SCS: my troubles continue

[THE_BEYONDER]

Ouch

 

Where there alot of books in the shipment?

 

Yup. Luckily that was the only one of mine that got cracked.

[Harvey Dude]

But these are the slabs that are prone to damage the books, why not just put all the books in the new well? I've never seen a book in the newer well get SCS...

 

I am surprised that CGC has not issued a recall on the poorly designed holder,

[sterlingcomics]

I've put this as a question in the Steve Borock thread, but it has been buried with other discussions. Liason team....are you listening?

[micmack]

Looks like the buffer paper is sticking out....

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

Wow, 50%

 

 

I have yet to see it from any of my submissions so far, and its very rare when buying a slabed book through other venues.

The new inner well is very tight. I have experianced SCS with old labels or the inner wells with the top and bottom bars but they are usually purchases. It will most likely never happen with a recently slabbed book

 

Let me assure you, it does happen with books in brand new slabs.

 

I bought a recently slabbed Where Monsters Dwell # 15 (CGC 9.4) from A-1 comics via ebay. It made only two trips cross country (from CGC to A-1, and from A-1 to me).

 

The SCS isn't horrible (I guess it could be pressed out), but its pretty obvious along the right edge of the front cover. The book slides around in the well and a jarring impact during shipping likely caused the damage, this despite the book was well packed and the package itself displayed no outward signs of abuse.

 

Please don't believe that books in the new slabs are immune from this...they are not. Be careful and cautious when buying and ask questions.

[spookley]

I wonder if anyone out there has switched to buying only raw because of SCS?

I prefer having the books in an encapsulated airtight "impervious" holder, but the SCS is very disturbing. I bought a book that was damaged through the mail and had the entire upper edge "smashed in" (although there was a little overhang to begin with).

Thankfully I did receive a refund.

[ArAich]

My SCS rate

with these has been over 50%.

 

Being a stubborn skeptic...Without proof I have a hard time believing in this SCS percentage rate....

[Paul_Maul]

My SCS rate

with these has been over 50%.

 

Being a stubborn skeptic...Without proof I have a hard time believing in this SCS percentage rate....

 

I admit it's only based on anecdotal recollection. But I've bought few enough slabs

over the years that I can pretty much remember every experience. I am only

counting slabs bought via mail order, as obviously the ones I've bought at shows

I handpicked to avoid damage and were not shipped.

 

Giving it some thought, it's probably not quite 50%. It has gotten a lot worse over the

years. I had very few problems from 2000-2002. On the other hand, in 2005 and 2006

a trouble free transaction with ebay slabs has been a rarity. I think this underscores

again that as SCS slabs accumulate, the ebay population becomes more and more

skewed to the low end as the slabs are recycled.

 

I'm staying away from ebay for awhile. I'm gonna try to stick to forum deals where I

would hope SCS slabs would not be passed along without disclosure

[drbanner]

Giving it some thought, it's probably not quite 50%. It has gotten a lot worse over the years. I had very few problems from 2000-2002. On the other hand, in 2005 and 2006 a trouble free transaction with ebay slabs has been a rarity. I think this underscores again that as SCS slabs accumulate, the ebay population becomes more and more skewed to the low end as the slabs are recycled.

 

I agree that over time, there will be general attrition in the condition of slabbed books due to several reasons, including SCS, books that were over-graded to begin with being passed around like hot potatoes, and books that have been "maxed out" (either through straight re-sub or altered re-sub/pressed). Here's an old thread discussing this very situation.

 

CGC did change their procedures to address SCS by the new modern/sealed well, adding more well-sizes, and increasing the use of wedges. This change in procedures seems to contradict your experience above, but that's probably b/c in 2000-2002 you were buying 1st generation slabs, not books that had been sold multiple times, experiencing the ravages of the PO at every cross country trip. Personally, I receive very few books back from CGC with SCS, but have had a few.

[Paul_Maul]

Most of the books I've had problems with in the last two years have not been the new

style slabs. In fact, I believe that all of the new style slabs I have had shipped to me

(most of which were not the result of ebay deals) have arrived safely.

 

If I do buy anything else from ebay, I'm going to ascertain the slab vintage before bidding,

which I haven't done so far. I think this will probably save me a lot of heartache.

