Lessons Learned Mail Call5726
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 If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8.
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xkonk private msg quote post Address this user | |
| My last submission was kind of a test batch for a variety of reasons. I'm new to grading, so I thought some of my reasons for grading and the results would be helpful for folks. Especially other grading newbies. I don't have tons of spare money, so I only send things that I think might have some value, but I'm also not buying anything worth than a couple hundred max. I'm not ready to send a $1 book that I really like just to preserve it, but I am willing to preserve books important to what I like that could be worth something to someone else who likes the same thing. One of the things I wanted to do was practice my own grading since I'm new to it. I sat down with each of these books and a newly bought copy of Overstreet and made some notes and grade guesses. The other thing I wanted to do was evaluate some of the eBay sellers that I typically check out. Anyone interested in backstory can check out discussion starting here. So I'll have an obnoxious series of posts, one for each book I just got, with some pre-submission thoughts and then the graded result. |
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 Collector
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poka private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by xkonk Right way to do - so the only question remains - how well did you do?  |
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| Post 2 • IP flag post | ||
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If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8.
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xkonk private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Ms. Marvel 1, my notes: small color transfer on front, small corner dents on 2 sides, small top/bottom creasing, crease/fold on back cover, back crease, offwhite pages, maybe 7.5-8? Result:  Thoughts: As will become an obvious theme, I was overly enthusiastic about my grading. The graders notes basically caught what I caught (spine, edge & corner wear & creasing some breaks color), but they hurt the grade more than I thought. I got this in part because I thought I might flip it closer to when the movie comes out. But in the meantime I thought it might be cool to be able to show my daughter some of the female superheros, even if they originally had ridiculous costumes. Now I have almost the whole first series, but I don't know if I'll get more graded until I have for-sure really nice copies of the keys. |
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If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8.
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xkonk private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I got an entire run of New Mutants. The obvious keys (87 and 98) I sent in, along with a couple minor keys. If they turned out well, I thought I might send in a couple others. | ||
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If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8.
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xkonk private msg quote post Address this user | |
| New Mutants 26, my notes: little color transfer/soil on back, small cover creases w/o color break, offwhite pages, maybe 9.2? Result:  Thoughts: This is a rare under-grade on my part. I either misjudged the marks on the back or CBCS missed them, but their notes are tiny spine wear & stress some breaks color. I'm certainly not going to complain. |
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If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8.
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xkonk private msg quote post Address this user | |
| New Mutants 87, my notes: small corner dents on 3 sides, small color wear, couple small spine stress, was probably restapled, maybe 7? I wasn't 100% positive it was restapled, and if it was I wasn't sure what the hit would be. Result:  Thoughts: So I ended up spot-on here somewhat by luck. It wasn't restapled, but the staples were weird. The grade notes are: manufactured with four staples, two removed tiny tear at top staple few tiny substance spots front & back cover spine, edge & corner wear some breaks color |
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If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8.
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xkonk private msg quote post Address this user | |
| New Mutants 98, my notes: 2 small corner dents, couple spine ticks, back cover crease, maybe 9.0? Result:  Thoughts: I was on again for this one. Grader's notes: slight bend through book top right corner tiny impact top spine with small creasing back cover breaks color light spine, edge & corner wear some breaks color |
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| Post 7 • IP flag post | ||
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If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8.
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xkonk private msg quote post Address this user | |
| New Mutants Annual 2, my notes: small corner crease that breaks color, small top creases, maybe 9-9.2 Result:  Thoughts: I was a little optimistic here and missed a couple minor defects. But close! Grader's notes: tiny impact bottom right corner with small bend through book & small creasing front & back cover partially breaks color ¾" crease middle top edge front cover barely breaks color & small crease top left corner back cover partially breaks color |
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| Post 8 • IP flag post | ||
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If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8.
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xkonk private msg quote post Address this user | |
| NYX 4: I went a little overboard on NYX and ended up with multiple copies of 3 and 4 from some single book and run/partial run purchases. I sent three copies of #4 as a strong test of grading, since they were the exact same book, and one copy of #3. It's honestly a little tough telling the 4's apart, but I think I matched my notes to the books I got back correctly. |
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| Post 9 • IP flag post | ||
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If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8.
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xkonk private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Copy 1, my notes: top corner crease, bottom corner dent, spine stress/mark, maybe 9.2, 9.4 Result:  Thoughts: The overconfidence begins. Maybe I wasn't very good with these because of the light-colored cover? I just didn't notice many of the color breaks. The seller listed this as NM, so I won't go out of my way to buy from them again. Grader notes: small impact top & bottom spine with small bends through book & light creasing back cover partially breaks color spine wear, rubbing & stress some breaks color |
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| Post 10 • IP flag post | ||
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If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8.
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xkonk private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Copy 2, my notes: some spine stress/creases, looks great 9.4-9.6 Result:  Thoughts: I guess I get some credit for the check mark? This is the third book I've sent that has received a check mark, and I honestly don't know what to make of it at a conceptual level. At least the notes on this one tell me what the defects are; they were less helpful on the other two. Grader notes: tiny impact bottom spine with small bend through book with small crease back cover partially breaks color spine wear & stress some breaks color several small bends front & back cover |
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| Post 11 • IP flag post | ||
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If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8.
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xkonk private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Copy 3, my notes: small spine stress, two tiny corner knicks, back cover crease, discoloration, maybe 9.2? Result:  Thoughts: I was close on this one (assuming it isn't the 8.0 checkmark). I think I noticed the defects but just didn't take enough points. Grader notes: spine wear & stress some breaks color several small bends front & back cover |
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| Post 12 • IP flag post | ||
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If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8.
