The "Very minor amount of glue on cover" CGC Designation

[pennynike1]

I have found over the past several months that a few key books I am looking for have the "very minor glue" designation on the CGC label. The books eventually sell for big money, even with such a designation. Any one have an opinion regarding the significance/insignificance of minor glue on golden age books? In particular, FOX books?

 

Thanks for any replies.

[skybolt]

I have a couple of books with that designation that were submitted raw to CGC. Both books had some slight adhesive type material on the cover (probably residue from a tape pull). The glue wasn't used for restoration purposes, but did drop the grade in my opinion from 8.0 to 7.0 in both cases.

[pennynike1]

Thanks for the reply sky. I am looking to buy one book in particular that has this designation, and it is expensive (ie. over $500). I guess my question is, does seeing the glue designation on the label ever bother you? Do you think a CGC book of the same grade, one with and one without the designation, should be valued the same?

[skybolt]

I would say yes since I believe CGC does drop the grade slightly for the glue residue. If the glue wasn't there, CGC would grade it higher IMO.

[pennynike1]

Thanks for the input sky. I can't find any "major" flaws in your logic. I guess it is just slightly strange why glue would be around a comic at all, if it didn't otherwise need some form of restoration. As you stated above though, apparently residue from tape is classified as glue by CGC?

[G.A.tor]

hello all...

I agree with sky....goes back to the "intent"...if there is very minor glue reattaching a centerfold, then it is restored....if there is a little glue residue on top of the spine, away from the staples, then I think cgc notes it, and drops the grade a little...I have a batman 5 that way...the glue is on the spine, but not there for any restorative reason...got a blue label

gator

[Straw-Man]

I have found over the past several months that a few key books I am looking for have the "very minor glue" designation on the CGC label. The books eventually sell for big money, even with such a designation. Any one have an opinion regarding the significance/insignificance of minor glue on golden age books? In particular, FOX books?

 

Thanks for any replies.

 

if given the choice of no glue/no notes or the contrary, i'll take the no notes. but if it's blue label, i would not let it scare me off any book i want/need.

[ciorac]

hello all...

I agree with sky....goes back to the "intent"...if there is very minor glue reattaching a centerfold, then it is restored....if there is a little glue residue on top of the spine, away from the staples, then I think cgc notes it, and drops the grade a little...I have a batman 5 that way...the glue is on the spine, but not there for any restorative reason...got a blue label

gator

 

I agree with Rick. If it repairs a defect, put it in purple. If not, blue is correct.

 

I'll take either if the price is right.

[comicdonna]

I purchased a CGC Action Comics #29 4.0 blue label with a small amount of dried glue on the cover. I paid $540 for it, and sold it a year later for $615 My feeling is, that if it's in a blue label and you like the book, I wouldn't let the glue bother you.

[adamstrange]

hello all...

I agree with sky....goes back to the "intent"...if there is very minor glue reattaching a centerfold, then it is restored....if there is a little glue residue on top of the spine, away from the staples, then I think cgc notes it, and drops the grade a little...I have a batman 5 that way...the glue is on the spine, but not there for any restorative reason...got a blue label

gator

 

I'm not aware that intent is part of the CGC equation. What I've understood is that glue is handled similarly to color touch, it's the total amount that drops you into the PLOD zone, not the intent.

[chrisco37]

The only thing that matters is the color of the label.

[RareHighGrade]

"Very minor amount of glue on cover" is one of the "defects" that concerns me the least. It often means that someone may have put a tiny dot of glue on something that wouldn't be considered a defect in the first place, like a bindery tear. Often, this type of glue can be removed easily if the owner chooses to do so. For all of these reasons, I usually don't discount the value much or have a problem with the book being in a blue label.

[showcase4]

I have found over the past several months that a few key books I am looking for have the "very minor glue" designation on the CGC label. Any one have an opinion regarding the significance/insignificance of minor glue on golden age books?

 

I have been collecting since before CGC's inception, and I am thrilled that their service exists. It has been the single biggest change/force in the past decade+ in our hobby, and has made the marketplace much safer for all of us.