[sterlingcomics]

CGC did change their procedures to address SCS by the new modern/sealed well, adding more well-sizes, and increasing the use of wedges. This change in procedures seems to contradict your experience above, but that's probably b/c in 2000-2002 you were buying 1st generation slabs, not books that had been sold multiple times, experiencing the ravages of the PO at every cross country trip. Personally, I receive very few books back from CGC with SCS, but have had a few.

 

I'm going to sound like Mr. Grumpy here, but I'm passionate about this topic...and I'm frustrated we are still here talking about this. Enough already! (pertaining to CGC, not the unknowing customers receiving inferior service/product)

 

Good summary, Mike. IMHO, once is one time too many. CGC needs to prevent this problem. I'm contemplating not purchasing slabs until they choose to believe it's a problem their customers think is important and take additional preventive measures. They've made incremental process...but the issues are still there (at least for non Moderns). I'm paying (and usually premiums) for the grade...the book survives for decades only to become a victim of the product that claims to protect it...outrageous. Do I need an Infinite SCS Thread to help illustrate to CGC that 1.) it's a problem that needs to be addressed and 2.) they will eventually alienate customers if it is not addressed?

 

This topic frankly is a broken record. Perhaps by devaluing slabs by the collecting community it will make an impact on submissions to the point that someone will listen and take action. My collection is mostly slabs, so saying this is painful for me. But it's an important topic for me...and one that hasn't been addressed adequately--at least to my satisfaction.

[awe4one]

My SCS rate

with these has been over 50%.

 

Being a stubborn skeptic...Without proof I have a hard time believing in this SCS percentage rate....

 

When I was buying slabs and having them sent to me in Germany 50% was about right. Of course this was before the new improved slabs came out...

 

Jim

[Paul_Maul]

You summarize my feelings precisely. It's a leap for many people to pay 4 or 5 times

guide for a 9.6. When I decide to do so, it's a decision based on the book being

nearly perfect, a beautiful example of the grade.

 

In effect, my most recent purchase of 5 20-cent Supermans for over $250 would

seem crazy to many (for books that guide at $12 or 15 apiece) even if the books

arrived in stellar shape. By having 3 of them trashed, I've effectively paid $125

apiece for these books. I don't fault the seler (unless he was passing them along to

me already damaged, which there's no way to prove), since the books were packed

with care.

 

The fault is really with CGC. Even if they are not legally culpable, it seems clear to me

that their entire raison d'etre is to make high grade comics liquid through venues like

ebay or comiclink. If the books are going to be damaged in transit, the whole process

becomes a joke.

 

Frankly, I would have given up in disgust long ago if putting together these high

grade runs wasn't so important to me. I get sucked back in when, after months, I

just can't make any progress on the books buying raw. And then I have a bad

experience, and the cycle repeats.

[awe4one]

Perhaps by devaluing slabs by the collecting community it will make an impact on submissions to the point that someone will listen and take action.

 

This has already happened to a point. Collecters who know about the problem look for SCS and thus affects the amount they're willing to pay...

 

Jim

[Sal]

CGC did change their procedures to address SCS by the new modern/sealed well, adding more well-sizes, and increasing the use of wedges. This change in procedures seems to contradict your experience above, but that's probably b/c in 2000-2002 you were buying 1st generation slabs, not books that had been sold multiple times, experiencing the ravages of the PO at every cross country trip. Personally, I receive very few books back from CGC with SCS, but have had a few.

 

Do I need an Infinite SCS Thread to help illustrate to CGC that 1.) it's a problem that needs to be addressed and 2.) they will eventually alienate customers if it is not addressed?

 

this is a great idea, but i would hold off on calling it "Infinite SCS Thread" were you to do it here

 

just sayin

[FFB]

My SCS rate

with these has been over 50%.

 

Being a stubborn skeptic...Without proof I have a hard time believing in this SCS percentage rate....

 

I don't. As I think I posted at one point before, about two years ago when I had my highest number of CGC slabs, at least 1/3 of ALL of the CGC books I had were SCS victims. I posted a crapload of scans showing them too.

[FFB]

Here's one of the ones I had that pizzed me off the most (see top edge)!

 

[nik]

I know that exact same feeling

 

[Red Hook]

I literally said "OW!" when I saw that JIM.

[nik]

I cracked it out to avoid any further damage