To slab, or not to slab? 0

[phtmEVENstrngr]

Hi all,

 

I have a copy of Phantom Stranger 5 from the golden age series. It has great eye appeal, but the cover is very brittle along the bottom. I'm thinking it would grade somewhere between a 0.5 and a 1.0 because of this. Is it worth sending off? I think having it graded would help me sell it if I ever upgrade, but I'm wondering if it's worth it to send it off (economically).

 

Would you slab it, or just let it lie?

 

Thanks!

 

L

[Mercury Man]

If you are going to sell it, slab it.  If not, don't.  No point otherwise. 

[phtmEVENstrngr]

Mercury Man: Thanks for the reply. I'll probably want to update someday, but are you saying that (as long as I have it) having the comic slabbed wouldn't help it in any way? Protect it from the elements better than the mylar? Conserve it better?

[Mercury Man]

Mylar, backing board  (and a top loader if wanted) can offer just as good of protection.   I mean both this method and CGC are considered archival safe.   One would just cost you a few dollars, and you don't have to send it off, pay the fees etc.

Plus you are not talking about a 9.0 Golden Age book here. 

[Bomber-Bob]

One book, curious about the slabbing process, go ahead and submit it. Have some fun !

[VegasJeff]

What's the estimated value of the book in this condition? 

[phtmEVENstrngr]

I'd say in the $100 - $150 range. Maybe more as MyComicShop has a coverless (graded 0.3) issue 3 for $125.

[telerites]

30 minutes ago, VegasJeff said:

What's the estimated value of the book in this condition? 

A slabbed 1.8 ow-w pages sold for $405 in May of this year.  The series is highly desirable for sure.

What would give me pause is the mention of brittleness of the cover.  Brittle/Slightly brittle are sometimes the kiss of death for GA collectors.  Still if there is no restoration/conservation and want to preserve it, slab away.

[phtmEVENstrngr]

telerites: I know the brittleness is less than desireable. I suppose I'm worried about it being more detrimental to the grade. Would the cgc not grade a book if the brittleness is bad? I just don't want it to come back as a 'no grade' or something.

[phtmEVENstrngr]

Quick pics for those on the fence.

 

Cover - http://i.imgur.com/Q6nRjev.jpg

Spine - http://i.imgur.com/U6tL5rx.jpg

[VegasJeff]

That cover has got nice eye appeal. I'd buy it just for that. My recommendation is to get it slabbed.

[phtmEVENstrngr]

Thanks! The eye appeal sold me on it when I bought it a few years ago. That chip out of the bottom of the cover happened when I first examined the book. -_-.

[telerites]

9 hours ago, phtmEVENstrngr said:

telerites: I know the brittleness is less than desireable. I suppose I'm worried about it being more detrimental to the grade. Would the cgc not grade a book if the brittleness is bad? I just don't want it to come back as a 'no grade' or something.

I doubt the brittleness alone would prevent slabbing as they grade books with brittle pages.  The only way they would not slab it is if the encapsulation would damage the book in some way.  Most notably, overhangs prevent slabbing in some cases and they return the book as it was sent with a note they were unable to slab because of the overhang.

Brittle pages/cover does impact the grade a great deal but you have taken that into account already with the lower grade.  There was a mid grade Phantom Stranger #3 that sold last night on EBay for $869.  The first issue is the easiest to find but the other five issues are tougher and very desirable.  

[namisgr]

20 hours ago, phtmEVENstrngr said:

Mercury Man: Thanks for the reply. I'll probably want to update someday, but are you saying that (as long as I have it) having the comic slabbed wouldn't help it in any way? Protect it from the elements better than the mylar? Conserve it better?

A mylar with an acid-neutralizing fullback board will preserve the book better than a CGC slab, which lacks a backing board.  I agree with the sentiment that if you don't intend to sell the book, don't slab it.  Slabbing for sale would have the advantage of the restoration check and the third party grade.

[phtmEVENstrngr]

Telerites: thanks! That's what really had me worried. Here's hoping they're nice to me. Haha.

 

Namisgr: that makes sense. Thanks!