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Is VSP Grading worth it? X-Men #1 199118060

Collector IowaDad81 private msg quote post Address this user
I have a copy of X-Men #1a signed by both Jim Lee and Chris Claremont. Bought the book for $5, got it signed by both at C2E2 2018. I'm thinking about taking it to C2E2 to submit at the CBCS booth.

As I'm totally new to having possibly valuable comics, any input would be greatly appreciated. Any guesstimates on grade? Potential value with verified signatures and a good grade? Is it worth paying the extra for Express?




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Where's his Bat-package? Byrdibyrd private msg quote post Address this user
@IowaDad81
We have some folks on here with a sharper eye than mine and I'll let them speak to the grade. As for VSP, a lot of the choice lies in what you prefer. I like having my books be proven legit when there might otherwise be a question, and I really like the protection my rarer (including signed) books get from being slabbed. If that book were mine, I would have it on the stack-of-books-to-get-slabbed. One thing to consider: I have sold a couple of books signed by Jim Lee lately, and I've been a bit surprised by how much I got for them. None of them were X-Men #1, which had a massive print run, but one was a Batman #608 and the grade was only a 9.0 (you read that right: NINE-POINT-OH). It sold for US$306, and I nearly had a cow. Because your book had such a huge print run, I can pretty much guarantee it wouldn't bring in as much as that Batman did, so I don't think you've won the lottery yet.

Just ask yourself if you like the way it would look in a slab with proof that the signatures are the real deal? Is it for your PC and not for reading so the slab would not be inconvenient? If these are things you don't care about, then you should give thought as to whether you want to go to the trouble and expense of slabbing.
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No rust here... Nearmint67 private msg quote post Address this user
@IowaDad81 Can't see the back, but looks like 9.4 or better...
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Collector IowaDad81 private msg quote post Address this user
I would like to have the signature verification. Having it more protected than my bag-and-board would be nice, too. I was 10 when this book came out, so I've probably read it several dozen times. It's probably something I'll hold onto for a while as part of my personal collection, but having it slabbed would also make it suitable for display in my man cave.

I guess my biggest point of indecision would be is it worth the extra $36 to do express versus base TAT?
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Collector IowaDad81 private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nearmint67
@IowaDad81 Can't see the back, but looks like 9.4 or better...


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Where's his Bat-package? Byrdibyrd private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by IowaDad81
I guess my biggest point of indecision would be is it worth the extra $36 to do express versus base TAT?

That comes down to how quickly you want it back. TATs are a little sad right now, but I've continued to send in non-urgent low-tier books without Express. If there's no hurry to get it back, why pay extra?
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Collector IowaDad81 private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by Byrdibyrd
Quote:
Originally Posted by IowaDad81
I guess my biggest point of indecision would be is it worth the extra $36 to do express versus base TAT?

That comes down to how quickly you want it back. TATs are a little sad right now, but I've continued to send in non-urgent low-tier books without Express. If there's no hurry to get it back, why pay extra?


Because I'm impatient by nature.
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Where's his Bat-package? Byrdibyrd private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by IowaDad81
Quote:
Originally Posted by Byrdibyrd
Quote:
Originally Posted by IowaDad81
I guess my biggest point of indecision would be is it worth the extra $36 to do express versus base TAT?

That comes down to how quickly you want it back. TATs are a little sad right now, but I've continued to send in non-urgent low-tier books without Express. If there's no hurry to get it back, why pay extra?


Because I'm impatient by nature.

Nothing wrong with that! That'd be why I also have 'urgent' books that I want back ASAP regardless.
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Masculinity takes a holiday. EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user
You're asking is it worth it, and that can have more than one answer. In my opinion the financial answer is no. There's no way I would be putting $75-$100 into having that book put in a slab. As a collector who tries to make a slight profit, I would find it more profitable and more enjoyable to spend that money on more books at that convention.
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I'd like to say I still turned out alright, but that would be a lie. flanders private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by EbayMafia
You're asking is it worth it, and that can have more than one answer. In my opinion the financial answer is no. There's no way I would be putting $75-$100 into having that book put in a slab. As a collector who tries to make a slight profit, I would find it more profitable and more enjoyable to spend that money on more books at that convention.


Agree. I'd leave it as is. It's not worth the cost of grading (not even the cheapest tier) and vsp.
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Collector Darkseid_of_town private msg quote post Address this user
Perhaps the most overprinted and common comic book in history other than x force 1.. the signatures are a plus though for sure. Put it in a nice mylar, and enjoy it as it is and spend your hard earned comic funds getting a few more for yourself
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I'm good with splotches. Nuffsaid111 private msg quote post Address this user
if it's not a 9.8 candidate, then I would not slab it.
The 9.8 syndrome is very powerful and very very impulsive to many.

The addition of those 2 signatures on a 9.8 will bring out at least one person who is an over-spender. 9.8's have a way of detaching big money from people. Pathetic, but true
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Collector etapi65 private msg quote post Address this user
Corners on spine aren't sharp and it looks like one fairly large color breaking crease on the right front cover (looking on a phone). It's worth what someone is willing to pay for sigs. Highly likely that value is much less than the cost of VSP and non express.
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Collector etapi65 private msg quote post Address this user
Back looks like there is a noticeable tear on spine Likely near middle staple. And is there a chip out of the left edge on back?
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Collector Sebastsk8 private msg quote post Address this user
I'd say maybe a 9.0 at best, probably less. Spine has at least 1 or 2 color breaking ticks, corners pretty dulled, and possible other spine issues I can't tell from the pics.

That being said, those are some pretty sought after sigs on the cover. I think they're both charging close to 50 per sig now(I know Lee is charging 50, he has a signing coming up). If it was higher grade I'd say go for it. If you want it for your PC, I'd still say go for it. In time the sigs will be worth more than the grading cost.
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Collector IowaDad81 private msg quote post Address this user
The only cost I have in the book so far is the 5 bucks I paid for it, and the time I stood in line for the signatures. Neither were charging in 2018, though I did have to get to McCormick Place pretty early to get a pass and line up for Jim Lee. I also have pictures with both from that day.
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Where's his Bat-package? Byrdibyrd private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sebastsk8
In time the sigs will be worth more than the grading cost.

And there you have it. That's part of the reason why I get books signed by well-known writers and artists slabbed, even if it may not be cost effective at the moment.
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Collector soonerjudd81 private msg quote post Address this user

Probably not a ton of resale value, but here’s my copy I bought off the shelf in 1991, signed by Jim Lee when I bought it. Added Stan and Claremont a few years back and had it VSP’d for my PC.
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Collector teacha777 private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by soonerjudd81

Probably not a ton of resale value, but here’s my copy I bought off the shelf in 1991, signed by Jim Lee when I bought it. Added Stan and Claremont a few years back and had it VSP’d for my PC.


I sold a 9.6 magneto cover a few years back vsp lee witness Claremont for 150$, so at a 9.6 or better it’s definitely worth it just don’t express it.
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Feel free to use my post as a checklist. multi007 private msg quote post Address this user
you can always just get it slabbed for Beckett Signature Authentication and not a grade...
Post 20 IP   flag post
If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8. xkonk private msg quote post Address this user
I happened to be looking at Jim Lee X-Men #1s the other day. In 9.8 they look to be going for $175-200 on eBay.

Like someone else said though, I don't think yours is a 9.8. If you want it verified and graded for your personal state of mind then I would go ahead. I don't think I would pay express, myself, but I also tend to send things for pressing and that gets pricey. If you're looking to sell it then I would probably leave it as-is.
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