Grade / press decisions15812
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Davethebrave private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I have a copy of Batman 251 with no (visible) defects except the following: 1.) the bottom left corner (pic below, penny for scale reference) 2.) a faint, thin impression horizontal across the cover, non color breaking and only visible on sharp angles where you catch the light (pic below, circled). In this case Mylar accentuates by increasing reflectivity. From any angle without a light source bright enough to produce glare, you cannot see it. Otherwise the book’s covers are flawless - no spine ticks, sharp corners (other 3), deep colors, glossy, beautiful example. White pages. My thought process is that without a press it would grade at a 9.6, with a low chance of being undergraded to a 9.4. With the press a solid 9.6. I just don’t see a 9.8 happening with that corner… maybe a <10%? chance (if I got it pressed and it became the sole defect). My dilemma - do I bother getting it pressed? According to Overstreet the subtle impressions are permissible in a 9.6 grade. The corner - I think - blocks it from a 9.8. So, is it even worth the risk of pressing? To me it all hinges on if this book has ANY hope of reaching a 9.8 with that bottom left corner? Also, what truly is the risk of it falling BELOW a 9.6 without a press? For a book like this I want to minimize handling… Thanks in advance! Included a full photo just for how the book presents overall. Yes, I know hard to see in double mylar but had to show a zoom-out.    |
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 I've spent years perfecting my brand of assholery.
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DrWatson private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Press everything. Stupid question. | ||
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Davethebrave private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by DrWatson Not a stupid question but definitely a stupid answer haha Edit: here is the “rational” answer knowing I am not selling the book. Do not press because you get a very cheap “option” to press in the future and upgrade the book. The mathematician in me sees the only rational (non-ego) answer as: 1. Don’t press and it may come out as a 9.6 or (less likely) a 9.4. If 9.4 then I can always press in the future and get a 9.6 2. If 9.6 then I can truthfully say the book is unpressed and there is still some potential for a 9.8 (unknown and maybe very low). 3. The option tree if I press is: A) it gets damaged or degraded by the press. I will not know if it was going to get a 9.6 without the press but now it is lower… maybe correctable damage but maybe not. B) it gets a 9.6 - dont know if it would have received this grade anyways… C) it gets a 9.8 - I think extremely unlikely Again, I have an ego so posed the question and may still pursue the irrational path of pressing. But not a stupid question unless the answer is to NOT press… |
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 The apple sauce and pudding were the best part...
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Bronte private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Another option is to do a press screen. If they decide to press then the possibility of a higher graded book increases if they chose to press. Personally I don't see why you don't get it pressed, in theory, if you are going to spend the money on grading, why skimp out on pressing. Especially if the grade matters to you. |
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I've spent years perfecting my brand of assholery.
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DrWatson private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Bronte I said the same thing using less words... and less tact. |
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Davethebrave private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @Bronte good point. My post was a bit of a public press screen. I have my own view having pressed many comics (none at this value). Not looking to skimp $-wise. In fact, my preferred approach is more “expensive” because I would need to do the process twice if it comes out as a 9.4 (if I needed to see a 9.6). In any event it sounds like the couple responses so far are saying my book as-is will not grade at a 9.6 (lower) and/or it could grade at a 9.8 with a press. That is definitely useful though more data points would be more helpful… especially if one of those responses was a lame “press everything, stupid.” |
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The apple sauce and pudding were the best part...
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Bronte private msg quote post Address this user | |
| You say you will never sell the book, which is fine, but if there is a chance that someone you care about inherits the book, it is better to make it easier on them if it is pressed and graded. Unless they are a collector, they prolly won't know value and what to do besides putting it on ebay. I was just making a comment to someone that you don't know what is going to happen to you and if your possessions go to someone you care about you want it to be as easy as possible for that person to deal with your old stuff. Also, one other point to consider. As a book gets higher in value, the more you pay in grading and pressing. I could have saved myself quite a few dollars if I just sent stuff to be pressed when I learned of pressing vs waiting and having tbe books value increase my costs to press. |
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Davethebrave private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @Bronte fair points for sure. The grading part is likely something I will do. Also, to be clear, I am not anti-pressing. I just had a spine roll correction and press done by the resto lab and a book graded. The book increased at least 2 full grade levels and likely more and the post-work grade was exactly as I expected. The work done was incredible and I paid a big premium for the detailed work and fast TAT. But I don’t approach with a blanket mentality and frankly it surprises me how many comic collectors blindly press without considering the outcomes and logic. |
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 Not trying to be an ass since February 12, 2020.
