If CGC 9.6 isn't worth grading... 2 2

[COI]

On 10/3/2023 at 5:39 PM, valiantman said:

If a book isn't worth slabbing in CGC 9.6 (or lower), it isn't worth slabbing at all, because it is a meaningless book.  

Unless it's a 9.8, then it's worth slabbing.

The point really is, if a book isn't worth the slabbing fees, it shouldn't be slabbed. Isn't this why the 9.8 prescreen exists?

Big-brained insight for big brains. You're all welcome.

 

[Krydel4]

Only 10s are worth slabbing...

[valiantman]

On 10/3/2023 at 8:41 PM, MattTheDuck said:

I'm not sure I understand the question (which, of course, is a "me" problem).  However, this book wouldn't grade 9.6 and is most certainly not meaningless.  It even showed up in a movie!

A CGC 9.6 condition of this book would definitely be worth slabbing, therefore this book is not meaningless.

By contrast, there are CGC 9.6 slabbed books which are worth less than $20, indicating that the book inside is meaningless, and every copy raw or slabbed of the book in any condition is also meaningless.

Edited October 4, 2023 by valiantman

[valiantman]

On 10/3/2023 at 9:56 PM, COI said:

On 10/3/2023 at 4:39 PM, valiantman said:

If a book isn't worth slabbing in CGC 9.6 (or lower), it isn't worth slabbing at all, because it is a meaningless book.  

Unless it's a 9.8, then it's worth slabbing.

It's profitable to sell CGC 9.8 slabs for books that are meaningless, but that doesn't make them meaningful.  Nothing books in perfect condition are still nothing books. How do you know a book is meaningless? If the CGC 9.6 isn't worth slabbing, then the book is meaningless. A CGC 9.8 of that same book is just a prettier copy of meaningless. Profitable? Yes. Meaningful? Not in the slightest.

Books can become meaningful over time. Some keys aren't keys until it's understood later how important they were. But until a CGC 9.6 has enough value to be worth slabbing, the book (in any condition) is meaningless and most will stay that way.

Time can also do the reverse, and books that had value as CGC 9.6 in the past can become meaningless. This happens often. Hype dies down, buyers move on to the next thing, and "meaningful" books become meaningless.

Edited October 4, 2023 by valiantman

[valiantman]

On 10/3/2023 at 5:13 PM, Dr. Balls said:

I could have swore this would have pegged a 9.8, which is why I sent it in. Not a bend, tick, fingernail impression, blunted corner - nothing :

Last 9.8 sale: $22

That makes my 9.6 worthless in every sense of the word. $35 or whatever to grade, shipping costs, the cost of the book to begin with ($10) and initial shipping ($6).  I just wanted this as a 9.8 on my bookshelf, because I felt a 9.6 was pretty much worthless. Irony.

Want to increase the value? You just need to start the rumor that Marvel's "Hip Hop" cover trend actually began in 1984 with this Michael Jackson Thriller cover. 

Edited October 4, 2023 by valiantman

[COI]

On 10/4/2023 at 10:22 AM, valiantman said:

It's profitable to sell CGC 9.8 slabs for books that are meaningless, but that doesn't make them meaningful.  Nothing books in perfect condition are still nothing books. How do you know a book is meaningless? If the CGC 9.6 isn't worth slabbing, then the book is meaningless. A CGC 9.8 of that same book is just a prettier copy of meaningless. Profitable? Yes. Meaningful? Not in the slightest.

Books can become meaningful over time. Some keys aren't keys until it's understood later how important they were. But until a CGC 9.6 has enough value to be worth slabbing, the book (in any condition) is meaningless and most will stay that way.

Time can also do the reverse, and books that had value as CGC 9.6 in the past can become meaningless. This happens often. Hype dies down, buyers move on to the next thing, and "meaningful" books become meaningless.

That's all fine, except that I'm not sure why profitability alone doesn't make the book worth slabbing. You said any book that is "meaningless" - which you define as having no value below the 9.8 threshold - isn't worth slabbing, and my response was that it's still worth slabbing if it's a 9.8 because it's profitable to do so. There are people who are trying to collect 9.8 runs of titles, and to them the books aren't "meaningless" because they're a part of the run. 

Otherwise, I agree with your argument, except I don't see why you're using the terms meaningful/meaningless instead of low/high demand, because that's all it is - a function of demand. 

 

[Yorick]

I think you've got a great general rule for submitting modern books with that thought process.  Don't submit a modern book for grading unless there is value for it below the 9.8 grade.  "Value", however, is different for different folks.  Personally, I get my cheap kicks from building modern comic registry sets.  Sure, it may be a waste from someone else's perspective, but I can still collect and not go broke.  I have built a Miracleman set in 9.0+ with a rule of not spending more than $40 (including shipping) for any single book.  I've done pretty well.  I'm not sure that Miracleman is meaningless though.  Alan Moore is pretty awesome.

Catch 22?

[Lazyboy]

On 10/4/2023 at 1:38 PM, Yorick said:

I think you've got a great general rule for submitting modern books with that thought process.  Don't submit a modern book for grading unless there is value for it below the 9.8 grade.  "Value", however, is different for different folks.  Personally, I get my cheap kicks from building modern comic registry sets.  Sure, it may be a waste from someone else's perspective, but I can still collect and not go broke.  I have built a Miracleman set in 9.0+ with a rule of not spending more than $40 (including shipping) for any single book.  I've done pretty well.  I'm not sure that Miracleman is meaningless though.  Alan Moore is pretty awesome.

Catch 22?

That is the exact problem here. Meaningless to illiterate clowns who collect chunks of plastic to compensate for their tiny ? Who cares? They are the ones who are meaningless.

