CGC Blue Label Notes

[de-mented-migration]

Hi,

This has probably been discussed somewhere else (sorry -I am new here) but I was hoping to get some opinions on an issue that I am often faced with. That is, when CGC puts notes on their blue label books like "small color touch" or "glue on spine", what effect do you think it has on the book's value? I am talking about scarce Golden Age books and obviously the restoration (if you can call it that) is very, very minor or it would be in a purple label. For example, The Superman 1 Mile High is a VF 8.0 (blue label) but notes say small color touch. Do you guys care? Doesn't it hurt the value? Thanks, ER

[Comicdey]

Yes, I think it would efffect the value of the book.

 

I wouldn't buy it at the same price as a unrestored book. But I also wouldn't penalize it as a "restored book".

 

There's such a wide variance in price depending on type and extent of restoration.

 

If it's a book that doesn't come around much, I'd be happy to have it either way.

[jimjum12]

Hi,

This has probably been discussed somewhere else (sorry -I am new here) but I was hoping to get some opinions on an issue that I am often faced with. That is, when CGC puts notes on their blue label books like "small color touch" or "glue on spine", what effect do you think it has on the book's value? I am talking about scarce Golden Age books and obviously the restoration (if you can call it that) is very, very minor or it would be in a purple label. For example, The Superman 1 Mile High is a VF 8.0 (blue label) but notes say small color touch. Do you guys care? Doesn't it hurt the value? Thanks, ER

 

I am in an income brackett that forces me to consider resale potential on most of my purchases and I just watched a book go by that I would have loved to own but was a tad too high.It was the Nicholas Cage copy of Adventure Comics # 75 in 9.0 blue label with a small amount of glue on the spine.I've wanted a copy most of my collecting life and still wonder if I might should have been less of a tight@ss and just sold a few books and gotten it.That book is a prime example of a comic that you need to make a move on because it won't likely turn up again any time soon.That's a good question you ask.How horrible is a small colour touch or amount of glue really going to be?GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

 

p.s. The small amount of glue caused me to pass on a grail book but SHOULD it have?

[FFB]

Hi,

This has probably been discussed somewhere else (sorry -I am new here) but I was hoping to get some opinions on an issue that I am often faced with. That is, when CGC puts notes on their blue label books like "small color touch" or "glue on spine", what effect do you think it has on the book's value? I am talking about scarce Golden Age books and obviously the restoration (if you can call it that) is very, very minor or it would be in a purple label. For example, The Superman 1 Mile High is a VF 8.0 (blue label) but notes say small color touch. Do you guys care? Doesn't it hurt the value? Thanks, ER

 

A lot of the time you're talking about Edgar Church pedigree books with a dot of glue and/or a dot of color touch that wind up in blue label slabs because the dot of glue and/or dot of color touch would not have impacted the actual "pre-glue" or "pre-dot-of-color-touch" grade of the book significantly, if at all. Often, that book was already the best copy in existence before the dot of CT or glue. In that case, I look at the glue or dot of CT the same way I would a handwritten distributor code or some such. While, in a perfect world, I'd prefer it not be there, its presence doesn't take away from the fact that the book was already the best existing copy before someone unnecessarily used a dot of glue to close up a bindery tear that is usually still visible anyway, or to cover up a tiny spine stress or corner abrasion that is still visible anyway.

 

Using a specific example -- let's say that the Dentist offered the Edgar Church copy of Action Comics #1 for sale tomorrow. Let's also say that I could afford to buy it. Let's also say that as he puts it up for sale, he takes a dab of glue and puts it on a tiny, 1/32 inch bindery tear (that you could barely see in the first place) to hold it down. Is the book now less valuable? Not to me. It was the best existing copy of Action Comics #1 before he added the tiny dab of glue, and it still is. It just has a tiny dab of glue now.

 

If you're talking about the best copy in existence of a rare book, a tiny amount of glue or CT wouldn't affect the amount of money I'd pay.

 

I am sure not everyone feels this way, but I would think that most people would pay more attention to the fact that it's the Church copy of Action Comics #1 than to the fact that someone put an unnecessary dab of glue there (whether now or 25 years ago).

