Buying CGC comics question

[Y3E]

Originally Posted by JadeGiant

Is this rhetorical (it feels like you answered your own question)? The open/free market says that CGC is worth more, plain and simple. Economics 101.

If you are just keeping your Xmen 94 then you may have no reason to slab (especially if you have stored it like you do).

But, if you want to sell it you’d be foolish not to get it graded. You would be leaving a lot of money on the table (for the guy who buys it and slabs it to realize).

What about insurance? You might have a lot harder time certifying your book in a specific grade for an un-slabbed book. If CGC’ed, you have no problem.

What about buying books? There are so many horror stories out there about books sold in an apparent condition only to later find out it was color-touched, trimmed, lightly restored (or even large scale restoration). CGC removes this consideration as they will catch all of this.

I totally get the notion that many people prefer raw books. I am this group as well. What I don’t get is the hate for slabbing. It has a place. It has benefits. It has a huge market.

Yeah, rhetoric I'm just b!tching at some of the crazy values.

The sellers who misrepresents the grade of the book as you described should be shot.

You do bring up a valued point, insurance. Never thought about that.

[Davidian]

Wow, didn't think a question about what some of my fellow collectors think would open up a can of worms! Anyway, you all have valid points, and I agree with both sides actually, because well, I collect both raw and (now anyway, as I'm new to CGC books) CGC'd books. I buy slabbed books for a couple of reasons. One being keeping a key book of a favorite character, or a cover I absolutely love, in pristine condition in case I need to sell it one day. The other, I've read the book or also have it in a TPB or omnibus, and just want to be able to put it on display (either on the wall or standing next to the statue of the character).

There is no reason to argue or get bent out of shape, as we all are collectors and have different reasons to collect different things, and while we may or may not understand the things and the reasons people collect what they do, what we CAN understand, is the joy we all experience.

[joy_division]

Originally Posted by ftrez

Okay, okay. I realize that comics and paintings are apples and oranges in by nature of their formats, but that only makes it worse to me. For comics, as pieces of artistic expression, it is ESSENTIAL that the interiors can be viewed.

But Golden & Silver age issues are available to read in loads of Reprint collections. That's the difference IMO between locking up all the paintings and the comics

[Y3E]

Originally Posted by Davidian

Wow, didn't think a question about what some of my fellow collectors think would open up a can of worms! Anyway, you all have valid points, and I agree with both sides actually, because well, I collect both raw and (now anyway, as I'm new to CGC books) CGC'd books. I buy slabbed books for a couple of reasons. One being keeping a key book of a favorite character, or a cover I absolutely love, in pristine condition in case I need to sell it one day. The other, I've read the book or also have it in a TPB or omnibus, and just want to be able to put it on display (either on the wall or standing next to the statue of the character).

There is no reason to argue or get bent out of shape, as we all are collectors and have different reasons to collect different things, and while we may or may not understand the things and the reasons people collect what they do, what we CAN understand, is the joy we all experience.

It's a good can of worms. I now see the point of CGCing valuable books and golden and silver age ones. I just don't see the reason why some are valued so high, sometimes 10X more than raw ones.

Anyways, all good. Comic books have brought me a lot of entertainment in my 4 1/2 decades of collecting and it's a great escape from reality.

[joy_division]

Originally Posted by Davidian

Wow, didn't think a question about what some of my fellow collectors think would open up a can of worms! Anyway, you all have valid points, and I agree with both sides actually, because well, I collect both raw and (now anyway, as I'm new to CGC books) CGC'd books. I buy slabbed books for a couple of reasons. One being keeping a key book of a favorite character, or a cover I absolutely love, in pristine condition in case I need to sell it one day. The other, I've read the book or also have it in a TPB or omnibus, and just want to be able to put it on display (either on the wall or standing next to the statue of the character).

There is no reason to argue or get bent out of shape, as we all are collectors and have different reasons to collect different things, and while we may or may not understand the things and the reasons people collect what they do, what we CAN understand, is the joy we all experience.

just a friendly discussion. No arguing going on

[Davidian]

Originally Posted by Y3E

It's a good can of worms. I now see the point of CGCing valuable books and golden and silver age ones. I just don't see the reason why some are valued so high, sometimes 10X more than raw ones.

Anyways, all good. Comic books have brought me a lot of entertainment in my 4 1/2 decades of collecting and it's a great escape from reality.

I agree with you, it really makes trying to acquire great books a lot more difficult. The most annoying thing is super modern books going for loads more than what they're worth. I'm trying to find a 9.8 of a book that has the first appearance of a character I like, that came out in the last 5 years, and they're being offered for hundreds more than what the comics price guide says they're worth graded. I use the price guide as a gauge, and then see what they've been sold for on eBay, and either go after a book near that price, or offer a seller somewhere near that price. I haven't been in the comic collecting game long, as I could never afford them when I was a kid, but yeah, they're a great escape from reality for sure.

Originally Posted by joy_division

just a friendly discussion. No arguing going on

Cool, just wanted to be sure. We're all on the same team!

[galactus]

CGC books don't have more value, it's simply a matter that there's no "argument" concerning a book's grade. Most people over grade their books, it's that simple. People think they have something that's mint, near mint, very fine...and in actuality, it's lower. CGC removes that variability in the market place. A CGC 9.8 IS a 9.8. The market has accepted CGCs grades as gospel. The buyer and the seller don't need to haggle or guess or argue or inspect a CGC book, the grade is the grade.

That being said, most books worth slabbing (from a value perspective) are books their owners wouldn't want to handle and read anyway. For lower grade keys, a difference of half a grade or a full grade can make a big difference in value, so people want to know what their stuff is worth (and probably have the comic in reprinted form somewhere if they want to read the story).

Originally Posted by Y3E

Yes, agree with this.

What's the difference with having CGC graded and slabbing it and I, getting a thick mylar sleeve, put my book in it and graded it myself. I have a mint Uncanny X-men 94, (probably moreso near mint) white pages, cover is flat with no creases or dents, no spine roll and it has been in an acid free stiff mylar sleeve that is inside and even thicker plastic sleeve similar to the ones CGC uses. Who's to say a CGC one is worth more than mine?

Y3E, you're the reason CGC exists, why they're hugely popular in the industry, and why their books have "more value". Is it a 10.0 or a 9.4? There's a HUGE difference in value (probably in the $15,000-$20,000 range) between those two grades. I've attached a photo of an X-Men 94 I used to own (sold it a while back). I knew the book was nice, but never would have graded it a 9.8 myself. But, I was looking to sell, sent it in, and I did better since I CGC'd the book.

[JadeGiant]

Nice book Drew! Wow, didn't know you had a 94 in 9.8!

[JadeGiant]

BTW, I think this has been a very healthy discussion and I have enjoyed the exchanges. I am planning to send in some books and my LCS is letting me use their account so I plan to do a few issues this summer. Can’t wait to see how they come back. I have a few books that I think are REALLY nice so I am curious to see what the actual CGC grade comes back as.

[Y3E]

Geez, you are making me want to slab my X-men books, Galactus. Not sure if there is a place in Canada. Looking at a value listing from Jan 2015 a 9.8 graded Uncanny Xmen 94 is valued at $4800.

My only problem is trust, what happens if your books get lost in transition?

Wow, just read the cost. Interesting way of charging.