 

[divad]

 

Do you grade the moderns you buy ?

I don't buy them, ergo, I don't grade them. 

[CheeseFrog]

I’ve consistently received NM+ to NM/M candidates from this awesome online shop…

https://darkdominioncomics.com/

[djzombi]

I've pulled 20+ year old books from my collection - that I bought from my LCS at that time and subsequently read them, sometimes multiple times - and had them come back 9.8 without a press.  With the possible exception of squarebound or "Prestige Format" books (which pose a greater challenge), floppy comics can easily be read with care and cause zero damage.  

So yes, if you yourself have accurate grading skills and handle your books with care, you can buy, read, and store a book and have it later graded at 9.8.