DELLs - How Does Writing Inside Affect Grade???

[KEY ISSUES Comics]

Hi,

 

I'm looking to purchase a collection of DELLs, including several expensive books, but I recally many of them having fully/partially completed puzzles, games, crosswords, etc... Most of these books were solid strict VG+ if one ignored the interior writing.

 

Some were higher in the FN+ range (ignoring the puzzles, etc. once more).

 

How does the hobby grade such books?

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks!

[divad]

fully/partially completed puzzles, games, crosswords, etc... Most of these books were solid strict VG+ if one ignored the interior writing.

 

Some were higher in the FN+ range (ignoring the puzzles, etc. once more).

 

How does the hobby grade such books?

 

Defects like this need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Personally, it is a deal breaker for me. Writing, such as dates (and sometimes, owner's names), may be acceptable, but the type of writing you describe is similar to doodling or defacement, and will impact the grade significantly.

 

That being said, as you move below the FN range, interior writing will have a lesser effect on the grade. Still, a full point or more deduction would not be unreasonable.

[heinlein99]

If you're buying them to be readers, who cares? Sometimes a few scribbles here or there add charm to an old book.

 

If you're buying them for collector value, then it's a different ballgame.

[KEY ISSUES Comics]

Thanks guys! I just wish this was covered in print because the seller is greedy and doesn't know much about comics, so it'll take "proof" to convince him of any downgrading. I'll bring some CGC books and the grading book over during negotiations, but I won't push him. He's been telling me:"there is another potential buyer" for nearly 3 years now. Yeah, right. If so, sell them to him already.

[ft88]

I think the main thing would be if its in pencil or pen. And if in Pencil, is it thick and pressed hard, or is it a light lettering/lines. If its pen, does it bleed through the pages or is it on the back cover? Again, this is small stuff for VG and below. For true 6.0 books I would downgrade slightly. If it were light pencil, I wouldn't even really down grade on the VGs but if its pen or it hits the back cover then at least a full 1.0 downgrade and maybe even more for bleed through type markings which are really distracting to most folks. Any heavy pen on an otherwise 6.0 book would probably hit VG range.

 

Also, for any game type comics, it would really down grade as these are valued mostly if the games are NOT filled in. Some Dell Giants come to mind but I'm sure there are others.

 

Ed

[Mr. Zipper]

I don't think this is on the same level as what you are describing, however, I have seen CGC 7.0s with name and address neatly filled-in the coupons on the back cover.

 

Ed has a very good point. Does the writing damage the book with heavy indentations or is it lightly and neatly pencilled?

 

Personally, I would not further reduce a book that is structurally a 4.0 - 5.0 for a neatly filled-in puzzle. Once you get to 6.0 and above, I think the amount of the writing has to be weighed and it's much more of a judgement call.

[KEY ISSUES Comics]

I think the main thing would be if its in pencil or pen.

Did they have pens back in the 40s an early 50s? (just bugging the old-timers out there!)

[KEY ISSUES Comics]

From what I recall (it's been 3 years since I actually saw these books), the writing is akin to kid's scribbling in the puzzles, but I hope I am mistaken, because we all know how UGLY scribbling can be....

 

Thanks for all the input!

[garthgantu]

To me, writing is writing...sure, pen is worse than pencil (assuming equal amounts of either), but writing on anything other than a pedigree book is a 'defect' that should be factored into the grade. If an otherwise VG book has an entire crossword puzzle written in, it's at best a VG- book.

 

Should writing on exterior covers be viewed more harshly than an identical amount of writing on an interior cover or page? Yes, just as a tear on the cover is much more problematic than a tear on an interior page.

 

Whether the writing in question is a child's scribbling or John Hancock's original signature shouldn't matter, really - it's the quantity of writing that should be factored.

 

As for writing that causes indentations, yes, I think that's worse than writing that is lighter.

[ft88]

A non-game comic with light pencil filling in a connect the dots puzzle or crossword would not bother me in the slightest on a VG book. Back cover, sure that would cause a downgrade but the analogy would be like the tear. A 2 inch tear on an otherwise VG book on an interior page would basically not mean anything to me but on the front or back cover it would be significant.

 

Ed

[KEY ISSUES Comics]

Thanks gang - I should print this out to show the guy when, and if, he ever lets me see them again. I think he's greedy, and looking for a sucker to rip off, which is why he's keeping me away - knowledge is power.

[nocutename]

I figure I would bump this thread rather than start a new one.

 

I purchased a 100 pager that has half of the puzzle completed in marker pen so there is some bleed through on the other side but it is minimal. I did not ask the seller if the puzzle was completed so I am not faulting anyone. If I sell it and disclose the puzzle completed should I also downgrade the grade? It was graded 7.0 but looks better. These 100 pager and difficult to grade.

 

Thanks.