CGC Unboxing Joy Cut Short - They Damaged a $3,000 Grail

[@charleskatholijr.1055]

I gave up on cgc. I don't send them stuff anymore.

[@clivebarrell6448]

I got a book from CGC recently where I found a corner bent right over. Bizarre thing is that CGC'sn own photos show no bent corner ?!?

[@DukeCityExplorer]

I think they handle so many comics, it's difficult for them to send the correct books to their actual owners...

[@WadeNslade]

Cgc will say it’s a tolerable defect smh

[@bobbybigfoot1163]

I’m at a point. I’m just going to use EGS

[@isitunlimited]

Just got 2 sig series back, and they are warped/bent with the cases very distended, they feel like I could pop them. 1 is loose and rattles in the slab. Will be calling tomorrow.

[@300baud]

How are they backed up? Their Customer Service is declining re-subs because they say the "CGC Team" says the following: "This curve does not cause any damage to the comic book, and it does not affect the grade in any way. The angle of bend required to create a stress line simply cannot be done within the CGC holder. In addition, very high-grade comic books can still exhibit minimal stress lines according to CGC’s official grading standards."

[@IncubareConjurare]

Good looking out on that corner bent for giant size x-men, that’s very frustrating for realz.

[@ianellis395]

Lovely to see the Superman book. Right in my ballpark. Congratulations on the grade and thanks for sharing ✨

[@BuckeyeByBirth]

Great video! ❤ I'm happy with my result even with the corner bend. Thank you!

[@daviddarnall2367]

I love that Superman book. Wow! 9.8 is amazing.

[@williamlangeii4012]

It has color breaks!! It's not a 9.8 😅😅

[@symbiotesbynature]

It happens with square bound books inside that inner well, the corner will unfortunately make way for that inner well corner. It happened to me with a 9.8 Wizard magazine.

[@beachrain8617]

My submission that was received on Aug 26th just went into grading/encapsulation/imaging yesterday. 23 business days so far.

[@johncummings9621]

Great looking books, Jim!

[@lancefisher4233]

I actually just cracked open a 9.8 signed spawn 200 and it was warping from the plastic wrapping cover material just like your other video was demonstrating. I actually just submitted 3 comics yesterday at the Baltimore comic con after seeing Jim Lee to get those 3 signed. Im curious on how these will return because I’m quite worried on the condition return.

[@weasellyone2]

my last 2 boxes that came back that just been slabbed are the best books I've ever had come back from CGC. They are almost perfectly flat. I'm hoping this is the new trend moving forward.

[@johnnydropkicks]

If you remember, when you get your books back, reply to me in this comment because I’m curious to know the condition too.

[@ImproveCollectingComics]

Fingers crossed they come back flat

[@jimyouker6119]

I had some books graded by CGC in Baltimore using the onsite grading. One was a Thor 337 newsstand that came back 9.8. They swear the book is flat in the inner well but I swear it looks like it has an ever so slight curve on one end. No signs of any tics or creasing but I took pics of the spine after getting it graded to compare it 6 months down the road. Good luck on your books.

[@RobertWeir]

Great job as always .. The Legend Continues.... just a thought , but a lot of times it's really hard to see when you hold up the book to the camera to "show" something .. maybe you could insert a clear still shot to clarify it .. I think you may have done that before .. ?

[@ImproveCollectingComics]

Thanks for the feedback, I actually realized that after uploading. I will try to be better about that.. absent-minded Jim strikes back ;)

[@dvad33r]

really good grade bumps

[@weasellyone2]

That sucks about the damage, but congrats on the Superman book. I just got back 2 boxes and I can confirm these are the best books I've ever had returned. They are flat as flat can be. No bend no banana bend at all. The books I had ranged from 1970 to 2024. And no newton rings either. I have books in GEI that have been there way longer than normal, but if it's because they have changed their process and the books are flat I will happily wait a bit extra for them. Keep the great videos coming. Cheers.