[Lazyboy]

On 10/4/2023 at 11:57 AM, COI said:

That's all fine, except that I'm not sure why profitability alone doesn't make the book worth slabbing. You said any book that is "meaningless" - which you define as having no value below the 9.8 threshold - isn't worth slabbing, and my response was that it's still worth slabbing if it's a 9.8 because it's profitable to do so. There are people who are trying to collect 9.8 runs of titles, and to them the books aren't "meaningless" because they're a part of the run. 

Otherwise, I agree with your argument, except I don't see why you're using the terms meaningful/meaningless instead of low/high demand, because that's all it is - a function of demand. 

 

Well, it's supply AND demand, as always. Ignoring the quality of the actual contents of the issues, which comic is more meaningful: one that sells for a lot because of very small supply or one that has little monetary value because the supply is even larger than the very large demand?

[Gaard]

If you have some people who equate 'meaningless' to be solely about money, and others who don't, there's obviously going to be differences. IMO, if your stance is based on 'financially meaningless', say that.

[namisgr]

Considering that once slabbed, the comic is now inaccessible to being read, glanced at, thumbed through, or smelled, it becomes more than financially meaningless should the assigned grade not justify the cost of slabbing.

But yes, some comics can have a nostalgia or other type of significance to a collector that compels them to have them slabbed and displayed as such no matter the financial incentive for doing so.

[bluehorseshoe]

On 10/3/2023 at 8:07 PM, valiantman said:

... or any since.

Why do you always have to edit whatever you are trying to slick about?  Get it right the first time.

[valiantman]

On 10/5/2023 at 9:17 AM, bluehorseshoe said:

On 10/3/2023 at 7:07 PM, valiantman said:

... or any since.

Why do you always have to edit whatever you are trying to slick about?  Get it right the first time.

People tell me that I overexplain, so I try posting a short meme. People don't understand the short meme, so I overexplain.

I have a feeling the same people look at a STOP sign waiting for it to switch to GO, or they just yell, "FOR HOW LONG?" at the sign.

[shadroch]

I'd guesstimate that 95% of books listed in Overstreet guide for less than it costs to slab them.  Does that make them worthless? 

No, it means they are worth less than $25. 

[southern cross]

On 10/5/2023 at 7:45 AM, shadroch said:

I'd guesstimate that 95% of books listed in Overstreet guide for less than it costs to slab them.  Does that make them worthless? 

No, it means they are worth less than $25. 

And there's that saying 'Someones trash is another one's treasure'

A cheap book today could be worth something more tomorrow.

I remember many years ago buying a CGC 9.2 white page The Cat issue 1 from the early 70s. Price was $35 Australian. Roughly $25 U.S

I thought at the time I'm buying a slab and the book inside is for free. Even after market correction the book has got to be worth more then a $100 or two.

Then there are some that like buying the cheap books that don't hit 9.8 like the Miracle Man collector. Then there are those obscure books that a collector wants in any slab condition for their registry set. 

To each their own.

Now if you're slabbing solely for resale books that are only worth $100 in 9.8 then that's the gamble. I'm sure CGC loves their business.

Edited October 5, 2023 by southern cross

[bluehorseshoe]

On 10/5/2023 at 10:21 AM, valiantman said:

People tell me that I overexplain, so I try posting a short meme. People don't understand the short meme, so I overexplain.

I have a feeling the same people look at a STOP sign waiting for it to switch to GO, or they just yell, "FOR HOW LONG?" at the sign.

Yeah my tween daughter that likes Taylor Swift and rainbows and colored markers that smell like pumpkins; she use short memes to communicate too.  Great approach to getting your message across. 

[Kramerica]

On 10/3/2023 at 3:13 PM, Dr. Balls said:

I could have swore this would have pegged a 9.8, which is why I sent it in. Not a bend, tick, fingernail impression, blunted corner - nothing :

Last 9.8 sale: $22

That makes my 9.6 worthless in every sense of the word. $35 or whatever to grade, shipping costs, the cost of the book to begin with ($10) and initial shipping ($6).  I just wanted this as a 9.8 on my bookshelf, because I felt a 9.6 was pretty much worthless. Irony.

Actually, my feeling is that regardless of value this book is AWESOME and rivals some of the artists best work and is a great relic of the 1980's. I love this cover. Cherish it. Hold and caress it. Display it. Place it in your window for Halloween.

[valiantman]

On 10/5/2023 at 10:58 AM, bluehorseshoe said:

Yeah my tween daughter that likes Taylor Swift and rainbows and colored markers that smell like pumpkins; she use short memes to communicate too.  Great approach to getting your message across. 

[lou_fine]

On 10/3/2023 at 2:39 PM, valiantman said:

If a book isn't worth slabbing in CGC 9.6 (or lower), it isn't worth slabbing at all, because it is a meaningless book.  At least 2,200,000 slabs fit this description.

Yes, but sadly, istn't that CGC's bread and butter to try to convince you to submit books in for grading (and for pressing if you are overdosing on their juice) that are otherwise basically worthless?  

[Beastfeast]

On 10/5/2023 at 12:59 PM, lou_fine said:

Yes, but sadly, istn't that CGC's bread and butter to try to convince you to submit books in for grading (and for pressing if you are overdosing on their juice) that are otherwise basically worthless?  

I don’t think they tried to convince everybody. It’s seems more like low information people saw slabs selling higher than their raw books and assumed getting something grading increased the value - not figuring the why the value was increased. 
 

I see it everyday on Facebook and Reddit where people ask the same questions about whether they should slab their mid grade uncanny 300.