[Comicdey]

Hi,

This has probably been discussed somewhere else (sorry -I am new here) but I was hoping to get some opinions on an issue that I am often faced with. That is, when CGC puts notes on their blue label books like "small color touch" or "glue on spine", what effect do you think it has on the book's value? I am talking about scarce Golden Age books and obviously the restoration (if you can call it that) is very, very minor or it would be in a purple label. For example, The Superman 1 Mile High is a VF 8.0 (blue label) but notes say small color touch. Do you guys care? Doesn't it hurt the value? Thanks, ER

 

A lot of the time you're talking about Edgar Church pedigree books with a dot of glue and/or a dot of color touch that wind up in blue label slabs because the dot of glue and/or dot of color touch would not have impacted the actual "pre-glue" or "pre-dot-of-color-touch" grade of the book significantly, if at all. Often, that book was already the best copy in existence before the dot of CT or glue. In that case, I look at the glue or dot of CT the same way I would a handwritten distributor code or some such. While, in a perfect world, I'd prefer it not be there, its presence doesn't take away from the fact that the book was already the best existing copy before someone unnecessarily used a dot of glue to close up a bindery tear that is usually still visible anyway, or to cover up a tiny spine stress or corner abrasion that is still visible anyway.

 

Using a specific example -- let's say that the Dentist offered the Edgar Church copy of Action Comics #1 for sale tomorrow. Let's also say that I could afford to buy it. Let's also say that as he puts it up for sale, he takes a dab of glue and puts it on a tiny, 1/32 inch bindery tear (that you could barely see in the first place) to hold it down. Is the book now less valuable? Not to me. It was the best existing copy of Action Comics #1 before he added the tiny dab of glue, and it still is. It just has a tiny dab of glue now.

 

If you're talking about the best copy in existence of a rare book, a tiny amount of glue or CT wouldn't affect the amount of money I'd pay.

 

I am sure not everyone feels this way, but I would think that most people would pay more attention to the fact that it's the Church copy of Action Comics #1 than to the fact that someone put an unnecessary dab of glue there (whether now or 25 years ago).

 

 

With that being said....and I agree...I pose the following question.

 

If there were two Edward Church Grail Books of "Equal" importance to you and "Equal" relative value and condition....would you buy the one with the glue and color touch, or the one that had been left alone?

 

For example a nice key More Fun or a nice key All American issue and assuming you could buy "only one".

 

All things being equal....you'd have to choose the virgin copy.

[FFB]

Hi,

This has probably been discussed somewhere else (sorry -I am new here) but I was hoping to get some opinions on an issue that I am often faced with. That is, when CGC puts notes on their blue label books like "small color touch" or "glue on spine", what effect do you think it has on the book's value? I am talking about scarce Golden Age books and obviously the restoration (if you can call it that) is very, very minor or it would be in a purple label. For example, The Superman 1 Mile High is a VF 8.0 (blue label) but notes say small color touch. Do you guys care? Doesn't it hurt the value? Thanks, ER

 

A lot of the time you're talking about Edgar Church pedigree books with a dot of glue and/or a dot of color touch that wind up in blue label slabs because the dot of glue and/or dot of color touch would not have impacted the actual "pre-glue" or "pre-dot-of-color-touch" grade of the book significantly, if at all. Often, that book was already the best copy in existence before the dot of CT or glue. In that case, I look at the glue or dot of CT the same way I would a handwritten distributor code or some such. While, in a perfect world, I'd prefer it not be there, its presence doesn't take away from the fact that the book was already the best existing copy before someone unnecessarily used a dot of glue to close up a bindery tear that is usually still visible anyway, or to cover up a tiny spine stress or corner abrasion that is still visible anyway.

 

Using a specific example -- let's say that the Dentist offered the Edgar Church copy of Action Comics #1 for sale tomorrow. Let's also say that I could afford to buy it. Let's also say that as he puts it up for sale, he takes a dab of glue and puts it on a tiny, 1/32 inch bindery tear (that you could barely see in the first place) to hold it down. Is the book now less valuable? Not to me. It was the best existing copy of Action Comics #1 before he added the tiny dab of glue, and it still is. It just has a tiny dab of glue now.

