This is a 9.4?

[Fan4Fan]

This seems to have a decent amount of spine damage and discoloration.

 

Thanks,

Fan4Fan

[greggy]

This seems to have a decent amount of spine damage and discoloration.

 

Thanks,

Fan4Fan

 

Link doesn't work!

[Ronny-migration]

Based on the modern books I got back, if it's got any spine creases, it ain't no 9.4 - unless it's from the 1930's of course! Those can be coverless and get high 8's.

 

[rob_react]

I don't see any spine stress at all. I see some color loss along the fold, but no horizontal spine stress. The only problem area I see is on the bottom of the spine, but I'm not really sure what that is. It's a square bound Giant Size. Those are definitely graded on a slightly different scale from other, more traditionally bound, books.

 

The discoloration seems to be a combination of cover translucency and Heritage's penchant for too much contrast in their auction scans.

[Fan4Fan]

Sorry about the link... all fixed now (I hope ).

 

While I agree that the spine isn't creased... the color loss seems very spotty and that bottom spine corner...

 

Maybe I'm more anal on grading than I thought... which I might be since I thought a shipment of books from Gary Dolgoff was just barely above the FVF they were graded at...

 

Thanks,

Fan4Fan

[Foolkiller]

I think they're being more generous because it's a square bound book.

[chrisco37]

I think they're being more generous because it's a square bound book.

 

Agreed. Plus, it's a HERITAGE BOOK.

 

Chris

[BlackShotzy-migration]

I can't see 9.4 in any way, shape or form on that Annual. Joshua N. has had many pre 1970 Annuals from all titles on his site (Comiclink) with crystal clear pictures, that grade from 8.5 to 9.2 and are clearly superior to this 9.4.

 

I realize that it's a black cover book but the ink is chipped along the entire edge of the spine. The wear at the lower end of the spine should have automaticaly eliminated this Annual from being considered better than VF+.

[murph0]

The books don't look all THAT bad. They may be a little bit off. I certainly don't envy the person who has to grade the squarebounds. I've always found them very tricky to grade.

Where are these crystal clear pics of Annuals on Comiclink that blow these books away? I can't seem to find any..I'm sure if you blow up a lot of books to this size the damage or problems with the book are going to be enhanced just that much.

 

Brian

[BlackShotzy-migration]

Silver Surfer 1 NM

Silver Surfer 4 VF

Silver Surfer 5 NM

Fantastic Four Annual 1 VF/NM

Fantasic Four Annual 3 NM

Fantastic Four Annual 4 NM

 

I didn't bother mentioning the ones graded 9.6 as they aren't relative, but these among others are superior to the example they are being compared to. And all have a better spine than the 9.4 that is the subject of this discussion.

 

I could list more but I stopped at 6 examples.

[murph0]

Those scans aren't even half the size of the one you're comparing to. I'm sure if you blow them up to double their current size there'd be problems on them as well. Btw, that Silver Surfer 1 NM is a bad example as the book is really off center top to bottom, there's all that white showing. Anyways, it's tough to grade a squarebound..and no the spines aren't always going to be 100 percent straight, but that's akin to an off-centered bindary.

 

Brian

[dolphinsrwj]

squarebounds are definitley graded a little different imo.i would much rather have amaz spiderman#102 in 9.8 vs #101 in 9.8.

[BlackShotzy-migration]

Brian,

I did enlarge them on my Adobe software. Even though the SS1 is badly miscut bottom to top, the spine itself appears to be perfect blown up to about the same comparable size as the one we are discussing.

 

I know from experience that CGC does seem to be sometimes lenient on miscuts that are not necessarily Annuals persay, but none of the ones I quickly singled out on just a search through the FFs and Surfers have wear as badly on the spine as our lead example. And that is when enlarged to the same relative size.

 

None of the examples that I sited have any defects as severe as the bottom 1 to 2 inches of the spine on our thread example NM. And I agree. Very difficult to grade the Annuals so I'm just going by samples that have already been graded.

 

Gerald

[murph0]

I plan to ask this question eventually, but I don't believe that I've ever seen a squarebound graded above a 9.8. Personally, I think 9.8 is probably as high as they'll get cause IMO none of them came off the presses as 10's

 

Brian