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Prices written on covers21249

Collector OrionPax private msg quote post Address this user
Hey everyone!

Recently I found out that my 9.4 ASM 300 has a price written on the back cover. This is the second time I see this on a high grade ASM 300 (the other one was a 9.6 and it was on the front cover) and I've seen it on many other books (especially golden and silver age).

Grader notes say nothing about it. What do you guys think? What's your experience with copper age books with this issue? Does it affect the grade?

I want to get it signed someday but I wouldn't want it to hit the grade.


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I do what I can. TheShocker private msg quote post Address this user
It's possible it was missed the first time around and you run the risk od lowering the grade if crack and slab again. Because it's pencil you could maybe have someone do a clean and press on it which might keep you at your current grade or bump you up.
Post 2 IP   flag post
would be nice to have a snugger fit. Sigur_Ros private msg quote post Address this user
Do they acknowledge handwritten prices and dates? Other things, yes, but I thought those got a pass.
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Collector PolarisNuclearSS2020 private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sigur_Ros
Do they acknowledge handwritten prices and dates? Other things, yes, but I thought those got a pass.


Hand written or stamped arrival dates on a FC or BC don’t effect grade on books up to and including 9.8.

This goes for CGC and CBCS alike.

Other things like prices written or stamped on books are seen as defects and count against the grade.

Just because the graders notes don’t mention the 10.00 price written on the BC doesn’t mean that the graders both somehow managed to not see it.

It’s on the BC, pretty small and not written in inks.

Writing on a cover in ink will almost invariably will leave a deeper impression on books than pencil.

That 10.00 mark could be dry cleaned off and almost certainly wouldn’t even need spot pressing from the looks of it.

I would bet a testicle that the 10.00 notation was not overlooked by the graders.

Judging by the graders notes, a proper dry clean and press (with spot pressing along the spine stress lines and tics) would likely bump this book to a 9.6 -along with the 10.00 notation dry cleaned off the book.

This book either has not been pressed or whomever pressed it, did hack work.
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Collector PolarisNuclearSS2020 private msg quote post Address this user
@orionpax

I posted my feedback above, I think you should have it dry cleaned and pressed.

Two pressers I would recommend are ImproceCollecting and Top Comics Pressing.

As well as Tony Starks and Joeypost but they have longer TAT’s as they have been around much longer.

I have not used any of them, except for Joe once (who did good work on my books) and that was when I was a green presser so I sent them to Joe.

I make my recommendations based on what I know about all four of them, the first two both have YouTube channels showing their processes and grades received.

ImproveCollecting doesn’t regularly offer pressing services but Top Comics does.
Post 5 IP   flag post
Why just the women? I like bears. Gaard private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by PolarisNuclearSS2020

I would bet a testicle that the 10.00 notation was not overlooked by the graders.

Damn, you got balls! (at least for now)
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I do what I can. TheShocker private msg quote post Address this user
I'm speaking from experience had a.9.0 web of spiderman 118. Cracked it, git it signed and sent it back in. Came back a 8.0.with a new note stating paint smudge on the back. I checked original pics and it was there before. Soo yeah graders can and do miss things and apparently so do I 💀😓😅
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Suck it up, buttercup!! KatKomics private msg quote post Address this user
I know the grading houses have their own standards but I'm pretty sure non-obtrusive names and prices, store stamps etc. written on the cover are allowable in high grades per the Overstreet guide books....sigh...gonna make me dig one out and check now.....
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Suck it up, buttercup!! KatKomics private msg quote post Address this user
Ok...Overstreet Comic Book Grading Guide - 1st edition


page 68 = NM (97 to 90) so lets call this 9.6 to 9.0

Small and inconspicuously placed arrival dates and initials on covers are permitted
(lets extend this to prices!!)



There you go - nothing missed because it is allowed, and not noted because it wouldn't have been the thing to deduct points from the grade.

Now I mentioned that grading houses have their own standards...BUT...many of the major/oldest comic sales sites and grading houses have been or currently are contributors to Overstreet. So while they have their "own" standards it is a good bet that they have been heavily influenced by the grading guidelines that existed well before they did and that they likely had a hand in crafting

Hate to sound like an old man...but all new collectors should get at least one of the Overstreet grading guides and read it cover to cover - they have photos with close ups of what is or isn't allowed in a certain grade range as well as written portions on what to look for - it will serve you well when you find a raw book to be able to at least get your own opinion on what grade 'range' you think it is in to call BS on the seller when you haggle the price and point out what flaws you see!!
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I do what I can. TheShocker private msg quote post Address this user
Dang I was told they don't follow Overstreet I guess we should wait for op to get signed and resubmit to stamp this as solved
Post 10 IP   flag post
Suck it up, buttercup!! KatKomics private msg quote post Address this user
@TheShocker We need Mr. Borock to chime in!!!
I would be shocked if there wasn't overlap since Steve has been an Overstreet contributor (although I do not know in what capacity) and he created the original grading standards at CGC and CBCS

Hell...contributors to the 1st edition Grading Guide - include..Mark Wilson (former finalizer at CBCS and I assume something equally high at CGC...but not PSA!!!!!)
Harley Yee - who everyone knows (and who's raw books are generally graded decently!)
and other names I find familiar but can't quite place

Just sayin' the OG comic people had their fingers in things before there were grading companies - that's why they were tapped to help start a grading company and if they were also part of the Overstreet gang then there will have to have been some overlap...

