Collector Society Certification Lookup

[sterlingcomics]

For those of you on Collector Society, obviously one of the (only) draws for one to spend the $99 other than the three semi-Express submissions is for the certification lookup.

 

Earlier this week a change was made such that you have to supply TWO ADDITIONAL pieces of information other than the unique certification number (which should suffice) in order to get label information. In fact, you have to supply both the issue number and the grade of the book....

 

Doesn't this seem regressive in terms of value to a CS member? I can only think of a couple of things why they did this:

 

• To eliminate those "phishing" out invoice numbers to find out books that were certified. I personally don't see this is an issue, maybe they do (aka Ewert lookup).
   
  
• They plan on introducing additional information other than what's on the label (like grader's notes) and they wanted the additional security. As of now, it's not there.

Well, all I can say is that I'm not too happy with these changes...especially in the way that they are being implemented without communication. By placing barriers to information without adding value I have serious reservations about renewing next year.

 

I'd like some feedback from CGC for these changes.

[Red Hook]

It's obvious to me what they're trying to do.

 

And it's very disappointing.

 

CGC continues to think a "batten down the hatches" approach is the way to go.

 

This pisses me off.

 

Red

[Red Hook]

Can we get some info from CGC about their decision to institute what I consider a very bad, anti-informational, anti-collector change?

 

 

Steve?

 

Mark?

 

Anyone?

[PedigreeMan]

 

You'd swear the comic industry was the frickin' CIA the way so many people involved in it are clamping down on information.

 

Well, I have news for those who want to keep data on this hobby locked up: It won't work. Everything comes out in the end, especially when you're dealing with as many people with OCD as there are in this hobby. The info is out there and will be eventually collated. Count on it.

 

All a move like this does is make those in charge look 100x more paranoid than even those of us in the tinfoil hat club. It also makes those of us in said club ask, "What info are they so afraid of?"

[Timulty]

Perhaps they have or will have a duplication of ID issue, due to resubs? Though, to me, if this were the case I would want to see a listing of all books that were assigned a particular ID #.

[PedigreeMan]

Perhaps they have or will have a duplication of ID issue, due to resubs? Though, to me, if this were the case I would want to see a listing of all books that were assigned a particular ID #.

 

No, cert numbers come from the numbers on the printed invoices. Each should be unique.

[nik]

• [*]To eliminate those "phishing" out invoice numbers to find out books that were certified. I personally don't see this is an issue, maybe they do (aka Ewert lookup).

 

 

I can understand this reason, as I believe its no ones business to check on what other books graded out at from someones subs.

 

If you are interested in a book and want to match it up with the cert. # thats one thing, but to pry and see what elese was submitted and the grades they received should be personal if you are not interested in buying.

[Wally's Comics]

This pisses me off.

 

watch out Red, the banning police are around...

 

I can smell 'em.

 

 

[Red Hook]

• [*]To eliminate those "phishing" out invoice numbers to find out books that were certified. I personally don't see this is an issue, maybe they do (aka Ewert lookup).

 

 

I can understand this reason, as I believe its no ones business to check on what other books graded out at from someones subs.

 

If you are interested in a book and want to match it up with the cert. # thats one thing, but to pry and see what elese was submitted and the grades they received should be personal if you are not interested in buying.

 

 

It was this tool that gave the board leverage to force the Ewert issue. I don't consider that prying. I have never heard one person complain on these boards about this feature. Have you?

[nik]

I understand that, but not every collector is JE. The boys in Florida should be capable of policing whats going on with submissions.

 

Lets say that your average collector sends books in to be slabbed, now you can check to see what his books graded out at, now how exactly is this anyone else's business

[Red Hook]

Lets say that your average collector sends books in to be slabbed, now you can check to see what his books graded out at, now how exactly is this anyone else's business

 

I would say to you that I don't think the average collector is having their submissions pawed through on the internet. The benefits of keeping the information accessible far outweight any drawbacks in my opinion.

 

Has anyone been approached by strangers who have targeted their books using this method? Is this a real problem?

 

CGC is just making sure that one more avenue of disclosure is shut down. They don't want a repeat of the Ewert outing to take place.

 

Taken in the wider context of what has been going on in the hobby, I think of this as less of a right-to-privacy issue than it is a license-to-scam issue.

 

Red

[drbanner]

• [*]To eliminate those "phishing" out invoice numbers to find out books that were certified. I personally don't see this is an issue, maybe they do (aka Ewert lookup).

