X-Men #66 CGC 8.0

[aks1999-migration]

I just got my first comic graded by CGC, X-Men #66, from 1970. I expected at the absolute minimum it would grade out at 9.4. It is by far the best copy of this issue I have ever seen, and I started collecting X-Men comics in the seventies.

 

To my surprise, I got the book back graded as 8.0, with the comment "off-white pages". When I submitted this comic to CGC, I thought the whiteness of its pages was a strong point. Since this comic has almost no defects, just how white do the pages have to be for a high grade?

[Bugaboo-migration]

Page whiteness has very little to do with the grade that CGC will assign a book. CGC has really tightened up grading for the industry and left some old time collectors shaking their heads. It used to be fairly common (actually, it still is) for people to call a raw book NM that was probably more like a VF+ or a VF/NM. Those days are going the way of the DoDo.....at least as far as CGC graded books are concerned.

 

Now, having said that, CGC does tend to grade more strictly than even a lot of people that have been in the business and grading for years. And, they haven't released their grading standards yet, so it's hard to tell what they are and which defects they might grade more harshly for. Is there any way you can post a larger scan of your book and let the forum members in here take a look at it and give their opinion. The attachment scan is really too small to give an opinion of. Also, call CGC and get the graders notes from them for this particular book. They might reveal some hidden or hard to see defects that you missed before submitting it.

[sfilosa]

From what I can see, the book looks pretty nice. Post a big scan and also of the back cover. Maybe there is something like a stain or something.

 

Also, as has been mentioned before, the newer the book, the stricter the grading. Since this is a Bronze-Age book, the grading would be more strict than say a ASM #1.

 

I know when I sent in my frist batch of Golden-Age I got higher grades than expected. My second batch (all Silver-Age) got only what I expected.

 

 

[murph0]

Three things.

1. That book doesn't fall into the modern category for CGC.

2. You should call 1-800-NM-COMIC and ask them for the grader's notes on your book.

3. We will need a much larger scan if you want us to actually be able to see the condition of the book

 

Brian

[Illiterati-migration]

Must be an interior defect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sfilosa]

Question:

 

Do you have to call to get the graders notes, or can you email them the serial #?

 

Also, I didn't say the book was Modern, just said that being a Bronze-Age book it would get graded harsher (in my opinion) than a Golden-Age or early Silver-Age book.

 

 

[murph0]

Yes but I don't believe the grading really takes that huge bump in tightness until you hit the post '75 books. It's a bit tighter, but they get really tough in the 75-80 range.

And I know for a fact you can't email to get grader's notes.. I've tried and tried and tried.. only way is via the phone.

 

Brian

[sfilosa]

Thanks for the info on the graders notes.

 

You might be correct on the early Bronze-Age not being as strictly graded. I have very few (all NM-) and I don't think I would grade them any higher or lower regardless of their age.

 

 

[aks1999-migration]

Thank you all very much for your comments! There are some scans of this book at the URL below. I could post some more scans if you need more information. I tried to call 1-800-NM-COMIC for the grader's notes and I got the message that this toll free number has been disconnected. Is there another phone number to get these notes?

 

 

ebay #2181499778

 

 

[Illiterati-migration]

That's a friggin' great-looking book!

[sfilosa]

It does look nice. I will be interested to hear what the graders notes said. My guess is that there is some type of long crease that doesn't break color, that is almost impossible to see except out of the slab and at an angle. Just a guess.

 

 

[aks1999-migration]

I just got off the phone with Comic Guaranty. Their phone number is 1-877-NM-COMIC. The graders' notes were "big dent/crease left edge back cover" and "spine stress -- barely break color" The pre-grader gave this book an 8.5 and the other two graders gave it 8.0.

 

I have owned this book for a long time and I inspected it before I sent it to CGC and I don't remember any big dent/crease on the left edge of the back cover. I examined it again, and yes, there is a crease back there. I wouldn't call it a big crease because I had to look in the right spot to find it. It is an inch and a quarter crease in the blue portion of the ad on the back cover. See scan here: x-men #66 back cover crease

 

Any spine stresses are incredibly minimal. I find it hard to believe that this back cover crease, which you wouldn't notice unless you look for it, would knock this book down to an 8.0.

[ninanina]

Nope. Can't agree with that grade. I am hoping this book sells for above guide, because it deserves to. Hoping you get at least $80.00 for it. But, if they bid based on the label (as many do) it won't happen. Gonna watch and see how "smart" some of these bidders are.

[drbanner]

It is an inch and a quarter crease in the blue portion of the ad on the back cover.

 

Overstreet used to state that a VF copy can have up to a 1/4" non-color breaking corner crease. Not sure if they new guide sticks to that limitation, but I'm not sure that many dealers/collector would call an otherwise NM/NM+ copy with a small crease like that anything below VF/NM. On this book though, I would have to agree with the CGC grade, although the book does have great eye appeal!

[sfilosa]

I knew there had to be a flaw somewhere. CGC doesn't just downgrade a book for no reason.

 

Once again, I really do believe if this had been a Golden-Age book, it would have gotten a VF/NM.

 

Nice book, but I seriously doubt that you can talk the book up enough to justify having the book graded. Yes, it has great eye appeal, but people will look at the label. You have to give credit to CGC, they found a flaw that you didn't see. It is nice that you got the graders notes and at least know why. And Drbanner is absolutely correct, creases over a certain length always bring a book down below VF/NM regardless of the rest of the book (unless it is a hard to find GA book it seems).