 

If you're talking about the best copy in existence of a rare book, a tiny amount of glue or CT wouldn't affect the amount of money I'd pay.

 

I am sure not everyone feels this way, but I would think that most people would pay more attention to the fact that it's the Church copy of Action Comics #1 than to the fact that someone put an unnecessary dab of glue there (whether now or 25 years ago).

 

 

With that being said....and I agree...I pose the following question.

 

If there were two Edward Church Grail Books of "Equal" importance to you and "Equal" relative value and condition....would you buy the one with the glue and color touch, or the one that had been left alone?

 

For example a nice key More Fun or a nice key All American issue and assuming you could buy "only one".

 

All things being equal....you'd have to choose the virgin copy.

 

Were they both in the same grade before the glue was added? Because if they were, it would be a toss-up.

[comicdonna]

Hi,

This has probably been discussed somewhere else (sorry -I am new here) but I was hoping to get some opinions on an issue that I am often faced with. That is, when CGC puts notes on their blue label books like "small color touch" or "glue on spine", what effect do you think it has on the book's value? I am talking about scarce Golden Age books and obviously the restoration (if you can call it that) is very, very minor or it would be in a purple label. For example, The Superman 1 Mile High is a VF 8.0 (blue label) but notes say small color touch. Do you guys care? Doesn't it hurt the value? Thanks, ER

 

A lot of the time you're talking about Edgar Church pedigree books with a dot of glue and/or a dot of color touch that wind up in blue label slabs because the dot of glue and/or dot of color touch would not have impacted the actual "pre-glue" or "pre-dot-of-color-touch" grade of the book significantly, if at all. Often, that book was already the best copy in existence before the dot of CT or glue. In that case, I look at the glue or dot of CT the same way I would a handwritten distributor code or some such. While, in a perfect world, I'd prefer it not be there, its presence doesn't take away from the fact that the book was already the best existing copy before someone unnecessarily used a dot of glue to close up a bindery tear that is usually still visible anyway, or to cover up a tiny spine stress or corner abrasion that is still visible anyway.

 

Using a specific example -- let's say that the Dentist offered the Edgar Church copy of Action Comics #1 for sale tomorrow. Let's also say that I could afford to buy it. Let's also say that as he puts it up for sale, he takes a dab of glue and puts it on a tiny, 1/32 inch bindery tear (that you could barely see in the first place) to hold it down. Is the book now less valuable? Not to me. It was the best existing copy of Action Comics #1 before he added the tiny dab of glue, and it still is. It just has a tiny dab of glue now.

 

If you're talking about the best copy in existence of a rare book, a tiny amount of glue or CT wouldn't affect the amount of money I'd pay.

 

I am sure not everyone feels this way, but I would think that most people would pay more attention to the fact that it's the Church copy of Action Comics #1 than to the fact that someone put an unnecessary dab of glue there (whether now or 25 years ago).

I understand what you are saying Scott but, I believe that if the glue was used to seal a tear, it should not be in a blue label. as you may remember, I had two books that both had glue on them. The first was a blue label Action Comics #29 4.0 with a small amount of dried glue on the cover. I sold the book for $615 last year. The glue didn't seem to affect the sale. The second book was Action Comics #27 6.5 purple label Slight A with a small amount of glue on the spine. It was a great looking book, and only sold for $555 leaving me with a big loss. I personally would not mind having a tiny amount of glue on a book, as long as it was not used to restore the book. As far as color touch, no matter how slight, the book should not recieve a blue label.

 

Mike

[Comicdey]

Really....

 

I think I'd prefer the one without the glue....all things being equal.

 

Of course when it comes to Golden Age Church Books, they all stand on their own merits and unless it's the identical issue and title, there will always be a favorite.

 

 

 

I always assumed it was CGC's way of giving the wink and a nod to the high grade collector who happend to have the Church Book that has been "touched" without penalizing them in value with the PLOD.