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HulkSmash private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @Davethebrave If the question is only pertaining to the Batman 251; with the condition of the bottom left corner it will never grade at 9.8 with a press. Thats a great looking book. The corner and what looks like few more small stresses on the spine will most likely be a 9.4. | ||
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Davethebrave private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by HulkSmash Thanks - this is what I was looking for. Confirmation on no 9.8 :-) I would be surprised by a 9.4 but agree it is possible without a press. |
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 Collector*
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Towmater private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Davethebrave  |
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| Post 11 • IP flag post | ||
 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 | |
| There's virtually no risk to pressing if you send it to a reliable presser. I would certainly have it pressed or at least press screened, even if I didn't think it had a chance of a 9.8. If you have a nice book like that, why not have it look as nice as it can? | ||
| Post 12 • IP flag post | ||
 How do I know this? Because I've done it myself.
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lawguy1977 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @Davethebrave Absolutely gorgeous book and I'm super jealous. I'll echo the other sentiments on here about pressing. Personally, I press all my books now. If I press a book, I never get it back with a grade thinking to myself, "I wonder what if a press would have bumped up the grade." But I used to send books in and not have them pressed and then they haunted me until I sent them back in for pressing. That's me anyway. At the least, I think the suggestion to do a press screen is a good way to go if you're reluctant to go forward with pressing the book. |
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 Collector
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doog private msg quote post Address this user | |
| The corner puts it more in 9.4-9.6 territory from my experience, but I grade nothing without pressing and I know for sure the thin impression will be gone with a competent press. It looks pretty spine tick free looking through the bag, and the other 3 corners look perfect, but nothing compares to close inspection under a task light. | ||
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 I'm waiting.... (tapping fingers).Splotches is gettin old! |
Nuffsaid111 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I get everything pressed. Of course I still get more "Light Bends" graders notes than I care to mention. So does it work? - the plethora of "light bends" would indicate no it doesn't; but it makes me feel better and perhaps I'd be getting "heavy bends" if I didn't have them pressed whatsoever. Who the heck knows. There are times I think pressing/grading is a great thing to come along, and then these freakin' "light bends" makes me think the whole pressing/grading thing is one giant pyramid scheme. |
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Not trying to be an ass since February 12, 2020.
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HulkSmash private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Nuffsaid111not all bends, creases, folds, & indentions are completely reversible. Those pesky finger folds have gotten me with the “light bends” after pressing. |
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| Post 16 • IP flag post | ||
 CBCS broke up with me over Facebook.
