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Questionable staple rust and CGC grading
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11 posts in this topic

Hello all!

Hopefully a straight forward question.

I’m newer to the collecting community and I’ve got two 9.8 graded slabs (both graded within the last 6 months.)

Long story short, to ME, there’s questionable rust on the staples. It’s not obvious and honestly, it may not even be rust.

There’s no grader notes commenting on it, etc.

Question:

Can a slab get a 9.8 grade with rust on the staples? Or is it not rust and are my newbie eyes/brain making this something more than it is?

I can try to take pics, but I don’t think I can even photograph it because it’s that subtle and it’s in a slab. 

Any help/advice would be appreciated.

 

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If the rust is si "subtle" that a picture won't show it then you are probably being a bit to strict.  There is either rust. Or there is not. if you are not sure, it is probably not rust.   Staples can tarnish a bit over time. That's not rust. Just not bright and shiny anymore. . 

It's unlikely a book with any rust on the staples grades 9.8. But the encapsulation of the comic does not seal off the comic from the environment. If the encapsulated comic is stored in an environment with high relative humidity, the staples could rust.  In fact, there have been documented instances of this where people have used fireproof safes and gun cabinets to store CGC graded comics - and the staples have rusted as a result. Because the humidity inside such safes and cabinets can build up over time and  get very high. 

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Tony,

Thanks for the reply. Surprisingly, I think I got some good pics! I can argue that I’m seeing some red-rust like areas at the base of some of the staples.

Mind you, these pics are from two different slabs that I recently purchased from two different sellers

One of the slabs was literally graded 4 weeks ago. 

I just find it hard to believe that if it were rust, this would slip by someone grading these. Not to mention, the odds that BOTH have it and got 9.8s?

And if it wasn’t like this before grading, I find it hard to believe that both would develop this in such a short period of time, especially the one graded a month ago and the other 8-10 months ago.

That’s why I’m wondering if this is something that’s acceptable during the grading process to allow a 9.8 or if I’m misdiagnosing altogether.

Am I being too particular?? lol
 

 

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F0427930-5856-43DB-9399-215F5E6AF2F5.jpeg

3228763C-19DF-47E5-96F1-A78510C17786.jpeg

7CADEFBD-20C2-43B8-B5CD-872B96DA2F0A.jpeg

Edited by Chapter2099
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Count me in as someone who doesn't get it either. The only thing I can think of is if discoloured staples are a thing with this comic, like if all comics show that defect in some way or another. Both of yours do, so if all do, then it would be considered a defect at the factory level, in terms of what was specifically used in this issue, and you could still get a 9.8.

 

But I will admit, it doesn't look good.

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On 7/11/2020 at 8:23 PM, Chapter2099 said:

Hello all!

Hopefully a straight forward question.

I’m newer to the collecting community and I’ve got two 9.8 graded slabs (both graded within the last 6 months.)

Long story short, to ME, there’s questionable rust on the staples. It’s not obvious and honestly, it may not even be rust.

There’s no grader notes commenting on it, etc.

Question:

Can a slab get a 9.8 grade with rust on the staples? Or is it not rust and are my newbie eyes/brain making this something more than it is?

I can try to take pics, but I don’t think I can even photograph it because it’s that subtle and it’s in a slab. 

Any help/advice would be appreciated.

Can? Yes. Should? No.

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I can’t say 100% for sure, but pics 2 and 4 look like just discoloration to me. 
 

Pics 1 and especially 3 do look like rust to me. 
 

As to whether that should disqualify a book from a 9.8:  I would think so, but I seen other things on CGC books that are a surprise to me. 

I got to be honest, for completely selfish reasons, I kind of hope so. I have a book that looks really high-grade but looks to have the beginnings of rust on the top staple. Not saying I’d expect a 9.8, but it would be nice to still have a shot at a 9.4. 
 

However, if I paid the 9.8 premium for a book and spotted staples like that I think I would be disappointed too. 

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