Another great video. I also take really good images of my books, the cover, back, and spine, I have more than a few books come back from CGC where there are additional spine ticks, etc that were not there.
This was a extremely informative video. Thank you for taking the time to detail all of these tips. As a new submitter this is very helpful as I have a wide range of Silver/Bronze/Copper books.
I tried to submit a Batman 608 RRP that was a qualified 9.6 with Jim Lee's signature to CBCS to verify signature and the online form kept trying to say it was almost 500.00 to grade the book. I tried to call customer service and sent them a few emails and never received any response after 2 months. Luckily CGC was having a Jim Lee and 2 others that were connected with the Hush storyline doing a in house signing. Got the book signed by all 3 with a pressing for 165.00, will never use CBCS. Customer service to me is very important, CGC and Pgx have always answered the phone or had a quick response to emails, I'll just stick with them.
Bro, I genuinely wanna see that video idea I suggested. Top 10 characters that appear on a comic COVER prior to appearing in a comic (as in, they don’t even appear in the book they’re first pictured on). I only know of like 3. You got this! :)
Two cool characters do that on a single cover - Dogpool and Kidpool both appear on the cover of 'Prelude to Deadpool Corps #1' and don't show up until later issues. Technically Kidpool appears in a tiny bubble on the very last panel to plug issue #2, but his first appearance is generally listed as issue 2, with Dogpool in issue #3!
CGC's inconsistency with grader notes is still one of the more frustrating things for me personally and one of the things I've seen CBCS has been far better on (next to QC and slab quality). For example, I have a 5.5 graded Daredevil #2 and a 3.0 Marvel Family #60 (from a Pedigree collection no less) both with no grader notes. Granted, they were graded about 15 years ago so CGC has improved since then but they still have a ways to go on that front. Quick tip for magazines, if CGC has a private signature event you're interested in, magazines will have about the same turnaround time as standard comics so you should be able to cut off a significant amount of time off of those. Great tips for anyone looking to submit!
Gonna try CBCS for the first time...wish me luck man! Any thoughts on ECS? I love their slab color combos which really make the comics pop when the same color scheme is chosen!
They ship custom labels separately. Made that mistake early on. I didn’t catch that on the invoice. Got dinged a big separate shipping charge for one book.
Thank you so much for passing on your wisdom!! I've only submitted one in my life, at a show because it was Iron Man 55 and I had Starlin sign it and got it witnessed by CGC. I have so many I want to submit, but it is so daunting!!!
I only use CBCS, but another tip is do not remove the “digital copy” sticker. Leave it on there and don’t use it to get a digital copy as that can slightly lower your grading.
Great video! It'd be nice to see some sort of pre-screen for grade type like qualified or restored. I've seen people that if a restoration is discovered, would've rather it not get graded at all.
Can't stress enough the no tape rule. Got a signed ASM 361 in high grade dropped to 5.5 because CBCS managed to get tape caught on the back cover and pull colour :( the reholder fee on CGC is outrageous! Was tempted to send at least one to get reholdered but my just leave it now. Biggest recommendation I have is to learn how to grade for yourself. I use a checklist with diagram to mark defects for all my major raw keys so that if/when I submit them I know what grade range to expect. Especially important to learn how pick up colour touch/restoration, doubly so on silver age and older. The value gap between CGC and CBCS is closing rapidly, not really seeing too large a gap anymore. Happy to get a CBCS book on my older comics anyway as they are better slabs :)
If you send a book in for a reholdering and you want a custom label, put a sticky note with the comic book! They will give you a custom label! (As long as you pay for it of course.)
