Legitimate Non-Threatening Questions Posed To Matt Nelson

[Red Hook]

Keep counting.....

 

6/28/05

 

"I have always heard that restoration professionals are good at spotting their own work (though even Susan has had some big misses on books that she previously restored that were later found to be restored by CGC),...

 

 

What I am saying Scott...is if you are going to throw out your Sotheby's anecdote, then feel free to expand, ie provide some facts.....like names, dates.....which books, etc. Oh, yeah.....and the date of the misses and the state of restoration detection at the time.

 

Your posts seem to server no purpose other than to give Susan a kick in the pants.

[OldGuy]

How did "boner" get through the filter?

 

It's got more then one meaning?

 

So does [embarrassing lack of self control] and [embarrassing lack of self control], but they don't get through.

 

Well that's helpful.

[drbanner]

No, I'll say it right now. Susan in not infallible.

 

Neither is CGC.

 

Or you.

 

Or anybody else.

 

But it is tiring to see you pull out the belt every time her name comes up. You seem to get off on it.

 

Exactly how many times have I done that in the more than two years I've been here?

 

Let me help you out -- the answer is "twice." Once in March 2006, and then again today.

 

No wonder I missed it, it's barely a footnote in the maelstrom that is the PCS thread. Interesting though, would be curious to know the details (which books), etc.,.

[Red Hook]

Anyway, I am dropping this. Although at this point, as Doc B. says, it would be good to get more of the details, and the timeframe, so people can judge the relevance of your references to Sothebys.

[Shield]

Did Matt Nelson ever respond to this thread? Does he work for Heritage? FFB, I know you don't approve of my asking that, but I'm still going to. Clientele list be damned.

[Red Hook]

Of course he does work for Heritage.

[Davenport]

To whatever degree it influences his passion, his subsequent actions serve to protect EVERYONE's collection against those willing to bend the rules with backdoor grade-bumping techniques w/o disclosing it was done.

 

Again I see this myopic view rear its ugly head. MOST collectors don't care about having uber high grade books and MOST collectors don't own slabs. Therefore MOST collectors don't need protection against pressing. Just because a lot of people on this board are grade crazy doesn't mean their habits are reflexive of the hobby in general. I don't need anyone's "protection" because I am not going to pay 37x guide for a what CGC calls a "9.8". I think people on this board grossly overestimate the importance of this debate and when I read comments like the one above I just shake my head. Only a tiny, tiny fraction of the collecting community need be concerned about this practice.

This really surprises me, so I have to ask...

Do you think mid-grade CGC's aren't being reincarnated a grade or so higher in the press-for-profit game? And do you consider Ebay shoppers "only a tiny, tiny fraction of the collecting community."?

 

Just asking. A hundred dollar CGC mid-grade book that's bumped a couple of grade notches and sells for $200 is, well, 100% profit, right? A double your money quick flip. Do you think crack-n-flip gamers scoff at those in favor of only going after the big-bang 9.8 lotto hits?

[FFB]

Keep counting.....

 

6/28/05

 

"I have always heard that restoration professionals are good at spotting their own work (though even Susan has had some big misses on books that she previously restored that were later found to be restored by CGC),...

 

 

What I am saying Scott...is if you are going to throw out your Sotheby's anecdote, then feel free to expand, ie provide some facts.....like names, dates.....which books, etc. Oh, yeah.....and the date of the misses and the state of restoration detection at the time.

 

Your posts seem to server no purpose other than to give Susan a kick in the pants.

 

Wow, you found a third post from one year ago. Three posts out of almost 14,000. Not exactly a deluge, is it? Maybe you should take a Xanax and relax, unless you think it's normal for three mentions in one year's time to be too much for you to handle.

 

If you want a specific example, there's the Human Torch #1(#2) that Marnin used to own, where Susan supposedly did the work herself and then did not spot restoration during the Sotheby's auction, but CGC did when it got slabbed. Borock mentioned that one specifically. I know there are others, but don't have specifics since I never owned the books. I am sure that if you get on your soapbox and proclaim that it never happened, some people will be happy to point out others. Maybe you could start by asking Zillatoy which books (plural) he was referring to here: Link And here's a reference to Susan's Sotheby's misses by Tim Hui. Link. Guess you should ask him too?

[Shield]

Of course he does work for Heritage.

 

 

But...but...he shouldn't have to answer that! [FFB] this would be a better question for Heritage to answer as Matt certainly has an understandable interest in protecting the identities of his customers [/FFB]

 

I think when a major restoration person works for a large comic book dealer/auction house we should be able to ask questions about it. After all, we're the people buying these books from Heritage, right?

[FFB]

Did Matt Nelson ever respond to this thread? Does he work for Heritage? FFB, I know you don't approve of my asking that, but I'm still going to. Clientele list be damned.

 

Why would I care if you ask that?

[Shield]

Did Matt Nelson ever respond to this thread? Does he work for Heritage? FFB, I know you don't approve of my asking that, but I'm still going to. Clientele list be damned.

 

Why would I care if you ask that?

 

You seemed to take Matt's rights over protecting his client list over our right to know if he's performing work and not disclosing it for Heritage auctions.

 

It just felt like the "lawyer" speak to me, that's all...

[Red Hook]

Did Matt Nelson ever respond to this thread? Does he work for Heritage? FFB, I know you don't approve of my asking that, but I'm still going to. Clientele list be damned.

 

Why would I care if you ask that?

 

Grouchy today.

[october]

To whatever degree it influences his passion, his subsequent actions serve to protect EVERYONE's collection against those willing to bend the rules with backdoor grade-bumping techniques w/o disclosing it was done.

