Red Ella

Lot #2 and 3 with 31 books arrived at CGC at 12:52 PM April 12th. They are now on the way back to me as of May 11th. Again CGC has shipped on the 20 business day mark. These lots should arrive today, May 13th. If you are following my scores, they should be registered by the end of the day. To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

None of the 18 books in lot # 1 were graded 9.8, but a few were graded 9.6 and only one was graded below 9.0 (8.5). Still looking for sets to place the Alpha Flight Annual (1986) issue #1, and the Vision and the Scarlet Witch, issue #1(both Marvel). Any hints would be appreciated! Red Ella See Registry for Red Ella for details on grades etc...

I was pleasantly surprised this evening to learn that my first lot of CGC comic books were on the way back to me. Total time at CGC for modern lot # 1 was less than 20 business days by about 4 hours. CGC did this one on time as advertised. Now to post the results next week.

Like to know what was in those nine lots to CGC? What was sent first? Why? What went next and Why? Why send everything to CGC? Lot #1 My most salable lot, the lot with a few issue number ones, and the lot with the most popular comics: All the comics in all the lots are Marvel. Books 1-3 Iron Man #198-200 Book 4 Iron Man Annual #7 Book 5 Hulk #313 Book 6 Amazing Spider-Man Annual #19 Books 7-9 Amazing Spider-Man #268-270 Book 10 X-Men #197 Books 11-17 issue #1 of Alpha Flight Annual, Squadron Supreme, Nightcrawler, Vision, Hawkeye, West Coast Avengers, and Super Powers. Book 18 Secret Wars II #4 All books were backed and bagged by the original collector over a long period of time. All looked like 9.8 or better to me, but what do I know at this point on the journey? Lot #2 Send to CGC more of the more desirable books from the same collection as Lot #1: Book 1 The West Coast Avengers #2 Books 2-4 West Coast Avengers #2-4 Books 5-9 Squadron Supreme #2-6 Books 10-12 Hawkeye #2-4 Book 13 Vision #2 Again all books looked like 9.8s to me, but what do I know at this point on the journey? Lot #3 At this point I am saying what am I going to do with the books left over from the collection used in Lots #1 and #2. So decide to send remainder to CGC to do a clean sweep. Books 1-4 Iron Man #198 that I had just purchased. Books 5-25 Alpha flight #18-38 Again all books looked like 9.8s to me, but what do I know at this point on the journey? Lot #4 This is me getting into the hobby! I purchased 6 Iron Man #199 from various vendors on eBay. They look like they have the potential of grsde 9.8 so off they go to CGC. Lot #5-9 I saw a deal on eBay! A comic book store's inventory of 72 Amazing Spider-Man comics: #200-394,and Amazing Spider-Man Annuals 21, 22, 26, 28 for $86. Not sure how CGC will grade them but some will be 9.8s. I replaced the back boards and poly bags on many of them. It sure gives a better first impression when you see the books for the first time, but I doubt that it will change the actual score as they are discarded during grading. Red Ella

