How does the Slab market affect values of Raw copies? (Comic Book Forums)

• How does the Slab market affect values of Raw copies?

Author	Discussion
GenesisDay07 Teacher Location: South Africa, Cape Town Posts: 307 My Collection	Posted: October 1, 2020 2:59:41 am With the fact that "slabs" seem to be a common thing now-a-days, I've been wondering what the effect of this is on raw copies? So would someone therefore pay more for a raw copy because they expect an even greater "return" when it's been slabbed or are raw copies still being sold at "normal" prices irrespective of their potential "slabbed worth"?
brucifer Wise Beyond the Years lifetime member Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1133 My Collection	Posted: October 1, 2020 12:39:09 pm I've been very busy helping out CBR with the indexing of "slabbed" books for the past two weeks (Feeding The Analyzer). Apparently once a book has been graded by CGC, you can ask any silly price you might want and some dummies will happily pay it. It makes me think my collection of "raw" books are nearly worthless. Obviously that isn't the case, but it's odd that I have tonnes of books 9.2 or better and unless they are professionally graded they don't seem to be so HOT to many collectors I would love to get a few hundred of my comic books graded by CGC, but I can't afford to pay out $25 a pop for each. Man, collecting comic book these days is tough!!
Canuck I have no life moderator Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 10681 My Collection	Posted: October 1, 2020 2:51:30 pm I hear you, I have a lot of books I should get graded as well. My buddy who runs one of the LCS said I should because he couldn't pay me what they are actually worth. He said he would just buy it from me then he would send the stuff that he thinks would be a high grade to CGC and flip it on ebay for big bucks. He knows a guy who drives truck to the USA once a week and does some drops for him at CGC and said if I want I can send some and see what I think, but so far I haven't. I'm just not a fan of CGC or grading books in general, comics are meant to be read, not encased in plastic forever. As for the value of raw books they seem to sell for significantly less than graded...and that's why flippers search them out on the cheap and get them graded to make X amount of profit, most don't even collect and are just doing it for the cash. Last edited October 1, 2020 3:00:34 pm "Disliking everything is not the same thing as having an opinion"
brucifer Wise Beyond the Years lifetime member Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1133 My Collection	Posted: October 1, 2020 2:56:27 pm Thanks Canuck I also am not a big fan of CGC. I love the idea that my hotter comic books can be worth so much more while slabbed. That's great for flipping, not so good for reading them!!
AmZoMBiE Wise Beyond the Years moderator Location: Michigan Posts: 6832 My Collection	Posted: October 1, 2020 6:39:32 pm i have plenty of graded books...reason being, i want to preserve certain books, and in case of emergency, brake open glass...you know...i have only sold 2 total graded books out of my collection...2 nothing books...so the value wasnt the deal...just wanted to get rid of the books in the old cases lol...seriously lol...it was a 9.8 Marvelous Land of Oz #1 signed by Skottie (my 1st graded book i ever sent in) and an 9.4 X-Men #281 (i think) but was signed by Whilce Portacio which i got in a lot i bought so no sentimental attachment...at the same time you can go see what ive gotten graded in my collection...All are available FREE online to read anytime i want and they are now protected and ++++ in value for the day i decide to retire. Im not a quick flipper...so grading books for me is really insurance lol...i have 11K comics...and i think 20-25 graded so i have plenty of pages to flip thru when i do feel like reading a book... i have seen the craziest increases in some of the books i have graded wise... which some of those numbers (taking into consideration what i paid in total) make me want to sell...SUPER tempting...but i havent... FYI to the original question, eventually they will be more sought after for the same reason people are grabbing them to grade...so hang on to them...could be highly sought after later on... Last edited October 1, 2020 7:49:02 pm "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!!!
Bananafish Grasshopper lifetime member Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 198 My Collection	Posted: October 2, 2020 12:11:01 am Slabs are great for buying and selling highly sought after books. Its an agreed upon grade of a book, so both the buyer and seller are happy with the grade. Now, as far as prices, they are a little nuts. I guess the open market and low supply will jack up prices...nature of a free market. I don't slab personal books, like the first comic book I ever bought or covers I like but not much value.
logerine Comic Guru Location: Tennessee Posts: 725 My Collection	Posted: October 3, 2020 3:19:21 pm brucifer said: I would love to get a few hundred of my comic books graded by CGC, but I can't afford to pay out $25 a pop for each. Man, collecting comic book these days is tough!! If you have a few hundred comics you want graded and slabbed, you might be able to work out a discount with an order that big. It’d be worth contacting both CGC and CBCS and see what they say.
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