 

With that said, the "very minor amount of glue" and "very minor amount of color touch" graders notes on a blue label is a smoke and mirrors way of saying "this book is so minorly restored, that a puprle label is just not warranted". Sorry...you can't be a little pregnant. A comic book is altered (restored at some level) or it' s not....period. As for a books marketability, the "very minor" designation with a blue label appears to be not a big deal. One option you may have if it bothers you is professional resto removal and then resubmit the book.....the grade should be the same, or maybe .5 less due to some minor paper loss, but the "glue" graders notes will be gone. I don't care what enyone says, glue and color touch anywhere near a comic book, much less on it, are to alter its orignal state....this is also known as "restoration".....no matter how minor. My opinion on this subject is viewed as extreme by some on these Boards....and so be it.

 

resto removal may be the path you want to follow, to be satisfied with your books, and look at the CGC label with peace of mind....not confusion and concern.

 

Steve

[action1kid]

Yeah, Its a little bit pregnant.

[G.A.tor]

I don't care what enyone says, glue and color touch anywhere near a comic book, much less on it, are to alter its orignal state.

hello all...

on color touch, I agree completely...it is altered...but, back in the 30's and 40's and even into the 50's, the printing and binding process was not as sophisticated as it is today...books that were glued, could often times have small amounts accidentally left as residue, from the binding process (naturally, this does not apply to all books, but does apply to some)...that is why I try to differentiate between glue that seals a spine split (Intentional=resto), and a very minor amount of dried glue on the bottom edge/spine/wherever of a book that obviously serves no purpose, but that could been a byproduct of the technology of the time, that was not intended to alter orginal state...it is part of the original state...sometimes, a little bit pregnant is just gas

gator

[action1kid]

!

The gas I mean.

[Comicdey]

I have found over the past several months that a few key books I am looking for have the "very minor glue" designation on the CGC label. The books eventually sell for big money, even with such a designation. Any one have an opinion regarding the significance/insignificance of minor glue on golden age books? In particular, FOX books?

 

Thanks for any replies.

 

Doesn't bother me at all....quite the bargain actually...

[mr.schomburg]

Steve,

While I find you to be a very intellegent and well spoken individual, and a nice guy, I have to disagree with you on this point. I believe you can be just a little pregnant, its a stop on the way to being full on pregnant...just ask my wife! That being said, a small amount of color touch being "on purpose" or a dab of glue "on purpose" is not restoration, yes an alteration of origional format, but so is a crease, a name signature, or a phone number written because a piece of scrap paper was not present. I find that the blue label with notation gives the consumer enough info to determine if full price is warranted or wether one should pay less. The intent of such small amounts of work I believe was to yes, make the book look better, but not in as much to drastically change the item from its origional form.

 

I have found that such books, at least books I have sold did sell less than what I would have expected if they had not been noted with a small dab of color, or small amount of glue. So in my eye the label is working, by applying the PLOD to a book with such a small amount of work, you damn the book by today's market to an unfair life. The real problem I have with your logic is you recommend that the attempts of restoration be removed professionally, which would in part be restoration by your definition of restoration. You are changing the original format of the comic book. By removing paper when taking CT away or Glue, you are defacto changing the book...by your definenition restoring the book.

 

To me the notes are not confusing, only informational. I do and would consider them when deciding to purchase the comic, and frankly anyone involved in buying of GA books, needs to take at least this amount of care before spending hundreds or in many cases thousands of hard earned dollars. It really says something about comic buyers if a simple line of notes i.e. "small amount of glue on spine" is confusing. It seems very easy for me, but then I look at more than the label grade and number. I still look at the book and determine if the book looks better or worse than stated grade, and then decide how much I am willing to pay.

 

That being said I do respect your opinion Steve, but disagree.

Paul

[showcase4]

Steve,

I find you to be a very intellegent and well spoken individual, and a nice guy

 

Paul

 

 

....you forgot handsome, successful, cool, and savvy collector!

[G.A.tor]

Steve,

I find you to be a very intellegent and well spoken individual, and a nice guy

 

Paul

 

 

....you forgot handsome, successful, cool, and savvy collector!