Always press crowd? 0

[wolflad]

Hey all, I'm relatively new to the grading scene. I've been collecting comics since the late 1990s, keeping almost all of my books bagged and board since my middle school days. My collection has somehow survived and followed me all over the country and for that I'm grateful. I didn't start looking into comic grading until last year when I realized that some things I paid $1-3 for almost 25 years ago, now go for quite a bit more. I decided to start preserving some books that are sentimental to me and that I want to keep forever, but also some that I may put up for sale.

I've sent in five lots for grading to CGC over the past year, and I'll say that I'm generally pretty pleased with the grades they've received overall. My most recent submission had a TAT of four days, which seems crazy. Anyway, now to the meat and potatoes:

Of the grading notes I've gotten back, a lot of high 8's to low-mid 9s have a common theme: "light finger bends on cover, light spine stress lines, light indent to back cover" etc. These are things I'm now looking carefully for before I submit, but I'll be honest I have sent a couple books in where I couldn't spot these defects myself beforehand.

So my question to the masses: Of those who send books in for grading with some frequency, how often do you press every book in your submission (be it self-pressing or through a service)?

Maybe my eye will get better at spotting candidates for pressing prior to submission, but I just wonder who takes an "always press" approach. Thanks for the input.

[joeypost]

I press books for a living and I do not press every book I submit. You just have to develop a good eye, which takes time. 

[namisgr]

On 4/9/2023 at 1:31 PM, wolflad said:

So my question to the masses: Of those who send books in for grading with some frequency, how often do you press every book in your submission (be it self-pressing or through a service)?

Never.  But I'm old school.

[rumrunner71]

Welcome to the boards. If you search the forums, you'll find a lot of debates about pressing.

The long and short...it depends. What's the value of the books you're looking at pressing? It sounds like you are at least somewhat interested in their value. Is "quite a bit more" than $1-3 like $20? Or like $100? Pressing will add to your costs and time and might not be worth it. If you are just wanting to enjoy them, would the press help your enjoyment?

I would say it's pretty rare to press everything. I'll do it if there is a significant, pressable defect that undermines the grade. But even in those cases, not always.

[Hulksdaddy1]

Squish 'em! Then squish 'em again!

Keep on squishin'! 

[Larryw7]

Nope. 

[MattTheDuck]

On 4/10/2023 at 2:50 PM, Hey Pal! said:

Be aware that you can't press out color breaking creases. So no, not always.

Well, this is the key.  There's no point in paying to press a book if the press won't improve the defects, or improve them enough to make it worth the cost.  Make sure you know what's an improvable defect and what isn't. 

Full disclosure, I not only have never had a book pressed, I've also never submitted books for grading

 

[LowGradeBronze]

Remember there are risks as well as rewards with pressing. 

[Dr. Balls]

When I collected moderns, I kept a keen eye for valuable books that had pressable defects, and I would have Joe press them and submit for me. I didn’t sub a whole lot, but the ones I did came back to me as 9.8s: a testament to Joe’s skills for sure, with a minor pat-on-the-back to myself for sending him books that would improve.

I‘ve no bones about pressing, but I don’t sub anything anymore other than Golden Age, and where I’m at with my low to mid grade books - there’s no need for pressing.

[ChillMan]

Newbies...this is a great forum for info.  And fun.  But to make big money...you have to PREDICT what popular opinion will be in the future.  You won't score big by just following popular opinion.

Like in this case...the ship has long since sailed on trying to make money by pressing up comics.  For the past 10 years, every comic in the major auctions is gone over with a fine-toothed-comb beforehand to see if it can be pressed up.

[Jeffro.]

Press em all and let god sort it out.

That's a joke but there are collectors who literally press everything whether it needs it or not which is tothemarketdownthestreetforsomeCRAZY.

[rexinnih]

I've always stayed same or come out ahead in pressing except one time. It's more than paid for itself in value increase. I'll always do for Sig Series submissions but as others have said, not for those that won't benefit for other submissions.

[wolflad]

Thanks all for the input! Always good to see the varying opinions on it.

[seanlinc]

I've been pressing myself about 6 months now, I've found it's very good at getting rid of the finger bends and creasing and such. The spine tics give me more trouble but I'm getting better at it. I press everything before I  send it in I've also noticed after a press I may see flaws I missed initially.

[comicginger1789]

On 4/10/2023 at 10:33 AM, joeypost said:

I press books for a living and I do not press every book I submit. You just have to develop a good eye, which takes time. 

This is the answer

I've been collecting and grading my stuff for 20+ years. Looking at graded books, grading guides, frequenting forums like this have all helped hone my own knowledge. If a book has certain defects like bends or dents that I feel can be pressed out, I have it pressed. If it is a book with creases or spine ticks and I know that no mater what is done, that book is destined to be a 6.0 book, I don't worry about it. You can save money with experience and a good eye or you can just have everything pressed until you do develop that.