Can a cover become detached from the staples while inside an undamaged CGC case? 0

[Tysan]

I've got a buyer on eBay trying to claim that not 1, but 2 comics he purchased from me had the staples detach from the cover while inside undamaged CGC cases.  I know that he is lying since the pictures he sent clearly show that the staples are attached (just indented slightly).  But I wanted to know if there are any legitimate documented cases of staples becoming detached from the cover while still sealed inside the cases.  Thanks.

[comicginger1789]

Sounds like you got yourself a jerk.

If he doesn't like them, have him return em. If he's trying to get them for cheaper, he is a jerk and all I can say is good luck fighting with ebay over it. Be interesting to see where they stand.

As for this happening, the staples would have to be very loose and the book extremely shaken around (and loose in the case to begin with) for this to likely happen. I cannot attest to it personally but I am sure it is possible. Like I said, would require a tremendous amount of shaking during travel. 

Edited April 7, 2020 by comicginger1789

[Artboy99]

I have had it happen to me on a couple of books.

Example: My Beware 10 CGC 6.5 was attached at both staples when I bought it, then over a few years I came to note the staple at the bottom became detached.  In the attached image the staple is already somewhat stressed, but it is still attached. I took the book to a few comic shows for display and I believe it became detached as comicginger1789 above mentions, some shaking due to travel inside a box in a car.

[Tysan]

Here are pictures of the books and staples the buyer is trying to claim are detached.  Anyone out there in their right minds think those are detached staples?

[Artboy99]

not detached.

[theCapraAegagrus]

10 minutes ago, Artboy99 said:

not detached.

I concur.

Possibly a new collector...?

[The Lions Den]

This looks like it could be a case of the infamous SCS (Shaken Comic Syndrome). It frequently happens during shipping, when the certified comic is jarred enough to move around inside the inner well. It can result in the type of damage seen above (tears at the staples) or in extreme cases, detachment of the cover (the staples pull completely through the cover). This is possible even if the holder itself remains undamaged. As I recall, there have been a number of threads devoted to this subject here on the boards...

[The Lions Den]

1 hour ago, Artboy99 said:

I have had it happen to me on a couple of books.

Example: My Beware 10 CGC 6.5 was attached at both staples when I bought it, then over a few years I came to note the staple at the bottom became detached.  In the attached image the staple is already somewhat stressed, but it is still attached. I took the book to a few comic shows for display and I believe it became detached as comicginger1789 above mentions, some shaking due to travel inside a box in a car.

Sorry about the book, but what a great cover...

[Keys_Collector]

Tell him he's got a gold mine with those books and he'd be a fool to return them.

[Tysan]

1 hour ago, theCapraAegagrus said:

I concur.

Possibly a new collector...?

Nope.  An established collector that bragged about having 25 boxes of CGC books and being a member of the CGC boards.  So basically someone who knows better.

 

[Artboy99]

I also had a Batman Adventures 12 come back in a cgc 9.2 slab that had a popped staple. Obviously it was graded and slabbed then at some point during shipping / transport to me the staple popped as there is no way cgc missed a popped staple during the grading process. I sold the book at the comic show it was delivered to me at so I can't scan it but it is an example of modern staple popping.

[seanfingh]

3 hours ago, Tysan said:

I've got a buyer on eBay trying to claim that not 1, but 2 comics he purchased from me had the staples detach from the cover while inside undamaged CGC cases.  I know that he is lying since the pictures he sent clearly show that the staples are attached (just indented slightly).  But I wanted to know if there are any legitimate documented cases of staples becoming detached from the cover while still sealed inside the cases.  Thanks.

Just so you get some actual information:

(1) Yes there are documented cases of covers tearing away from books in undamaged cases. A buildup of static can cause the cover to become "fixed" (like stuck) and then small impacts such as those in transit can cause the book to move but the cover stays fixed and BAM! you have a trainwreck situation.

(2) The book you showed does not have that situation. It has impacted staples, which based on the severity of the impact and the era of the book most likely did not affect the grade. Unfortunately, impacted staples like those can also occur as a result of an inferior press job.  That may have happened because there appears to be some tearing at the top of the staple. If I had graded this book, I would have taken off for the tear on the impacted staple and i would have assumed a wack press job.

 

[comicginger1789]

Those staples are attached. 

[seanfingh]

9 hours ago, comicginger1789 said:

Those staples are attached. 

Yes, they are. The shown staple on the X-Men 4 is impacted. I can't see anything on the other shown staple. But there are small tears. They could have been there before, or they could be ocurring because of the book migrating and the cover staying in place.  This is not a new phenomenon.  There have been threads about this phenomenon many times over the years.

Edited April 8, 2020 by seanfingh

[Colin Nash]

Very interesting replies. I had no idea that staples could become detached in transit. This may explain why a Silver Age comic I sent to CGC for grading with staples attached, was returned with grader notes saying 'top staple detached". I knew it can happened during pressing, but not during shipping.

[Randall Dowling]

8 hours ago, Colin Nash said:

Very interesting replies. I had no idea that staples could become detached in transit. This may explain why a Silver Age comic I sent to CGC for grading with staples attached, was returned with grader notes saying 'top staple detached". I knew it can happened during pressing, but not during shipping.

The best way to preserve the condition of a book is to not ship it across the country.