 

I can understand this reason, as I believe its no ones business to check on what other books graded out at from someones subs.

 

If you are interested in a book and want to match it up with the cert. # thats one thing, but to pry and see what elese was submitted and the grades they received should be personal if you are not interested in buying.

 

It was this tool that gave the board leverage to force the Ewert issue. I don't consider that prying. I have never heard one person complain on these boards about this feature. Have you?

 

Nikos has a real and valid point. As a buyer/collector, I want all the information out there and have used this "loophole" to look up many invoices. As a seller/submitter, it's nobody's business but mine what other books I submitted, what books I own, who purchased my books, etc.,. I imagine such snooping/prying has kept people from using the registry...and has resulted in some registry sets being removed by their owners ( ).

[Red Hook]

Here's another interesting thing......

 

Under this new system, you can no longer verify that a book has had it's label sent back to CGC.

 

When a book is taken out of the census, it receives a 0.0 grade.

 

Do you see a 0.0 option on the drop down menu to verify certification?

 

When I originally looked up the certification number of the 9.2 Superman Annual #7 that turned into a 9.6..... I got it's page, showing the grade as 0.0. So I knew it was removed from the census.

 

Under the new system, there is no way I can access the page for a book whose label was turned in. Making it easier to launder a resub.

 

Red

[sterlingcomics]

Good points all...I see both sides of the issue. Personally I have nothing to hide so I don't care if someone can see what I submit--heck I show my wares here anyway! (I do understand that I'm not a "pure" dealer). It does make the cert lookup basically useless now, because if I know both the grade and issue number, I probably already have all of the information that the current online lookup can give me now (since its obvious I need label information). So, what's the point?

 

So, why have it? I say remove it altogether unless they are willing to give me something not on the label (ie graders notes). Take away the only feature that is sold as a value to collectors.

 

Red's comments is also spot on about finding out if a book is recertified--it becomes harder to ascertain.

 

Again, I understand some of the whys, but it takes more control from the collector and places it back with the submitter. What makes me more upset is the fact that they have been talking about all of these great "collector" features like grader's notes for a LONG WHILE, but they instead use their resources for this? Ugh.

[Red Hook]

The only use of the lookup now is to make sure the the scan you are seeing is of a real certified book.

 

That's it. They've basically neutered the feature.

 

Amazing waste of a huge resource.

 

I wonder if you can still call up and get graders notes by just supplying the certification number? Gotta' give that a try soon.

 

Red

[sterlingcomics]

I imagine such snooping/prying has kept people from using the registry...and has resulted in some registry sets being removed by their owners ( ).

 

Do you have first hand knowledge of this, or is this conjecture on your part? In my opinon most people aren't using registry sets because you are basically advertising your books for others to solicit to you--either from a buying or selling standpoint. I've only received two communications--one buy and one sell. Not a hassle from where I sit.

 

Then again, maybe I just collect crappy books

[sterlingcomics]

Amazing waste of a huge resource.

 

Yeah, CGC has a great system...now under lock and key. Now PGX's laughable spreadsheet looks better than this...unfortunately. I love ya CGC...but I just don't agree with this change. Thanks for letting me voice my opinion.

[Wally's Comics]

Hey, they're just trying to make this place more Ewert friendly.

 

 

What's the big deal?

 

 

[drbanner]

I imagine such snooping/prying has kept people from using the registry...and has resulted in some registry sets being removed by their owners ( ).

 

Do you have first hand knowledge of this, or is this conjecture on your part? In my opinon most people aren't using registry sets because you are basically advertising your books for others to solicit to you--either from a buying or selling standpoint. I've only received two communications--one buy and one sell. Not a hassle from where I sit.

 

Conjecture...I personally don't like people being able to see what I've submitted as my business is only my business, but I sure like to see what everyone else submitted! It's a two-edged sword, and if you're looking at it only from the perspective of the buyer, of course you want to be able to snoop/pry and look at the whole of everyone else's submittals.

 

I believe you may be right in that they are gearing up to offer grader's notes on-line. Steve told me a year ago that they would be implementing on-line grader's notes "this summer (which would have been the summer of ''05)", but last I heard they were still working out the kinks.

[sterlingcomics]

Hey, they're just trying to make this place more Ewert friendly.

 

 

What's the big deal?