2023 CGC Grading Contest Summer Edition (#7) Round 3 9 9

[Nschenks]

Nice bounce-back round after a brutal 11 points in round 2. This round definitely felt easier overall to me.

Motion Picture #110 - 6.5 (Honestly, I was between 6.0 and 6.5 on this one--7.0 feels a touch high) +1

War Fury #1 - 4.5 (one of the easier books this round imo)--> +1

HoS #4 - 6.0 (Maybe the one I struggled with the most, so pretty happy about this one)--> 0

Strange Tales #114 - 6.5 (Initially had this 7.0--oh well)--> +1

FF Annual #6 - 8.0 (maybe should have looked at this one closer? was the first book I locked in I think)--> +1

[Get Marwood & I]

On 8/2/2023 at 2:55 AM, AJD said:

But they aren't - the spacing isn't even (yes, I measured them   ). And I'm not sure you would see them on cover stock in any case because I don't think the covers are printed the same way as the pages.

If the Mycomicshop graders were playing they'd have a cumulative score of 116 so far 

Very uneven selection of books this tournament isn't it. Mostly gold/silver and all in the same grade brackets - only 3 grades separated the R2 books. We've had 15 books so far and the grades 5.0 to 7.0 alone account for 10 of them. 

[zzutak]

A totally accurate observation.    Here's the grade distribution data for the first seven seven CGC grading contests (C1 thru C7):

	CGC Grade	Σ	C1	C2	C3	C4	C5	C6	C7	C8
	0.5	0
	1.0	0
	1.5	3	1		1				1
	1.8	0
	2.0	1					1
	2.5	3		1	1	1
	3.0	9	3	1		1	3	1
	3.5	6	1	2	1	1		1
	4.0	8		3	1	2		1	1
	4.5	10	2		3	1	2	1	1
	5.0	11	2		1	1	4	1	2
	5.5	8		1		3	2	1	1
	6.0	8	1	3		1		1	2
	6.5	9	1	2	2	2	1		1
	7.0	11	2	1	2		1	1	4
	7.5	7	1	1	1	2	1	1
	8.0	4		1			1	1	1
	8.5	7	1		1	1	1	2	1
	9.0	13	2	2	2	3	1	3
	9.2	5	1			1	1	2
	9.4	7	2		2		1	2
	9.6	4		2	1			1
	9.8	1			1
	Σ	135	20	20	20	20	20	20	15	0
Range	CGC Grades	Σ	C1	C2	C3	C4	C5	C6	C7	C8
V. Low	0.5~1.8	3	1	0	1	0	0	0	1	0
Low	2.0~3.5	19	4	4	2	3	4	2	0	0
Mid	4.0~6.5	54	6	9	7	10	9	5	8	0
High	7.0~9.0	42	6	5	6	6	5	8	6	0
V. High	9.2~9.8	17	3	2	4	1	2	5	0	0
Σ		135	20	20	20	20	20	20	15	0

As GM&I has noted, this contest (C7) has been heavily overweight with books in the 5.0 to 7.0 range (10 of 15 books).  The last contest (C6) was heavily overweight with books in the 8.5 to 9.6 range (10 of 20 books).  The first seven contests (C1 thru C7) have been severely underweight with books in the 0.5 to 2.5 range (only 7 of 135 books).

While I think it would be a huge mistake to completely even out the distribution of grades in any single contest (as that would lead to "what grade is still missing" type guesses), the architects of these contests really should try to ensure that the top performers are those players who can accurately predict CGC grades over the entire spectrum.     One man's opinion as always.  

Edited August 2, 2023 by zzutak

[Get Marwood & I]

On 8/2/2023 at 10:39 AM, zzutak said:

While I think it would be a huge mistake to completely even out the distribution of grades in any single contest (as that would lead to "what grade is still missing" type guesses), the architects of these contests really should try to ensure that the top performers are those players who can accurately predict CGC grades over the entire 0.5 PR to 9.8 NM/MT spectrum.     One man's opinion as always.  

