What seems suspect to me is why the books didnât grade 9.9 the first time. I mean they gave out 9.8 and 9.9 previously so why now are we seeing books hit 9.9 that never hit before?
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They never intended to give out 9.9s but now they need a new revenue stream because submissions are down and the really high priced keys are dwindling. They finally figured out that they could make way more money if they give this artificial grade and collect the huge premium of a percentage of the new FMV.
Btw that GSX 9.9 isnât even a 9.9. If you go take a look at the high res photo of the book on cgcâs site, it shouldnât even be a 9.8 imo. There is evidence that it was pressed improperly and that the staples pressed against the front cover where it actually broke color. I donât have a GSX 1 with me to compare but I havenât seen that color break so obvious in other copies before.
About a year or 2 ago when I was new to pressing, I had a copy of Bee and Puppycat 1 that I pressed and sold. It was going for about $50 at that time. The book looked fine but there were a few dimples and dents I was sure I could press out. Anyways I put too much pressure on it and after the press you could see the staples making an indent all the way through the cover (no color break). I was in a state of panic. I then pressed it several more times to flatten it out before I sold it.
Mine didnât even break color and there was no way I wouldâve even listed that copy as VF before I fixed it. The GSX 9.9 broke color and you could clearly see the outline of the staples.
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I wonder if 9.8s come back lower than that
It wonât, itâll come back at least a 9.8. if it comes back lower it would confirm what we already know and that their grading is bogus. It would also discourage you from sending other 9.8s to get regraded.
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Way back when CGC graded the 9.9 Hulk 181 I had a chance to take a look at it at SDCC. From what I recall I noticed it had two very tiny stress marks. I thought it looked like a 9.8 but the dealer had hundreds of CGC books and was a big player. Those dealers have always gotten special treatment no matter who owns CGC
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Cuz money. CGC wants that money and sees a new way to get it!
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Yes. Still waiting. Still early regardless.
And I didnât say there would be none. So Iâm not sure what your point is.
Does it not come back raw? Donât they have to crack the slab to accurately examine it? A 9.9 pre-screen doesnât mean you get a 9.8 slab back.
Itâs 9.9 or bust (it open).
Unless people have been sending in 9.6 (CBCS or CGC) slabs for 9.8 prescreen and getting them back intact.
Itâs been awhile, but i thought typically you crack the book out and send it in raw. For them to screen the book it has to be raw. They donât screen it through the case. The only time i have seen slabs sent in is for re-casing, preserving signature series or cross slab (from cbcs to cgc). At one point, I thought cgc also charged to crack out your slab for you(?)
If you do a 9.9 screen, if the book doesnât hit 9.9 (at least for 9.8 pre-screen), they charge you 9 dollars and send the books that donât hit the grade back as raw (bag and boarded)
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Thereâs gonna be a âfewâ losses of $9 here and there 
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Iâm not sure what the FMV of GSXM1 9.8 is, but I see lowest on ebay is $30k, and comiclink thereâs a bid of $28k
So letâs say conservatively itâs valued at $25k. That means is they crack it out for 9.9 prescreen and it fails, youâre paying $1,000 to have it re-graded and put back into a 9.8 slabs (4% FMV). And thatâs if yourâre âluckyâ it doesnât come back lower given all the handling of the book in between. Thats a HUGE riskâŚnot for the faint of heart.
Thatâs where CGC is going to make a killingâŚ9.8s that donât pass 9.9 pre-screen and people desperate to get their 9.8 back.
When I have a moment Iâll have to figure out where the knee in the curve isâŚhow many 9.8 regrades = 1 9.9 passing grade. Thatâs probably a formula CGC is playing around withâŚitâs all about releasing just enough 9.9s to keep the 9.8 submittals coming. Dangling the carrot. If they release too many 9.9s then thatâll rattle the regular flow of modern non-prescreens as people will no longer feel its worth sending books in as 9.8 is no longer desirable. That would be a failing business model. So itâs about trickling in a little at a time to maximize profits while not negatively impacting market values of 9.8s.
Again, Iâm assuming they are removing the books from the cases for a legit pre-screen. Need some you-tuber to post about their experience sending in a 9.8 and having it rejected.
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What a business model. Fast forward 5 years and they can do it all over again with 10.0s
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Thereâs monetary beauty in a great scam
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Iâve been thinking about thisâŚ. If these 9.8âs are really 9.9âs, then why werenât they graded that way in the first place???
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Money
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ding ding ding 
Precisely!
Integrity? - nahh
Responsibility? - nahh
Improvement in accuracy? - nahhh
$$$ - Now weâre talkin.
Thatâs how the hobby, or shall I say, business works now.
Same question I asked, why wouldnât these grade at 9.9 previously? I think everyone else already knows the answer.
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Dad of the kid down the street comes in, I can smell the alcohol on his breath, pulls out $82 in crumpled up cash and coins and says to use it as a prepay for his son to come in and shop but not for his sister. Heâs also not allowed to get it back in anything other than product.
I think I prefer the other one this morning. Grandma brings in a little boy, buys 4 Little Golden Books, a World of Reading Step 1 Hulk book and enough action figures to get to $100 on the card charge.
Still waiting for todays first adult shopping for themselves.
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The fact they admit some 9.8s could be 9.9s tells you everything you need to know about their approach to grading.
They should be denying any 9.8s submitted for 9.9 prescreen and stand behind their original grade assigned.
But, you knowâŚmoney.
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greed and at the same time âshopsâ are now getting some exclusives books directly from publisher or printer
so there is one less diamond man handling books