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CFP_Comics private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by DrWatson It was still a stupid reply. |
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| Post 17 • IP flag post | ||
 Collector
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Darkseid_of_town private msg quote post Address this user | |
| One thing alot of people sort of overlook is that you arent just pressing the book, it also gets cleaned. for my money, I like having a book cleaned so that once its sealed up inside the slab, I know it had the harmful dirt, hand salts and surface debris cleaned away so that isnt all sealed away with my nice book. For me thats some peace of mind that few even consider | ||
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I'm waiting.... (tapping fingers). Splotches is gettin old! |
Nuffsaid111 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by HulkSmash Yep. I hear ya and that is true. My frustration comes with the abundance of Light Bends I get as compared to... let's say... the completely obvious sun shadow or other minor/moderate flaw that does not get mentioned in my notes. But come hell or high water there's always light bends. Even on brand new books that have been pressed. Something just seems "off". It's that little thing inside of me that says there's an obsession with light bends by both companies and an avoidance of notes related to chips, shadows, and other flaws that you see immediately on the comic. It's like "where the heck is the note for that flaw??" |
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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 | |
| With that bottom corner, not only do I believe a 9.8 is out of the question with a press, Im not sure a 9.6 is even possible. Without better photos front and back out of the mylar it's not really possible to make any real assessment of the book. My guess is no higher than 9.4 no matter what you do to it | ||
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Davethebrave private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by BigRedOne1944 Well, look at the photo of the penny beside it for scale. A penny is 12/16th of an inch in diameter. That mark is approximately 1/12th-1/14th of an inch and not a tear. Heck, visually it looks like a color breaking tick mark and the corner is still acute. You can have bindery tears top and bottom (up to 1/16th but can be 1/8th in practice) AND tick marks and get a 9.8 - and that is in modern books. I have seen it. So, yes, this is a solid 9.6 That problem “corner” is barely perceptible in a straight-on photo. I have no doubt it can grade 9.6 - but yes a 9.4 is in range too. Mainly because of how the impression going horizontally may be viewed (in combination with that corner). But that corner alone given the rest… it is much nicer than most 9.6 books of that era. Agree a 9.8 is very unlikely |
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| Post 21 • IP flag post | ||
 Masculinity takes a holiday.
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EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Davethebrave Then don't press. Stupid question. |
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I've spent years perfecting my brand of assholery.
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DrWatson private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by CFP_Comics You need to pipe down and get your nose back in those presses. Time is money. People are waiting... |
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| Post 23 • IP flag post | ||
 Collector
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furlo316 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| It's been said and bears repeating. If you're gonna pay to have the book encapsulated, ALWAYS clean and press it. The $15 - $30 spent will be worth a half point to a point bump (or more!) and value increase of the book overall. Just my opinion, best of luck with the book! | ||
| Post 24 • IP flag post | ||
 Ima gonna steal this and look for some occasion to use it!
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IronMan private msg quote post Address this user | |
I'm a bit late to the party, but this has been a fun thread to follow even if a bit snarky at times. Many pressing services - including the in-house services for the grading companies - offer screening. Attempting to determine if pressing will improve the grade of submitted books. Pressing normally is - and I might even say should be - viewed as value added service. If there is no chance of a grade improvement - or no defects to improve with pressing - then it is likely a waste of $$. It also would be considered by many to be a waste of money if the book has pressable defects but non-pressable defects that will prevent grade improvement. People sometimes want books in this last category to be pressed just so they look their best even though grade improvement is unlikely. Some collectors attachment to their submitted books is more than financial or grade concerns. |
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Masculinity takes a holiday.
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EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by IronMan @davethebrave can take it, his skin is thick enough. I would love to see the theories get tested by slabbing it without a press. But since it has never been pressed before, I just can't see how the cost savings is worth the risk. If it doesn't grade out as expected based on one unrecognized flaw, you have to start all over and pay the full grading cost to press and re-slab. Not to mention the time and shipping. To me that just seems like too much risk for too little possible cost savings. |
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Davethebrave private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by EbayMafia Haha, yes, I can definitely take it. There is no cost-savings goal here btw. Purely looking for what is best for the book. I am not one to spare expenses on matters like these. It will be submitted for fastest grading (either CBCS or CGC and mostly TAT based). If I get it pressed it will definitely be with a reputable pro. Period. I will post the result of a press/roll correction job on my Superman 30. I paid more $$ but had the whole process (except shipping) completed in <2 weeks, from my submission for pressing to it being shipped back graded by CGC (en route to me now)… and that is a far less valuable book. Like I said, no absolute aversion to pressing (I have a whole C&P setup here too) but I don’t auto-press like some. Maybe partly because 99% of my books (by value) are personal long-term collection. Recent example of when I will do my own C&P. Book damaged in transit (horribly bent) by seller who elected to pack in a soft envelope. Also generally wavy / crinkly cover. Easy decision for me to press (after getting a partial refund for the damage, of course):     |
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