Request for opinions about CGC grade received and what to do about grader notes that do not at all match my comic book graded... 0

[Coin_Collector]

Good evening, folks. I'm hoping to avail myself of the knowledge and experience of some of the collecting community here (especially from those who have submitted to CGC previously). I very recently received the grade for the last part of my first CGC comic book submission. The comic book in question is for CGC Certificate number (4428445001). With the caveat that I know that many comic book submitters probably 'wishfully' believe that their comic books should have gotten higher grades (and so I will understand if many experienced posters here are rolling their eyes at my story), I am puzzled by the grade my comic book received (and no less troublingly, the fact that the grader notes provided by CGC do not correspond at all to my comic book graded:( I have only been learning comic book grading for a little over one year, but I really thought that by examining a fair number of CGC graded examples that I've been getting a good feel for what a 7.0 and 8.0 look like (the two grades that most interest me for collecting). When I saw the grade of 6.5 posted for my comic book today, I was shocked. I know that my book has a so-called 'blunted lower spine' and two tics on the spine, but there were not any creases, not even very small ones around the corners of the comic book, etc. The grader notes of 'multiple crease left bottom of back cover' puzzles me. I thought that my comic book must have been damaged (creased during CGC intake/processing), but alas, when I look at the photos of my comic book (I bought this feature for grading), I do not see any sign of any creasing at all, including in the area where the grader notes reference (which is exactly how I remembered the condition of the book when I submitted it to CGC). So in summary, after I receive the comic book back from CGC on this coming Tuesday (and I have verified that there are not somehow multiple hidden creases that just can't be seen in the photos unless the slab is tilted), what recourse do I have to get this rectified? First I should ask: do experienced posters here agree with my amateur opinion that the comic book is under-graded and also that the grader notes don't at all correspond to my comic book? I don't know if this was maybe a data entry error/ data storage error (and the grade and/or grader notes are both incorrect)? Thanks for advising here. I hope that I am not just inexperienced at grading and seeing my comic book through the proverbial rose-tinted glasses:( It's disappointing that I got a fairly low grade (but I leave open the possibility that my grading is just not skilled enough); but that said, even if the grade of 6.5 is actually accurate, I really feel that CGC should have provided me the correct grader notes (documenting the correct/actual errors on my comic book). Has anyone else ever experienced something similar? And did you get any relief from CGC?

[Coin_Collector]

Apologies, because I very unhelpfully did not include a link to photos of the actual CGC comic book about which I wrote of in my original post. Here it is: https://www.cgccomics.com/certlookup/4428445001/

If anyone wishes to opine, I would be grateful for your insights. 

[Artboy99]

hard to tell what they may be referring to in those scans due to the white of the cover hiding possible creases.

Have pictures of the book before you sent them in?

[Coin_Collector]

Thanks for taking the time to reply and explain. No, I see now that it was a real rookie mistake by me (at least I've learned a tough and valuable lesson here that should have been common sense to me beforehand). Next time I submit comics, I will take photos of my raw books (from multiple angles), too. Again, thanks for pointing out that the creases are probably there but just not visible in the photos. I'm kicking myself for not noticing them before I sent the book in for grading. I should have realized there was probably a logical explanation. When I have the actual slab in hand, I will try tilting it and the creases will probably be there. Thanks again. This is a good community to get help from others...

[RussJ1s]

On the back cover you can see a crease across from the feet of Thor. They don't always list everything in the notes. I can see a stain just above that crease and multiple stains across the top of the back page. On the front cover I can see a stain just under the D in Die. 

[Coin_Collector]

Russ, with your having pointed them out, I think I actually see each of these defects now. When I have the slab in hand, I'm sure they will probably stand out even more. Thanks for explaining that grader notes don't necessarily include every problem with the comic book. Looks like I need to examine the comics I buy more carefully.   

         

          

             

[shadroch]

I find the difference between 6.0 to 7.5 to be quite subjective.  

[Qalyar]

On 6/8/2024 at 7:44 PM, shadroch said:

I find the difference between 6.0 to 7.5 to be quite subjective.  

Agreed. I think that grade range is almost harder to consistently judge than the infamous 9.6/9.8 split.

[Msgarmar]

I don’t have too much to say about the grade (I’m a terrible grader in the 6.0-8.0 range)…but unfortunately it looks like you’re getting a cracked case back - the bottom left corner of the back of the slab is cracked and running upward. You’ll need to send it back for a reholder. 

[Msgarmar]

On 6/11/2024 at 5:38 AM, Msgarmar said:

I don’t have too much to say about the grade (I’m a terrible grader in the 6.0-8.0 range)…but unfortunately it looks like you’re getting a cracked case back - the bottom left corner of the back of the slab is cracked and running upward. You’ll need to send it back for a reholder. 

 

[thehumantorch]

On 6/8/2024 at 8:21 AM, Coin_Collector said:

Thanks for taking the time to reply and explain. No, I see now that it was a real rookie mistake by me (at least I've learned a tough and valuable lesson here that should have been common sense to me beforehand). Next time I submit comics, I will take photos of my raw books (from multiple angles), too. Again, thanks for pointing out that the creases are probably there but just not visible in the photos. I'm kicking myself for not noticing them before I sent the book in for grading. I should have realized there was probably a logical explanation. When I have the actual slab in hand, I will try tilting it and the creases will probably be there. Thanks again. This is a good community to get help from others...

Welcome to the boards.  My best suggestion is always examine a book under a strong light and tilt it back and forth.  Also picking a magnifying device is a good idea

[Coin_Collector]

On 6/11/2024 at 5:39 AM, Msgarmar said:

 

Thanks for letting me know about the cracked slab. Dumb question: I am holding the slab in hand and having a hard time seeing exactly where the crack is located? If I send this photo to CGC Customer Service, will they definitely be able to see it (so that I can get a replacement slab)? Many thanks for advising me on this (I am completely new to this process).

[Msgarmar]

Is it possible that what I saw was just a reflection of the inner well? Here are two books I recently had graded and the corner of the slabs don’t look like the one you got. But if you don’t see a crack in hand that’s a good thing! Can you post some close up pics of that corner? 
 

[Coin_Collector]

Thanks for your reply. I don't know if any of these three pictures help? (I have a hard time getting my camera phone to focus when I get extremely close to the slab corner). When I look at the corner of the slab with my naked eye and using my 5X coin loupe, it doesn't look like there is a crack. What do you think, though? Many thanks for the welcomes to the forum, too, folks!

[Msgarmar]

Nope IMO you’re all good! My mistake I thought that was a crack but it’s just the inner well/sleeve. Sorry for causing you any extra stress!!

[Coin_Collector]

On 6/13/2024 at 1:21 PM, Msgarmar said:

Nope IMO you’re all good! My mistake I thought that was a crack but it’s just the inner well/sleeve. Sorry for causing you any extra stress!!

No worries at all! (truthfully better to be safe than sorry). Thanks for pointing out to me the importance of closely examining comic book slabs I receive for defects. This is a great helpful forum:) 

[Lost]

I arrived late...there is a huge dog ear on lower back cover that barely breaks color from thors feet to columbi.

Edited July 1 by Lost

[Paul Kosnik]

For what it's worth, i think 6.5 is close enough i would not argue.  There is a rather large color-breaking crease that is faint but visible in the images of the back cover...it passes through the "P" in "Coupons" in the bottom of the book.  Coupled with the blunted bottom left corner and any other defects that are not visible in flat light, 6.5 is not something i would argue with for this book, even i think it could have been a 7.0 with those defects.