• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

The Newbie's Lament

Started by Ronny-migration,

34 posts in this topic

Ronny-migration

Ronny-migration

Posted
Posted

Call me whatever you want, and maybe you're tired of hearing this, but these guys are tough- graders.

 

No WONDER they get (some) negative word of mouth from shop owners. CGC takes your prized book and holds it accountable for every curse word you ever uttered, and every time you were checking out honeys in church instead of praying.

 

Can you tell I got my first graded books back? Wow, what a rude awakening. Never again will I laugh at 8.5's on Ebay. And the next time I see a 9.4 I'm sucking it up!

 

By the way, I've enjoyed lurking on these boards for a couple of weeks. Your posts have been very interesting and amusing at times. Caviar wishes and champagne dreams were mine all mine until I received my little package today. And I even own that overpriced, I mean, Overstreet Grading Guide and everything.

 

That's all for now. 893blahblah.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sfilosa

sfilosa

Posted
Posted

What did you send in to CGC? Show a scan and tell us what you thought it would grade for?

 

Also, wonder bread is a fairly non-abrasive way of getting dirt off the back cover. Since CGC does not downgrade much for dirt, it's probably not worth the effort unless you plan on selling the book unslabbed.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ronny-migration

Ronny-migration

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I'm ashamed to say because all of these hardcore collectors will laugh at me - Sorry I don't have scans available.

 

I sent in Dark Knight Returns 1 and 4, Wolverine mini #1, X-men 266 (2 copies). I wanted to see how books I thought looked great would grade. Do books that get a lot of submissions get graded more strictly? Are the CGC guys basically biting their thumbs at us and saying "if I have to look at one more xmen 266 I'm going to scream!" ??

 

And more importantly, if Gambit is in X3, will that book go up significantly? (off topic, I know).

 

Next time I'll throw up a scan and quit whining. Haven't any of you old hands been disappointed in a grading before? I do NOT have a problem with CGC, I'm on this board because I like what they do for the hobby, even if it brings me cold reality.

 

Ronny

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HooDeeDoo

HooDeeDoo

Posted
Posted

Well, I just got the grades on seven Silver Age books I sent in and I was wrong too.

 

I was expecting six 9.6 books and one 9.8.

 

Well, wasn't I surprised when it turned out there were five 9.6 books and two 9.8s!

 

Dagnabbit! I just HATE being wrong!!!

 

rantpost.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Foolkiller

Foolkiller

Posted
Posted

Ronny:

 

There's nothing wrong with those books... they're all respectable, especially for a modern collector. CGC isn't always right either... if you've read the posts, there are several disagreements... they're human too, and grading is somewhat subjective.

 

But keep in mind, it can give you a good barometer. If you were off on all of them, it will help you in the long run knowing what's overpriced when you buy it, whose grading is good, whose isn't... all sorts of things... but I know that can be frustrating to get back books like that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ronny-migration

Ronny-migration

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks Foolkiller,

 

"Barometer" certainly is the word of the day. My fiance disdainfully shook her head at me when she saw those grades, but I am undeterred! I have 12 books there now (love that modern discount!) and I will continue to shoot some over. When I saw someone's signature that said they needed Batman 427 9.6 WTB, I thought "hey, I've got that in a 9.6, no problem." But now I need to see how they come back.

 

Ronny

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mushroom

Mushroom

Posted
Posted

Sorry guys but let's be sensible here. CGC has seen 248 copies of Dark Knight returns 1. Nearly all of those are in 9.0 or higher. I think CGC is quite consistent on its' moderns. There are certainly some question marks (subjectivity) around some of the grading for GA, SA and BA.

 

Ronny. Everybody has to start somewhere. Some guys on this forum are true grading genius', some know enough to protect their investments and some are still making boo boo's.

 

Where this forum is good is that you can post scans of your books before shelling out your hard earned on CGC fees and know that you will get a very good pre screen.

 

Welcome....

Link to comment
Share on other sites
murph0

murph0

Posted
Posted

CGC is very tough on moderns (personally, I think they should be..) so you need a book that is pretty much flawless in order to even think of getting it back a 9.4. I also believe that the books that are heavily submitted are graded a bit more harshly as well. So while you might be a little upset about your grades, you at least have an idea of what the grading standard has become for modern books.

 

Brian

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Warlord

Warlord

Posted
Posted

Ronny wrote:

dark knight 1 - 8.0 (ouch - looked like 9.6 material to the highly untrained eye)

 

This one is interesting and could be very informative. What flaws do you see on your copy?

 

If you can't spot any, perhaps you should call for the grader's notes and find out what flaws were identified, so that you can track them down and learn what CGC spotted that you didn't.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ronny-migration

Ronny-migration

Posted
  • Author
Posted

RE: Dark Knight #1 8.0 imperfections

 

The spine corners look worse now that I have a grade, and there are some indentations along the spine, not quite spine creases, but not pretty at an angle. It's funny, when you pull a book out of your long box and see how good it looks, you never think it will come back with an 8.0. CGC books really do set the standard don't they?

 

Thanks for the comments and support, y'all. And thanks for not bashing me for sending in my 80's books. At least it wasn't batman 608, right?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
COI

COI

Posted
Posted

Ronny, I wouldn't let that batch deter you. As was already mentioned, modern books are graded super harsh and are not worth sending in unless you inspect the books very carefully and can see no visable flaws. You have to be VERY picky. On the few moderns I've submitted, I've gotten 9.8's by being overly cautious and only sending in books I really thought were "perfect". Definetly takes some practice.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PovertyRow

PovertyRow

Posted
Posted

My fiance disdainfully shook her head at me when she saw those grades,

 

OK, Ronny. Let me get this straight. You have a fiance that apparantly appreciates comic grading to the extent she can use DISDAIN in her head shakes ... and you are COMPLAINING????? grin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PovertyRow

PovertyRow

Posted
Posted

but these guys are tough- graders.

 

And one other thing...you got a good education for the price of a few submissions. Not being mean or facetious here! I bet you will be looking at books with a MUCH more critical eye now and that is a mighty fine thing.

 

The fact that you didn't just blanketly proclaim that "CGC has no idea WHAT they are doing!" and, instead, tended to put the blame for the misgrading on your own perception, says a lot about you. And it says good stuff! smile.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ronny-migration

Ronny-migration

Posted
  • Author
Posted

RE: Fiance and disdain

 

No, I think she's really disdainful of anything having to do with comics. So basically, she's a normal woman.

 

RE: Cheap education

 

Thanks PovertyRow! I can't blame CGC - heck even an 8.5 looks SWEET in them thar fancy cases of theirs!!! Whoooweeee!

 

Ronny

Link to comment
Share on other sites
murph0

murph0

Posted
Posted

If you're fine with the way those books look, I'd highly suggest going after those instead of just buying NM's for the sake of having them. It'll be exponentially cheaper and usually you can find some bargains that noone else bids on.

 

Brian

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Foolkiller

Foolkiller

Posted
Posted

I bought a bunch of cgc 8.5s for under guide cracked em out of their case and am enjoying them as part of my collection. To me, this is a great deal... great books in 8.0 or 8.5 that others view as "lessor" books that are good bargains and still a high grade.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ronny-migration

Ronny-migration

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I bought a bunch of cgc 8.5s for under guide cracked em out of their case and am enjoying them as part of my collection. To me, this is a great deal... great books in 8.0 or 8.5 that others view as "lessor" books that are good bargains and still a high grade.

 

Excellent point! I have a newfound respect for CGC 8.5's and will forevermore keep an eye out for them. Ebayers seem to avoid modern 8.5's like the plague.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Go to topic listing