2024 Grading Contest Spring Edition Season 3 (#10) Round 4 11 11

[Darwination]

I had a good round, just one bullseye but otherwise more consistent (my goal in these things).  The tough thing for me was how to treat the crease on the Web of Spiderman.  I didn't hit it hard enough, as I thought it was somewhat faint.

It's good practice for me grading these newer high grade books, something I don't tend to do very often.

For all the cries of subjectivity and misgrading, I'm totally impressed by the members here that consistently rock these things.  It shows there is a method to the madness...

[ADAMANTIUM]

On 5/5/2024 at 1:17 PM, Kramerica said:

Most of those dealers will use the pre-screening service so that they only get 9.8's. It may cost $8.00 or whatever for a book that doesn't make the prescreen it but it's better than getting a 9.4 or 9.6 and losing money. I'm seeing 9.6's losing money straight up as well. And then having to pay taxes on the sale. It's the whole "Manufactured Collectible" process being used on variants, first apps that never hit and CGC Sig Series books (those are the worst). People just haven't learned and they're going to lose their on these manufactured collectibles. 

that never made sense to me 

A modern only on average costs $25 to $27 to grade, an $8 reject is more like $10 when you factor in shipping there and back, and are you telling me a 9.4 slab can't be sold for $15 to $17 "or more" to just sell a slab instead of the $10 raw reject? with the $10 cost of a reject and $27 cost of a slab?

C'mon something doesn't add up  

Edited May 5 by ADAMANTIUM

[Yorick]

On 5/5/2024 at 11:21 AM, Darwination said:

I thought it was somewhat faint

It sure shows up in the CGC slab though.  Quite the difference.

[Kramerica]

On 5/5/2024 at 11:29 AM, ADAMANTIUM said:

that never made sense to me 

A modern only on average costs $25 to $27 to grade, an $8 reject is more like $10 when you factor in shipping there and back, and are you telling me a 9.4 slab can't be sold for $15 to $17 to just sell a slab instead of the $10 raw reject? with the $10 cost of a reject and $27 cost of a slab?

C'mon something doesn't add up  

Okay, you have to figure these folks use the Pressing Service as well. Last time I checked if you were a member it cost a total of $34.30 for a modern press & grade and $63.00 for a vintage press and grade.A lot of thesefolks are rushing the newest J Scott Campbell or Todd McFarlane book into grading so they can be first on the market. Once the first one hits the subsequent copies will (probably) go for less as less people "have to have that 9.8 variant.' Within a month things have simmered and people won't even auction their copies any more because they will go for so low. They have to put a BIN on it to minimize the damage done $$$,

Edited May 5 by Kramerica

[ADAMANTIUM]

In other words, it cost you now the $10 reject and the cost to press to keep it raw, say $25 on its own.

To avoid a $36 cost to press and slab and come away with a slabbed 9.4? 

I must not have dealer issues, but I'd take the slab idk for $36, rather than have thrown $25 down the drain.

@Kramerica I guess I get it, I send in low value stuff, but that means minor minor minor keys and not just a random new book with no history. so idk

Edited May 5 by ADAMANTIUM

[Darwination]

I was in a comic shop down in Birmingham last week and saw tons of 20 and 30 dollar very new modern slabs even at 9.8   I don't quite understand the rush to put anything and everything in a box.  Only the house wins with a lot of these books...

[Kramerica]

On 5/5/2024 at 11:52 AM, ADAMANTIUM said:

ya but aren't you paying for pressing before the reject? So instead of a $10 loss it is then the other $15 to press? I guess if your saving the rest of the $17 to actually have a slab at a total of $27 to instead only have $10 reject and $15 to press, I guess somehow it adds up but idk

It adds up to a huge waste of time is what it does. The CGC 9.8 variant market (with a possiible Sig Ser) is a huge sinkhole for time and money unless you can pass on the pressing and 100% you're going to get a 9.8 and then sell before anyone else gets their 9.8 copy up. I watched my ex-Boss try to do this for years with 1:50 and 1:00 variants and signings and special books and whatever was hot (or going to be in a few weeks) and he lost his big time. Nothing like selling a CGC 9.6 modern variant for $20.00.

