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Why I became slab obsessed...13059

Have I told you about the time I dropped off 3,000 comics at SDCC? Scifinator private msg quote post Address this user
So, I had never really considered having my entire 3k plus collection certified and encased...until after 2 separate events. To be honest, I had always wanted to have a very small single percentage point portion of my collection encased, but certainly not what I embarked upon.

As I first started collecting way back in the late 70's & 80's, while in jr. high & high school, I was a regular at my LCS that was right in between my schools and home. When Alpha Flight #1 was announced, I decided to make the first and, until the 90's, only speculative buy. I worked a deal to buy a full case of 100 AF1 at a 45% discount to $55 total. That was huge for me as I think my part-time job at the time was paying about $3.50/hr and I had to buy all of my own sports equipment and pay for my own transportation costs, etc.

Now fast forward. That case, along with all of my other comics, traveled securely from NorCal to Albuquerque, NM, and then to a few homes in SoCal. Then, unbeknownst to me, a few years ago, my wife moves that case from my office to the garage. Some time after that, we developed a water heater leak and voila, what do I find? Not going to go into the volcanic eruption that occured, but I think it may have registered on the CalTech seismograph. I will point out that only about a dozen of the 100 were otherwise unstained but still showed some waves.

Additionally, a lot of you have seen my references to my Marvel Fanfare #1. For those that haven't, while i never really had the time, inclination, or wherewithal to hunt down autographs, back in 1982, shortly after publication, I had the opportunity to meet my favorite artist, at the time, Michael Golden. He autographed my copy inside on the first page. Until the mid-90's, this was my only autographed comic. And, with the whole premise of Marvel Fanfare, no ads, higher quality paper, etc., plus my favorite artist autograph, it was and remains a prized possession. Then, a couple of years ago, tragedy struck and it was accidently bent in half across the top 1/3 of the comic. I was horrified and crushed after taking great care of it for well over 3 decades, to see it now shaped like a hockey stick. January of 2019, I sent it into CBCS and Steve Ricketts applied his craft and expertise and brought it back to a 9.6. I wish I had taken a picture. It was a miracle.

Back to the Alpha Flights. After the water damage event, i had started selling off some of those damaged AF1s (fully disclosed and with pics of damage of course). Having such success with my MF1, I sent my remaining 76 copies to CBCS and team @SteveRicketts as part of my SDCC submission. Wave, crinkles, stains, and moisture damage, I knew not to expect any miracles but I am nonetheless pleased with the results:

9.8 x 9
9.6 x 7
9.2 x 1
9.0 x 23
8.5 x 9
8.0 x 2
7.5 x 2
7.0 x 9
6.5 x 6
6.0 x 3
5.5 x 4
5.0 x 1

In case you want to look up the graders notes, they are 19-279A9AA-004 thru -079. I will point out that most of these prior to sending in for press would have probably received grades between 3.0 - 5.0. So, I think I can say with only 1 5.0 remaining, another miracle has been performed...Or perhaps I should say several dozen miracles.

Thank you to CBCS and the Pressing team for your magical efforts.

My apologies to all of the other CBCS customers for my clogging up the works but I can now tell you that ALL of my SDCC submission is now out of the pressing pipeline and looks like they are pretty much through grading and now in labels or encasement.

With that, my permanent collection (other than several dozen magazine size and recently added run fill-ins) is now safely encased and I will continue to sell off the rest in CBCS Certified to offset my crazy expenditure.
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Collector Rafel private msg quote post Address this user
Great store!! I'm sorry about the water damage. Some people (women) just don't understand what's important to you isn't important to them so it must go. That's not right. Hopefully she understands the error in her ways.
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Keep your $6.87 bro... not even saving tax with that. Cli4dR3D0g private msg quote post Address this user
Any sales of AF1 coming up?
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Have I told you about the time I dropped off 3,000 comics at SDCC? Scifinator private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by xjagnew
Any sales of AF1 coming up?


I am going to keep 4 9.8's for myself and my sons. All of the rest will be slowly sold off through MyComicShop.Com. They are already in their possession and will likely be start being listed as early as this weekend. My 22% discount offer to CBCS forum members stands.
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Collector Terry88 private msg quote post Address this user
Well let us know. I've been humming and hawing over one of these for ages, and never pulling the trigger.
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Have I told you about the time I dropped off 3,000 comics at SDCC? Scifinator private msg quote post Address this user
@Terry88 I have 12 grades to choose from! How does MCS treat shipments to CA? If egregious, i could work with you directly. If the $4.95 applies then probably best to go through MCS.
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Collector Terry88 private msg quote post Address this user
I'm embarrassed to say how much stuff I have sent to me from MCS, sooooooo it really isn't an issue. I feel like as a Canadian, I really need to own a 9.8 Alpha Flight. The timing just never seems to be right.
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Collector Odinson2000 private msg quote post Address this user
@Terry88 Felt the same way and finally broke down and bought a 9.8 this past May and then got a 9.8 of 3 recently. I also got a 9.8 of the Marvel Age preview which I think I like best of all, weirdly.
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CBCS Pressing SteveRicketts private msg quote post Address this user
@Scifinator Really? No 9.4s?
Post 9 IP   flag post
Have I told you about the time I dropped off 3,000 comics at SDCC? Scifinator private msg quote post Address this user
@SteveRicketts - I think we all know that CBCS grades tougher and more conservatively than than the 3 letter companies.
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Collector ProdigalSon private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scifinator
Quote:
Originally Posted by xjagnew
Any sales of AF1 coming up?


I am going to keep 4 9.8's for myself and my sons. All of the rest will be slowly sold off through MyComicShop.Com. They are already in their possession and will likely be start being listed as early as this weekend. My 22% discount offer to CBCS forum members stands.


how do we go about the 22% discount if it's on eBay? i'm interested...
Post 11 IP   flag post
Have I told you about the time I dropped off 3,000 comics at SDCC? Scifinator private msg quote post Address this user
@ProdigalSon - the alpha flights are going up on MyComicShop.com. So if you do want any of those or my other listings, just message me or respond in thread when you are ready to make offer otherwise i won’t accept offer. Here is the link clickable text. I will post here when i put up the first round in various grades.

As far as ebay goes, if there is a set or a CBCS Raw grade you want, let me know through CBCS form pm, and i will arrange for a direct Paypal invoice at reduced rate.
Post 12 IP   flag post
Have I told you about the time I dropped off 3,000 comics at SDCC? Scifinator private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scifinator
@SteveRicketts - I think we all know that CBCS grades tougher and more conservatively than than the 3 letter companies.


Which is one of the additional reasons I chose to use CBCS for the certification of all of my comics. Sure, I could have had some false higher grades for the portion of my collection that I was selling off, but I did not want to reward and perpetuate degradation and mediocrity. And, in the meantime, I am very confident in the grades of my permanent collection.
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