"always clean and press" agree except for possibly "never read" foil and embossed covers? seems like these are generally heavy stock and scratches are more of an issue than "pressable" defects
The "New" grading tier is a great idea on CBCS's part. It was time to separate the "Modern" era into smaller categories. It also makes sense for that tier to be cheaper as they don't have really have to check for restoration and missing or married pages on pre-screen submission of books that came out last month. And James, your passion for Captain Carrot has rubbed off on me, I recently bought a pedigree copy of Captain Carrot #1 just for kicks 😂 Another thing, just like you said if that ASM 252 gets a 9.8 they'll probably bump it up a tier, but here's the kicker: if CGC damage or lose the book after it has been graded, they will still only compensate you in the amount you declared it's worth because that's the value they use for insurance purposes. So let's say you have an ASM 300 in the NM range so you declare the Overstreet value of 850$ for a NM- copy and the books ends up getting a 9.8, they will probably move up the tier to Walkthrough, but if the book is damaged during handling or encapsulation they will compensate you - in the amount of 850$!!! Here it is, right from CGC's declared value policy: "in no event will the compensation exceed the declared value listed by the submitter on the CGC Submission Form". Great video by the way!
This is a very good video, thank you! It would be good if I you had a video where we (members perk perhaps?) could submit our questions with matching images.
I would add: CBCS grades raw if you want something less expensive-- though I don't think it is much quicker? Plus, you can get your treasury sizes graded. I wish someone would do a video focusing on silver or golden age submissions only because of the special issues involved.
Great tips I’ll be sure to note. I’m still waiting in my second batch from CBCS. These books I actually scrutinized having leaned more about them at the beginning of the year. If it wasn’t card stock, I pressed it for non-color breaking spike ticks. Fingers crossed.
I’ve been doing a kinda cheat to have certain really expensive books graded for cheap at cgc. When they have a creator on a blue chip key I have that I think can get a bump I send it in for super cheap. I had a copy I just got back of ASM 129 signed by Conroy and it only cost me $90 to grade and press. No bump but I got a signed book now so I can’t complain. I’ve done this a few times now with what would have been a walkthrough tier.
As for Modern Tier Vs. Economy talk to Dave from Comic Books Investments. He is convinced the modern graders are MUCH harsher. Might also have to do with all the brand new graders recently hired in the modern tier.
Oh yeah, always clean and press! LOL I think I got that part for sure thanks. But there is some people you have to tell them over and over and over again. LOL
In case it hasn't already been mentioned in your comments, an important note about CBCS pre-screen: you can choose a different grade for all books submitted, and there is no reject fee as long as most of your submission passes your pre-screen target. Unofficially "most" is about 75%, but their FAQ simply says "you may or may not be charged a nominal reject fee”.
Very useful video for those who are getting in to the grading game, the mention of Blue Label unverified signatures reminds me of the Hulk 340 I own with “Stan Lee written on First Interior Page” printed under the Book’s name, still wondering if it really is his signature.
People keep bringing up the lost books at CBCS but man, the CGC forums will let you know that CGC is just as bad at losing books. The difference is that CBCS has come out and said that they made a mistake while CGC will just ignore the posts lol
I don’t understand why people still use tape on their bags. It not only ruins the bag but the tape can also catch on to your book if you aren’t careful. I use the resealable bags. They are so much better.
Comment about the excess paper tip. My LCS the owner does submitting for customer and actually request you take those things out before he submits them for that very reason and also some people believe that leaving them in actually helps the grade and according to him it doesn’t
Thank you for the great advice! I just bought a Green lantern #89 9.6, but the case is cracked. I want to send it in to get reslabed but i dont have an account with CGC and im scared it will go down a grade. Hopefully soon ill get it done!!!
Man - I’ll say this - I rather just head to my LCS and pay the small fees they charge to submit. I get my slabs back quickly, I get advice on what not to submit and I have never had any issues. 200 slabs later. Yes I paid a little more but they press and clean as well. So I’m keeping local shops alive I suppose. Never had an issue. At all. Shout to royal comics in spidey’s home town.
CGC has improved their turnaround times a ton recently at least for moderns as you said. Just don't make the mistake of using CCS to press. It takes about a year and I don't think they do a great job.
I genuinely don't understand why grading companies care how much something is worth. Why does it cost you more if the comic is more valuable? The grading process should be the same, the handling should be the same, so I don't get it. Do you happen to know why?
