Back in November, before things with CGC went kind of bonkers, they ran a promotion where for $100 You got a year membership and received $150 in grading services. So I said, why not…?
Anyway…I’m not really all that into grading books these days…grading moderns for selling can be risky as you need 9.8s to make a decent profit, and older books I’m thinking I might still want to enjoy reading.
But I was able to choose 5 books. 2 magazine size and 3 comic size. Unfortunately I have to pay a $5 invoice and $20 return shipping because magazine and comics can’t be combined (FYI - CBCS allows combinations without extra fees and ships together). So below are the books being sent in and a little brief about why. These are all getting cleaned and pressed as well.
Also, because I didn’t want to go too far over my $150 allotment, I had to make some tough choices on what to send. So for fun I’ll also reveal what books didn’t make the cut and why. Feel free to offer your constructive criticism of my choices. 
Transformers #1 - UK
This was a grail book of mine a few years back. Although not technically the first appearance of the Transformers (it came out a few months after issue #1 US) it is truly a rare book in high grade. Only 5 copies in 9.0 or higher, and only one copy higher than 9.2. There are only 17 total on the CGC census, 11 of which are signature series…so only 6 total copies that are “clean.”
The lone 9.6 sold for $2000 back in February and it included the transfer stickers inserts which came with copies (Note: the stickers were not physically attached to the book, but inserted separately so not having them does not result in a qualified grade…I’m actually surprised CGC allowed them to be in the book when graded…but they must have made a special exception). The transfers were meant to be applied to a poster attached at the centerfold. And many copies have them applied which I would consider a defect. It’s better to not have them at all than to have them stuck to the book.
There are two mid/lower grade cgc copies on eBay now (a 7.5 for $1500 and a 5.0 for $900). One has the transfer stickers separate.
My copy is without the stickers, but as shown in the photo above the stickers have not been applied to the centerfield.
It’s not without some minor defects. A small spine tick here or there…a tiny dog ear fold at a corner. No tears and very clean. The worst defect that will likely keep it from a 9.2 is the “tanning” along the bottom of the back cover. I’m not sure how that will be seen, but my grade estimate is an 8.5 with off-white to white pages. I’d be ecstatic with a 9.0, though.
Transformers #113 - UK
First Deaths Head. This has been a key for a long time. An original story from the UK run. It’s a rare book in high grade (8 copies above 9.2, high of 9.6) but 78 total grades. You can snag a mid grade CGC copy on eBay for under $200 if you’re patient.
Another thing about these UK marvel books is that kids wrote their names on the front or back covers…so finding a copy without writing is tough.
So I was originally thinking this book was about a 7.5 with a press, but then as I was taking photos of the books before sending them off I notice the spine has a significant split from the bottom almost up to the lower staple.
So I think this drops it down to a max of 5.0. Maybe even lower. Maybe as low as a 4.0. But it’s for the PC, so even if it comes in a 4.0 it’s going to be a very well presenting 4.0. So off it goes.
Batman 423 - Newsstand
I pulled this out of a back issue bin at my LCS for $10. It has some spine ticks and a little dirt. I think it’s an 8.0, and the pages are off-white.
It still fetches a nice $ in sub 9.0 grades so I figured I’d get it graded. I have a nice NM 2nd print copy as well (raw), so I’m good putting this one in a plastic case and keeping that one “free” for now.
Edge of Spider-Verse #2
This one I’ve been putting off getting graded for a while. It’s not a 9.8…not even a 9.6. It’s a stretch at a 9.4. It has some slight color rub along the back spine, and a few specs of “dirt”’or ink likely from being stacked up with other books when it was originally shipped from the distributor. The spine edges are a little “soft” with wear as well. It does not have a single spine tick or indent.
I paid $50 a while back (pre into the spider-verse) from a UK seller. So definitely did well with this book. Hoping for a 9.4, but thinking more a 9.2. On a bad day and if the cleaning doesn’t get some of the dirt off the cover it may be a 9.0.
Star Wars #1 - 1977 Newsstand (1st Print)
I’ve kept this book free for a while, mostly because it’s not NM. It has some spine ticks that break color, but fortunately they are all in the “white” part of the edge and have not reached the black cover. Those probably cap it at a 9.2, but the real flaw that could kill the grade is that it has a very odd manufacturing defect along all the free edges that basically looks like “wrinkles”.
They don’t appear to break color, so I’m hoping they can be pressed out. If they can’t I don’t know what this would grade…but going to give it a go and whatever grade it gets it’ll still present very well, and it’s a PC book anyway. Also pages are pretty off-white.
I paid $100 for it a few years back. One of the very rare times I’ve paid $100 or more for a raw book.
So that’s what’s been sent out. I’ll follow up this post with what didn’t make the cut and why.
