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Avoid CGC like the plague

Been a collector for many years and finally took the plunge sending my Hulk #1 to CGC for grading. Spent almost $200 Performing a Huge Mistake. I have seen many comic graded by CGC over the years and mine should have graded at least a 3 but have seen 3.5-4.5 on a regular basis for the condition. Those clowns at CGC graded a 2.5. When contacted they would not even respond to my concerns. Awful customer service, quoting a 15 business day turn around (taking 23 business days) and Not responding to my concerns. Needless to say I am done with that "Business" and will Ballyhoo CGC nonsense till the day I die. Was leary when they started and now confirmation has been had. 1 last note, I dislike their changing the grading system that had been in place so long.

Message 1 of 105
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104 REPLIES 104

Re: Avoid CGC like the plague

There isn't a person i know who has agreed with CGC on every grade of every book they have slabbed. That being said, a submitter to CGC has a idea of what the grade should be. Then when the book comes back, it's not the grade you wanted. Happens all the time. I'm sure CGC must hear alot of complaints. It's just something both sides have to live with. I send about 30 books every three months to them. I'm a pretty good grader, but i only get about 60% correct. We have our grades and they have theirs. As a collector or investor, theirs is the only one that matters.

Message 16 of 105
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Re: Avoid CGC like the plague

 As a collector or investor, theirs is the only one that matters.

 

As an investor the above statement is true!

 

As a collector our opinions and ability to accurately grade still count for something.

Message 17 of 105
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Re: Avoid CGC like the plague

As a collector or investor, theirs is the only one that matters.

 

I often wonder why CGC should matter, because they do not guarantee any grade. Everything is just an opinion and their grades are irrefutable between any two parties. You get a grade; which may or may not be better than just grading it yourself.

Message 18 of 105
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Re: Avoid CGC like the plague

You are entirely true. Many collectors can grade. Many cannot. Thus when you go to the shows like NYC, Orlando, or San Diego the opinions of people grading fall on deaf ears on the people spending what Al Capone called "real money" Big time speculators and collectors hone in on the CGC books when they want to spend the big money. So many people have been burned at Shows, Ebay, Amazon, Comic shops, and other venues by overgraders selling "restored" or "altered" books. This has alot of buyers running for the slabbed book. It's easy to spend a few bucks on a "raw" book. Who cares? But ask a collector to buy a  raw FF #1 for $15,000 and most just smile. Many wince too! LOL! Unless the seller is willing to send it to CGC and have the buyer pay all fees and pay the balance on return of the book, those buyers want it graded!

Message 19 of 105
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Re: Avoid CGC like the plague

Sun_Blaze, the point you make is valid. But sadly, it is also moot. CGC, for better or for worse is the standard bearer in the comic industry. At the recent Tampa show,  CGC books were flying out. Some PGX too! Raw book sold but they were the un der $100.00 type. Buyers who spend want the graded books.

Message 20 of 105
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Re: Avoid CGC like the plague

They charged you $$200.00 to grade a comic. I thought it was $25.00 to grade a comic.

Message 21 of 105
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Re: Avoid CGC like the plague

BTW, fingerprints should have no effect on the grading of a 2-5 - 3.0 book. Good Lord, the graders need to be looking for missing pages and coupons out, not fingerprints.

Message 22 of 105
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Re: Avoid CGC like the plague

Message 23 of 105
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Re: Avoid CGC like the plague

This statement is not true, CGC manipulates the market. I have sent in very hot books like Chew, Rachel Rising, and Peter Panzerfaust and always got a 9.6 on books I knew were 9.8 quality. While on Ebay these books are going for hundred of dollars due to a movie or series or something. I have noticed once the big sellers have dumped theirs and after the book cools, you can pop that same book out the case and and send it back in and get a 9.8. It is all about the market for CGC, they take care of the big sellers and get you to pay twice or more to get the grade you deserve. I will not even send in a book that is not 9.8 quality and it estimated by a proffessional. If you really want to ruin your collection go with CGC Signature Series and you will get stuck with a bunch of 9.6 and 9.4 books with no way to get the grade changed. I pre order all my books in multiple copies, I often buy them from several different places, I then take those books to a grader who tells me which books deserve a 9.8 I may pay  him to grade 10 but he tells me only  4 will merit a 9.8.  So, I will send those 4 to CGC, this works great on  books that are not hot but if a book is demanding top dollar CGC will screw you every time. 

Message 24 of 105
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Re: Avoid CGC like the plague

What has worked best for me is to keep my name off the books as much as possible. Let a third party submit the books in bulk and then let him or her forward the books back to you.  When CGC sees the name of the big dealer you will get a better grade. When CGC sees books from a regular Joe the grades are lower. Now, I am not saying that they are doing mass lowering. But, in the Moderns game a 9.6 is the kiss of death and they do not even have to explain why. A drop from 9.8 to a 9.6 does not even have to be mention in the graders notes. A modern that is 96 is almost worthless and you wind up dumping 9.8 quality books for almost nothing. I believe the answer and I am just speaking for me, I am moving away from comics graded by CGC because they are not honest nor fair. 

Message 25 of 105
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Re: Avoid CGC like the plague

One can trust CGC as much as a used car dealership. They often have similar warranties. Smiley Happy

Message 26 of 105
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Re: Avoid CGC like the plague

I agree. People who use a third party tend to get better grades. CGC doesn't stand behind their grading and there is no way to dispute a grade. And also they tend to overgrade older and more valuable comics. Just obtain Overstreet's grading book and learn yourself.

Message 27 of 105
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Re: Avoid CGC like the plague

At least the used car dealership will let you inspect the vehicle; not so with CGC.

Message 28 of 105
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Re: Avoid CGC like the plague

CGC has gotten too expensive for the services they offer. You have to pay extra for grading notes; have to pay extra if your book is valuable or exceeds a certain value; and their recent policy allowing CGC employees to alter books is just hillarious.

Message 29 of 105
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Re: Avoid CGC like the plague


@sun_blaze9857 wrote:

CGC has gotten too expensive for the services they offer. You have to pay extra for grading notes; have to pay extra if your book is valuable or exceeds a certain value; and their recent policy allowing CGC employees to alter books is just hillarious.


"have to pay extra if your book is valuable or exceeds a certain value" 

 

I always find this "complaint" to be laughable. There's only 2 reasons I can think of that you'd be bumped up a tier and have to pay more:

 

1. Your book is worth more than you thought it was. Who's going to complain about that? No one.

 

or

 

2. You tried to cheat CGC and claimed the book was worth less than it really is. Now, I'm not against trying to cheat CGC, but c'mon, be a man about it and be honest. You tried to cheat, they caught you, you have to pay more. Just don't be disingenuous about it.

 

What are the other scenarios I'm missing, where you'd really have reason to complain about this?

 

Message 30 of 105
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