9.0 wp vs. 9.2 ow/wp 4 4

[Frankielo]

I think the title says it all,buying a big bronze grail book and trying to decide which is a better value 9.0 white pages or 9.2 off-white/white pages. I know there sre variables and each book stands at a own.this is a $ and cents question Are they close or is there a clear-cut difference ?what does everyone think?

[KCOComics]

Every collector is different. 

I think the 9.2 is the better investment. The hobby has really shifted toward being grade conscious. 

Personally I'm less concerned about page quality than many (until you mention the dreaded B word) Once they are entombed, I'm big on presentation. I've bought "lower graded" books that present better. 

[Jesse-Lee]

3 hours ago, Frankielo said:

I think the title says it all,buying a big bronze grail book and trying to decide which is a better value 9.0 white pages or 9.2 off-white/white pages. I know there sre variables and each book stands at a own.this is a $ and cents question Are they close or is there a clear-cut difference ?what does everyone think?

If the prices are equal, I'd probably go with the 9.2, but I guess it depends on the book. For me personally, age plays a small part too - if a book is from before the early to mid-80s, I feel like I'm not as concerned about OW/W vs W. Probably a silly distinction, but just my preference.

It also depends on your goal - if you're looking to buy and sell, you probably want the higher grade - if it's for your personal collection and you're not worried about a "flip," then like @KCOComics said, I'd rather have the better presenting book regardless of grade.

Edited September 30, 2020 by Jesse-Lee

[Frankielo]

Both present well.GSxmen #1 so it's a "Big" book.choice #3 is a 8.0 WP that's considerable less.i guess it's part the thrill of the higher grade in addition to which will go up in value better as a %.                         

Short story Just so it's not about the money I have a 5.0 in my collection that I bought when it first came out(1975)! its my lowest graded book.in hindsight would have been better off keeping it raw and buy the 8.0

[Jesse-Lee]

18 minutes ago, Frankielo said:

Both present well.GSxmen #1 so it's a "Big" book.choice #3 is a 8.0 WP that's considerable less.i guess it's part the thrill of the higher grade in addition to which will go up in value better as a %.                         

Short story Just so it's not about the money I have a 5.0 in my collection that I bought when it first came out(1975)! its my lowest graded book.in hindsight would have been better off keeping it raw and buy the 8.0

Is the price the same on the 9.2 and 9.0? It doesn't look like a huge gap on FMV, but still a couple hundred bucks it looks like - on that book, I'd definitely go the higher grade personally, but that's my . Or if it's for personal and the 8.0 looks great and is a huge amount less, maybe you want to go that route? A lot of it comes down to goals and personal preference.

[KCOComics]

21 minutes ago, Frankielo said:

Both present well.GSxmen #1 so it's a "Big" book.choice #3 is a 8.0 WP that's considerable less.i guess it's part the thrill of the higher grade in addition to which will go up in value better as a %.                         

Short story Just so it's not about the money I have a 5.0 in my collection that I bought when it first came out(1975)! its my lowest graded book.in hindsight would have been better off keeping it raw and buy the 8.0

I think the 9.2 will go up more. 

Honestly, it seems like an important book to you (based on still owning your copy from 1975).  I would buy the higher grade and hang onto the 5.0 

Spending more hurts near term, but I've never regreated buying the right book.... then again, I've never really regreated buying any books lol. 

[Ken Aldred]

I go for presentation.  I have a 9.0 GS X-Men 1 white pager that presents as nicely as some 9.6s that I've seen.

So, choosing the right 9.0 or 9.2 is tough.  However, I had the luxury of time to spare, several years ago, prior to the most recent price escalation.

No need to be too snobbish about nice-looking 9.0s.  I also have an X-Men 94 that was regraded from 9.0 to 9.4 around the same time back then.

Edited September 30, 2020 by Ken Aldred

[Jesse-Lee]

To use myself as an example: Almost all of the books I buy slabbed are books I want to own, not flip, so for my goals I want to get as good-looking a book as possible. So instead of looking solely at grades, I go for look most of the time. I also don't grade chase, but I usually do want to buy in a solid enough grade that if I ever do decide to sell, I'm not losing money (and hopefully I'm making a little bit back over time). I also don't like to pay over FMV, so I hunt a lot for the best book at the best circumstance. So far the only book I've paid above FMV for is ASM 300, and even that book, since I bought it only about 2 weeks ago, is now selling for above what I paid, and the FMV has been adjusted up above what I paid.

Edited September 30, 2020 by Jesse-Lee

[comicginger1789]

To me, off-white and white pages can be indistinguishable sometimes. If they aren't tanning or brittle, you are better off with the better grade. Also, presentation would play a factor. If they both look great, and I can save some money by having the lower graded copy, I would do it. If the 9.0 looks just as good and saves me $300+, I would buy it. Still gonna be a desired book for years to come, still high grade and hey....someday it might magically morph into a 9.2. God knows that happens a lot today. 

[Frankielo]

Thanks for the input.9.0 and 9.2 are about the same price.The 9.0 is actually $150 higher and the 8.0 is about $1200 less.Never going to sell the 5.0 read it dozens of times as a boy it just ended up as the only book that got some damage as my other books I collected  graded between 7.5-9.0.