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xkonk private msg quote post Address this user | |
| NYX #3, my notes: little spine stress, cover color break, maybe cover misprints?, 9.4 depending Result:  Thoughts: I was optimistic about the "misprints"; they were scuffs. Grader notes: spine wear & stress some breaks color couple of small scuffs by bottom staple front cover breaks color few bends to cover |
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| Post 13 • IP flag post | ||
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If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8.
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xkonk private msg quote post Address this user | |
| One of my long-term goals is to be one of those guys with a full run of Uncanny X-Men. I was going to buy these regardless, but they also were important for evaluating one of the sellers I usually check out. | ||
| Post 14 • IP flag post | ||
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If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8.
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xkonk private msg quote post Address this user | |
| (Uncanny) X-Men 60, my notes: 2 small corner dents, one larger dent, spine stress, sun shadows?, spine knick, maybe 8.5 Result:  Thoughts: This was listed as NM-, but I put it lower after I had it in my hands. I just didn't put it low enough. The sun shadows were tanning and foxing. Grader notes: spine, edge & corner wear some breaks color tanning along spine & cover edges & foxing bottom edge front cover & top spine front & back cover tiny impact bottom spine with small creasing front cover breaks color |
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If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8.
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xkonk private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Uncanny X-Men 125, my notes: 3 small corner dents, cover dent? maybe 9.2 Result:  Thoughts: The seller had this as solidly NM, but I was right on. I guess when the defects are small but obvious I can do a good job. Grader notes: light spine, edge & corner wear & small creasing some breaks color |
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| Post 16 • IP flag post | ||
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If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8.
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xkonk private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Uncanny X-Men 131, my notes: top cover tiny tear, creases break color, one corner dent, maybe 9.0 Result:  Thoughts: Seller had this at NM-, so it was close to correct. I had it right on, but was lucky because I traded that tiny tear for some back cover defects. Grader notes: spine stress breaks color foxing & erasure marks back cover |
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| Post 17 • IP flag post | ||
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If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8.
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xkonk private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Overall thoughts: As a grading exercise, I learned (as I'm sure many newbies do) that I have more to learn. Nowhere to go but up. It wasn't always with a lot of confidence, but I got the grade right for 5 of 12 books. I feel like that's an ok start. As a buying exercise, the three X-Men were from collectorcomics. I had already removed him from my saved seller list after the discussion in the other thread, but I certainly don't regret it now. I'll have to be more careful/choosy about the books I buy if I particularly care about their grade or value, or do like that other thread says and just buy slabs in that case. As a collecting exercise, I'm happy. Obviously I'd love everything to come back 9.8, but I'm mostly just trying to get my hands on things I want right now, and can get better copies down the line. |
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| Post 18 • IP flag post | ||
 I'll probably wake up constipated.
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Pre_Coder private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by xkonk 9.6 on this book?... NO! I agree with your 9.2 |
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| Post 19 • IP flag post | ||
 I'm a #2.
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BigRedOne1944 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Pre_Coder Agreed. NO way that is remotely close to a 9.6 NM+ in my book. Might even be 9.0 |
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Drogio private msg quote post Address this user | |
| As you learned, when buying from online sellers, assume the grade is at least one step below what they say it is (it's likely two or more in reality) and price accordingly. Defects are tough to see even in the highest quality photos. I got one comic that the seller said (great copy, not even taking it out of the bag for photos!) and Whe n I got it, not only did they ship it in a envelope with little reinforcement beyond a backing board, but it was riddled with spine ticks. It wasn't a valuable comic, I paid $6 shipped and wanted it as a reader anyway so I didn't care...but wow! Not buying from that person again. |
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 COLLECTOR
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shrewbeer private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @xkonk Great post, tx for sharing! | ||
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 I’m not an ant. I’m a rootin tootin Hornet!
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Zombie_Head private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Very informative thanks. | ||
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 Collector
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powerfist23 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Very informative thread. Thanks for posting. | ||
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If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8.
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xkonk private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Drogio Yeah, if it's filling a random book in a series, I don't care as long as the condition is reasonable for the age (I don't care about a modern being VF if it isn't a notable book). But crummy packaging is always a downer. |
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| Post 25 • IP flag post | ||
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If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8.
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xkonk private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Question for people with more pressing experience: are any of these candidates for cleaning/pressing? Not so much if it would be worth it financially, but if they would notably improve the grade on resubmission. Cleaning/pressing can't fix color breaks, right? | ||
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doog private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I spend way to much time peering at crappy pictures on eBay. I dont consider the sellers opinion on grade almost at all, although the ones that call a 5.0 a 7.0, I quit their site in disgust. Most will list some flaws at least, which is good. Over time, online buys grade wise I’ve been lucky, over the years. You have to have the book in your hand to see how good you really are. Everything is worth pressing, especially before you send it in. Literally, everything you think is worth sending in should be pressed. But with the cost you need to only send in the more expensive books, or first appearances that you think have promise IMO. (Or cool covers, which is my kryptonite) I don’t know about pressing some of the modern shiny, metallic like covers, and super shiny page stock which to me seem unwise to press, but I am not the one to ask there, as I do not buy post 80’s. Never got into cleaning. |
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COLLECTOR
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shrewbeer private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by xkonk Most of your books have issues that a press could have fixed. Lots of Impacts bends creases that dont break color. I have found that the defects I miss are usually the bends. Lots of bends cannot be seen unless you really turn the book at all angles in the light specifically searching for them |
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BrianGreensnips private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @xkonk Thanks for sharing your experience. Nice books. | ||
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