Looking for some insight/info...

[Mysterio-23]

Hey there everybody. I've recently began to collect some of the old Amazing Spider-Man comics (Started collecting/buying them around when SM2 came out in theatres.) and so far I've built up an okay collection. A lot of them range in the 300s, some in the 200s, a few in the 100s, and then I have the 1st Prowler (#78 I believe)

Lately I've been considering sending some of these into CGC for grading. I want to send in #78, 252 (1st Black costume), 361, 362, and 363 (Carnage and Venom) so I was looking for a little insight. How long is the average turnaround to get the comic back, have you ever had any trouble with the service, how much does it cost per comic, etc.

I would appreciate any information that I can get.

Also, if you have doubles of some of the Amazing Spidey comics or are looking to get rid of some let me know as I may be interested in buying them.

Thanks t:

 

[ang_hulk]

well ive never sent one in myself but everyone i know has been quite happy with the service,even those who have sent in action figures and stuff.

 

[Darthphere]

CGC seems like a huge scam IMO, I wouldn't even think of sending any of my comics in. Also, I like reading my old comics from time to time, I don't need them vacuum sealed.

 

[WompuM]

I would be far too nervous sending anything in, not because of fear of not getting it back, but from an inadequate score.

 

[PhotoJones]

CGC seems like a huge scam IMO, I wouldn't even think of sending any of my comics in. Also, I like reading my old comics from time to time, I don't need them vacuum sealed.

It's not for readers. It's for collectors/sellers.

 

[Darthphere]

You think?

 

[PhotoJones]

That doesn't make it a scam. It just makes it not for you.

 

[Darthphere]

The second part of my post was referring to why I personally wouldn't do it. I never got into why I think it's a scam.

 

[PhotoJones]

So tell us. How's it a scam?

 

[Darthphere]

You send a comic in, and they go through their little grading process. Oh, a bent corner here, some glue on this page and then they give you a grade for it. Oh, we give the comic a 3, so now your comic is only worth like $5. Ok, thanks for telling me my comic isn't worth ****, let me pay you now.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

It's just a standardization tool. In the end, selling comics always comes down to how much the rube you're selling to is willing to pay.

 

[Darthphere]

It's just a standardization tool. In the end, selling comics always comes down to how much the rube you're selling to is willing to pay.

Indeed.

All you really need to do is look at their website and see how much they charge. Unless you have an Action Comics #1 or an Amazing Fantasy #15 or some super secret government created Civil War variant cover edition with a real life sized Captain America shield on it, I see no reason to CGC a comic.

 

[PhotoJones]

You send a comic in, and they go through their little grading process. Oh, a bent corner here, some glue on this page and then they give you a grade for it. Oh, we give the comic a 3, so now your comic is only worth like $5. Ok, thanks for telling me my comic isn't worth ****, let me pay you now.

You wouldn't send in a comic with glue on the pages or bent pages. Nine times out of ten, if you send in a comic book that you've just picked up off the stand and read it carefully once, you'll get at least a 9.4.

It's just a standardization tool. In the end, selling comics always comes down to how much the rube you're selling to is willing to pay.

Exactly. And it's grown to become a very consistent standardization.

 

[Darthphere]

PJ, I gotta ask since you seem to have experience with it, and it probably would help our friend here, would you rather send in the comic or do it in person at a con?

 

[PhotoJones]

Indeed.

All you really need to do is look at their website and see how much they charge. Unless you have an Action Comics #1 or an Amazing Fantasy #15 or some super secret government created Civil War variant cover edition with a real life sized Captain America shield on it, I see no reason to CGC a comic.

Have you ever been to a con? Ever browsed Ebay? A CGCed comic, even it's a current issue, will definitely make more back than what it cost to grade it. It's less about actual worth, and more about people are stupid and will pay anything for anything.

 

[PhotoJones]

PJ, I gotta ask since you seem to have experience with it, and it probably would help our friend here, would you rather send in the comic or do it in person at a con?

I'd rather send it in.

 

[Darthphere]

It's less about actual worth, and more about people are stupid and will pay anything for anything.

This I can agree with 100%. Have I ever told you how much I hate collectors?

 

[PhotoJones]

The thing is, CGC doesn't put a value on the comic book. You do. Or I do, or anyone does. They just assign a grade, and we interpret that grade to be of some monetary value. It's not the CGC's fault people are willing to pay how ever much the seller is offering it for. The CGC just makes sure the buyer knows exactly what he's getting.

 

[Darthphere]

Ok, I moved on to my hate of collectors. Like this one kid who goes to my store, I try my best to avoid him but he shows up at random times. He'll go to the shelf and look through all the comics, and I should also note, my store bags and boards every comic, even the ones on shelves. So he goes through them opens them all up until he finds one that fits his level of quality, in the process, destroying the quality of the other comics he was looking at. I mean giant sized thumb prints. I hate him, I'm running him over with my Camry.

 

[PhotoJones]

Ok, I moved on to my hate of collectors. Like this one kid who goes to my store, I try my best to avoid him but he shows up at random times. He'll go to the shelf and look through all the comics, and I should also note, my store bags and boards every comic, even the ones on shelves. So he goes through them opens them all up until he finds one that fits his level of quality, in the process, destroying the quality of the other comics he was looking at. I mean giant sized thumb prints. I hate him, I'm running him over with my Camry.

That sucks.

But, there's nothing wrong with wanting quality. The comics are on the racks for anyone to touch, skim through and read. I don't like people's thumb prints all over my books, so I usually grab from the middle or the back. And I'm EXTREMELY careful when I do skim through something I have no intention of picking up.

There's definitely a right and wrong way to handle a comic book.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

If they're already in bags and boards, it shouldn't be an issue. Unless the shop clerks are completely incompetent.

 

[Darthphere]

If they're already in bags and boards, it shouldn't be an issue. Unless the shop clerks are completely incompetent.

They give him leeway because he buys more comics in a week than Phaedrus.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Then someone should suggest he splurge some more and invest in a box of tissues for his greasy mitts.

 

[PhotoJones]

I'm going to go out on a limb and assume most of us here are more readers than collectors. I'm curious as to how you guys store your comics.

 

[Darthphere]

Bag and board, throw em in a box.