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Does grading depend on what mood a grader is in ?
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23 posts in this topic

Does grading depend on what mood a grader is in when they get a comic ?

I count 7 ticks that break colour on the spine of this, plus that bottom left corner looks very iffy, but yet this book still got a 9.2

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I'm going to say, yes. There are objective standards they grade on, but everyone doing so is going to be subjective about how they interpret each flaw.

Ever send books in to get pre-screened for 9.8, have them all get rejected, only then just mail them right back again to CGC and they all get approved and graded 9.8? MAGIC :D 

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I honestly think so. I have a Giant Size X-Men 7.5 that looks like a 6.5 on a good day. I'd give a 6 or 5.5 if it were me. It has multiple creases on the cover itself, folded overlap and a spine tear, yet 7.5 it is. I'm fine with it if it's a legit 7.5, but it drives me crazy thinking if I send it for a press clean and regrade it'll get LOWER.

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4 hours ago, brentdevil said:

I honestly think so. I have a Giant Size X-Men 7.5 that looks like a 6.5 on a good day. I'd give a 6 or 5.5 if it were me. It has multiple creases on the cover itself, folded overlap and a spine tear, yet 7.5 it is. I'm fine with it if it's a legit 7.5, but it drives me crazy thinking if I send it for a press clean and regrade it'll get LOWER.

Or try selling it as graded.  You'd almost expect the buyer to be emailing you immediately that it's not even close.  And you know he's right, but now you find yourself defending the CGC grade.  Or agreeing and taking a return, postage on you, probably, both ways.

Over-grading is just as bad as under-grading.  Both are bad, and that's why we pay to get a professional opinion.  We just want it to be the correct grade so that we can proceed from there.

I did see a seller on eBay, I think it was a Thor 337 involved, who was selling a 9.6 but stated immediately he didn't agree with the grade, so was pricing it $100 lower.  Now that is some bold integrity.

 

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11 hours ago, csaag said:

I believe more than 1 grader looks at a book.   Size & severity also come into play in addition to a count of defects.  If you read enough posts you'll see various mentions to periods where it seems there's stricter grading or looser grading.  Maybe that relates to staff turnover.

I completely agree. I’ve seen it both ways up and down. Over grading is just as bad as under grading. You’re happy when it comes back better than you thought but over saturation of a book in certain grades on the Census can also have an adverse effect on the value, not to mention that presentation comes into play, if you choose to sell it. I do know that in their Grading Department they do have a certain amount of staff turnover and often the right and loose Grading is a direct reflection of that. This is why the Overstreet Guide to Grading still remains my go too, for trying to pre grade books

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11 hours ago, csaag said:

I believe more than 1 grader looks at a book.   Size & severity also come into play in addition to a count of defects.  If you read enough posts you'll see various mentions to periods where it seems there's stricter grading or looser grading.  Maybe that relates to staff turnover.

^^

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8 hours ago, brentdevil said:

I honestly think so. I have a Giant Size X-Men 7.5 that looks like a 6.5 on a good day. I'd give a 6 or 5.5 if it were me. It has multiple creases on the cover itself, folded overlap and a spine tear, yet 7.5 it is. I'm fine with it if it's a legit 7.5, but it drives me crazy thinking if I send it for a press clean and regrade it'll get LOWER.

hm

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4 hours ago, Lightning55 said:

Or try selling it as graded.  You'd almost expect the buyer to be emailing you immediately that it's not even close.  And you know he's right, but now you find yourself defending the CGC grade.  Or agreeing and taking a return, postage on you, probably, both ways.

Over-grading is just as bad as under-grading.  Both are bad, and that's why we pay to get a professional opinion.  We just want it to be the correct grade so that we can proceed from there.

I did see a seller on eBay, I think it was a Thor 337 involved, who was selling a 9.6 but stated immediately he didn't agree with the grade, so was pricing it $100 lower.  Now that is some bold integrity.

 

I agree...but it does make me wonder what the "correct" grade is for any given book..?   (shrug)

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15 hours ago, speople said:

Does grading depend on what mood a grader is in when they get a comic ?

I count 7 ticks that break colour on the spine of this, plus that bottom left corner looks very iffy, but yet this book still got a 9.2

Sometimes books are graded what they are due to the process of elimination. In other words, this book isn't nice enough for a 9.4, but it's nicer than a 9.0. And until the grading scale incorporates 9.1 and 9.3, this is what you're going to get... 

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I think they are dead on 90 some percent of the time. Rest of time not off by much. Once in awhile might be a human error, wrong label, encapsulation mistake. I don't think they have a mood towards grading. They have a formula and follow it. My grading will not be inline with them all the time for sure, but only because we have a different formula. 

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11 hours ago, Lightning55 said:

Or try selling it as graded.  You'd almost expect the buyer to be emailing you immediately that it's not even close.  And you know he's right, but now you find yourself defending the CGC grade.  Or agreeing and taking a return, postage on you, probably, both ways.

Over-grading is just as bad as under-grading.  Both are bad, and that's why we pay to get a professional opinion.  We just want it to be the correct grade so that we can proceed from there.

I did see a seller on eBay, I think it was a Thor 337 involved, who was selling a 9.6 but stated immediately he didn't agree with the grade, so was pricing it $100 lower.  Now that is some bold integrity.

 

I'm keeping the book so not an issue for me unless I decide to sell it and try for a higher grade. It just would be nice to know if it objectively stands at the grade it was given.

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Has anyone had any luck getting more detailed grader's notes than what is disclosed on the submission tracking hyperlink?

I am assuming they have an extremely detailed checklist that they fill out for each book and keep on file but I am a little discouraged when all I get back is "light foxing to cover,
wear all corners cover breaks color."

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1 hour ago, PickleRick1216 said:

Has anyone had any luck getting more detailed grader's notes than what is disclosed on the submission tracking hyperlink?

I am assuming they have an extremely detailed checklist that they fill out for each book and keep on file but I am a little discouraged when all I get back is "light foxing to cover,
wear all corners cover breaks color."

Lol, they don't.

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19 hours ago, William-James88 said:

All I feel like saying is that Adventure 332 looks pretty damn sweet!

I have a better one. Which considering that there are just 3 currently known copies graded higher, 2 9.4s and a 9.6, it might make mine an equal best copy (or best in grade)

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