Heritage Fall Signature Auction 5 5

[Bomber-Bob]

2 hours ago, Mmehdy said:

Pressing is the ultimate face job for GA.....kindly like plastic surgery....on a 60 year old woman for the tenth time...that is how I feel about it...

Totally agree. GA books do not look right being completely flat. It would be okay to do some spot pressing on a problem area that may be improved but just to stick the whole book into a heat press looks so unnatural. Oh well.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

First of all, nice headlights. Second of all, YIKES!

Edited November 18, 2018 by GreatCaesarsGhost

[Bomber-Bob]

2 hours ago, batman_fan said:

So Mitch, I am getting the impression you are not a fan of pressing

Why is any comment about the effects of pressing a book viewed as a line in the sand ? I like pressing when it is done safely, by a professional, and done with the conservation of the book in mind. Buying a T-shirt press, turning up the heat, and sticking the book in there for the sole reason of making money is something I am not a fan of. It's not a matter of being a fan of pressing, it's a matter of being a fan of the books.

[Cat-Man_America]

     2 hours ago,  Mmehdy said: 

Pressing is the ultimate face job for GA.....kindly like plastic surgery....on a 60 year old woman for the tenth time...that is how I feel about it...

2 hours ago, batman_fan said:

So Mitch, I am getting the impression you are not a fan of pressing

 

Let me go on record that I'm not a fan of pressing 60 year old women.

[MrBedrock]

16 hours ago, Cat-Man_America said:

I'm not sure how we got sidetracked from a critique of the process to calling into question CGC's reputation.  Yeah, I know, the fish analogy stinks and you're not about to let me off the hook for it.   

Pressing is commonly accepted and has been for a very long time, but it isn't common knowledge on a book to book basis. Crack/press grade manipulation is one of the reasons the CGC Census is more like a dice roll than a data base.  Other than that, I have no pressing issues.

Last time I checked, GPA provided incomplete sales data favoring one grading service.  I'm open to being persuaded how this benefits the hobby.

No one cares about the other grading company. They might as well not exist.

[Gotham Kid]

17 minutes ago, MrBedrock said:

No one cares about the other grading company. They might as well not exist.

Not sure if you're serious or not Richard, though I think you are, but I'm just posting to second this statement.

Edited November 18, 2018 by Gotham Kid

[Cat-Man_America]

1 hour ago, MrBedrock said:

No one cares about the other grading company. They might as well not exist.

There are principled folks who care about a lot of things and those willing to acquiesce taking the path of least resistance. There are also well intentioned people who say "everyone" thinks this or "lot's of people" think that, when in fact they're projecting a preferred viewpoint.

Fact: In the just concluded Heritage Auction I passed on over $40,000 in bids for items in current CGC holders, some of which I would've likely won, many of which I'd have been the likely underbidder on, impacting the final hammer price.  I realize that my risk capital pales in respect to HA final sales estimates, but It's reasonable to assume exactly where many of those dollars would've been focused.  BTW, my single pick-up is in an older CGC holder, so this isn't about preferring one grading service over another.

Rich, you're a well respected high volume dealer with a soapbox.  You can take whatever position you're most comfortable with as a business model and I won't fault you for it, that is entirely your choice.  My principles don't always align with the status quo, but my informed opinions are justifiable.  If our viewpoints differ, it isn't personal. You will always be someone I look to as a friend either way. 

Edited November 18, 2018 by Cat-Man_America

[Cat-Man_America]

2 minutes ago, Gotham Kid said:

Not sure if you're serious or not Richard, though I think you are, but I'm just posting to second this statement.

I'm hoping he is not, because that is submitting to acceptance of a new-normal of monopolist control which will one day drive folks like me out of the hobby, ...and yes, I'm quite serious.

[MrBedrock]

1 hour ago, Cat-Man_America said:

I'm hoping he is not, because that is submitting to acceptance of a new-normal of monopolist control which will one day drive folks like me out of the hobby, ...and yes, I'm quite serious.

The truth is simply that the "competition" is not competition at all. Control comes from providing a better, more dependable service. Love you, Cat, but you are truly tilting at windmills on this topic.

Edited November 18, 2018 by MrBedrock

[Cat-Man_America]

1 minute ago, MrBedrock said:

The truth is simply that the "competition" is not competition at all. Control comes from providing a better, more dependable service. Love you, Cat, but you are truly tilting at windmills on this topic.

I respect your opinion, but disagree with your conclusions and have evidence to back it up.  Sancho Panza disagrees as well. 

 

[lou_fine]

On 11/15/2018 at 1:49 PM, lou_fine said:

The book which I am surprised at right now is this one here which must be going at a record price already:

 

Already at $8,400 with the Heritage juice.  

