How does one choose which comics you choose to be graded? (Comic Book Forums)

• How does one choose which comics you choose to be graded?

Author	Discussion
Mike P Grasshopper lifetime member Location: North Dakota Posts: 155 My Collection	Posted: January 30, 2020 12:08:29 am I have nearly 7000 comics most of which are entered into the ComicBookRealm database. I would like to get into grading some of these comics. So how do you all decide which comic books are worthy of grading? There are probably a million reasons to have a comic graded. I would like to hear some of the reasons you all use to decide which comics you're going to grade. Reading through the forums on one of the other threads I noticed amZombie has a "waiting to be graded" as part of his collection. This seems like a great idea for me to build and use it before I start grading my comics. I also have the dilemma of which grading service to use. I am thinking of using CGC for my more valuable comics and PGX for my lesser bulk ones.
brucifer Wise Beyond the Years lifetime member Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1133 My Collection	Posted: January 30, 2020 11:24:48 am Professional grading is a tricky slope. Obviously CGC is the best service to do that for you. Do you need to do it? That is the question. I think you are better off learning to grade on your own. Why pay someone else to do it for you? Yes, a "slabbed" comic book is sure nice to look at, but paying $20+ for each book is not very economic unless you plan on selling them. It makes the most sense to "grade" your books that are worth the most or are super-rare. I have seen hundreds of new-ish comic books professionally graded by CGC that are only worth $3 - $5. The prices attached to those are ridiculous! Instead of paying CGC over $20 a pop for a case, why not go buy some back issue comic books for the same price? You will be way better off.
AmZoMBiE Wise Beyond the Years moderator Location: Michigan Posts: 6832 My Collection	Posted: January 30, 2020 11:34:01 am In determining which books to grade...here's the order i look at things... 1. Key 2. Condition 3. Contributor at Show 4. Want 1. Key - 1st apps, Origins, Deaths, Hot Books, etc. 2.Condition - If i have a big key but the condition is just not there, i pass on it. But with almost 12k books, i have a lot to choose from so skipping over a few isnt a big deal, and i'll most likely replace said book in the future with something in better condition and grade worthy. 3. Contribs - If i am planning on attending a show i look at the comic guest list to see how many signatures on said book i can get at once (witnessed) so that i can grade it after. 4. Want - I am a huge Dr. Doom fan, so i try to see if any of the above coincide with a Doom cover i have. CGC vs PGX - CGC seems to be the more popular and hence more valuable as resale. They have been around longer and now offer special labels among other things. PGX i would use only if i have a book i want graded that is already signed (but not witnessed) as PGX verifies signatures. But PGX resale is much less then CGC. Plus i like CGC cases & labels versus the PGX. CGC uses a thick case now. I owned 1 PGX case (recently sold it) and it was quite thin and flimsy. For me Grading a book is more of a conservation thing. I like to display my books, but dont want sun damage. (At least) CGC are UV protected. Not sure about the other companies. Oh and FYI i believe it costs around $28 total to grade and ship said book through CGC...cant remember the PGX one. Example: Right now i am preparing to travel to C2E2 in Chicago in a couple weeks...Their big comic guests are Jim Lee, David Finch, Donny Cates, Tyler Kirkham, Among many other big names. I decided I am bringing X-Men #4 (1st Omega Red) for Jim Lee to sign, Siege: The Cabal #1 1:75 Doom Sketch variant for Finch, X-Men #205 (1st Hope Summers) for Finch, Thanos 13b (Lenticular Doom cover) for Cates, and Venom #7 (Dylan Brock) for Cates. So far... Last edited January 30, 2020 11:50:36 am "How to destroy a man... Grant him his heart's desire." --Victor Von Doom - - - - - - - - - - Latest Additions Secret Wars #1 CGC 9.8 Dr. Doom Custom Label... Cameo Emperor Doom!! Secret Wars #2 CGC 9.8 Dr. Doom Custom Label... 1st full app of Emperor Doom!!!
Mike P Grasshopper lifetime member Location: North Dakota Posts: 155 My Collection	Posted: January 31, 2020 1:21:16 am Thanks I appreciate the responses, I have a lot to think about
Aesalon Grasshopper lifetime member Location: Tall Corn Posts: 123 My Collection	Posted: February 5, 2020 1:14:19 pm Also, if you want a basic cost/benefit analysis of slabbing certain comics for sale you can use gocollect.com They require a paid subscription to get all of the information, but the free membership does give you some access to look up recent sales of CGC graded books so you can get an idea of what prices certain grades are currently bringing. You can also do you own research on EBay by filtering to show only 'SOLD/Completed' listings. I just sent my first batch of my own books in last month and AmZoMBiE 's list is almost exactly the process I went through.
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