• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Is anyone else getting books back with warped inner wells?
22 22

Started by LordRahl,

1,498 posts in this topic

  • Administrator
CGC Mike

CGC Mike

Posted
  • Administrator
Posted
On 7/12/2024 at 8:57 PM, ADAMANTIUM said:

its not so much "warped" as it is a curve or bowing of the comic resting in the inner well. If you look at the sides then the top of the slab is on your left and the bottom on the right, both of those sides of the inner well have a tab that goes into the top and bottom of the case; meanwhile, in between those opposites the comic bows from the weight at the center of the comic. then looking at the front cover near the middle staple it causes a spine tick, which can stretch out to cause ripples in the book depending on how thick the book is in the inner well :) 

You are correct.  I made sure the Operations Manager knew what to look for by sending both pictures and text.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Gator Guru

Gator Guru

Posted
Posted
On 7/11/2024 at 10:38 AM, MadGenius said:

I just sent pics of this book to customer service. Definite curve to the inner well with corresponding spine stress inconsistent with the grade. I will provide updates as I receive them.20240711_100532.thumb.jpg.6f586a0dddacfd134a474b4ab79069c5.jpg

20240711_1004592.thumb.jpg.4d0fc96e5824ccfedcc4d6b8b07001ad.jpg

20240711_1004272.thumb.jpg.064baa5dcbf43221272eadf7c25d4ac8.jpg

20240711_100420.thumb.jpg.35b61ad4a2f8b0dde9897421e6f81459.jpg

20240711_1003162.thumb.jpg.c14c67fb298b306bc4a0bca03953276b.jpg

Thats a lot of color breaking spine tics.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
wiparker824

wiparker824

Posted
Posted
On 7/12/2024 at 5:26 PM, CGC Mike said:

I will say that after talking to our Operations Manager the other day regarding this problem, he went to the encapsulation area where there were a lot of slabbed books, and could not find 1 book with a warped holder.  

It seems entirely possible that these warps take some amount of time to form from encapsulation period. At least on some of the cases people have posted here they don’t appear in the official CGC scans to have the same damage as when people actually get the books in hand. Which if that’s the case it may not show up in a pile of fresh slabs. That’s what is being reported over in a similar discussion in the signature room thread:

On 7/9/2024 at 5:14 PM, DanJD said:

It was brought to my attention by another member that there might be an issue with the inner well bending books.  I checked my book and as you can see, the entire book is curved in the inner well.  This would explain the difference in appearance of the book when it arrived versus the CGC imaging right after encapsulation.  I hope no one else experiences this if this is real.

IMG_1471.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
masterlogan2000

masterlogan2000

Posted
Posted
On 7/12/2024 at 10:56 PM, wiparker824 said:

It seems entirely possible that these warps take some amount of time to form from encapsulation period. At least on some of the cases people have posted here they don’t appear in the official CGC scans to have the same damage as when people actually get the books in hand. Which if that’s the case it may not show up in a pile of fresh slabs. That’s what is being reported over in a similar discussion in the signature room thread:

Quick link to that discussion.  I should have also posted here, as I've been following this thread as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Administrator
CGC Mike

CGC Mike

Posted
  • Administrator
Posted
On 7/12/2024 at 11:56 PM, wiparker824 said:

It seems entirely possible that these warps take some amount of time to form from encapsulation period.

Yep.  I saw that, and this info was sent to the Operations Manager as well.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Popular Post
MadGenius

MadGenius

Posted
  • Popular Post
Posted

I'm not a physics expert by any means, but here's what I think is happening:

Previously, there was a small gap at the top of the slabs. Anyone who has ever cracked a slab will know that there used to be enough space at the top to insert a screwdriver head or another small tool to pry the slab open. After the reholder scam late last year, a new method was used to make a tighter seal all around the CGC case. Ostensibly, this was done to make it more difficult to open a slab without causing obvious damage. I haven't been able to crack these newer slabs open without the use of a hammer, whereas a simple screwdriver could get the job done before.

The drawback to this method is the tighter seal at the top is now generating too much pressure on the inner well. The bowing we're seeing in the pictures presented in this thread is the direct result of excess pressure at the top and bottom of the inner well. If you take a piece of cardboard and apply pressure to opposing sides, the carboard will start to bow in the middle just like the inner wells are. I think the cases needed that small gap at the top as a pressure release valve. The new sealing technique did make it harder to replicate the reholder scam, so mission accomplished there, but the solution has now caused the unintended consequence of books being damaged during/after encapsulation.

I always thought the best way to combat the reholder scammers was to put the cert # on the inner well. Perhaps as a stamp visible only under black light. That way, if CGC receives a reholder submission and the cert # on the inner well is different from that of the label, they know something is amiss. Alas, CGC decided to go in a different direction to deter potential scammers...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BraveDave

BraveDave

Posted
Posted (edited)

I just checked my only 2024 slabbed book. A highest-in-census graded (sole 9.8 copy in existence), multi-thousand dollar, 50+ year old book. The inner well is warped. Not good.

If they continue slabbing books like this, I will not be surprised if this results in legal action, especially if they have notice that they’re causing damage …

Edited by BraveDave
Link to comment
Share on other sites
BraveDave

BraveDave

Posted
Posted (edited)

I’d like to know - is the CGC intending to continue damaging high value books with this defective encapsulation approach? Has it truly been fixed? I have multiple high value books recently submitted… should I have my fees refunded and books shipped back rather than having them potentially damaged through encapsulation (which is intended to protect them)? Is it worth sending my book in-hand back for re-encapsulation if this has not been corrected? 

Edited by BraveDave
Link to comment
Share on other sites
MAY1979

MAY1979

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 7/13/2024 at 8:44 PM, BraveDave said:

I’d like to know - is the CGC intending to continue damaging high value books with this defective encapsulation approach? Has it truly been fixed? I have multiple high value books recently submitted… should I have my fees refunded and books shipped back rather than having them potentially damaged through encapsulation (which is intended to protect them)? Is it worth sending my book in-hand back for re-encapsulation if this has not been corrected? 

At this juncture CGC has not even acknowledged there is an issue. Its going to get much worse 

Edited by MAR1979
Link to comment
Share on other sites
KatComics

KatComics

Posted
Posted
On 7/14/2024 at 10:12 AM, Figment said:

Now THAT'S funny.  It's past time to abandon this place in favor of the superior competition in Dallas.

wasn't that place setup by the same guy who started this place?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
22 22
Go to topic listing