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expander Posts: 241
10/13/2016
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Has anyone else noticed a lot of newer members are listing issues for sale in GEM MINT condition?
As I click through my want list issue by issue here and there I'm seeing a trend lots of 10's and lots of $120.00 books (that may very well only be 6's or 7's at best) just wondering if I'm alone in noticing this.
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Gilgandra Posts: 1246
10/13/2016
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expander wrote:
Has anyone else noticed a lot of newer members are listing issues for sale in GEM MINT condition?
As I click through my want list issue by issue here and there I'm seeing a trend lots of 10's and lots of $120.00 books (that may very well only be 6's or 7's at best) just wondering if I'm alone in noticing this.
I do remember a big discussion about this topic on the old forum, I mentioned that it was a "mystic creature that only lives in your dreams".
But seriously...I vaguely remember a few top brass on the old forum saying it should be considered to removed from the grading of comic books as it's not practical & a cheap way to make money from unsuspecting noobs.
I must agree. 9.9 is Mint, That is well...Mint. That's where it should end.
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rixmaxx Posts: 459
10/14/2016
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Yes pink unicorns are very, very, very rare and yet some noobs think they exist all over.   I really don't consider anybody having a book over a 9.4 unless its graded. (or unless I can look at in person) 
edited by rixmaxx on 10/14/2016
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lealew7 Posts: 73
10/14/2016
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LOL, unless it is coming from factory, already placed in a sleeve and encased without ever touching human hands, or at least no more than 1 pair of human hands with gloves, that "great white, rainbow colored, rainbow poo'ing unicorn" of a grade 10 is as believable as me finding a ziplock bag full of crisp 100 bills that were NOT stolen and never claimed. yeah, i have fantastic shape comic books, but i will never go beyond a 9.6 and that is even pushing it for me, i average at 9.4- fine on most of my comics. they are being naive and unrealistic if they think they have 10's. Sorry, but its true.
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expander Posts: 241
10/15/2016
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Agreed.
In the case of my books in my own collection I'll only bump to 9.6 if the book truly stands out and "pops" in appearance.
After leafing through 5's and 7's a 9.6 looks like a sparkling gem in comparison.
I'm still in the process of going back through my collection in the guide and changing a lot of my issues down
as when I first added them I was truly "noobish" at grading.
Yep, don't know if "noobish" is a word but I totally used it. 
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quinnspuddinjoker Posts: 673
10/15/2016
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I never did and still don't put any of my books over a 9.2 grade. I'm sure I have some books over a 9.2 but I'm good grading them as only a 9.2. I got third party graded books over near mint and these are the only ones I list for myself over near mint.
If I ever decide to start selling books, the highest I'd list a book of raw books is only a 9.2.
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expander Posts: 241
10/15/2016
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That's a reasonable approach.
When I first signed up for the guide I got carried away when I saw the high values of the rarer books and just left them.
It was a good year or two before I even tried to get better at grading books because at the time (as a noob) I didn't realize the impact of grade on price, as well as how I felt about grade in general.
As a child if I had comics at all I was thrilled to have them.
They were read over and over and so the value (obviously now) went down but since I've grown, I now know the impact that simply reading a comic can have on it's grade/value.
So I only sell books that I have not/will not read or if I have I usually let the buyer know.
Plus when buying books used or "raw" I generally assume that they've been read as well.
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rixmaxx Posts: 459
10/15/2016
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expander wrote:
That's a reasonable approach.
When I first signed up for the guide I got carried away when I saw the high values of the rarer books and just left them.
It was a good year or two before I even tried to get better at grading books because at the time (as a noob) I didn't realize the impact of grade on price, as well as how I felt about grade in general.
As a child if I had comics at all I was thrilled to have them.
They were read over and over and so the value (obviously now) went down but since I've grown, I now know the impact that simply reading a comic can have on it's grade/value.
So I only sell books that I have not/will not read or if I have I usually let the buyer know.
Plus when buying books used or "raw" I generally assume that they've been read as well.
I started "reading" comic books in March 1976. I can be that precise because I still have the runs of the four titles I first started reading, Defenders, Thor, Ironman and Daredevil. I had a dollar to spend and those are the ones I chose. Those books are all in VG condition, all read probably a hundred times. You're right, I was happy just to have them to read. I bought those books for a couple years until I entered junior high and then I pretty much quit. A couple years later I met a kid that "collected" comic books (past on from his dad), they were all kept in great condition. From him, I learned comic books had "value", especially if they're kept nice and that people will rip you off. (he did  )......So from pretty early on, I was a comic book "reader" and "collector". I learned condition means everything and I learned how to grade. Some people here, but mostly on Ebay, don't have a clue how to grade a book. I've seen listings for "beautiful, high grade book", I wouldn't give a "Fine" to.....So when I see "Gem Mint", I just smile and think, what a noob 
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quinnspuddinjoker Posts: 673
10/16/2016
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Early on in my comic collecting grades didn't mean much, just wanted to read the book and that was simple. Sure put them in boards and bags and filed them away to be read again. After a period of time I understood how grades of books effected the price but would still try to buy the cheaper issues to read.
Later in time I got into buying two of most issues I was interested in, the read one and not touch the other thinking. What a waste of money really but it made sense at the time.
I read everything I buy, minus the third party graded books but most of those I have copies of that are raw to be read. Being afraid of reading a book turns me off. That doesn't sound fun to me to have a hobby that you have to be fearful to fully enjoy the hobby. I do understand why others are in it for money, but that thought is secondary for me, reading is more important.
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netstuffers Administrator Posts: 239
10/17/2016
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We always recommend to people that they list their books a little lower than what they actually think it is, but.... yeah.... I deal with a lot of questions like "I bought this at a garage sale and it was in a basement for 30 years in a soft plastic bag that was stored directly under a UV light.... so it's like an 11, right?"
We do try to set them straight when they come to us, but most folks don't bother coming to us
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lealew7 Posts: 73
10/17/2016
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And to any of the newbies on here, i am still new to this site as well, but i have been a collector and reader of comics for over 2 decades; so i mean no disrespect or to sound rude. It takes years to learn about this stuff and actually understand it when it comes to the odd delicacy of comic book grading and pricing. i always like to to take care of my things in general, so when i started collecting comics, it didn't last long before i realized i could back, sleeve, and box my comics nice and neatly to keep them in better condition. i am grateful for being a little on the neat freak side 
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