 

I've got a Zoot 14 CGC 9.0 with tiny amount of glue on the spine (PLOD), but not a pedigree. I cannot for the life of me see it, but I'm sure it's there, so when does it become too much for a blue lable. Or does it need the pedigree status to keep "blue". Are there many non-pedigree books in blue lables with minor spot of color or glue? Or are the majority of them pedigree books?

[action1kid]

Really instead of going by opinion I would go by the results.

THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES OF KEY GOLDEN AGE BOOKS SELLING AT STEEP DISCOUNTS WITH SLIGHT COLOR TOUCH OR GLUE.

I can start with a real biggie[Adventure 40] Mile high copy]

Adventure 61 Mile high.

The slightly restored 9.4 Marvel #1.

There was a Tec 27[6.0] on Heritage not to long ago that had slight work.

All were tomohawked in value by slight work,and those are just of the top of my head.

 

Now there are books that did well with slight work

Mile High more Fun 52...150k

All star 3 Mile high....126k

However if they were totally unrestored they would have still gotten much more.

 

What im saying is that I would not pay an Unrestored price for a book with slight color touch[even pedigree]There should be a discount to totally unrestored value or it does not move.

[FFB]

Really instead of going by opinion I would go by the results.

THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES OF KEY GOLDEN AGE BOOKS SELLING AT STEEP DISCOUNTS WITH SLIGHT COLOR TOUCH OR GLUE.

I can start with a real biggie[Adventure 40] Mile high copy]

Adventure 61 Mile high.

The slightly restored 9.4 Marvel #1.

There was a Tec 27[6.0] on Heritage not to long ago that had slight work.

All were tomohawked in value by slight work,and those are just of the top of my head.

 

Now there are books that did well with slight work

Mile High more Fun 52...150k

All star 3 Mile high....126k

However if they were totally unrestored they would have still gotten much more.

 

What im saying is that I would not pay an Unrestored price for a book with slight color touch[even pedigree]There should be a discount to totally unrestored value or it does not move.

 

Those books that sold for more did so because they were in blue label slabs. It was the purple label that killed the value of the others, not the slight restoration. You and I have had this discussion before. As for whether the blue label books would have gone for more, there is no way to say one way or the other.

[tth2]

Edward Church

Edgar

[FFB]

Hi,

This has probably been discussed somewhere else (sorry -I am new here) but I was hoping to get some opinions on an issue that I am often faced with. That is, when CGC puts notes on their blue label books like "small color touch" or "glue on spine", what effect do you think it has on the book's value? I am talking about scarce Golden Age books and obviously the restoration (if you can call it that) is very, very minor or it would be in a purple label. For example, The Superman 1 Mile High is a VF 8.0 (blue label) but notes say small color touch. Do you guys care? Doesn't it hurt the value? Thanks, ER

 

A lot of the time you're talking about Edgar Church pedigree books with a dot of glue and/or a dot of color touch that wind up in blue label slabs because the dot of glue and/or dot of color touch would not have impacted the actual "pre-glue" or "pre-dot-of-color-touch" grade of the book significantly, if at all. Often, that book was already the best copy in existence before the dot of CT or glue. In that case, I look at the glue or dot of CT the same way I would a handwritten distributor code or some such. While, in a perfect world, I'd prefer it not be there, its presence doesn't take away from the fact that the book was already the best existing copy before someone unnecessarily used a dot of glue to close up a bindery tear that is usually still visible anyway, or to cover up a tiny spine stress or corner abrasion that is still visible anyway.

 

Using a specific example -- let's say that the Dentist offered the Edgar Church copy of Action Comics #1 for sale tomorrow. Let's also say that I could afford to buy it. Let's also say that as he puts it up for sale, he takes a dab of glue and puts it on a tiny, 1/32 inch bindery tear (that you could barely see in the first place) to hold it down. Is the book now less valuable? Not to me. It was the best existing copy of Action Comics #1 before he added the tiny dab of glue, and it still is. It just has a tiny dab of glue now.

