Where have all the 9.8s gone?! posted by ENVYotb

[CSJournals-migration]

Fingerprints?!

 

So its been a loooong while since I've posted, but after a rather extensive break I got back to submitting more of my collection.

 

I had rather good fortune originally but 2015 has been harsh as I just checked the grades on my recently shipped order. I've gotten 1 9.8 in the last 50 or so books. 1.

 

This is particularly odd to me as on a whole my prior submissions were easily half or more 9.8 - 9.6

 

I cared for all my books equally, it just seems the grading has taken a marked turn more stringent. I keep getting a particular note on fingerprints, which I have personally NEVER seen on any of my books.

 

Anyone else having similar experiences or is it just me? Any tips on a way to avoid the fingerprints issue? I look forward to hearing from others!

 

See more journals by ENVYotb

[newshane]

This may be extreme, but it prevents fingerprints...

 

I wear non-powdered latex gloves when handling comics that I want to grade.

 

At the very least, it's important to wash hands with dish-washing soap in order to strip the fingers of natural oils. It takes very little oil or dirt to make an impact on a comic - especially one with a dark cover.

[Tnerb]

When I had my marvel graphic novel (issue 4) signed, the glossy black rear cover absorbed Bob McCleod's fingerprints very well. CCS helped with that problem.

[Rune]

It may be a coincidence, but after reading several posts about current CGC grading, it is my impression that CGC's current grading has been stricter - thus it seems that many collectors have gotten lower grades than they expected (or lower grading compared to a competitor, even if the same books were graded by both companies).

 

One could expect more gift grades due to increased competition, but maybe more competition has gotten CGC to be much stricter in grading? (just wild guesswork on my part)

 

[Comix4Sale]

I've noticed some more 9.6 books where I was expecting 9.8s. I've started giving the glossy covers a gentle wipe... I hope that's not restoration

 

James

 

[mattn792]

I haven't had any major surprises so far this year, but the last books I've physically laid eyes on were from a show in May. I have a 9.8 and a 9.6 from SDCC due back today, but I'm not expecting the 9.6 to be a total shocker.

 

Since you mentioned fingerprints, the solution may be to send everything through CCS first. That's what I've always done with all my signature series books. Unfortunately that adds to not only the monetary cost but also an extra 47 months (give or take) onto the turnaround time.

[ENVYotb73]

Actually, upon closer looking at the notes I was more plagued by "spine stress lines" which is the first Ive ever encountered that. I think my larger issue was a couple of books that only scored 7.5.

 

I KNOW what a book at 6 -7 -7.5 looks like, and these books were WAYYY better, comparing them its impossible to see a difference between a 9 and the 7.5!!

 

Normally I can deal with whatever grade the books get but this is the first time I really feel cheated egregiously.