So, how is everyone's grading skills?

[supapimp]

looks NM- 9.2, but im saying VF+ 8.5

[greggy]

remember my superhero character joanna made for me? i have a memory like a mamonth, i DON'T forget!

But what does that do with grading?

[BachelorOfComix]

But what does that do with grading?

Supa's grading is tight. Just because he complains about half of the grades he got back from CGC doesn't mean he can't grade.

[supapimp]

But what does that do with grading?

Supa's grading is tight. Just because he complains about half of the grades he got back from CGC doesn't mean he can't grade.

 

YEAH! what he said!

[THE_BEYONDER]

But what does that do with grading?

Supa's grading is tight. Just because he complains about half of the grades he got back from CGC doesn't mean he can't grade.

 

A perfect example.......

 

That ASM 61 is a VF/NM 9.0. Supa said that it looked like a NM- 9.2, but gave it a VF+ 8.5.......

 

That's enough proof for me.....

[greggy]

But what does that do with grading?

Supa's grading is tight. Just because he complains about half of the grades he got back from CGC doesn't mean he can't grade.

 

YEAH! what he said!

 

Sure...if that makes you feel better. Oh well...50% isn't that bad!

 

[ninanina]

Well, based on what I've read so far everyone grades pretty good. I really thought somebody was gonna jump somebody on here and I'd be watching Bugaboo reach for the popcorn again.

 

Beyonder, if this helps - if the comics got one serious crease in it, it's probably a VG or a VG+. It's one of the things I look for because a Fine CAN"T have a serious crease. And, if the comic does have a serious crease - it usually (not always) has a bit of general wear associated with the VG grade.

 

If a comic doesn't have serious creasing but at least 6 or 7 stress cracks along the spine with at least a couple of "worn" corners you'd probably be looking at the Fine range or thereabouts. With real nice cover gloss, you might be able to squeeze a F/VF out of it. But usually, once a comics accumulates this amount of wear, the gloss has already started to go.

 

VF's usually have at least creased corner along with a couple stress cracks along the spine. Add another 3 or 4 stress cracks and you start to drop in the Fine/Very Fine range.

 

That comic you just scanned in appears to be about a VF+ because there is very little wear on the corners and only one very minor stress crack that I can see.

 

Comments?

[Aman619]

what about that ugly "tobacco juice stain" on the back top left corner. Thats pretty bad and would bring it down to maybe an 8.0

[buttock]

That's a 9.0 with the stain?!? I'd knock id down below a fine at best for that.

[shiverbones]

i am really comfortable with all grades except maybe 9.0 & 9.2, its a fine line there. I don't really see anything above 9.8 , so i would imagine the 9.8- 9.9 difference is tough too. I have been seriously grading books for over 15 years. I do know that i have never had a grading complaint, but almost every book i buy IS overgraded! I just got done arguing with Empire collectibles about their grading, and made no headway with them. They are still way off. I wish more people could get it together! A couple issues i still have problems with though, i think i downgrade these too much.....

 

• that little rounded indent that runs along the spine of a 9.4 or 9.6 book that isn't a roll or a crease, but most likely caused by not being boarded for a time. Metropolis has sold me a couple 9.4's with it, but i am not convinced it should be there on a 9.4.

• interior writing on an otherwise 9.4 or 9.6 book.

• very slight color rubbing on a cover, usually near staple

[Fan4Fan]

I used to think mine were pretty good... until I see some of Beyonder's entries. The above ASM at VF/NM 9.0? What I see from the scan:

 

1) The stain present on back and front so clearly runs through the book on BOTH the top and the bottom of the book;

 

2) Stress at upper staple;

 

3) Slight blunting at bottom of spine;

 

4) Color fading along spine above upper staple

 

That said, it is a very nicely centered and well-cut book.

 

Still, 9.0 seems high.

 

Thanks,

Fan4Fan

[Foolkiller]

I've only bought a few books from people on the forum, but I'd venture to say that the grading for the most part by everyone here is probably pretty good because of the amount of time and money spent in comics. From the few examples I've seen, if I've disagreed it's only been by a small margin, and certainly I haven't seen a book thought to be a 9.4, that I've thought was an 8.5.

 

One of the reasons I think it's generally harder to grade from 7.0 and down is because it's difficult to say how many defects are allowed within a given book at that grade. In fact, it's easier to be more forgiving and it makes it more difficult to tell a good minus from a good... and frankly, as far as most of us are concerned... who cares? Let's face it, there isn't a whole lot of difference price wise between a good and good minus... but a 9.4 and 9.2? oh yeah, there's a dropoff. It's also easier to spot one or two or three defects as opposed to ten...

 

I think most of us can tell fine from a vg, or a vg from a good. The shades are more difficult only because the range of defects acceptable in the grade itself are wider than in high grade books.

[ninanina]

what about that ugly "tobacco juice stain" on the back top left corner. Thats pretty bad and would bring it down to maybe an 8.0

 

Is that what it is?

 

When I first saw it I just assumed it was some kinda printer's ink. Should have realized tobacco brown wasn't a color they used.

 

I'd downgrade to VF- with the stain. It's fortunate you can't see much of it on the front cover. Could a 'bin a lot worse.

[Rickdogg]

I have purchased a handful of raw books off of board members and for the most part, it has been a success. I will not mention the "bad graders," but will mention the good ones.

 

Good graders:

 

Bigman, Bronzebruce13, Darth, Drbanner, greggy, tkg2727...that's all I can remember at the moment.