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What value do you consider too low to slab?6564

Collector kutworksinc private msg quote post Address this user
I'll be honest. I've been out of the game for a few years. Havent been to a con in a LONG time. Went to my first one after like 15 years, and one thing that really kinda shocked me, were some of these very expensive books that weren't slabbed. From 2-300 all the way up to a few that were 1500. One of the guys booths told me has never slabbed a book, and the only ones he had that were, had been purchased that way.

Kinda got me thinking. At what point do some of you guys consider a book worthy of being slabbed?
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Collector rickdod3 private msg quote post Address this user
I have slabs worth $1500+, and some worth $20. I slab what I enjoy and want to preserve. From an economic standpoint, if you plan to sell the slabs I would say you need at least double your investment to make it worth while.
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Collector 00slim private msg quote post Address this user
I wouldn’t slab anything worth under $200. Unless it was a dollar bin book that is $100+.
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Collector Themaxx35 private msg quote post Address this user
My ball park is about north of $100 but I look at the price I paid raw and compare the price of graded copy and do the math. If I can still come out on top after grading fees I’ll consider it. But my books are all for personal collection so the profit calculation is all about just not sinking too much money into my collection

My exception is if the book is getting signed. Any book I get signed I get AW slabbed.
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Collector QuaBrot private msg quote post Address this user
Slab anything that final value is 20% more than purchase plus slabbing (and pressing, if any, and shipping and insurance) plus any fees you would pay upon sale.

Buy a book for $10, press $10, shipping back and forth etc $20, slab $18, total in book $58, sell book for $100 10% fee $10, ship slab to buyer $13, now your total expenses are $81, sold for $100 profit is $19 - was it worth it? Could you have sold the raw book for $30? Don't forget the 3-6 months you have to wait for the process.
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Collector Richard_Lam10 private msg quote post Address this user
I agree with everything said previous but my main thought is just slab what hold value to you personally. I see no problem in someone wanting to slab a book <$50 because it means something substantial to them. Money value will always fluctuate, internal/personal value towards a book will not. IMO.
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Collector Wraith private msg quote post Address this user
Try adding international postage to the mix.. Aye carumba..

I'll do it one day for sentimental reasons, but if I wanted to flip, selling raw is definitely the way to go in my part of the world imo.
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COLLECTOR JLS_Comics private msg quote post Address this user
Sentimentality aside, my general rule is that the book should be valued at more than the total cost of encapsulation.
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Collector Wraith private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by JLS_Comics
Sentimentality aside, my general rule is that the book should be valued at more than the total cost of encapsulation.


In my neck of the woods is around minimum $US40 per slab just in postage from cbcs if I get a few done at once.. What is it $30 for press and grade with no fast pass.. $45 to send to cbcs with insurance / 3 books is around 15.

So that's $85 spent..

Means after 15% in eBay / tax and pay pal fees, a minimum $100 sale and I break even on the slabbing process.

So I'd need the book to be worth at least $120 more slabbed than raw for it to be worth it (and selling consistently enough to be able to risk a long wait).

Edit.. Not including the extra dollars for postage insurance in the pricier sale.
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COLLECTOR JLS_Comics private msg quote post Address this user
@wraith yikes that postage is a killer
Post 10 IP   flag post
COLLECTOR dielinfinite private msg quote post Address this user
I’ll slab pretty much anything that catches my interest. I have a moder on its way that sells for maybe $7 shipped but this copy has bends, creases, and a detached cover but it’s the first comic I can clearly remember buying off the rack (it may or may not be the first comic I ever bought but the other possible holder of the title was a back issue)
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Why just the women? I like bears. Gaard private msg quote post Address this user
Everything I sell gets slabbed first.

Because..
1) I suck at grading.

2) Reduces the possibilities of returns/refunds.
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Collector doog private msg quote post Address this user
I slab pretty much all silver keys, regardless of grade. I will also slab golden books that are disintegrating, and most books worth $200 or more. And I have a pile of 9.8 candidates that aren’t worth slabbing if they do 9.6 I take a shot at. Probably hit 9.8 25% of the time. The others I pretty much break even on.
I find it easier to have my puny investment books in a slab, easier to sell too.
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Collector 00slim private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gaard
Everything I sell gets slabbed first.

Because..
1) I suck at grading.

2) Reduces the possibilities of returns/refunds.


