Tafkap Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 I realize that if you look very, very carefully at a new comic (not a foil or made-with-special-materials) you'll find a fault, or more than one fault; that's why perfect 10's are roughly 1 out of 1500 books. But when it comes to knocking off points how did 9.8 become the default "perfect?" Why wouldn't 9.9 or 9.6 be the default perfect? Does every new comic just happen to always have 2 very minor defects to put it in the 9.8 grade? Not maybe one defect to give it a 9.9? Or why not, say 3 defects or so, and get into the 9.6 grade? I just purchased is a brand new variant comic (I just purchased a couple of new release 9.8s) and I looked at the CGC grades for it there was a total of 26 CGC 9.8's. Not a single 9.9? I just wonder if they slap a 9.8 on something that could very well be 9.9 just because 9.8 is the default perfect? Whatcha' y'all think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzzetta Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 9.8 is the 'obtainable perfect' 9.9 is a "possible perfect' 10 is 'perfect' silverseeker, Deadpoolica, bug33fouf and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Aldred Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, Buzzetta said: 9.8 is the 'obtainable perfect' 9.9 is a "possible perfect' 10 is 'perfect' Yup. Being as realistic as possible about obtaining an ultra high grade copy within a reasonable period of time, and then moving onto another book that you might also be interested in. Otherwise, the time frame for a 9.9 or 10.0 to appear is likely to be headache inducing, not to mention its nosebleed price point. A practical endeavour for a large group of individuals, not just an extremely select, affluent few? Even this last statement I find a bit debatable, as I’m happier with a cheaper, nicely-presenting 9.0 to 9.6; whatever my limited resources can stretch to. Edited January 26, 2021 by Ken Aldred D2 and MetalPSI 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightning55 Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 The 9.8 is the nearly perfect book that didn't get molested at all from printing roller to in hand. Escaped damage while being pulled from the printing press, put in cardboard boxes, the box not dropped or tossed ANYWHERE along the way, not sliced while opening the box, not scrunched when pulled at the distributor's warehouse for your LCS order and put into another cardboard box, not dropped or tossed again (just for emphasis), not mangled when the LCS or order fulfilling company open it, handled like eggs when put in your pull box, etc. What, you say you bought it off the SHELF????? Fahgettaboudit. The 9.9 was a comic they thought was a 10 and then finally found something. The 10.0 has a halo suspended over it. D2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Aldred Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 39 minutes ago, Lightning55 said: The 10.0 has a halo suspended over it. Yup. Here in the U.K. it has been described as ‘so mint it’s like looking at God’ condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William-James88 Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 that's because 9.8 is the highest grade attainable before taking manufacturing defects into account. In terms of wear, it is the perfect grade, since it has none (by definition). And there you go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobotski Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 Depends on which age though. For copper/moderns, most 9.8s are reasonably priced for the casual enthusiast. 9.9s and 10s are outrageously and practically unaffordable, targetted to the hardcore collector. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theCapraAegagrus Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 A 10 Gem Mint must be perfect in every way. That includes staples and centering. Think about how incredibly rare that is. LDarkseid1 and comicginger1789 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comicginger1789 Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 I think people here have nailed it. 9.8 is the obtainable perfect. Generally, I don't care the difference between 9.2 or 9.4 or 9.6 BUT I do recognize that these all have visible flaws, however small, that deter it from the obtainable perfect grade. What I wonder is if, over time, we see a lessening of the gap between 9.6 and 9.8. For so many books, it is huge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William-James88 Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 13 hours ago, Tafkap said: Does every new comic just happen to always have 2 very minor defects to put it in the 9.8 grade? I just purchased is a brand new variant comic (I just purchased a couple of new release 9.8s) and I looked at the CGC grades for it there was a total of 26 CGC 9.8's. Not a single 9.9? Comics are mass produced in printing presses in canada, so yeah they'll probably all have some production flaw. The most common is on the top or bottom of spine. Look at any modern book you own and look in those areas and you'll see what I'm talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigLeagueCHEW Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 1 hour ago, Angel of Death said: A 10 Gem Mint must be perfect in every way. That includes staples and centering. Think about how incredibly rare that is. I sometimes log into Heritage and look at some of the 9.9 and 10 comics up close. I know it has