Are Newton Rings 'normal and acceptable'? 6 6

[mec3437]

On 7/21/2018 at 12:40 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

A chance to voice your opinion and send a message to CGC

I don't think CGC cares what anyone says as long as people keep sending them money

[Get Marwood & I]

1 hour ago, I like pie said:

Maybe a NR fix?

It's a wind up, surely?

[bc]

3 minutes ago, Get Marwood & I said:

It's a wind up, surely?

Think pocket-size NRs....and don't call me surely.

-bc

[ADAMANTIUM]

3 minutes ago, bc said:

7 minutes ago, Get Marwood & I said:

It's a wind up, surely?

Think pocket-size NRs....and don't call me surely.

-bc

If yes, that it is for "cards", then I'd be interested  due to knowing nothing of the card market or grading, but I can now learn CGC with everyone else haha, right?

[theCapraAegagrus]

1 hour ago, I like pie said:

Maybe a NR fix?

 

[Get Marwood & I]

If 9.5 is Gem Mint, what is 10? 

[theCapraAegagrus]

Just now, Get Marwood & I said:

If 9.5 is Gem Mint, what is 10? 

"Pristine Mint".

[Get Marwood & I]

16 hours ago, theCapraAegagrus said:

"Pristine Mint".

Right. Thanks.

Anyway, getting back on topic - Newton Rings: they're undesirable. 

[Spearmintrob]

Interestingly, I received a bulk email, after posting here yesterday (Fox Mulder was right . . .they are watching EVERYTHING) from the Chairman of CGC. Perhaps he has opened the door for us to explain that this issue doesn't jive with this message!

A Letter from Mark Salzberg

Posted on 5/4/2020

The CCG companies are committed to serving the collecting community with expertise and integrity while ensuring the safety and well-being of our employees.

My Friends and Colleagues in the Collectibles Community,

I have been in the collectibles industry for more than 40 years. In that time, I have seen many market peaks and valleys — periods of prosperity as well as periods of great difficulty. In fact, I became a coin dealer during the boomtimes of the late 1970s, only to experience the great crash of 1980 and the ensuing multi-year slump.

During each of these challenges, I have learned that there are opportunities for those who can adapt quickly. This crisis is no different.

The cancellation of shows and comic cons as well as the closure of shops have dramatically and abruptly changed the global collectibles industry. Even in the Internet Age, many collectibles dealers have made their living through face-to-face interactions with other dealers and the public. With that dynamic gone for the foreseeable future, their survival — and the survival of our markets overall — rests on being able to sell collectibles online to a broad base of buyers around the world.

Online sales of collectibles have long been facilitated by third-party authentication, grading and encapsulation. Now, expert and impartial certification services are even more important, providing critical confidence and liquidity to the collectibles markets.

Third-party certification from NGC, PMG, CGC, ASG and CAG makes it easier for collectibles to be bought and sold online, even sight-unseen, because people understand and trust the descriptions and grades of the collectibles. These transactions are also safer because the collectibles are backed by comprehensive guarantees and protected by state-of-the-art holders.

Recognizing that our services are essential to the global collectibles markets, we took numerous preventative measures upon seeing the outbreak of the coronavirus in China, where we have a large presence. As a result of our proactive efforts, all of our worldwide locations have been able to remain open and provide uninterrupted services to collectors, dealers, auction houses, museums, banks and others.

Our Shanghai office was our first location to face the coronavirus outbreak. We quickly responded by increasing cleaning and disinfecting of workspaces, distributing masks and sanitizers to all employees, discontinuing the use of any shared devices such as coffeemakers and requiring that all employees have their temperature taken before entering our facility.

As we saw the coronavirus spread rapidly in Asia, we expanded these preventive efforts to our other offices. We instructed all employees who could work from home to do so, even before governments implemented such guidelines. We expanded flex and sick time, stopped in-person pick-ups and drop-offs from customers and took other steps to improve safety.

For more than seven weeks, only the employees who are absolutely required to work inside of our facilities have been there, and they are able to spread out to safe distances of six feet or more as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Daily distribution of masks and gloves, frequent cleaning and other safety protocols continue to provide additional protection for our employees.