Not a bad idea if the book is key. Also, while we typically worry about over grading, I’ve had a couple instances where I graded too harshly & books came back higher than I’d expected. As such, I would have sold the book too cheaply raw.
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Collector BabaLament private msg quote post Address this user
I have books on slab that have a value of around nil, but that I wanted protected for sentimental or artistic reasons. First book I bought, cover art I want to use as decoration on the house; stuff like that doesn’t have flip value, so “worth” is subjective on those.

Objectively, if I want to flip & get paid, it has to be a tidy profit.
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Collector moodswing private msg quote post Address this user
Is there a sweet spot for value on how many books to get slabbed at once? Obviously only getting 1 slabbed is probably not economically smart.
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Collector Wraith private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by moodswing
Is there a sweet spot for value on how many books to get slabbed at once? Obviously only getting 1 slabbed is probably not economically smart.
yeah.. It gets cheaper if you maximise the comics you can do in a postage bracket.

Internationally, if I was to do it for 1 book it would be $40 postage and insurance to cbcs, $30 press and grade $90 return post from cbcs...

Ie.. $160 on grading process for 1 book.. Erm.. No... Mylar, backing board and top loader will do fine for me thank you.
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Collector kutworksinc private msg quote post Address this user
So what are you guys paying for return postage?
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Collector antoniofett private msg quote post Address this user
I just slab whatever I like. I'm never going to sell or get rid of my collection so if I like a book I slab it. I also have many key issues slabbed as well.
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I live in RI and Rhode Islanders eat chili with beans. esaravo private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by moodswing
Is there a sweet spot for value on how many books to get slabbed at once? Obviously only getting 1 slabbed is probably not economically smart.


My sweet spot for submitting is either 10 or 15 books. I can safely package and ship that many comics to CBCS and it maximizes the return postage cost savings by spreading it out over more books. I also submit comics directly to CBCS at conventions near me when they attend. At those cons I will submit either 15 or 20 comics. The cost to attend the convention is usually equal to and sometimes even cheaper than it would cost me to package and ship (with insurance) 15 comics to CBCS.
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-Our Odin-
Rest in Peace
Jesse_O private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by moodswing
Is there a sweet spot for value on how many books to get slabbed at once? Obviously only getting 1 slabbed is probably not economically smart.


There is a shipping rates chart on the FAQ page here. It breaks down the return shipping costs based on the number of books and the value of the books. The more valuable the comics, the more expensive the insurance, the more expensive the cost to ship back. This is for domestic only.

FAQ post
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Collector kutworksinc private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jesse_O
Quote:
Originally Posted by moodswing
Is there a sweet spot for value on how many books to get slabbed at once? Obviously only getting 1 slabbed is probably not economically smart.


There is a shipping rates chart on the FAQ page here. It breaks down the return shipping costs based on the number of books and the value of the books. The more valuable the comics, the more expensive the insurance, the more expensive the cost to ship back. This is for domestic only.

FAQ post



Great info! I can see that a box of 10 is about where I wanna be with my next batch.
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Collector KingNampa private msg quote post Address this user
If it costs more than half the value of the book to slab it don’t do it
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Collector teacha777 private msg quote post Address this user
I just slab books that are signature witnessed...if the sig is a big name and wasn't witnessed I'll vsp.

Also with the way movies/tv shows affect the price you really can't be 100% sure it won't be worth something.
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SpongeBob Comics #1 sells for $991! Joosh private msg quote post Address this user
$17 apparently. I had an Action 1 1988 reprint graded and didn’t notice light foxing. Sold it graded at 7.5 WP for $17 plus shipping. Live and learn.
I just do the math and let it ride. I sell maybe 5 books a year so I’m not a quick flip guy. Most books I sell are because of multiples/upgraded for a very small profit just to tidy up the PC.
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I live in RI and Rhode Islanders eat chili with beans. esaravo private msg quote post Address this user
I generally submit Moderns that I think will be worth $75/100 or more and older books that I think will be worth $100/150 or more. I do submit some books that I have had signed at conventions for yellow labels that aren't really valuable, except perhaps for the signatures. I don't flip books, but will sell or trade to get other books that I think I need.
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Leftover Sundae Gnus CatmanAmerica private msg quote post Address this user
It depends on the relative scarcity, estimated value and whether the collector is contemplating the eventual sale of books through a professional auction house. The expense of 3rd party grading and encapsulation has to be weighed against return on investment.

IMO, with rare exception, collectors should reserve third party grading for books that are 5.0 and above (for GA & SA), 7.0 or higher for books of more recent vintage. The exceptions that come to mind are unique, rare or high demand comics and paper memorabilia of any age/condition with verifiable autographs.

Note: This is just an opinion based on personal experience; other's mileage may vary.
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