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Super Strict Grading
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Started by Hero Restoration,

123 posts in this topic

ftlepore

ftlepore

Posted
Posted

As one of the catalysts for this post, I'm also curious. I had multiple books that were graded in 2019 (by CGC), not even a year ago, come back a grade down and the pages went from OW/W to C/OW after a press and clean.

I really think if this is a CGC issue, where the standard is raised and books are being graded more strictly, it kind of changes the entire market, where literally every book that was previously graded before 2019 has an inflated grade according to the new scale. Like, is it possible the grader just had a bad day?

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Hero Restoration

Hero Restoration

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8 hours ago, ftlepore said:

As one of the catalysts for this post, I'm also curious. I had multiple books that were graded in 2019 (by CGC), not even a year ago, come back a grade down and the pages went from OW/W to C/OW after a press and clean.

I really think if this is a CGC issue, where the standard is raised and books are being graded more strictly, it kind of changes the entire market, where literally every book that was previously graded before 2019 has an inflated grade according to the new scale. Like, is it possible the grader just had a bad day?

Seeing the same thing, slabs from 2019 dropping in PQ, and in grade. I am to the point I think it is best to hold off cracking slabs, especially express and walkthrough, sucks to spend a lot, just to get a drop for book that is clearly better than the first grading. 

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joeypost

joeypost

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16 hours ago, MastrCntrlProgram said:

Is anyone else noticing grading getting stricter every quarter, starting about a year ago? I am seeing CPR's go as bad as 2 grades down, WTF?

I haven't had any go down in grade, but I have had books stay the same grade that saw marked improvement. I see strict grading mainly in the ultra high grade moderns. Books that were slam dunk 9.8's years ago are coming back 9.4...and its not consistent. I see it in one submission, then the next gets graded the way they should...then I get another batch that gets hammered. Must be one, possibly two graders that are extra hard on books that you get in the rotation. 

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TC33

TC33

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When has it not been hit or miss depending on the grader(s), but I agree about this year being worse than usual.  I was quite surprised about one regrade going down 2 full grades and some typical 9.4's or better only getting 9.0.  Makes me worry about submitting my next shipment that has been sitting on my table for me to get out.  Maybe graders will be in better moods around Christmas or is everyone just pissed off about covid making this a lousy year for everyone and that carries over to the grades?  lol

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october

october

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I don't know about moderns, as I don't regularly collect or submit them, but the gold/silver slabs I've cracked from recent grading have been VERY harsh. A few absurdly so. 

I recently set aside everything I had primed for submission. No way am I sending in a single book until I see things reverting back to normal. 

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Hero Restoration

Hero Restoration

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That's it, all CPR is on hold! Seemed like some tiers were fine except express and walkthrough, but now it is bad across the board. That is a lot of books we're going to have to not send in, and back to owners. It's clear to me now the books that have been getting 2 grade bumps have been getting short changed, something I have suspected for a bit now.

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SecretComicRoom

SecretComicRoom

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1 hour ago, jeffreyk said:

This is interesting.  I just purchased a silver age book off the boards here in cgc 9.0.  I checked the serial number and it was graded on 9/4/20.  The book looks to me to be a borderline 9.0 so at least on this book, I don't see anything super strict.

you are talking about a singular book. These guys submit hundreds of books a month and are talking about books which were previously graded, then cracked out due to seeing correctable defects thru the case making them a candidate for the process. So they get pressed and Re Submitted then they come back a lower grade and a lower page quality. It simply does not make sense, esp in the cases where they were recently graded. Page paper can not age to the point where it drops quality that fast, especially encapsulated. Something else is at play here. 

I know they have been pressured to get tighter on their grading but this seems above and beyond. 

 

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ftlepore

ftlepore

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I'll go ahead and show what we're talking about here, since the books with their new grades and the labels from their previous grades seem like really strong evidence. These are nine books I sent in to get CPR'd along with their results. At least two of these were previously graded LAST YEAR by CGC. The new current slabs can be seen on the top, while the label they previously had before CPR is on the bottom.