[JollyComics]

@ADAMANTIUM

If your book is rejected, you have to pay for the returning mail.  That's why I never use a reject fee.  

[Kramerica]

On 5/5/2024 at 11:55 AM, ADAMANTIUM said:

In other words, it cost you now the $10 reject and the cost to press to keep it raw, say $25 on its own.

To avoid a $36 cost to press and slab and come away with a slabbed 9.4? 

I must not have dealer issues, but I'd take the slab idk for $36, rather than have thrown $25 down the drain.

@Kramerica I guess I get it, I send in low value stuff, but that means minor minor minor keys and not just a random new book with no history. so idk

Well, you and I might take the book for $25.00 because we actually like it. These are people who have got it in their minds that their going to flip these books for the GPA high at that minute all the time. It's a time consuming gable where most everyone loses.

[ADAMANTIUM]

On 5/5/2024 at 1:57 PM, Darwination said:

I was in a comic shop down in Birmingham last week and saw tons of 20 and 30 dollar very new modern slabs even at 9.8   I don't quite understand the rush to put anything and everything in a box.  Only the house wins with a lot of these books...

ya I edited, only one of my LCS send in a bunch of moderns fresh off the rack with no history of sales

On 5/5/2024 at 1:57 PM, Kramerica said:

It adds up to a huge waste of time is what it does. The CGC 9.8 variant market (with a possiible Sig Ser) is a huge sinkhole for time and money unless you can pass on the pressing and 100% you're going to get a 9.8 and then sell before anyone else gets their 9.8 copy up. I watched my ex-Boss try to do this for years with 1:50 and 1:00 variants and signings and special books and whatever was hot (or going to be in a few weeks) and he lost his big time. Nothing like selling a CGC 9.6 modern variant for $20.00.

ya that is kind of iffy on the face of it, I guess I get why it is an "option" but seems like a lot of work even in housing costs. One LCS by me does it, I guess I should ask them, but weird.

On 5/5/2024 at 1:58 PM, JollyComics said:

@ADAMANTIUM

If your book is rejected, you have to pay for the returning mail.  That's why I never use a reject fee.  

Ya that is where I'm at. I send in low value books, but nothing that doesn't have a history in sales, and definitely not something just random fresh off the stands to be 1st to market. 

On 5/5/2024 at 2:00 PM, Kramerica said:

Well, you and I might take the book for $25.00 because we actually like it. These are people who have got it in their minds that their going to flip these books for the GPA high at that minute all the time. It's a time consuming gable where most everyone loses.

I was coming from all those who gave greggy a hard time for not prescreening  so from that frame of reference most of his bronze and copper (and depending on acquisition cost even in Canada shipping) it seemed a reject would be too much of a burn from a prescreen. 1st to market stuff would be hard to catch and release so I'm not "on that level"  

Edited May 5 by ADAMANTIUM

[Kramerica]

On 5/5/2024 at 11:58 AM, JollyComics said:

@ADAMANTIUM

If your book is rejected, you have to pay for the returning mail.  That's why I never use a reject fee.  

Personally I've done it one in a submission of Bronze and Copper age Spidey stuff and put the minimum at 9.4. They all passed and got the grades. I was happy. But I was under the impression that they would send any rejects back with my submission.

[Kramerica]

On 5/5/2024 at 12:02 PM, ADAMANTIUM said:

ya I edited, only one of my LCS send in a bunch of moderns fresh off the rack with no history of sales

ya that is kind of iffy on the face of it, I guess I get why it is an "option" but seems like a lot of work even in housing costs. One LCS by me does it, I guess I should ask them, but weird.