 

If you're talking about the best copy in existence of a rare book, a tiny amount of glue or CT wouldn't affect the amount of money I'd pay.

 

I am sure not everyone feels this way, but I would think that most people would pay more attention to the fact that it's the Church copy of Action Comics #1 than to the fact that someone put an unnecessary dab of glue there (whether now or 25 years ago).

I understand what you are saying Scott but, I believe that if the glue was used to seal a tear, it should not be in a blue label. as you may remember, I had two books that both had glue on them. The first was a blue label Action Comics #29 4.0 with a small amount of dried glue on the cover. I sold the book for $615 last year. The glue didn't seem to affect the sale. The second book was Action Comics #27 6.5 purple label Slight A with a small amount of glue on the spine. It was a great looking book, and only sold for $555 leaving me with a big loss. I personally would not mind having a tiny amount of glue on a book, as long as it was not used to restore the book. As far as color touch, no matter how slight, the book should not recieve a blue label.

 

Mike

 

I'll begin by stating that I don't understand your post. Why would glue be on a book in the first place if not to hold shut a tear?

 

Personally, I don't think the purple label should exist. I think that books should all have the same color label -- and that restored books should be clearly marked as such, with all restoration being noted on the label in an inconspicuous manner.

 

Let's say you have an expensive book, say a FN copy of Detective #27 unrestored with several spine stresses, and in a moment of drunken revelry you make a 1/16th inch ink pen dot on two of the spine stresses. Should that book now sell for 1/2 the price? No, but it will. Because it'll be in a purple label holder.

 

Now assume you've got the same book, a FN copy of Detective #27, and instead of putting a tiny ink pen dot on one of the spine stresses, you write the number "27" on the cover. What happens to the value of the book? Virtually nothing, because it's in a blue label holder and will probably sport the same grade.

 

Someone explain the logic behind this to me.

 

I will bet you money that if CGC had it to do all over again, there would not be a separate color label for restored books. There would be one color label for both restored and unrestored, and that restored books would have the restoration noted conspicuously on the label with a grade such as 9.0R for a VF/NM 9.0 restored book, with a separate restoration score along the lines of what Matt Nelson suggests in his article in the Overstreet grading guide. Slight (P), Extensive (A), etc. are too ambiguous.

[FFB]

Really....

 

I think I'd prefer the one without the glue....all things being equal.

 

Of course when it comes to Golden Age Church Books, they all stand on their own merits and unless it's the identical issue and title, there will always be a favorite.

 

 

 

I always assumed it was CGC's way of giving the wink and a nod to the high grade collector who happend to have the Church Book that has been "touched" without penalizing them in value with the PLOD.

 

I've got a Zoot 14 CGC 9.0 with tiny amount of glue on the spine (PLOD), but not a pedigree. I cannot for the life of me see it, but I'm sure it's there, so when does it become too much for a blue lable. Or does it need the pedigree status to keep "blue". Are there many non-pedigree books in blue lables with minor spot of color or glue? Or are the majority of them pedigree books?

 

A lot of the Church books that a certain former owner owned are in blue label slabs with very minor glue or very minor color touch because a lot of them were subjected to that unnecessary "restoration" long ago. Adding glue and CT to a near-flawless book was a short-sighted decision that most high grade book owners did not make with their own books. So yes, there are proportionally more Church books with CT or glue that are in blue label slabs. But that's because most books that are subjected to CT or glue need a lot more "makeup" than your typical Church book did, and they got it.

[tth2]

If you have an expensive book, say a FN copy of Detective #27 unrestored with several spine stresses, and in a moment of drunken revelry you make a 1/16th inch ink pen dot on two of the spine stresses. Should that book now sell for 1/2 the price? No, but it will. Because it'll be in a purple label holder.

 

Now assume you've got the same book, a FN copy of Detective #27, and instead of putting a tiny ink pen dot on one of the spine stresses, you write the number "27" on the cover. What happens to the value of the book? Virtually nothing, because it's in a blue label holder and will probably sport the same grade.

 

Someone explain the logic behind this to me.

Ooh, ooh, I'll play!

