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Authentication and fees19846

Collector GothamBridge private msg quote post Address this user
Hello,

So I purchased a stack of comic books (5 copies of the same comic book), all of them were signed by the same person on the cover.

I want to submit all 5 books for authentication and grading, but customer service is telling me they are going to charge me $30 per book to authenticate and well its just sitting a little rough with me.

If I was submitting the books at different times or in separate orders, I could see that. If the signatures were of different people, I could see that too (I not too long ago, paid $120 to authenticate 4 separate signatures on the same book), but in this situation, we are looking at 5 of the exact same comic signed by the exact same guy.

I can see the cost of the slab for each, that makes sense, and if they hit me up and said, hey, its 5 books, in this circumstance, we are doing $50-$60 for the whole lot of 5 on authentication. Well ok.

Am I out of left field on this one?
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Collector HarrisonMade private msg quote post Address this user
I see both sides of it. But you have to think about this as well. Logistically it would be a nightmare and slow down times. The part to keep in mind, this helps prevent fraud in this scenario, even if you trust your seller or whomever you got these from. They don't know them, and they have to make sure all the signatures are legit before give their name to the verification. Has things slipped passed them? Of course! But it is to protect you and them in the end.

Does it suck to pay $30 for each book to be verified. YES. But it is like anything else in life. Pay to play. I have 2 short boxes I am slowly verifying here and there with orders.
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I don't believe this....and I know you don't care that I don't believe this. GAC private msg quote post Address this user
@GothamBridge I've got a New Gods 1 with a Jack Kirby signature.....it's already verified....I will crack that book out of the slab....sign Jack Kirby's name on the other 5 raw New Gods 1's I have and send them all in together.....they should only check the first signature and if that one passes they should pass them all.
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You do know that the new guy brings the donuts, right? DWeeB1967 private msg quote post Address this user
@GothamBridge Welcome to the forum!

Each signature has to be verified on its own merit. CBCS has no idea whether you bought the books together or separate, whether the signer signed all at once or even if the signer signed then at all (to be clear, I'm NOT saying that that is the case here). CBCS just knows that they have to examine each signature, compare it to known samples by the signer and determine whether the signature is authentic.

What I'm saying is that they have to do the same work for each signature with no consideration of the other signed books. They may even have more than one person authenticating the signatures on your books. That's why you have to pay for each signature to be verified.
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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 GothamBridge
they are going to charge me $30 per book to authenticate and well its just sitting a little rough with me.


CGC charges $20 per book to provide you a yellow label slab for a signature they witnessed, so CBCS's charge to verify an unwitnessed signature isn't unreasonable in comparison.

PGX charges $15 per signature per book and they aren't even viewed as a legitimate grading service.

Not every signed book has to be verified and slabbed. If it's not worth the cost leave the book as is. Also, I think it could be a lot worse. Non-comic autograph authentication varies in price based on whose signature it is. I'm sure people who have had Stan Lee or Jack Kirby's signature verified for $30 or less are happy that they didn't pay $250, which is the cost to authenticate a Michael Jordan autograph.
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Collector radd76 private msg quote post Address this user
@GothamBridge CBCS ran a special I believe it was April or May on VSP (verifying) signatures- $10 off per signature with a promo code. So you could wait for the next one to come around early next year (but no guarantees they do it again).

My advice would be to have one sent in and verified to make sure it passes before you spend money to have all 5 checked- this way if for some reason it doesn’t pass you’re not out 5x the money.

Also they have an online soft verification thru Beckett that costs $10 - it’s not the full on verification in person but it will give you an idea of “likely” pass or fail… they usually notify by email within 24 to 48 hours or the result.

Let me know if you need anything else- I’m a CBCS guru (bahahahaha).
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Feel free to use my post as a checklist. multi007 private msg quote post Address this user
There are other options to authenticate, psa, Jsa, and they all charge about the same amount. The problem is you also want to grade the books. So there’s a fee for that too.

I agree with @radd76 - send only one in. See how it goes.
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would be nice to have a snugger fit. Sigur_Ros private msg quote post Address this user
They would have to assess each of them separately, of course, but yea I agree $150 is a lot for 5 of the same. Since they have to do the research/comparisons for the same sig 5 times a discount makes sense. 5 different sigs would take more time and effort.

Regardless, I agree with the single trial book option.
If it doesn't pass, they charge an extra $8.00 rejection fee that they don't tell you about.
You'll be out $30 + $8 x 5 books.
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