something to do with the staples, perfectly aligned and shot in just right with no tearing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valiantman Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 (edited) Graded comic books followed the grade sportscard industry. For graded sportscards, perfect is 10, but usually unaffordable for collectors, so the "default" is 9. The possibility of a 9.5 exists. So, graded sports cards established a general concept of 10 - impossibly perfect, 9.5 - almost impossibly perfect, 9 - affordably perfect Graded comic books have the same general concept with 10 - impossibly perfect, 9.9 - almost impossibly perfect, 9.8 - affordably perfect You'll also notice that the price differences between sportscards 9 - 8.5 - 8 is about the same as 9.8 - 9.6 - 9.4. Edited January 26, 2021 by valiantman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rexinnih Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 Agree with the 9.8 being the "obtainable" perfect. Honestly surprised when I get 9.8's back from CGC on comics I bought in my youth off of the newstand or comic store shelf. Read perhaps once and then put in bag and board and stored for a couple of years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D84 Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 Marketing bentbryan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilbil Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 fwiw, this happened in numismatic grading. what was/is the result? re-submittals, crack-outs and re-submittals, endless confusing market grading, added buying and selling, and....the increase in fees paid to the tpg/4pg, and the advance of and growth of the hobby. in short, it keeps the hobby alive. now, take philately. the stuffy shirts would not succumb to market grading, made the cost of submitting very complicated, never really explained what and how and why a grade was a grade, got involved in usps/congressional committees about what should and should not be a stamp and what price and what collectors want , never did a good job of separating genres, but.....the hobby did agree on a color id for stamps (which was more confusing than a painter's judging contest at a convention). plus, they beat the "roosevelt was a collector" thing to death, to where any further hobby advertisement attempts were useless the result: if you don't know that by now, then why did you start collecting comics? i will answer...because philately died. drt died (dead right there, meaning no resuscitation efforts would ever never ever be helpful. forever. valiantman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gatsby77 Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 I agree with the "obtainable perfect" reason. But will also note that the distinction NM+ vs. "Perfect" distinction also pre-dated CGC. People had a *cow* when the first Overstreet's Grading Guide came out in (I believe) 1990 because of how strict its standards were. 100-point scale, *far* more strict than generally-accepted grading standards to that point, and (unlike) CGC deducted for bindery defects/mis-cuts -- which knocked you down to an immediate 85 (VF). "Near Mint" was 92-97 whereas "Pristine Mint" was 98-100 - and included perfect centering and razor-sharp corners. It instantly devalued dealers' stocks around the country at a time when Chuck was only a few years out of his full-page advertisements with his iconic grade "Fine-Mint." Rip 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Readcomix Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 18 minutes ago, Gatsby77 said: whereas "Pristine Mint" was 98-100 - and included perfect centering and razor-sharp corners. Yes, NOT "gem mint" -- handy to remember when sniffing out those disinterested flippers who migrated over from sports cards (/sarc, but only slightly in that I'm oversimplifying just a bit....just...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rip Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 (edited) 9.8 is often your standard perfect book. 9.9 is usually.... A. when the census on a book is getting bigger, and CGC feels like dishing out some ratio love. B. CGC screwed up on a previous order and gave you a gift grade in return. C. The book was printed with more durable stock. 10.0 is usually.... A. When the census is getting even bigger, and CGC feels like dishing out some MORE ratio love. B. The book was printed with more durable stock. C. Willy Wonka is in a good mood Edited January 26, 2021 by Rip adampasz 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rip Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 As someone who has subbed many PSA 10's over the years, a sports card/non-sports card 10 is far less of a random event and can be predicted above 50% of the time. greggy, wilbil, BigLeagueCHEW and 1 other 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adampasz Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 1 hour ago, Rip said: 9.8 is often your standard perfect book. 9.9 is usually.... A. when the census on a book is getting bigger, and CGC feels like dishing out some ratio love. B. CGC screwed up on a previous order and gave you a gift grade in return. C. The book was printed with more durable stock. 10.0 is usually.... A. When the census is getting even bigger, and CGC feels like dishing out some MORE ratio love. B. The book was printed with more durable stock. C. Willy Wonka is in a good mood Rip 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