 

The difference is that in the first example, the dots were added with the intention of making the book look better than it really was. We grade books on the basis of structural defects, such as spine stresses, and attribute values to books based on the absence of such structural defects. Why? Because it's hard to find books that don't have any structural defects. In your example, the structural defects are gone only because they have been artificially eliminated. Now, should it go for half price? Probably not, logic dictates that it should go for what the grade would have been if the defects had remained "unrepaired", less some additional discount for what would be the cost of removing the restoration and probably some additional discount for the fact that the book will never be as virgin as it used to be, no matter how expert the restoration removal. I know you'll disagree on this last point, but my opinion is that something repaired (or unrepaired) is never truly as good as it originally was.

 

In the second example, the writing was not done to hide defects. It neither added nor removed structural defects from the book. Because there is no difference in the structural grade of the book, there should be no change in its valuation. Now, there are some people that view writing on books as a structural defect, and they may very well choose to deduct value for the writing. But I think it's safe to say that the vast majority of collectors, particularly Church book collectors, don't mind certain types of writing. If we lived in a world where collectors loathed writing on comics, and it was considered a structural defect, then the book would be devalued accordingly.

[Aman619]

its CGC alone that decides whether a book with a tiny dab of glue or speck of ct gets blue or purple. But has anyone got a firm grasp on HOW they decide? Seems to me that (here we go....) if so many collectors are cool with CGCs determination to put pressed books in blue slabs, then noone should carp about CGCs determination to place some books in PLODS> What Im saying is that CGC makes their own rules, and thats it, Its a CGC world and we just live in it, so if some of us have to learn to deal with their pressing stance, others will remain preplexed by their very slight resto blue/purple decisions. Which as you pointed out, can lead to drastic differences in value on the open market.

 

See my analogy is that a pressed book is allowed to become more valuable after CGC puts in in a blue slab (even tho its been restored). And any book in a purple slab (meaning CGC SAYS it is RESTORED --- gets hammered.

 

just as I expect to get hammered for this post.... but seems whats good for the goose, etc.....

[FFB]

If you have an expensive book, say a FN copy of Detective #27 unrestored with several spine stresses, and in a moment of drunken revelry you make a 1/16th inch ink pen dot on two of the spine stresses. Should that book now sell for 1/2 the price? No, but it will. Because it'll be in a purple label holder.

 

Now assume you've got the same book, a FN copy of Detective #27, and instead of putting a tiny ink pen dot on one of the spine stresses, you write the number "27" on the cover. What happens to the value of the book? Virtually nothing, because it's in a blue label holder and will probably sport the same grade.

 

Someone explain the logic behind this to me.

Ooh, ooh, I'll play!

 

The difference is that in the first example, the dots were added with the intention of making the book look better than it really was. We grade books on the basis of structural defects, such as spine stresses, and attribute values to books based on the absence of such structural defects. Why? Because it's hard to find books that don't have any structural defects. In your example, the structural defects are gone only because they have been artificially eliminated. Now, should it go for half price? Probably not, logic dictates that it should go for what the grade would have been if the defects had remained "unrepaired", less some additional discount for what would be the cost of removing the restoration and probably some additional discount for the fact that the book will never be as virgin as it used to be, no matter how expert the restoration removal. I know you'll disagree on this last point, but my opinion is that something repaired (or unrepaired) is never truly as good as it originally was.

 

In the second example, the writing was not done to hide defects. It neither added nor removed structural defects from the book. Because there is no difference in the structural grade of the book, there should be no change in its valuation. Now, there are some people that view writing on books as a structural defect, and they may very well choose to deduct value for the writing. But I think it's safe to say that the vast majority of collectors, particularly Church book collectors, don't mind certain types of writing. If we lived in a world where collectors loathed writing on comics, and it was considered a structural defect, then the book would be devalued accordingly.

 

I think you're missing my point. I don't need someone to explain to me why one is considered restoration and one is not. Believe it or not, I get the distinction between the two.