[@ImproveCollectingComics]

That's good to hear! Maybe they have turned a corner on the banana issues

[@Rhett-Christopher]

I just picked up a 10 book submission from cgc this past Sunday from my LCS. Seven books got graded out of the 10 and all seven books came back with bends. Two books had a spine tick where the bend is. All 10 books I submitted had zero spine ticks (originally) I took before and after pictures for proof. Bend gate is still happening. My books went in the early part of August - hand delivered by my LCS to the facility in Sarasota for grading and like I said I just got those back this past Sunday. All seven books have bends and two with spine ticks. And they were graded at 9.8. But I can't sell them at a 9.8 with the obvious bend and spine tick showing. My other 9.8 books don't have a spine tick or a bend. I'm not very happy with CGC right now.

[@ImproveCollectingComics]

My last couple of books seem to have a backwards bend now.. toward the back and not the front. So did they reverse the inner wells hoping we wouldn't notice the bends are on the back now???

[@williamlangeii4012]

You'll be happy to know that CGC doesn't care. They already have your money and they know you'll keep sending books bc the comic book community loves to complain but won't change over to another company.

[@visioneyeviewtv]

ahh yes, my daily/wekkly dose of CPR content, thank you my good man 🧐🫡🥂

[@paperwolves]

interesting that the scans do not present that damage to the corner on that GSX. shaken slab syndrome during shipment?

[@ImproveCollectingComics]

Sometimes the photos can be deceiving but who knows. The package wasn't damaged and the other book is fine.

[@danfoley2442]

Cover overhang is pretty common on GSX1, and I've seen other slabbed copies with bent top right corners. Never saw one completely folded over, though!

[@KevinLambert-d4o]

So you clean and press comics. And restore them for collectors ?

[@ImproveCollectingComics]

I only do it as a hobby and to teach others, not as a business. I do, however, occasionally press for friends.. rare though. I wish I had the time to set up a business doing it, maybe someday

[@benja6902]

Is it possible to get a 10.0? I noticed the Spider-Man 9.9 - I've never seen higher than 9.8. Is that a 9.8 Amazing Fantasy #15? (the cord is in the way obscuring it) - that is amazing!

[@ImproveCollectingComics]

It's possible but highly unlikely. The AF #15 is a poster.

[@davidfausel9029]

At least there is no bend?...... (not that much of a consolation but...). Congrats on that 9.8 - that's awesome!

[@lymandaniel]

Great job with the videos Jim. I’m relatively new to the cleaning and pressing community, but feel like i’ve really learned a lot from your videos. I’ll definitely be a customer of your course once you release it. I feel like I have a pretty good setup so far but am still yet to purchase a tack iron. Do you have one you recommend? Most that I am finding look like they are either way bigger than the one you use, or are small but the lowest temperature they go to is around 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Thanks Dan

[@ImproveCollectingComics]

Thanks for the kind words! Do a Google search for Ming Yang tack iron. It's the European version of the Hangar 9. You'll need a plug adaptor. And, for me, the temperature is much lower than my Hangar 9. However, on the high setting it's abut 135 degrees, more than adequate for fixing defects.

[@chestercheetah3475]

How are you getting books back so quickly? I sent two separate groups of books in March and April and still have not received back.

[@ImproveCollectingComics]

Unlimited Value tier books are the only ones being graded quickly for me right now

[@ryanbrookfield7111]

My 2nd to last submission took 5 months to get back to me 😂

[@ImproveCollectingComics]

Yikes!

[@morganmcclain7759]

Great video as always!

[@ImproveCollectingComics]

I appreciate that!

[@lllo0o0olll]

They are saying a 9.8 allows for spine ticks now to cover their bullshit with bent books, so seeing this is extremely sad and frustrating, but not at all surprising.

[@williamlangeii4012]

Yep. The only thing 9.8 about that Superman book is the grade sticker

[@ricbeau3761]

It happen a lots with giant size X-men #1.