The Avengers #6 kept the same CGC grade of 7.5, but was bumped down to cream pages. This is super weird because, as per the original label, it was just recently graded with OW pages on 8/2019. I have no idea why, barely a year later, the pages are suddenly cream after being encapsulated the entire time. (https://www.cgccomics.com/certlookup/2060457001/)
 
Avengers #8 was originally a PGX grade of 7.5, OW/W. I sent that one in myself to C**S in 2017 and it came back the same 7.5, OW/W. So, again, it's weird that it now comes back from CGC at 7.0, Cream/OW after being in the same holder for years and after being pressed and cleaned. (https://www.cbcscomics.com/grading-notes/17-028919F-001)
 
The Fantastic Four #52 was originally graded a 6.5 by CGC and was graded just last year on 4/2019. It has been in the slab the entire time. Now it's a 6.0 after pressing and cleaning. (https://www.cgccomics.com/certlookup/2032473001/)
 
I definitely understand a single book going down due to a stricter grading or happenstance, but for every single book to come back the same or worse is baffling. Even if these books didn't improve from a pressing and cleaning, they should have at least stayed the same, and I have no idea how the page quality is suddenly worse of several of them.

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Edited by ftlepore
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kimik

kimik

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It depends on the book. I have had CPRs come back up, down (CBCS books at cheap prices doh! ) and the same grade. 

As far as moderns, the grading is the same as it always has been - take time to pull the best copies and you get a 9.8. If it looks pretty much flawless you will be fine, just like the CGC has been grading them in the past.

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alexgross.com

alexgross.com

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11 hours ago, ftlepore said:

I'll go ahead and show what we're talking about here, since the books with their new grades and the labels from their previous grades seem like really strong evidence. These are nine books I sent in to get CPR'd along with their results. At least two of these were previously graded LAST YEAR by CGC. The new current slabs can be seen on the top, while the label they previously had before CPR is on the bottom.

The Avengers #6 kept the same CGC grade of 7.5, but was bumped down to cream pages. This is super weird because, as per the original label, it was just recently graded with OW pages on 8/2019. I have no idea why, barely a year later, the pages are suddenly cream after being encapsulated the entire time. (https://www.cgccomics.com/certlookup/2060457001/)
 
Avengers #8 was originally a PGX grade of 7.5, OW/W. I sent that one in myself to CBCS in 2017 and it came back the same 7.5, OW/W. So, again, it's weird that it now comes back from CGC at 7.0, Cream/OW after being in the same holder for years and after being pressed and cleaned. (https://www.cbcscomics.com/grading-notes/17-028919F-001)
 
The Fantastic Four #52 was originally graded a 6.5 by CGC and was graded just last year on 4/2019. It has been in the slab the entire time. Now it's a 6.0 after pressing and cleaning. (https://www.cgccomics.com/certlookup/2032473001/)
 
I definitely understand a single book going down due to a stricter grading or happenstance, but for every single book to come back the same or worse is baffling. Even if these books didn't improve from a pressing and cleaning, they should have at least stayed the same, and I have no idea how the page quality is suddenly worse of several of them.

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no question that is a disappointing batch of regrades. cgc has been known to be tougher than c#%s, and pgx doesnt even count as a legit grading company. i had a c#%s 4.0 that i knew was maybe a 3.0 cgc awhile back. but it does appear that cgc is now tougher than it used to be, which is quite frustrating and random. @DST has done well with cpr and regrading lately, so it seems inconsistent.

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jeffreyk

jeffreyk

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13 hours ago, SecretComicRoom said:

you are talking about a singular book. These guys submit hundreds of books a month and are talking about books which were previously graded, then cracked out due to seeing correctable defects thru the case making them a candidate for the process. So they get pressed and Re Submitted then they come back a lower grade and a lower page quality. It simply does not make sense, esp in the cases where they were recently graded. Page paper can not age to the point where it drops quality that fast, especially encapsulated. Something else is at play here. 

I know they have been pressured to get tighter on their grading but this seems above and beyond. 

 

I buy lots of silver-age CGC books and was just using this one as an example as I just received it.   I really don't see much of a difference from the books I have purchased whether they are in new cases and recently graded, or new cases graded a few years ago, or even against the 1st and 2nd generation holders.  Most books are graded spot on to me, a few may be under-graded and a few over-graded but always within a half a point either way.  

Also, several of the books in the pictures above are not from CGC.  

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DST

DST

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37 minutes ago, www.alexgross.com said:

no question that is a disappointing batch of regrades. cgc has been known to be tougher than c#%s, and pgx doesnt even count as a legit grading company. i had a c#%s 4.0 that i knew was maybe a 3.0 cgc awhile back. but it does appear that cgc is now tougher than it used to be, which is quite frustrating and random. @DST has done well with cpr and regrading lately, so it seems inconsistent.

Yeah seems inconsistent.  Lately the CPRs I’ve done have gained anywhere from .5 to 2.0 grade bumps each time.  I’ve fully vetted the books to ensure the defects were pressable though.  Not sure what these books looked like in hand before.  I’ve only done one crossover however and didn’t have that book pressed and it stayed the same from C**S 9.0 WP to CGC 9.0 WP (shrug)

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