 

Again I see this myopic view rear its ugly head. MOST collectors don't care about having uber high grade books and MOST collectors don't own slabs. Therefore MOST collectors don't need protection against pressing. Just because a lot of people on this board are grade crazy doesn't mean their habits are reflexive of the hobby in general. I don't need anyone's "protection" because I am not going to pay 37x guide for a what CGC calls a "9.8". I think people on this board grossly overestimate the importance of this debate and when I read comments like the one above I just shake my head. Only a tiny, tiny fraction of the collecting community need be concerned about this practice.

This really surprises me, so I have to ask...

Do you think mid-grade CGC's aren't being reincarnated a grade or so higher in the press-for-profit game? And do you consider Ebay shoppers "only a tiny, tiny fraction of the collecting community."?

 

Just asking. A hundred dollar CGC mid-grade book that's bumped a couple of grade notches and sells for $200 is, well, 100% profit, right? A double your money quick flip. Do you think crack-n-flip gamers scoff at those in favor of only going after the big-bang 9.8 lotto hits?

 

Well, your example is pretty faulty and I think it illustrates perfectly why I don't think mid-grade books are being manipulated on any kind of scale for a non high grade buyer to worry about.

 

You have $100 book. You pay $30-40 for the press and shipping. Then you have to get it re-slabbed. What would that run? Another $30? You may have turned a $100 book into a $200 book, but you used $60-70 to do it, not to mention the hassle and time invested. For what? A $30 profit? That scenario just doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

[Aman619]

I smell a boner coming on!!!!

[Aman619]

look out!!!!

[Red Hook]

If you want a specific example, there's the Human Torch #1(#2) that Marnin used to own, where Susan supposedly did the work herself and then did not spot restoration during the Sotheby's auction, but CGC did when it got slabbed. Borock mentioned that one specifically.

 

He did? Where?

 

I like that....."supposedly"....so it's actually anecdotal. That's good stuff to use to belittle someone's reputation.

 

 

I know there are others, but don't have specifics since I never owned the books.

 

 

...but don't let that stop you from presenting it as fact.

 

Okay.....that's pretty lame.

 

 

I am sure that if you get on your soapbox and proclaim that it never happened, some people will be happy to point out others. Maybe you could start by asking Zillatoy which books (plural) he was referring to here:

 

I'm not doing your homework for you. You're the one that's presenting it as gospel.

 

So actually, you have a pretty vague picture of all this, when it comes down to it. Not exactly a reign of missed restoration examples. And this all happened...how long ago?

 

 

[Aman619]

To whatever degree it influences his passion, his subsequent actions serve to protect EVERYONE's collection against those willing to bend the rules with backdoor grade-bumping techniques w/o disclosing it was done.

 

Again I see this myopic view rear its ugly head. MOST collectors don't care about having uber high grade books and MOST collectors don't own slabs. Therefore MOST collectors don't need protection against pressing. Just because a lot of people on this board are grade crazy doesn't mean their habits are reflexive of the hobby in general. I don't need anyone's "protection" because I am not going to pay 37x guide for a what CGC calls a "9.8". I think people on this board grossly overestimate the importance of this debate and when I read comments like the one above I just shake my head. Only a tiny, tiny fraction of the collecting community need be concerned about this practice.

This really surprises me, so I have to ask...

Do you think mid-grade CGC's aren't being reincarnated a grade or so higher in the press-for-profit game? And do you consider Ebay shoppers "only a tiny, tiny fraction of the collecting community."?

 

Just asking. A hundred dollar CGC mid-grade book that's bumped a couple of grade notches and sells for $200 is, well, 100% profit, right? A double your money quick flip. Do you think crack-n-flip gamers scoff at those in favor of only going after the big-bang 9.8 lotto hits?

 

Well, your example is pretty faulty and I think it illustrates perfectly why I don't think mid-grade books are being manipulated on any kind of scale for a non high grade buyer to worry about.

 

You have $100 book. You pay $30-40 for the press and shipping. Then you have to get it re-slabbed. What would that run? Another $30? You may have turned a $100 book into a $200 book, but you used $60-70 to do it, not to mention the hassle and time invested. For what? A $30 profit? That scenario just doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

 

but you are forgetting that in the $100 collectors arena, a $100 bump IS a big deal. SUppose I told you that many of your $200 paid books are really $100 pre-pressing. Are you really uninterested because the total dollar amount is less than when it happens to a $1000 book?

[blazingbob]

Wear a condom, I don't know where that boner's been

[october]

Well, your example is pretty faulty and I think it illustrates perfectly why I don't think mid-grade books are being manipulated on any kind of scale for a non high grade buyer to worry about.

 

You have $100 book. You pay $30-40 for the press and shipping. Then you have to get it re-slabbed. What would that run? Another $30? You may have turned a $100 book into a $200 book, but you used $60-70 to do it, not to mention the hassle and time invested. For what? A $30 profit? That scenario just doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

 

but you are forgetting that in the $100 collectors arena, a $100 bump IS a big deal. SUppose I told you that many of your $200 paid books are really $100 pre-pressing. Are you really uninterested because the total dollar amount is less than when it happens to a $1000 book?

 

I am not "forgetting" anything because what you just said has nothing to do with the post you quoted. It was about it not being worthwhile to spend $70 to add $100 of "value" to a book. According to the anti-pressers, it's all about economics, remember? The economics don't make sense unless the time and effort end in a payout that isn't marginal.

 

To answer your non-sequitur though, no, I wouldn't care if the book I paid $200 for was pressed up from a $100 copy.

[Shield]

Wear a condom, I don't know where that boner's been

 

I have a feeling this isn't the first time you've said this, or heard this, from your life partner....