Waeelin Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 (edited) Hi there, New to these forums, but a friend suggested I post here for feedback, apparently especially from @joeypost, please and thank you. When I was a kid I purchased two copes of GI Joe #1. One I read and sold years later for 10$. The other I kept in the original hanger bag I purchased it in, and locked it away for decades. I recently thought to have it graded to protect it further and hoped for a good grade given it was never opened. However, I have gotten conflicting answers. Some think its a 7 some think it at best wouldnt get above a 9.4. Others have suggested not to remove it from the original hanger bag as they have only seen 3-4 like this in 40 years of collecting and as such is unique and very rare. I did contact CGC and was informed they would have to remove the bag to grade, understandable because of the whiteness of pages and folds etc. Other comments and suggestions included that the bag might be harming the book because of it not being acid free. Since this seems, and I have been told, this is the cream of the cream of collectors and experts on grading and submissions ... I am asking for your help and suggestions or guidance. Mainly, do you think I should have this submitted for grading? Or should I keep this in the original hanger bag as it is "rare and unique"? Will the bag destroy the comic? (its been in it for 40 years and doesnt seem to have done damage but thats also why I am asking here. If you use technical terms for grading, please explain as I am new to comic grading. I am used to sports/tcg grading. Originally, I was hoping for a "authentic" or such grade or one like they use on packs/boxes in the tcg/sports side. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. If you need further pictures, please just specify and I would be happy to provide them. Any creases you see are just a reflection of light on the bag itself. It was stored in a bag, between two pieces of cardboard, flat and inside a cardboard comic box for the last 30-40years. Thanks in advance Edited March 5 by Waeelin attempting to make @joeypost a hyperlink Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flchris Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 @joeypost Waeelin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadroch Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 GI Joe 1 did not come in a bag. Perhaps the shop we bought them from put it in that bag. In any event, that book isn't HG and I wouldn't submit it. MAR1979 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOTIcollector Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 You have done your research. Yes, it's true that the bag can cause premature aging of the paper, which gives you a checkmark in the "unbag it now" column. It's true that comics bagged by the publisher and still in the original bag CAN be rare and can sell for a premium, and that may give you a checkmark in the "keep it bagged" column. So I understand the conundrum. I was collecting comics at the time it was published, and although I'm not 100% certain I am reasonably confident that Marvel didn't put any copies of that book in a hanger bag. I'm also confident there are others who are more knowledgeable about that specific book than I am, and they will correct me if I'm mistaken. It seems likely to me that the retailer you bought the book from put it in the hanger bag. Do you recall if ALL of that retailer's comics were in hanger bags? If so, then that would pretty much confirm that it was the retailer who bagged this comic and not the publisher. If indeed it was the retailer who bagged the book and not the publisher, then the bag would add no value. You would have nothing to lose by removing the book from the bag. Removing the book from the bag would allow you to put it in a Mylar bag with acid-free backing board, which would protect it for years to come. It would also mean that you could have the book pressed by a reputable presser such as @JoeyPost , to remediate the pressable defects such as the non-color-breaking spine tics. If you remove the book from the bag, you could post it in the "please grade my" forum. Take the average of what boardies think the grade will be, and that's *approximately* the grade you can expect if slabbed. RockMyAmadeus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougC Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Removing this from the bag isn't going to help nor hurt it, given the condition. I do not remember the first issue being included in a multi-pack but could be wrong so this would be a separate aftermarket packaging. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockMyAmadeus Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 On 3/5/2024 at 6:55 PM, SOTIcollector said: Marvel didn't put any copies of that book in a hanger bag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeypost Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Looks like you have already received some very sound advice. After taking it out of the bag, post nice scans or pictures in the please grade section. Waeelin and SOTIcollector 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvelmaniac Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Doing some research, it appears you have the original direct edition #1, according to eBay sold auction prices books in the VG/FN 5.0 to FN 6.0 range are selling for about $60.00. You can remove the book from the bag, take clear pics of the outside front/back covers, inside front/back covers, the spine and centerfold and post them in the... https://boards.cgccomics.com/forum/42-hey-buddy-can-you-spare-a-grade/ Other options besides CGC grading are, you can remove it from the bag and place the book in a Mylite with an Acid Free Board along with the bag so you have it. The bag you have is made from poly and will degrade over time and produce acids that will in time degrade the book, poly should be replaced every 5 years. Mylar on the other hand is an inert material that is archival safe and used by the Smithsonian and Library of Congress, it does not degrade and is good for a lifetime, CGC slabs do not offer any more protection than a Mylite and Acid Free Board, slabs are not airtight and are not UV protected and need to be stored in the same conditions as raw (ungraded) books.(Consistent temp/humidity, away from all UV light, away from all sources of heat and moisture, away from air vents, not stored in an unfinished attic, basement, garage.) https://www.egerber.com/aboutpreservation.htm#:~:text=Advantages of Mylar® Type,to 5 years for others. You may be able to purchase a lone Mylite and Board at an LCS near you. Another option is a UV protected frame, then you can display the book and protect it at the same time and unlike a slab, the book can easily be removed any time. https://www.bcwsupplies.com/comic-book-showcase-current-uv SOTIcollector 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
