Why the inconsistency? A fantastic twisted tale of front cover copy confusion! 3 3

[Sauce Dog]

I recently got back my copy of Strange Tales #110 and it received a NG. Bear with me, this will all make sense why I'm confused:

I have been submitting books that are missing the front covers, but still had the original back covers. I would attach a reproduction copy of a front cover to complete the book visually. All these books received an expected 0.5 (as per CGC guidelines a book missing an entire cover wrap is clearly No Grade, but if you have at least one half of the cover it can qualify for 0.5 so long as there isn't anything else missing from the book). Basically these books are not being graded for their overall condition, but rather simply based on a major specific defect that automatically puts them at the bottom of the scale, which I would argue allows one to make a very easy, standard & objective classification of such a book.

This book was fixed exactly the same way as my prior books, using the exact same techniques (front copy and original back cover mended with the same tape, cover wrap then reattached using the original staples), all include original back covers that even include part of the front cover still (notice the top left of the Brave and the Bold cover, and the price box of Strange Tales), interiors all complete, getting the same label note ("FRONT COVER IS A COLOR COPY), but for some reason ST110 got hit with a No Grade. But why? I can't get any clues from the grader notes either (see below)

You might be thinking the difference is with the interior pages, but that can't be the case since the interior for Strange Tales was fairly minty while other books I've done had absolute wrecked interiors with many tears and even missing pieces (such the case with the below Brave and the Bold #28, which you can read below and believe me it was a wreck of an interior)

I can't seem to come up with a reason, as something like this shouldn't even be susceptible to a grader having an off day or a difference of grader opinions - it's a very specific defect and work done.

@CGC Mike can you shed any light on this? Is this the sort of inconsistency that could be questioned and appealed? I hope this doesn't come across as the standard "Bro, my book came back 9.4 but it totalllllyyyy should have been a 9.9!!!" whining regarding grades received, as in my mind this is a very specific type of defect/grade combination that should be consistent across all books. I'm basically trying to find a way to square this as I want to feel confident submitting books in the future, but this book now makes it seem there isn't a set standard being followed and would make any future submissions a gamble.

Notes for Strange Tales.

Notes for Brave and the Bold.

[The Lions Den]

On 7/28/2023 at 6:15 PM, Sauce Dog said:

I recently got back my copy of Strange Tales #110 and it received a NG. Bear with me, this will all make sense why I'm confused:

I have been submitting books that are missing the front covers, but still had the original back covers. I would attach a reproduction copy of a front cover to complete the book visually. All these books received an expected 0.5 (as per CGC guidelines a book missing an entire cover wrap is clearly No Grade, but if you have at least one half of the cover it can qualify for 0.5 so long as there isn't anything else missing from the book). Basically these books are not being graded for their overall condition, but rather simply based on a major specific defect that automatically puts them at the bottom of the scale, which I would argue allows one to make a very easy, standard & objective classification of such a book.

This book was fixed exactly the same way as my prior books, using the exact same techniques (front copy and original back cover mended with the same tape, cover wrap then reattached using the original staples), all include original back covers that even include part of the front cover still (notice the top left of the Brave and the Bold cover, and the price box of Strange Tales), interiors all complete, getting the same label note ("FRONT COVER IS A COLOR COPY), but for some reason ST110 got hit with a No Grade. But why? I can't get any clues from the grader notes either (see below)

You might be thinking the difference is with the interior pages, but that can't be the case since the interior for Strange Tales was fairly minty while other books I've done had absolute wrecked interiors with many tears and even missing pieces (such the case with the below Brave and the Bold #28, which you can read below and believe me it was a wreck of an interior)

I can't seem to come up with a reason, as something like this shouldn't even be susceptible to a grader having an off day or a difference of grader opinions - it's a very specific defect and work done.

@CGC Mike can you shed any light on this? Is this the sort of inconsistency that could be questioned and appealed? I hope this doesn't come across as the standard "Bro, my book came back 9.4 but it totalllllyyyy should have been a 9.9!!!" whining regarding grades received, as in my mind this is a very specific type of defect/grade combination that should be consistent across all books. I'm basically trying to find a way to square this as I want to feel confident submitting books in the future, but this book now makes it seem there isn't a set standard being followed and would make any future submissions a gamble.