[@NES-Tone]

So if you put the xmen through a light box to remove the foxing you think it would get noticed by cgc?

[@ImproveCollectingComics]

It's very likely. The paper would probably get brittle pretty quickly during the whitening process

[@williamlangeii4012]

CGC users are like those battered wives that just keep saying: "maybe this time he'll be nice."

[@ImproveCollectingComics]

I take it you don't like CGC?

[@90MHOTMUD]

I also have some books that are just in limbo at CGC they have billed for everything but they are just sitting in grading for about 2 weeks..the books are not high value just important personally .. it makes me nervouse

[@ImproveCollectingComics]

Same here. My unlimited value books are almost immediately graded at least

[@MIKEYC123]

I have three books stuck in grading encapsulation Imaging for a week it hasn't moved these are fast track going on a month now. Maybe I'm just impatient

[@ImproveCollectingComics]

I had a vintage fast track take 2 months.. slow tracked?

[@MIKEYC123]

@@ImproveCollectingComics unbelievable I live in Florida watch them send it during the hurricane LOL

[@CBs_Bill_from_Montana]

I’ve been chasing that Superman for a long time. Did you get it from My Comic Shop? CGC bent my corner just like they bent yours. It was ASM 198 in 9.8 but it’s 9.4 at best now. I’m done with them.

[@ImproveCollectingComics]

I got it from ebay. I have it currently listed on Elite11 on Instagram if you are interested: instagram.com/p/DAGoAfnRCaj/

[@malus911]

How did it get such a high grade with that obviously crushed spine?

[@ImproveCollectingComics]

GS x-men had pretty imperfect spines right out of the gate. But the damage on this book is very much within 8.0 limits, actually 9.0

[@kking2484]

Just got a GSX 9.0 that has some pressable defects on it.

[@ImproveCollectingComics]

Nice! 9.8 here we come? :)

[@kking2484]

@@ImproveCollectingComics that would be great even a 9.6

[@wardallen1941]

Same - things just sitting at CGC

[@jamesjordan3051]

Keep sending cgc that money… I’m done with em after I was told my bent to he!! Hulk 181 was within “tolerance”.

[@ImproveCollectingComics]

FYI, I had dozens of books at cgc before discovering the bends

[@BigMoneyGripMCV]

Oh that is so frustrating

[@danalvin1184]

Would you say an 8.0 can actually have a corner like that? IF not & it says 8.0 on the slab then that's not accurate and the grade assigned is conspicuously wrong & what was paid for is worthless, & in fact resulted in a loss of value on the book -- I don't know maybe just keep sending them money forever & they'll improve voluntarily lol???

[@ImproveCollectingComics]

Yes, the bend shouldn't drop it. It's the crease on the spine that probabyl caps it at 8.0

[@louben987]

CGC has a lot of work to do to get back to quality control.

[@williamlangeii4012]

I myself won't buy a "9.8" with color breaks. Why? Bc I know how to accurately grade a comic, unlike CGC. They create the issues and cover them up with a high grade, hoping the customer won't send it back in fear of a lower grade. Buy the book, NOT the holder. There's a bunch of 9.9s out there now with spine ticks!!

[@ImproveCollectingComics]

Color breaks are allowed on 9.8s even by in the much tougher Overstreet guidelines. Collecting only 9.9/10.0 is unrealistic, we'd be looking forever. I've maybe held 10 books ever that didn't have any color breaks.

[@DavidClark-vu3dw]

⚡💥🎉

[@JessyNorris]

They do it on purpose

[@ImproveCollectingComics]

I hope not :(

[@evstites794]

I don’t think I am going to CGC. No track record of good service.

[@troy5731]

....but it ain't no contribution to rely on the institution to validate your chosen art, sanction your boredom and let you play out your part. J. Carroll 1980

[@iceman2796]

CGC wrecked a book????? Shocker!!!! Use a different company!!