To grade or not to grade?

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Diabolical
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To grade or not to grade?

Post by Diabolical »

Realizing my NYX #3 is in far better shape than i resized, i was thinning of maybe having it graded.
I'm torn on it.
It definitely raises the value, but it also seals the bastard forever and that almost feels wrong.

Thoughts?
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jjreason
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Re: To grade or not to grade?

Post by jjreason »

If you're going to sell it, or potentially use it as a decoration out in the public eye I'd recommend getting it graded. The Slab will protect the book from harm if some heathen pulls it off the wall to look more closely at better than another other protective item I've encountered.

Selling it, the benefit is that an impartial third party has provided a number, for better or worse. There is no bickering or hesitation on the part of bidders who are staring with bifocals at their shitty monitor wondering if that tiny spec is on the bag or the book.

If you consider grading - I would also suggest a press/clean job (not that expensive, $15 up here), even if the book looks brand new. That one, non-color breaking spine ding can drop you to a 9.2 or 9.4, and might mean $100 or more off the sale price. Fools will pay so much more for 9.6s and 9.8s.
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Re: To grade or not to grade?

Post by Diabolical »

Where do you get a press/clean done?
I didn't even know that was a thing.
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jjreason
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Re: To grade or not to grade?

Post by jjreason »

Here's the guy's page near Toronto. He brought an Giant Size X-Men 1 from a 5.0 to an 8 - that's a big jump in sales price. There is a lot of info about what the service will provide, even though it's not likely the closest service provider to you.

http://www.thecomicdoctor.com/

And for the record, I'm not a huge fan of books being improved - but CGC says it's NOT restoration. This is a "don't hate the player, hate the game" scenario in my mind.
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Tom Foolery
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Re: To grade or not to grade?

Post by Tom Foolery »

I abhor slabbing.

But if you’re selling that bitch, there’s no reason you shouldn’t grift some poor sucker for a couple extra hundred bucks because some shifty assholes put your comic in a plastic prison, never to be enjoyed. Then he(the buyer) will have the satisfaction of overpaying for something he’ll never be able to read and enjoy.

Everybody wins.
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Re: To grade or not to grade?

Post by jjreason »

I broke open a 9.6 Spec Spider-Man #1 just because. I even kept the label & it's tucked safely on the back side of the board in the bag.
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Re: To grade or not to grade?

Post by Tom Foolery »

I was randomly browsing books on ebay and saw this slabbed gem and fucking lost it.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/165529930231?h ... Sw~HtipkdX

I can only assume he sent in a big pile of books to be graded at the same time. Because there’s no way he’s recovering the cost of getting it slabbed in the first place.
"No Tom Foolery today, Ron. I'm tired of looking at your dreadful, speckled mug."
"Why do you hurt me in this way, Harry?"
”It’s a grid system motherfucker. Eleven up and one over, you simple bitch.”

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Re: To grade or not to grade?

Post by Diabolical »

That's hilarious.

Ever since I got Starslayer #2 (Rocketeer's first appearance) I've been thinking again about grading several books.
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