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Is it now the norm to always press?
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36 posts in this topic

I have some likely submissions that could be helped, but have some others that do not seem obviously pressable for improvements. But honestly, what do I know? Is it now the norm. For you to press and spend the $15 or whatever if a .2 bump may net another $50-100+ even when you have doubts you can get a bump? Do they press anyway even if they don't see a likely improvement by pressing?

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1 hour ago, the blob said:

I have some likely submissions that could be helped, but have some others that do not seem obviously pressable for improvements. But honestly, what do I know? Is it now the norm. For you to press and spend the $15 or whatever if a .2 bump may net another $50-100+ even when you have doubts you can get a bump? Do they press anyway even if they don't see a likely improvement by pressing?

If I'm submitting it to sell it down the road, then it's worth the $10 fee (via 3rd party) for the things I wouldn't pick up when I look at the books.  Proper selection, tier bundling etc make the extra shipping costs minimal.

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1 hour ago, the blob said:

 

So "collectors" don't care about a .2 or .4 or whatever bump? Seems like plenty do. If someone does not care about the grade, why send it in? A resto check? Everything in my collection is subject to sale depending on financial needs, but there are books I have owned since I was 5 in there too. I ask because I posted a book.. A modern variant with no obvious flaws I thought was a likely 9.8... And someone said press it. As there is probably a $150-200 difference between 9.6 and 9.8 I get it. And yes, I guess that would be a flip, I cannot justify sitting on a $800-1000 modern variant in my collection. I have sat on my hulk 2 since 1996, but this seems silly.

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1 hour ago, the blob said:

So "collectors" don't care about a .2 or .4 or whatever bump? Seems like plenty do. If someone does not care about the grade, why send it in? A resto check? Everything in my collection is subject to sale depending on financial needs, but there are books I have owned since I was 5 in there too. I ask because I posted a book.. A modern variant with no obvious flaws I thought was a likely 9.8... And someone said press it. As there is probably a $150-200 difference between 9.6 and 9.8 I get it. And yes, I guess that would be a flip, I cannot justify sitting on a $800-1000 modern variant in my collection. I have sat on my hulk 2 since 1996, but this seems silly.

I'm guessing that you were trying to quote me - and not yourself. lol

I don't think it's "normal" for most collectors to press everything all the time. That's all. My personal observation from reading online and talking to people for 4+ years. I think collectors are more frugal, or selective, if/when they choose to press.

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1 hour ago, theCapraAegagrus said:

I'm guessing that you were trying to quote me - and not yourself. lol

I don't think it's "normal" for most collectors to press everything all the time. That's all. My personal observation from reading online and talking to people for 4+ years. I think collectors are more frugal, or selective, if/when they choose to press.

I guess I was trying to gauge the thinking on this board, which has a mix of pure "I never sell" collectors, "I flip to pay for my hobby" collectors, dealers, junior dealers, flippers, and junior flippers. And often a hybrid of all of the above.

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I would press anything Fine or better. It seems to add at least 0.5 of a bump.

A worn 2.0-3.0 book though usually has the type of wear that cannot be pressed out, hence why it is in this range. Sure, there are examples of 2.0-2.5 books getting a slight bump but I feel these are the types of books you can look at and get a sense of whether it helps or not. For example, a 3.0 with severe spine roll would benefit but a 3.0 with a lot of stress marks and colour breaking creases would not.

And really for $5-10 to potentially get $50-100 or more in value out of a book, what have you got to lose? I wonder if pressing eventually gets a price bump for the amount it improves a book. I have seen some wonderful press bumps lately on some big books. It will be interesting to see how pricing of this method changes in the coming years.  

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4 hours ago, theCapraAegagrus said:

Tough question. Dealers? "Flippers"? Probably an easy yes.

Collectors? Without an obvious improvement, I'd venture to say no.

This. I sold off my collection over the past 12 months, and my biggest regret is not getting more books pressed.

I would not use CGC though, unless they are removing resto and recommend a press afterwards. Less expensive and a bit faster to go elsewhere. JMHO.

CGC does a great job, though; they pressed my Hulk 1 after removing the resto, and it looked even better than the 6.5 it got. :)

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56 minutes ago, mackenzie999 said:

Depends on the group. I belong to a couple of Fb comics groups where the default mentality is, "if it exists, clean and press it," often accompanied by little or no knowledge of what pressable defect means.

yeah that's very common on facebook groups from what I've seen and in the newbie section on the boards here as well... 

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With the seemingly crazy premium placed on 9.8 vs even 9.6, I can see why the default for many people is to just press any book they submit.  I doubt it pays off nearly as much as all of those people think it does, so being much more selective and actually learning to grade a bit is probably more lucrative in the long run; whether you are doing it to improve your own personal collection or flip or whatever.

But yeah, on facebook (and the modern section here seems way too much like facebook sometimes) the mentality is that if it looks like a comic book, better press it just to be sure.  And slab everything, no matter what. Slab slab slab, press press press, twenty dolla grails 4lyfe..

wait, sorry. got off on a tangent there.

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In the short term if you are selling a book probably worth having it pressed.  The question for those holding onto their books or buying pressed books is what is the long term effect of pressing 10-20 years down the road?  Most companies that press keep "secret" the process under which they are pressing.  Personal books that you are going to keep until you "die" probably should not be pressed.  Just my thought.

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