Amid this new normal, the collectibles markets are showing incredible signs of resiliency. Coins certified by NGC, notes certified by PMG and comics certified by CGC have achieved very strong prices at recent auctions, and many dealers are reporting brisk sales.

For example, during the week of March 16 — the peak of stock market volatility in the US — Stack’s Bowers Galleries sold the PMG-certified D. Brent Pogue US currency collection for more than $9 million. An incredible 27 PMG-certified notes achieved prices of at least $100,000, including an 1863 $100 “Spread Eagle” Legal Tender note graded PMG 65 Gem Uncirculated EPQ that sold for $432,000.

 

The 1863 $100 “Spread Eagle” Legal Tender note graded PMG 65 Gem Uncirculated EPQ that realized $432,000. Click image to enlarge.

 

Less than two weeks ago, we saw amazing results in several sales by Heritage Auctions. On April 23, Heritage sold an 1858 Eagle graded NGC PF 64 Ultra Cameo for a jaw-dropping $480,000. The next day, Heritage’s world and ancient coins sale was topped by a 1644 England Triple Unite graded NGC MS 62+ that sold for an incredible $360,000, while its paper money auction was led by two 1934-dated PMG-certified notes that realized more than $100,000 each.

 

The 1858 Eagle graded NGC PF 64 Ultra Cameo that realized $480,000 in the Heritage Auctions sale and the England 1644 Triple Unite graded NGC MS 62+ that realized $360,000. Click images to enlarge.

 

Heritage Auctions also just held a major comic book sale that ended May 3. The top lot was an Amazing Fantasy #15 (Marvel Comics, 8/62) graded CGC 8.0 that realized $180,000 — nearly double its Overstreet value.

 

The Amazing Fantasy #15 (Marvel Comics, 8/62) graded CGC 8.0 that realized $180,000. Click images to enlarge.

 

Retailers who sell collectibles on TV and over the phone also report substantial business in the current climate. With many employees working from home and reduced rates for advertising, their costs are down, and they are able to more quickly adjust to meet demand.

All of this is not to say that we are immune to the economic downturn experienced by many companies and industries. Mints around the world have temporarily stopped issuing collectible coins and Diamond Comic Distributors has temporarily stopped distributing new comic book titles.

While we have seen submissions decline in the US and Europe over the last seven weeks, we are confident that this situation will be short-lived. Indeed, our mainland China business recovered quickly and is actually up compared to the same period last year.

The encouraging results from online, TV and phone sales reveal that interest in collectibles is robust. Gold is approaching record highs and there is extraordinary demand for bullion — the premiums paid for physical gold and silver as compared to spot metal prices are the highest I have seen in my career.

Meanwhile, seemingly limitless amounts of paper money are being printed in the US and elsewhere, while stock markets have shown nerve-wracking volatility.

Not surprisingly, we are now seeing a dramatic shift in asset allocations that will only accelerate in the coming months. Investors, who have become much more wary of the stock market and currencies, will shift a greater portion of their assets to collectibles, which continue to become increasingly liquid and fungible as a result of third-party certification.

When mints, distributors and shops begin to reopen, we expect to see a sharp increase in both collectibles sales and submissions as the current logistical and commercial impediments are lifted.

Although it may be some time before shows resume, I am excited to announce that we have partnered with Heritage Auctions to serve this important role for the dealers whose businesses depend on these events. Soon we will offer Invitationals where the country's most active dealers can trade collectibles and submit them for on-site grading.

We will work closely with Heritage to ensure that these Invitationals are safe for all participants. Currently, we plan to hold six events for coins in the next year, and we are formulating our plans for paper money and comic book events. I am thrilled that we are working together to provide additional liquidity and capital for our dealers. Look out for more details soon.

While there remains a great deal of uncertainty about the coronavirus and its economic impacts, I am extremely confident that the collectibles markets will see an extraordinary period of expansion in the near future. Dealers who can deliver convenience, safety and liquidity through a robust online presence will not just survive but thrive in the new normal.