 

What I don't get is why, if the book started out at FN 6.0, it would be worth half as much if I put two dots of ink on the spine, but would not lose any value if I wrote the number 27 on the cover using 20 times more ink. I recognize that this is the "reality" of the marketplace. I just think it makes no logical sense. The "intent" behind why the dots of ink are on the spine is irrelevant. There's ink on the spine. And much less of it, and far less obtrusive, than the ink in the #27 in the second example.

[FFB]

its CGC alone that decides whether a book with a tiny dab of glue or speck of ct gets blue or purple. But has anyone got a firm grasp on HOW they decide? Seems to me that (here we go....) if so many collectors are cool with CGCs determination to put pressed books in blue slabs, then noone should carp about CGCs determination to place some books in PLODS> What Im saying is that CGC makes their own rules, and thats it, Its a CGC world and we just live in it, so if some of us have to learn to deal with their pressing stance, others will remain preplexed by their very slight resto blue/purple decisions. Which as you pointed out, can lead to drastic differences in value on the open market.

 

See my analogy is that a pressed book is allowed to become more valuable after CGC puts in in a blue slab (even tho its been restored). And any book in a purple slab (meaning CGC SAYS it is RESTORED --- gets hammered.

 

just as I expect to get hammered for this post.... but seems whats good for the goose, etc.....

 

What dictates it is whether the amount of glue or color touch is significant enough to have an appreciable affect on the pre-glue or pre-CT grade.

[tth2]

What I don't get is why, if the book started out at FN 6.0, it would be worth half as much if I put two dots of ink on the spine, but would not lose any value if I wrote the number 27 on the cover using 20 times more ink. I recognize that this is the "reality" of the marketplace. I just think it makes no logical sense. The "intent" behind why the dots of ink are on the spine is irrelevant. There's ink on the spine. And much less of it, and far less obtrusive, than the ink in the #27 in the second example.

I don't know why you think intent is irrelevant. If I accidentally lose control of my car and crash into somebody and kill them, as opposed to doing it on purpose, there's a huge difference in penalty, even though the guy is just as dead. As a society, we mete out different levels of punishment for different types of behavior, even though the result of the behavior might be identical.

 

Similarly, the collecting market metes out different levels of punishment, via different valuations, for the intent behind different types of behavior, even though in your example the color touch is no more disfiguring, and maybe even less disfiguring, than the writing. Purely logical, perhaps not. But effective in discouraging restoration? I think so.

 

That's the best answer I can give, although of course I realize you're only asking the question rhetorically to illustrate what you believe to be an unjust result.

[Comicdey]

Edward Church

Edgar

 

Thanks, Typing without thinking.

[Comicdey]

Really....

 

I think I'd prefer the one without the glue....all things being equal.

 

Of course when it comes to Golden Age Church Books, they all stand on their own merits and unless it's the identical issue and title, there will always be a favorite.

 

 

 

I always assumed it was CGC's way of giving the wink and a nod to the high grade collector who happend to have the Church Book that has been "touched" without penalizing them in value with the PLOD.

 

I've got a Zoot 14 CGC 9.0 with tiny amount of glue on the spine (PLOD), but not a pedigree. I cannot for the life of me see it, but I'm sure it's there, so when does it become too much for a blue lable. Or does it need the pedigree status to keep "blue". Are there many non-pedigree books in blue lables with minor spot of color or glue? Or are the majority of them pedigree books?

 

A lot of the Church books that a certain former owner owned are in blue label slabs with very minor glue or very minor color touch because a lot of them were subjected to that unnecessary "restoration" long ago. Adding glue and CT to a near-flawless book was a short-sighted decision that most high grade book owners did not make with their own books. So yes, there are proportionally more Church books with CT or glue that are in blue label slabs. But that's because most books that are subjected to CT or glue need a lot more "makeup" than your typical Church book did, and they got it.

 

And shouldn't that "certain former owner" have been punished in the value department for color touch and glue? Were certain later owners the ones that had to pay the price of the glue and pen with others getting the "wink and nod treatment". I guess if I knew at what point, glue and dots of color were blue slabbed, I'd be more willing to accept that there wasn't some favoritism in the grading process for MH books from certain owners.