Worst off-center stapled book ever? Shadow #1 pic

[Dave_Hennen]

Hi, I was combing through an old comic box that I haven't looked through in years probably and found this gem. Too bad about the off-center staple job, it looks to be in VF otherwise.

 

What do you this would grade at?

 

thanks

dave h

 

[Bugaboo-migration]

I always thought that cover was cool. Too bad about the poor staple placement.

[BlackShotzy-migration]

Wow! From that pix, I see a book that looks to be devoid of any significant wear. Many a hint of blunting at the top left corner. Looks sharp, flat, tight, and fresh!

 

If you had to put an absolute grade on it, I think it's a VF/NM because of the significant MANUFACTURING defect.

 

If you grade it with a Qualifier it's badly off-center otherwise at least NM+.

 

Conversely, this may be the perfect book to submit to CGC dependent upon what a 9.6 or better Shadow 1 would bring (I have no idea), because from what I've seen on many 9.6s and 9.8s (case in point, the two Hulk 181 CGC 9.8s), miscuts, bad or mild, don't seem to affect their grade findings and you'd benefit greatly by that major flaw in their grading system having a book with an otherwise hard to sell defect sitting in a 9.6 or better blue labeled holder.

[BachelorOfComix]

Conversely, this may be the perfect book to submit to CGC dependent upon what a 9.6 or better Shadow 1 would bring (I have no idea), because from what I've seen on many 9.6s and 9.8s (case in point, the two Hulk 181 CGC 9.8s), miscuts, bad or mild, don't seem to affect their grade findings and you'd benefit greatly by that major flaw in their grading system having a book with an otherwise hard to sell defect sitting in a 9.6 or better blue labeled holder.

Yep, you're right. Slabbed 9.6s & 9.8s always bring more money than their raw counterparts.

[supapimp]

i dunno yogi, this one is pretty bad too from my ASM 129 heating up thread: ASM 129 CGC VF/NM 129 i've seen a ASM 28 CGC VF/NM 9.0 that was this bad too, and that book was even uglier due to the black cover.

 

[DiceX]

I've seen an Iron Man #55 in CGC 9.6 that was this bad or worse.

For some reason this defect goes through CGC with blind eyes.

 

I don't know why, because this is one of my biggest pet peeves.

I can't stand more than 1/16" of back cover on the front.

 

Two identical books...

Both books are graded CGC 9.6...

One has a perfect fold...

The other has 1/2" of white from the back on the front cover...

Both have the same defects otherwise...

How can this be?

If the one with the good fold is 9.6, how can the other even be close?

 

I just don't get it with this defect.

Off center is counted against sports cards when they get slabbed.

Why would there not be a standard deduction for an off centered cover?

 

I know it's a factory defect, but it's one that "greatly distracts" from the appearance.

[Dave_Hennen]

I agree that the off-center detracts from the book

 

In this case Kaluta's signature and the CCA box are partially cut off. It is a really nice looking book but about a 1/4 inch of the cover art is missing top to bottom. The pic is kind to the book, there are a few stress marks along the spine that the flash bleached out. I think it would get maybe a 9.0 if it were cut correctly. Maybe I'll send it to CGC to see what happens...

 

thanks for the comments

dave h

[Dr_Neff]

0088

 

probably a 9.2/9.4 or better if there's nothing going on with that top left corner. 9.8 probably $2,000-$3,000 right now. Very off Center but not the worst I've seen...

[blowout]

Two identical books...

Both books are graded CGC 9.6...

One has a perfect fold...

The other has 1/2" of white from the back on the front cover...

Both have the same defects otherwise...

How can this be?

If the one with the good fold is 9.6, how can the other even be close?

 

I just don't get it with this defect.

 

The simple answer is that CGC don't consider printing flaws 'defects'. Therefore there is currently no downgrade for such things as mis-wraps and miscuts.

I do not agree with this policy however and think printing flaws should affect the grade just as any other post-printing damage would.

[Susanville]

What about where the staples are on the book. I had this book graded at a 9.6 but the staple is only 1/2" from the bottom of the book. Conversely, the upper staple is almost half way down the book. I thought about not submitting it but did to see what kind of effect ti would have on the grade. I should call CGC to see if it had an effect, yes?

[BlackShotzy-migration]

Yep, you're right. Slabbed 9.6s and 9.8s always bring more than their raw counterparts

 

Especially when they're centered as badly as the Shadow 1. Unfortunately, there are buyers out there that are very careful NEVER to buy books this badly centered, and strive to acquire books that are as mechanically sound as the stated grade of minimal wear.

 

A book like this Shadow 1 is a GREAT prospect for CGC submission. Raw, 99.99% of all collectors interested in acquiring a high grade copy of it would take one look at it and pass without a second look. And they would be right. Let's face it, centered as it is, it's ugly. Most would look and murmur, "garbage, just look at that miscut. Horrible! Garbage."

 

CGC would ignore the 1 inch miscut as if it weren't there and award it a 9.6 or 9.8 thereby creating a collectible, in demand entity from basically, garbage. Once in a 9.6 or 9.8 slab, the CGC addicts would ignore the 1" miscut as well, but guess what...it would still be there anyway!

 

Slab it! Perfect book for it. It'll turn a horribly miscut book of dubious value into a $500 to $1000 book.

[BachelorOfComix]

Indeed, slab it & they will come. Buy the label not the book.

[dolphinsrwj]

i have a iron man #63 cgc 9.8 that looks almost like that

[Dr_Neff]

Roly Poly # 1