Of the 23 grades in scope for the competition, picking 20 different ones across 20 books would indeed be silly and transparent. You just need a fairly even spread, I think. Four 7.0s in 15 books isn't particularly even, especially with ten in the 5.0 to 7.0 window overall. Maybe I'll just call every book in R4 a 7.0 and see how many bullseyes I get 

[Cman429]

On 7/31/2023 at 11:23 AM, Cman429 said:

Motion Picture #110 - 6.5

War Fury #1 - 4.0 

HoS #4 - 5.5

Strange Tales #114 - 7.0

FF Annual #6 - 8.0

2 🎯  and 3 a half grade off for my best ever round of 3 POINTS!! 

Clearly the key to my doing well is to do atrociously the first two rounds, get eliminated from contention, then excel when there’s no incentive to succeed 

[sledgehammer]

On 8/1/2023 at 8:55 PM, flashlites said:

I hit this book hard for this defect. It seemed to be a cut through the book. An otherwise great book I ended at a 7.5. Could not get to the 8 range with that kind of slice.

I have no idea how I can possibly improve at how I'm doing at this.

I wouldn't call this comic book VF+.....ever.  I said 7.5.

7 points. Big improvement from last round, when I had 7 points just on those wonderful last two comics.

[JollyComics]

On 8/1/2023 at 11:01 PM, zzutak said:

It is creased ...... and with a vertical tear to boot!  Plus, you cannot get a horizontal crease at this location without also creating a split along the spine.  7.0 FN/VF is my personal sweet spot.  This is no 7.0. 

I totally agreed with you. My intention was 6.0 but ever since I joined my first contest, CGC is softer on GA books and decided to gamble on the higher grade over the actual Overstreet standard grading. I got a bullseye and it paid off.

[F For Fake]

Ugh. Last round, I only got one bullseye, and everything else I overgrade by a grade or two. So this round I recalibrated, and tried to go under. And...it still didn't work! Still fairly close, except for the HoS, which I can't explain. I think the ruffled edge along the top looked kinda moisture damaged to me? Who can say? Madness!

Motion Picture #110 6.0

War Fury #1 3.5

HoS #4 4.0

Strange Tales #114 6.5

FF Annual #6 7.5

[trmoore54]

Late to the commentary party...first bullseye with the WAR FURY...granted easiest book of the bunch.  The other 4 not so much (10 points and my worst round by 1).  Of course my initial grades would've been all 5 bullseyes/max 1/2-point off and then I stupidly interjected my usual sensibilities to grade the books as if I were selling them or buying them and second-guessed and third-guessed myself into oblivion.  As stated here by many, there are 2 or 3 books here that are overgraded by at least a point.  If you were offered these books for the market purchase price of the CGC grade and/or the book still raw most would categorically reject that grade position and/or not want that book in their collection at the stated grade. 

[zzutak]

@CGC Mike understands that none of these overgrading/undergrading observations reflect on him (we love ya, Mike  ).  So feel free to let 'er rip! 

[sledgehammer]

Motion Picture #110  6.0

War Fury #1   4.0

HoS #4   5.5

Strange Tales #114  6.0

FF Annual #6    7.5

[JohnH19]

I hurriedly did my grading off of my phone this weekend while at a convention and absolutely crapped the bed on the last two books. I gave them a 5.5 and 6.5 for 7 big points. I had 11 overall for a disastrous round. I’m happy to hear that others think the books were overgraded.

[CGC Mike]

Here's a link to the results.

 

[Yorick]

On 8/1/2023 at 9:18 PM, zzutak said:

This is what a CGC 7.0 looked like seven years ago:

I'm considering a crack and re-sub on an old 7.5 that should now receive an 8.5.  Venus looks like a 9.0... considering what we're seeing in this competition.

[Still Only 35c]

Good round for me this time; 3 bullseye's and only 3 off the other two books combined.

Edited August 3, 2023 by Every Day A Story