We know the grading houses have deviated though.....because 9.9 and 10.0

Is CGC wrong in how it grades???...yes, yes they are

Standards are standards....you can change them for sure, but generally with industry acceptance.
lol...what if X Football team decided that all lines on their home field should be .8 of a yard - because their fans would like it more..so what if it results in easier downs (9.9/10s)....standards....

The REAL test for CGC 9.9 and 10.0 is to re-grade them at a competitor to see if you get the same!!!
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I do what I can. TheShocker private msg quote post Address this user
@KatKomics agreed
Post 12 IP   flag post
Collector OrionPax private msg quote post Address this user
@KatKomics thanks for the effort man! I really appreciate it
Post 13 IP   flag post
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
Overstreet did not/does not have the numerical grading scale if I'm remembering that correctly. They only had Poor, Fair, Good, Very Good, Fine, Very Fine, Near Mint, Mint. This scale was adopted into the CGC 10 point scale by adding + and - to the Overstreet word scale. I believe I am correct on this but others may know better.
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Collector OrionPax private msg quote post Address this user

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Suck it up, buttercup!! KatKomics private msg quote post Address this user
@GAC The price guides dont but the grading guides are even more granular than the grading houses i.e. 97, 95, 93, 91 etc of 100

They are great resources...even today...in my opinion
Post 16 IP   flag post
Collector OrionPax private msg quote post Address this user
@PolarisNuclearSS2020 it hasn't been pressed indeed. The bends are notorious but the spine is fairly clean, so I hope I can get a grade bump after clean and press.

I just posted another picture
Post 17 IP   flag post
Collector Paulbg2000 private msg quote post Address this user
Piggybacking on this thread.

Does anyone know how they ding UK comics with the delivery area / store written on the cover?


Post 18 IP   flag post
Suck it up, buttercup!! KatKomics private msg quote post Address this user
@Paulbg2000 I think it's the same way - small and inconspicuous dates, initials etc are good...main thing is not obtrusive.

I've seen some 8+ books with what I consider decent sized store stamps...there is one store in particular that I just can't remember the name of that had a massive horrible stamp that I'm pretty sure dinged the grades of books - but most of the time if small and like not messing with the cover art too much then no hit - pretty sure bus stop stickers are ok to a fairly high grade too?? (little white circle stickers placed over the actual price)
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I live in RI and Rhode Islanders eat chili with beans. esaravo private msg quote post Address this user
In my opinion, arrival dates, in whatever form, shouldn’t be considered a defect on anything but the highest grades, as this was a common practice at newsstands. I know I own at least two CBCS books with stamped arrival dates on their covers that received 9.6 grades, and the graders notes only state they had arrival dates on their covers. I always wondered if they would have received 9.8’s if they weren’t stamped. Supposedly you can have stamps in 9.8, but I have never received one for a stamped book.
Prices and names or initials (or secondary store stamps - like Bonnett’s in Ohio) were added AFTER the ORIGINAL PURCHASE of the comic, and regardless if they are on the front or back cover, I consider them to be a defect, or at least an issue that warrants a grade point deduction. It’s tricky on how much of a deduction, because some are small and barely noticeable, and others are huge and cover up the artwork (think about that ASM that the angry ex-girlfriend got ahold of!). The only exceptions are markings related to Pedigrees.
What we all have to consider too, is the overall condition of a book. A book that is low or even mid-grade without a name or price written on it, would most likely be the same grade even with a small amount of writing on it. The grade represents the entire book as a whole, and some defects outweigh all others (missing page, for example).
Post 20 IP   flag post
Suck it up, buttercup!! KatKomics private msg quote post Address this user
@esaravo thanks!!!!
Couldn't remember the name of Bonnetts for the store stamp.
Most I don't mind but dang if those Bonnetts store stamps aren't massive!!!
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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
uge!!!!


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Collector Belarak private msg quote post Address this user
I'm curious about the Mark Jewelers star stamps. They're very hard to find but I do have a couple. Are they considered the same as a date stamp? Do they affect the grade? Does CBCS note the stamp on the label?
Post 23 IP   flag post
Apparently, I am easily annoyed. Rbolton private msg quote post Address this user
@Belarak good question, I am curious about that as well.
Post 24 IP   flag post
I live in RI and Rhode Islanders eat chili with beans. esaravo private msg quote post Address this user
@Belarak - Star stamps should be treated like arrival dates, IMO.
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