I actually don’t think there’s as many people loyal to CGC the company as people think. They’re only loyal because CGC slabs still brought in the highest FMV. There were no other alternative, that’s why people put up with CGC’s shenanigans for so long.
Now another player has entered the market with a solid reputation. All PSA has to show is that their slab prices are at least comparable to CGC’s FMV in the coming months and I believe CGC is in big trouble. Actually you can even say CGC has been in big trouble for a while. Here is the CGC data for CGC census submissions courtesy of CGCdata.
But we already know this that submissions are way down. Even with all the promotions that CGC has been doing there’s a massive downward trend in CGC submissions. The fact that CGC enabled submissions without members having to sign up for a membership should be a giant red flag.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard from people talking in my LCS about how much they despise CGC. Once a real alternative to CGC comes along that shows they can have the same FMV as CGC slabs these people will be gone.
People follow the money, they aren’t loyal to a specific company. If one day we see nothing but PSA slabs on the walls of every vendor at comic conventions then we will see the herd jumping ship. It doesn’t take a lot and the shift can change hard and fast.
I agree with that. People will follow the money, ultimately. Thats why I think CBCS and PGX will never compete…it’s too much momentum for it to change course now. The collecting universe has made up their minds.
But I see CBCS as being great deals on PC books. And potential for CPR.
Today all I heard was people talking about how they are sending books into CGC lately and getting grades much higher than they were expecting. 8s coming back in the upper 9s and such. No mention of CBCS or PSA. Ingot the sense they have been doing this for years…so not rookies. But in it for the money. So ecstatic with the results, without questioning why that might be happening
And might not be good for the business.
And all I could think about is how they are sending in books to be damaged. I felt like speaking up and saying I would never use CGC ever again after the evidence I’ve seen and personally witnessed with damaged books. But figures my time was better spent digging in long boxes as I was on a schedule.
Do we live in a bubble here regarding CGC? The reason I ask is I don’t have a lot of outside real world places to see if the sentiment is the same as it is here. My LCS rarely has graded books for sale and the employees aren’t into it. The vintage comic/toy shop I go to takes books to CGC once a month. I’ve brought up the “CGC damages book now” discussion with him and he just brushed it off like no one cares. I don’t have anywhere else that I can get outside opinions from. Just a thought as I ponder my coming dive into PSA world. From what I’ve seen here, the “CGC is crap” is for real and I’m not sending to them anymore. Years ago I used to send about 50-100 books a year. I got some shit grades on the last box I sent in 2023 and quit.
People who send to CGC to sell (which is most) don’t care if they are damaging the book because they just care about the money. So until the collector wisens up enough to look at the book, not the label, dealers/sellers don’t care.
Look at all the you tubers who post videos of their unboxing from CGC. They don’t bother with CBCs…not even a mention…and they don’t mention the scandles either…Because CGC is their bread and butter. So they’re not going to “do the right thing” and broadcast it, even though they are fully aware it’s going on. That’s bad for their business.
I’m actually rooting for PSA because I’m so sick and tired of how the masses turning a blind eye because of money. CBCS had plenty of chances and did nothing. But that’s also ok because that means I can get a much better deal buying a 9.6 CBCS book, as opposed to paying a premium for a 9.8 CGC book that’s really a 9.6/9.4 after it’s been banana’d.
My new “thing”, and admittedly took me some time to adapt to, is to simply send my books to my pro presser/cleaner and have him send back to me to sell. It felt “off” since for years since it had always been books off to the presser and then directly to CGC. One gets into a rut/habit. But now:
Far less cost (no grading)
Phenomenal looking books I get back
No aggravation with CGC
Great great sales (and max) when I put these freshly pressed raw books up
The amount of potential buyers is significantly increased (Graded books has always been a subset)
The key is to get both scans and a full set of pictures up for key books.
I feel better selling the comics. I hope the buyers feel better (I think they do). Presser gets his due for his great work. And lastly that god awful company in Sarasota gets the shaft. Win, Win, Win, Win.
Man…watching some lengthy videos of Wonderworld Comics (Dennis Barger) opening up a ton of newly submitted PSA books.
The packaging is horrible… until they figure that out I’ll definitely steer clear. Just horrible.