Ya that is where I'm at. I send in low value books, but nothing that doesn't have a history in sales, and definitely not something just random fresh off the stands to be 1st to market. 

I was coming from all those who gave greggy a hard time for not prescreening  so from that frame of reference most of his bronze and copper (and depending on acquisition cost even in Canada shipping) it seemed a reject would be too much of a burn from a prescreen. 1st to market stuff would be hard to catch and release so I'm not "on that level"  

The whole thing is an exhausting waste of time and money $$$. Especially writing about it. Sheesh. I'm done.

[JollyComics]

On 5/5/2024 at 1:58 PM, JollyComics said:

@ADAMANTIUM

If your book is rejected, you have to pay for the returning mail.  That's why I never use a reject fee.  

I rarely used CCS.  It's only one time when they couldn't remove the color touch from my two books - one raw copy and one graded book.  They encapsulated my book with the same grade and purple label at no charge for the new reholder and didn't charge me for the restoration removal.  Yes, I paid for the returning mail.   Yes, it was a disappointed result. 

I don't use the reject fees and I may never use CCS for the restoration removal again.   I have to avoid all restored books at all costs except mega key issues like Tec 27, Superman 1 and AC 1 (those books are too rare to be passed).

CCS and reject fees are headache for me.

[ADAMANTIUM]

On 5/5/2024 at 2:03 PM, Kramerica said:

Personally I've done it one in a submission of Bronze and Copper age Spidey stuff and put the minimum at 9.4. They all passed and got the grades. I was happy. But I was under the impression that they would send any rejects back with my submission.

I believe they send them back, but what he might means is the cost to ship separately from the slabs that passed.

Transitionally, I've sent in books that it would have been easier to just buy 9.6 slab, rather than try my hand at a raw, for instance my "Web of Spider-man #1" came back 9.0  even though no press and it was only the $23 cost at the time to slab  

The book was found raw for $1 so I sent it.

It is still technically cheaper sometimes to do so when paying for a already slabbed 9.6 cgc that is going to cost me $50 or $60 before tax and shipping

I see that is pretty much a no-win scenario for me, except I like the book and it is ok in a registry I guess  

Edited May 5 by ADAMANTIUM

[ADAMANTIUM]

On 5/5/2024 at 2:05 PM, Kramerica said:

The whole thing is an exhausting waste of time and money $$$. Especially writing about it. Sheesh. I'm done.

ah never mind, didn't mean to make you exasperated. Do it or don't, all good, but thanks for the clarification, as I hadn't ever had it explained and I couldn't figure it out.

No worries

[JollyComics]

Restoration issue and PGM threads are beneficial because their insights upon my books that will help my decision to save the money from submitting my books.

All of my books were sold as is and as it described.  Yes, some are losses but it's better than sending them to CGC.

[ADAMANTIUM]

On 5/5/2024 at 2:18 PM, JollyComics said:

Restoration issue and PGM threads are beneficial because their insights upon my books that will help my decision to save the money from submitting my books.

All of my books were sold as is and as it described.  Yes, some are losses but it's better than sending them to CGC.

Ya I don't think anyone was yay, but mostly nay, sorry for rubbishing up the thread. To hear it mentioned is always in a positive light, which confused me is all.

Chalk this up to a lazy Sunday after yardwork was finished 😂 

[ADAMANTIUM]

To be clear, prescreens never made sense to me, and depending on the book in question they still don't, not everything needs to be in a cgc slab. We were all on the same page, I think it was just boring to have to explain IT  

[JollyComics]

On 5/5/2024 at 2:24 PM, ADAMANTIUM said:

Ya I don't think anyone was yay, but mostly nay, sorry for rubbishing up the thread. To hear it mentioned is always in a positive light, which confused me is all.

Chalk this up to a lazy Sunday after yardwork was finished 😂 

All true.  It helps my decision and use my judgement.

I need to put two new young trees and take old root out.

[ArAich]

oops missed the final round...