Notes for Strange Tales.

Notes for Brave and the Bold.

According to the CGC grading guide, they can assign either a NG or a .5 for a book with color copy parts, and the color copy part can be attached using tape, the original staples or some form of restoration, but it must be attached in order to be graded. Typically, a color copy page would get you the .5 while a color copy cover would get you the No Grade...  

[Sauce Dog]

On 7/28/2023 at 7:13 PM, The Lions Den said:

According to the CGC grading guide, they can assign either a NG or a .5 for a book with color copy parts, and the color copy part can be attached using tape, the original staples or some form of restoration, but it must be attached in order to be graded. Typically, a color copy page would get you the .5 while a color copy cover would get you the No Grade...  

Yup, all my books have everything attached, but all my experience is only if the ENTIRE cover wrap is a copy will it get NG - mine all have original back covers (which without the front copy grade at 0.5 anyways if they are still attached. You usually see this though with books missing the back cover getting 0.5 as people grade those while many don't bother grading books missing the front cover since it impacts display)

The question is WHY would they assign NG over 0.5 in these cases? What is the variable that triggers one over the other (besides grader opinions, since this seems to be a very specific thing and not something subjective)

[The Lions Den]

On 7/28/2023 at 7:46 PM, Sauce Dog said:

Yup, all my books have everything attached, but all my experience is only if the ENTIRE cover wrap is a copy will it get NG - mine all have original back covers (which without the front copy grade at 0.5 anyways if they are still attached. You usually see this though with books missing the back cover getting 0.5 as people grade those while many don't bother grading books missing the front cover since it impacts display)

The question is WHY would they assign NG over 0.5 in these cases? What is the variable that triggers one over the other (besides grader opinions, since this seems to be a very specific thing and not something subjective)

The mystery deepens...  

[CGC Mike]

On 7/28/2023 at 6:15 PM, Sauce Dog said:

@CGC Mike can you shed any light on this?

I would have to ask the team.  Hopefully, I will have an answer for you on Monday.

[Sauce Dog]

On 7/28/2023 at 8:18 PM, CGC Mike said:

I would have to ask the team.  Hopefully, I will have an answer for you on Monday.

Thank you so much, Mike. I appreciate your time, and any & all help offered towards solving this mystery. I would love to continue grading my ragged old front-coverless books and turning them into affordable display slabs - after all, not all of us can afford the good complete mid-grade stuff 

(I'm also sure many here would also love to know the answer as to better understand CGC's stance on this - I get asked about this often when people see my books)

 

[theCapraAegagrus]

I thought that missing more than half of 1 cover got you an NG.

[CGC Mike]

On 7/28/2023 at 10:58 PM, Sauce Dog said:

Thank you so much, Mike. I appreciate your time, and any & all help offered towards solving this mystery. I would love to continue grading my ragged old front-coverless books and turning them into affordable display slabs - after all, not all of us can afford the good complete mid-grade stuff 

(I'm also sure many here would also love to know the answer as to better understand CGC's stance on this - I get asked about this often when people see my books)

We should assign a book with only the back cover as a 0.5, not an NG.  If you would like to send it back, we will correct it.  I can assist with a prepaid shipping label if needed.

[Sauce Dog]

On 7/31/2023 at 12:42 PM, CGC Mike said:

We should assign a book with only the back cover as a 0.5, not an NG.  If you would like to send it back, we will correct it.  I can assist with a prepaid shipping label if needed.

Thank you so much Mike. I will message you directly to arrange that.

[Sauce Dog]

Big thanks to the amazing customer service provided by @CGC Mike .

It is great to know the standards set by CGC for this sort of defect are clear, as these sort of 0.5 books are more important than most might guess; such books allow many of us on limited budgets to continue to build sets on the Collectors Society with confidence knowing even expensive grails can now be added too them while also serving as great display pieces thanks to the reproduction front covers.