I know Dennis & he knows how to grade & pre-screen. He was absolutely hammered with poor grades. Many not even close to what he thought. Sure…it happens…but as a whole…just really low grades. Don’t get me wrong… beautiful comics…but sure as heck not a bunch of 9.8 (or even 9.6) like I’m used to seeing from these influencers & their massive submissions.
What about the packaging is “horrible?” Reason I ask is because from what I’ve seen on videos, they put a “film” Over the case to protect if from scratches…and they’re using packing paper vice bubble wrap. But the case themselves are solid, so likely this method works, or is just temporary until they up and running full speed and get the costs of bubble wrap down with boxes designed for it lien CGC has.
The point being, in the videos I’ve watched that seems to be a common concern, but not one case has arrived with any defects. So I think it is working…for now.
I’ve also noticed in videos many people have cracked out books with CGC labels and are getting the books back at the same grade, or slightly lower. A higher grade is very uncommon. But these trends are on par with what I’ve seen when CBCS books are cracked and subbed to CGC. The CBCS grades are lower or the same…very few exceptions.
So this PSA trend, I believe, is essentially confirming one of two things is happening:
A) CGC has been over grading recently, compared to CBCs and now PSA.
B) The CGC encapsulation process is actually damaging the books…and that’s why the PSA grade is lower.
And if people only grade with CGC…and that’s how they “learned how to grade”…then yeah…they should be surprised when they realize their books are actually not as high of a grade as they thought they were. They’ve been gaslit by CGC like sooooo many others in this genre.
Truth hurts.
But I’m going on what you’re saying without watching the video…so keep that in mind before raking me over some coals…
Actually, I think people like being gaslit and in denial…so they’ll go back to CGC and love their 9.8 with a big ‘ol color breaking crease near the center of the spine, maybe a few more that weren’t there before, because they got the label they wanted.
And now they can sell that label to someone else for a premium.
“Hey look, there’s a comic in this case! Looks pretty good too!”
One other thing about influencer and slab flippers. Watching a few videos from Terrificon…seeing some of the books bought they think can get 9.8s and I recall some of the vendors and looking at the same exact books…and thinking the same thing…”is this a 9.8 contender…?” But I was thinking PC/upgrade for me, not flipping. And putting the book back because I know a few color breaking done ticks is not a 9.8. Sorry, it’s not…looking at you, CGC.
So funny to see videos of the same books but others taking a chance. Because they use CGC and that’s a potential 9.8 if they send it there, basically. But even some admit it has flaws that may hold it back…however it’s more a business for them so they think nothing of dropping $20/$30 on such books…
me? I know it’s not a “real” 9.8, and therefor not an upgrade to what I already own…so I pass.
It’s the packaging of the slabs in the shipping box that terrifies me. You’ll see in a couple boxes, other video also where the slabs just came free from those inserts and are a jumbled mess. Asking for damage.
No issues on my mind about the actual slabs.
Yes…I agree with many points everyone stated…but I’m still shocked at the discrepancy on some he highlighted just because I do know Dennis is pretty good about picking nice books.
Another reason why PSA slabs are coming back with lower grades is that PSA has been poaching all the graders away from CBCS. That’s what the word on the comic book streets is talking about. Mark was the head grader at CBCS for a while, now he’s over at PSA. CBCS has always been known to grade tougher than CGC.
CGC - I returned a TPB for “Mechanical Error” with a giant cloud on the interior of the plastic that looks terrible.
I figure they cant bend TPB’s so took a shot with one lousy book and although book was not damaged, i did get the aforementioned “cloud”
Just got the returned/corrected book back and drum roll … - similar or same gigantic cloud on the interior of the plastic.
Seriously, wtf is going on. One book i figure impossible to eff up. They eff it up. And then they eff up the corrected version in the same manner.
Its time to shut the the door completely on them and just accept their management & employees dont give a rats ass. Its like candid camera and they are punking me
CGC can be horrible with Newton Rings. Especially on thicker books that push the two layers of plastic together. I’ve got one book that’s been reholdered twice and still looks like crap
Oh yea for sure.
This, unfortunately, isn’t a Newton Ring. I can’t believe I’m saying I’d be happy to go back to Newton Rings. This is actually a “cloud”; almost like “dirty” plastic.
And as I look at the CGC scan they have online - they literally didn’t change the case!
It’s almost the exact same formation of cloud on the plastic.
Normally I use Plastx which is a plastic cleaner when it’s on the outside; but not on the inside
Nice job guys