Now and always, the CCG companies are here to help with expert, impartial and trusted certification services. No matter how far apart we may be, know that we are here for you.

I hope that it is not too long before we see each other at a show again. Until then, please stay safe.

All my best,

 

Mark Salzberg
Chairman

[Spearmintrob]

I have a customer right now who is very upset about his comic looking messy!

[cgcsketcherz]

3 hours ago, ADAMANTIUM said:

It looked as though it was "new label" again? with Nm+/NM/Nm- on it etc  

I was hoping for a official slab for paper/comic backboard sketches probably trading cards though. 

[DR.X]

3 hours ago, theCapraAegagrus said:

 

I think I actually have a 9.5 slab around here.

[theCapraAegagrus]

13 hours ago, DR.X said:

I think I actually have a 9.5 slab around here.

yer a wizard Harry

[DR.X]

[The Milkman]

On 5/4/2020 at 4:05 PM, Spearmintrob said:

I have been reading all of your posts with both fascination and amusement. You can throw in a sense of respect for people who are reasonably trying to solve a "problem." It may only seem to be a perception problem, but to him/her to whom it is a problem . . . .well, it is a problem. This just occurred to me recently, and in response to someone's response about CGC and their view on it, here is CGC's official response:

"Thank you for your email. There is no liquid present, or anything that can damage your book. This visual phenomenon occurs when light passes through plastics with different refractive indexes (how they bend light). It’s what you sometimes see on a smartphone screen protector, or on the edges of an LCD television screen. In our cases, it’s the refractive qualities of the hard outer shell and the archival-quality Mylar sheets over the book, which have been approved by the Library of Congress for the preservation of paper.

 

There are Newton Rings present in all of our encapsulated books, these are considered normal and acceptable. Reholder service is available, however there is no guarantee that reholdering will eliminate or diminish the presence of Newton Rings. If you feel that your book has newton rings that are beyond our acceptable standards, you can certainly send us a picture and we will review."  Quotations mine.

 

So I sent the book back to be reholdered I was happy that it fell outside of the lines considered normal and acceptable. Upon return, I was flabbergasted to find those darned Newton rings of bent light yet again.  The problem here is that this particular cover: Danger Girl: Twenty Years (J. Scott Campbell Smoking Gun Virgin cover), simply highlights these refractive qualities. I do sell comics, so it is important that they look their best. I also suppose I simply could include this response from CGC in my listing to "teach" newbies that this is not a defect, but a visual apparition and does not inherently alter or lessen the value of your comic book. Alas, I just want to sell and not teach and simply wish they could "fix" or abolish this. 

I haven't got a book slabbed in two years, now, because of this.  I'm fine with waiting until they can solve this problem.

[thewritestuff]

7 hours ago, The Milkman said:

I haven't got a book slabbed in two years, now, because of this.  I'm fine with waiting until they can solve this problem.

Same here. I’d rather buy new comics and keep them looking great in Gerber Mylites than look at this mess... that book looks freakin horrible 

[I like pie]

I recently got about 30 books back and none had Newton rings. Brittany was on a Zenescope live feed last week and they asked about NRs. She stated they created more room in the slab.

Hopefully this time, it's fixed

Edited May 27, 2020 by I like pie

[Gaard]

Does anyone know if CGC has stated why so many books have NRs "beyond acceptable standards"?

[DavidTheDavid]

22 hours ago, Gaard said:

Does anyone know if CGC has stated why so many books have NRs "beyond acceptable standards"?

Define "so many". It would seem they've been willing to eat the costs of reholders so far, which suggests to me that it's a small percentage of their overall output.

[Gaard]

1 hour ago, DavidTheDavid said:

Define "so many". It would seem they've been willing to eat the costs of reholders so far, which suggests to me that it's a small percentage of their overall output.

I guess it is kind of a subjective term. I, personally, was thinking 1000s. (think I'm in the ballpark?)

Yes, I realize CGC has weighed the pros and cons of fixing this issue, and decided it's financially better (for them) to let it slide. But they have acceptable standards (so they say). I was just wondering why so many (there's that term again) are outside of those acceptable standards.