[alexgross.com]

i've never liked 9.2 grades. i feel like 9.4 is the ideal grade if you want a top tier book. 9.0 is the grade where a book looks great but will have small visible issues. 9.2 feels like an in between grade. same thing for 9.6, it feels in between. 

especially with bronze and newer books i find page quality super important. i own no cream colored books from any era and for bronze and newer i only buy white pages. white page copies of books also sell for more, so are the best investment later. 

and as ken said, presentation can vary a ton in two books, regardless of grade. lack of good centering, etc. but if two books are otherwise equal in price, page quality and appearance, then i would go for the 9.2 

 

[Chaos_in_Canada]

Buy the higher grade.

My GSXM1s (9.2&9.0) look similar except for PQ.

Edited September 30, 2020 by Chaos_in_Canada

[NP_Gresham]

9.0/9.2 Bronze are senseless if the 9.8 is within reach

Consider wrap, and if the book is unpressed.

A check box on those 2 outweigh the PQ IMHO

Also look for other defects such as discolored staples as well as misplaced or dented staples, presentation, color strike and especially the dreaded SCS

Also consider personal preferences such as date stamps (personally, I love them, but individual preference may vary) or unverified signatures on the interior which some may consider like GLOD cover sig.

I have found PQ to be random as resubs I have sent move up and down at random. So if you plan to get a sig or resub you could lose your vaunted ‘WP’. If there is any chance of a resub I would take a cheaper OW-White because there is so much less to lose and still a decent chance to upgrade the PQ

And of course trust what your eyes tell you. As previously mentioned the PQ designation can be quite random

I would personally keep saving for 9.8 if that were in reach 

Edited September 30, 2020 by NP_Gresham

[MAR1979]

Personally I'd rather have a higher grade number if the difference in page quality is minor and as at pointed out above PQ can be a bit random with re-slabbed/resubmitted books sometimes going up a notch!

Example: I prefer a 9.6ow/w over 9.4w, but would probably take a 9.4w over a 9.6cream/ow.  I would however take 9.8ow over a 9.6w any day. Of course a 9.8w is preferred every single time.

I do know collectors who feel different, preferring a 9.4w over a 9.6ow/w. Also from my interactions there is at least 1 "high grade comics" dealer I believe is of that opinion.

Edited September 30, 2020 by MAR1979

[Jesse-Lee]

2 hours ago, NP_Gresham said:

9.0/9.2 Bronze are senseless if the 9.8 is within reach

 

Current FMV on GSXM 1 iin a 9.8 s 5x that of a 9.0. I do understand the mindset of wanting to have the top grade - scarcity, it's the "best," the returns can be large as you can help set the market in some senses. But I don't feel like it's necessarily senseless to buy in at lower grades - isn't there also something to be said for diversification of assets? Meaning, if you can buy 5 different books with positive trends and desirability in a 9.0 for the same price as 1 book in a 9.8, it helps spread risk around in case one specific book would crash in value (obviously I don't think GSXM is going to crash, I'm speaking more generally).

[NP_Gresham]

1 hour ago, Jesse-Lee said:

Current FMV on GSXM 1 iin a 9.8 s 5x that of a 9.0. I do understand the mindset of wanting to have the top grade - scarcity, it's the "best," the returns can be large as you can help set the market in some senses. But I don't feel like it's necessarily senseless to buy in at lower grades - isn't there also something to be said for diversification of assets? Meaning, if you can buy 5 different books with positive trends and desirability in a 9.0 for the same price as 1 book in a 9.8, it helps spread risk around in case one specific book would crash in value (obviously I don't think GSXM is going to crash, I'm speaking more generally).

Raw has all the appeal without paying for the slab and comes with less downside risk.

Purely preference, but I like the slab for the highest grade examples The appeal for me is to keep 9.4/9.6 in a Mylar

[Jesse-Lee]

11 minutes ago, NP_Gresham said:

Raw has all the appeal without paying for the slab and comes with less downside risk.

Purely preference, but I like the slab for the highest grade examples The appeal for me is to keep 9.4/9.6 in a Mylar

Ah, got it. I just find it a lot harder to trust raws these days when there's less availability to actually hold the book in your hands and inspect it (talking if you're doing a lot of buying on eBay for example), but I can see how that could be preferred too.

[jimjum12]

4 hours ago, Jesse-Lee said:

4 hours ago, NP_Gresham said:

Raw has all the appeal without paying for the slab and comes with less downside risk.

Purely preference, but I like the slab for the highest grade examples The appeal for me is to keep 9.4/9.6 in a Mylar

Ah, got it. I just find it a lot harder to trust raws these days when there's less availability to actually hold the book in your hands and inspect it (talking if you're doing a lot of buying on eBay for example), but I can see how that could be preferred too.

He's not just saying that.... here's a 9.6 Thor that Bill deslabbed.... now in my collection  GOD BLESS....

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

 

.... and it's STILL a 9.6 

 

Edited September 30, 2020 by jimjum12

[GAMBIT]

higher grade OW/W >>> White pages.  - and its really not close. IMO

 

[Callaway29]

higher grade without doubt, for me....