Not sure if it has much more room to go though as this must be highest price by a long shot that I have ever seen for a copy of the book.  

 

Well, sold for $9,000 and it certainly looks like somebody was quick on the draw and able to make out like a bandit on this book here:

 

 

    

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

[lou_fine]

19 hours ago, Microbia said:

My one big HA win... great cover, high SI index, mid grade condition, nice paper, and best of all, I got it for way under my max bid!

 

Definitely a long and much under appreciated book from my point of view and a beautiful pickup for any collector.  

Especially since I consider it to be a poor man's version of the much more highly acclaimed and classic Suspense 3 cover by Schomburg that would come out a couple issues later.  

[Mmehdy]

4 hours ago, MrBedrock said:

The truth is simply that the "competition" is not competition at all. Control comes from providing a better, more dependable service. Love you, Cat, but you are truly tilting at windmills on this topic.

And the other guy does not...with untimely delivery, difficulty in talking to customer service, and the only real way of communation is going on their boards and they still accept  what they cannot grade in an acceptable time frame. I agree not even close to being a competitor yet...maybe down the road, I think the gravity of economics and well as a slight decrease in auction results vs CGC will force them to merge with CGC. I know their close relationship with Mycomicsshop.com in terms of locations does give them a change to survive especially with the way MCS is buying dealers and collections according to their newsletter. MCS probably has overtaken Mile High in terms of quantity of quality material as the largest comic book dealer in the world and they can pick them up or get dropped off at the other guys location.. I would of assumed that CGC itself would of branched out in other areas by now. I could envision the CGC creating its own auction division providing a "discount" given to CGC graded books only. They have the best comic book boards in the world, which would lead to a easy creation of a platform of the exclusive auction of CGC graded  comic material..that would also put pressure on the other guy to follow suit...they would never catch up.....

Edited November 19, 2018 by Mmehdy

[twmjr1]

Won two books I've wanted forever, and lost out on multiple times, Science Comics #4 and USA #6.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

24 minutes ago, twmjr1 said:

Won two books I've wanted forever, and lost out on multiple times, Science Comics #4 and USA #6.

Both are great books. Congratulations!  

[Sqeggs]

19 hours ago, MrBedrock said:

No one cares about the other grading company. 

Their mothers care. 

[Sqeggs]

13 hours ago, Mmehdy said:

And the other guy does not...with untimely delivery, difficulty in talking to customer service, and the only real way of communation is going on their boards and they still accept  what they cannot grade in an acceptable time frame. I agree not even close to being a competitor yet...maybe down the road, I think the gravity of economics and well as a slight decrease in auction results vs CGC will force them to merge with CGC. I know their close relationship with Mycomicsshop.com in terms of locations does give them a change to survive especially with the way MCS is buying dealers and collections according to their newsletter. MCS probably has overtaken Mile High in terms of quantity of quality material as the largest comic book dealer in the world and they can pick them up or get dropped off at the other guys location.. I would of assumed that CGC itself would of branched out in other areas by now. I could envision the CGC creating its own auction division providing a "discount" given to CGC graded books only. They have the best comic book boards in the world, which would lead to a easy creation of a platform of the exclusive auction of CGC graded  comic material..that would also put pressure on the other guy to follow suit...they would never catch up.....

Has MCS been sending books to them for grading?  I don't recall seeing many of their books on the MCS site.

I think they made a significant mistake delaying and then making a mess of their chat board.  Might not seem very important, but I'm convinced that this chat board has been important to CGC's success.

[MrBedrock]

38 minutes ago, Sqeggs said:

20 hours ago, MrBedrock said:

No one cares about the other grading company. 

Their mothers care. 

Even their mothers have rejected them. It is really a horrible situation over there.

[Mmehdy]

40 minutes ago, Sqeggs said:

Has MCS been sending books to them for grading?  I don't recall seeing many of their books on the MCS site.

I think they made a significant mistake delaying and then making a mess of their chat board.  Might not seem very important, but I'm convinced that this chat board has been important to CGC's success.

yes they have been sending books from collections they have acquired or on consignment, there is a mile long backup that is why you don't see many on site yet. They claim there is going to be a "new" state of the art chat board..however they had better answer there phone first...if you ask me they will never really be a threat to the CGC given the new additional layer of corporate BS they have to go thru to function, if they were not bought, they were finished unless sold to the CGC so they did a sideways merger...still they are gonna be sold at some point with CGC...they just took away some of the PGX and other side business. But CGC could benefit  from putting a second location in that same area or California might be better to expand and increase good customer service and put more pressure on the other guy to merge. As it becomes more apparent to GA collectors that a CGC graded book will bring more auction $$$ the worse it gets for the other guy. Just look at this auction, not much in the way of the other guy and they are in the same area.

Edited November 19, 2018 by Mmehdy