Spine stress marks, spine crreases, ticks ........ 1 1

[Mokiguy]

First of all let me say I am new to this forum, just joined 10 minutes ago. And I have been learning quite a bit about grading from various sources like the OVERSTREET guide and you-tube videos. But there is an area that seems rather fuzzy to me no matter how much I watch and read, and my heading is that area. Two things, what are the differences between stress marks and ticks and spine creases?

And the second part of this question is is about the amount. I watched a pretty good video the other day where the guy says that if you can count you can grade. Then he went around the book and counted the defects, 1 for a blunted corner, another for yellowing pages, another for a very small tear etc., and went all around the front and back of the book like this. When he got to the spine he counted a couple of ticks and added more numbers. Then he referenced the OVERSTREET guide as to the allowable number of defects for a grade, I think it was 13 and pronounced it a 5.5. So here's my second question. Hypothetically lets say that a book would be a 10 ....... absolutely perfect without a single defect except for 15 small spine stress marks or creases or ticks. So would this otherwise perfect 10 book become a 5 because of this? Do you count each stress mark as a defect or as one defect? Thanks in advance

[SOTIcollector]

Good questions.

I'm not aware of a distinction between stress marks or ticks or creases.  To me they all pretty much describe the same thing.  I'll be interested to find out if others have a different perspective.  

One common thing you'll hear when there's a discussion of creases is "NCB creases."  These are non color-breaking creases.  A NCB crease is always preferable to a color-breaking crease, where the damage is sufficient that there is a loss of ink at the crease.

I would call a video that reduces grading to a simple mathematical equation garbage.  Well, I might use more colorful language than that, but you get the idea. I would question everything posted by somebody who claims to have a magic formula for grading.  If there were such a thing, CGC would use it and the grading would be a science rather than an art.  In fact, if it were as simple as putting a pre-determined numeric value on each defect, then CGC would hardly be needed other than perhaps for restoration checks.   

[LowGradeBronze]

Hi welcome to the forum! To me the difference really is in the severity. A stress mark becomes a crease (or tick) once it breaks colour. Has the spine of the book been bent in the same place more than once? Has it been repeated so often it's getting ragged there? Are there lots of places on the spine with bends,or creases? So the grade is affected the most when these creases, bends, affect the structure of the book. Think of the spine as if it were a drinking straw. Is it perfect or would it be floppy if you held it out horizontally? It's all about structure. 

[MAR1979]

I value a nice spine very highly.  Since I was in my teens I sought out as close to perfect spines that I could fine. It's paid off somewhat well however tiny color rubs if on back cover never bothered be. IMHO CGC is way way too tolerant on spine damage and way to sensitive about the most minor of unobtrusive color rubs.  Anyhow I still will not purchase any 9.8 slab with spine ticks or stress lines. Buy the book not the label. BTW with trading cards, labels are called flips, I kind of like that term

Edited February 13, 2023 by MAR1979

[CHASEnBLUE]

FWIW, if a spine tick breaks color, then the book will be downgraded depending on the severity of the break(s). If NCB exists, then a clean and press (C&P) may be beneficial depending on how good and effective the person doing the C&P is.

[theCapraAegagrus]

A "tick" is really just a small crease.

[marvelmaniac]

Welcome To The Boards and the Hobby!!!

Spine Stress - A small fold, usually less than 1/4 inch long perpendicular to the spine.

Stress Lines: Tiny-to-large bends on or along the spine of a comic book, that may or may not break color, usually resulting from mishandling.

Tick: A small color break usually located on the spine by the staples typically due from stress that is placed on the book when opening.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXfJzqCUNVY

[Mokiguy]

Thank you all that chimed in. The last comment from Marvelmaniac really clarified things with the link to the spine stress video. In it he says that a book woth 10 or 15 spine stress (and those would be small and non color breaking) would put a book down in the 8 or 8.5 ....... exactly what I was looking for.