I've submitted numerous books that could have been bumped to a higher tier. They've bumped one book in the last 10 years I've submitted. Other than that, everything else graded in the tier I sent. So not sure it happens as much as you think. At least with CGC. Not sure how CBCS approaches that. Hmm, the wholes on the interior should be a production defect, and not affect the grade.
When I was in Madrid, I was able to pick up the complete run of secret wars in Spanish. If I was trying to get issue 8 graded, which service would you suggest. The condition I am guessing is between a 3 and a 4
CGC is getting too much...I wanted to submit a pre-1975 book, and the cost was $150...the book maybe is valued at $150-200 for mid to low-grade Daredevil and avengers...I also submitted some older books over a year ago, and they finally hit, and CCS rejected the pressing, but they won't cancel the slab for them....makes no sense...now they will slab a book that is not pressed or cleaned....total waste of my money
Thanks for this super helpful video. Could you help clarify something I probably misunderstood? Towards the end you spoke about combining shipments to save on shipping costs but earlier you suggested submitting 80s books with 80s books, 70s with 70s, etc. What's the difference between these two pieces of advice?
Worth repeating but the "value" of the book is the estimated RAW value not the slabbed value your hoping to get. So there is some wiggle room to slide in borderline books.
I have a ASM #300 and I have heard so many horror stories with CGC and I’m worried about sending it in to get graded. I want to sell it and I know having it graded is the way to go to get the most value considering it fell into my lap and I’m not a collector. I just don’t know what to do.
A note for #18. I've been putting the money for submissions onto a Visa Gift Card and denoting that as my form of payment. It's as close to "set it and forget it" as you can get.
Hi MHC! Hey, I've never submitted to CGC before so I got a few questions sir! 🙏 I've acquired three Jimmy Olsen 134's that'll probably fall into the 2.5 to 4 range. How much will it cost approximately? How long is the wait time? Thanks brother 👊
If I was to submit to have signed does that change the value of the book being graded. For instance I get a $1 book graded without signing it’s only a $1 book but if I have it signed is it now a $100?
Good tips especially decades... and i hate CGC grading clusters as i call them example 3 of the same books 2 9.8's one 9.6 then they all come back 9.6's like wtf
Very informative video thank u! Question for you, I recently got back my ASM129 8.5 I sent in for SS to CGC. I requested clean and press, as it was a great candidate and honestly looked like a great copy for a bump in grade. I ended up getting the same grade which I guess is not a bad thing. So my question is, is clean and press a waste for an already slabbed book? Is it highly unlikely CGC goes against their previous grader’s determination and decides to bump up the grade? Just don’t want to waste my money next time if there’s no chance at a higher grade on an already graded book with pressing.
I have a question if I got graders notes that pretty was just…..I should have pressed it, but it’s a signature series can I still get it regraded and send it in?
I am still scratching my head as to why anyone would pay strangers to tell you what you can see already. Just enjoy your comics. stop sending your comics to scammers just to dirty it up with COVID and seal the germs. Seriously there just taking your money.
You forgot to add the final thing…don’t use CBCS. Because when they move, they will lose 1000+ comics from a variety of peoples orders. Gone. No idea where they are at the moment. No thanks
I've heard many times that you shouldn't submit two copies of the same comic unless they are sure-fire 9.8s. I can see this with modern books, but does this also hold true for silver or bronze age books? I've got two copies of FF 149 that are 9.6 to 9.8 that I'd like to get graded.
I have a question for clarification: I have an ASM 300 that is greater 9.2 white pages but in the old label that the game for modern books. There’s a crack in the bottom corner I was thinking of sending it in to get reholded. The book has no damage and the crack is nowhere near the book. Are you suggesting that I should probably crack the block open clean and press it before sending it back to CGc? Wouldn’t this cause me to have to pay for a very high grade and Pfefer such an expensive book versus a $20 reholder fee