To learn and to improve my chances for success, I am going to measure everything about the process that I can. If you are interested in my progress, follow along: 4/27/2010 I have submitted 9 lots of modern books to CGC for grading. Here is a summary of all measurements of cost and time for these lots: Lot #1 18 modern books, CGC invoice 166505, shipping cost $13.71, Shipping time via priority mail from Indianapolis to Sarasota:48 hours (mail pickup to delivery) 5 pounds/no insurance. CGC signed for package at 12:07 PM April 5th. Called CGC this AM and they said grading would not be done until next week. 22 days and counting at CGC. CGC cost $331.85 Total cost per book to slab: $19.20. You will see inventory results as soon as the books return. Lot #2 13 modern books, CGC invoice 166697, shipping cost $10.14, Shipping time via priority mail from Indianapolis to Sarasota:48 hours (mail pickup to delivery) 2.5 pounds/no insurance. CGC signed for package at 12:52 PM April 12th. 15 days and counting at CGC. CGC cost $248.00 Total cost per book to slab: $19.86. You will see inventory results as soon as the books return. Lot #3 25 modern books, CGC invoice 166677, shipping cost $15.35, Shipping time via priority mail from Indianapolis to Sarasota:48 hours (mail pickup to delivery) 5 pounds/no insurance. CGC signed for package at 12:52 PM April 12th. 15 days and counting at CGC. CGC cost $445.95 Total cost per book to slab: $18.45. You will see inventory results as soon as the books return. Lot #4 6 modern books, CGC invoice 166862, shipping cost $6.82, Shipping time via priority mail from Indianapolis to Sarasota:48 hours (mail pickup to delivery) 5 pounds/no insurance. CGC signed for package at 12:23 PM April 19th. 8 days and counting at CGC. CGC cost $134.90 Total cost per book to slab: $23.62. You will see inventory results as soon as the books return. Lot #5 30 modern books, CGC invoice 167000, shipping cost $17.18, Shipping time via priority mail from Indianapolis to Sarasota:48 hours (mail pickup to delivery) 7 pounds/no insurance. CGC signed for package at 11:17 AM April 24th. 3 days and counting at CGC. CGC cost $533.80. Total cost per book to slab: $18.37. You will see inventory results as soon as the books return. Lot #6 23 modern books, CGC invoice 167099, shipping cost $12.15, Shipping time via priority flat rate box mail from Indianapolis to Sarasota:48 hours (mail pickup to delivery) 5 pounds/ with insurance. CGC signed for package April 26th. 1 day and counting at CGC. CGC cost $415.35. Total cost per book to slab: $18.86. You will see inventory results as soon as the books return. Lot #7 30 modern books, CGC invoice 167111, shipping cost $12.15, Shipping time via priority flat rate box mail from Indianapolis to Sarasota:48 hours (mail pickup to delivery) 5 pounds/ with insurance. CGC signed for package April 26th. 1 day and counting at CGC. CGC cost $532.45. Total cost per book to slab: $18.15. You will see inventory results as soon as the books return. Lot #8 6 modern books, CGC invoice 167112, shipping cost $0.0, Shipping time via priority flat rate box mail from Indianapolis to Sarasota:48 hours (mail pickup to delivery) 1 pounds/ with insurance. CGC signed for package April 26th. 1 day and counting at CGC. CGC cost $134.90. Total cost per book to slab: $22.48. You will see inventory results as soon as the books return. Lot #9 4 modern books, CGC invoice 167113, shipping cost $6.93, Shipping time via priority flat rate envelope mail from Indianapolis to Sarasota:48 hours (mail pickup to delivery) 1 pounds/ with insurance. No tracking, CGC has not notified me of arrival. CGC cost $93.70. Total cost per book to slab: $25.15. You will see inventory results as soon as the books return. Lessons learned so far: 1. The cost per book is much less if you pack 30 books in a flat rate box. 2. Don't mail using Flat Rate Priority Mail envelopes via stamps.com. No tracking info... 3. It looks like CGC's modern grading time is now in excess of 30 days. Red Ella

This journey began in my youth as a comic book reader. I liked Superman, and Scrooge McDuck comics best. Probably because in both, I could imagine things that I could never do on my own. Now 60 years later I have been through model airplanes, and Amateur Radio as hobbies, e-Bay as a power seller for 8 years (now add top rated on eBay), and have dabbled in coin and stamp collecting. Now on to Comic Book trading... I am probably doing several things wrong now and just don't know it. Here is my list of what I have done and why it may be wrong. I have made 8 submittals with 152 books to CGC before selling the first book. The books are all modern Amazing Spider-Man, Iron Man, and other action figures like Hulk. I don't intend to keep any of the comics. I am doing it as a short term investment for short term gain. So what are my chances of success in this venture? On the plus side: 1. eBay Power Seller Top-Ranked doing $3000/mo or more (2009 - sold $43,100) 2. 36 years of Electronic Engineering experience including 12 years as a GM/Delphi Executive 3. 2 years of Accounting at local tech school 4. Skilled at doing spreadsheets and cost estimates 5. Am retired with paychecks coming in from retirement plans On the minus side: 1. Dealing in modern comics not older ones 2. No experience selling comics Red Ella 4/26/2010