I used to think comic book fans who graded issues were just wasting cash

For years, I saw guys at my local shop in Cleveland paying to get books slabbed and thought it was a dumb way to spend money. It seemed like locking up a story you could never read again. Then, about three months back, I inherited a small box of old comics from my uncle. I took them to a convention, and a dealer pointed out a copy of 'Amazing Spider-Man #300' in the mix. He said in its rough shape it was maybe worth a hundred bucks, but if it graded well, it could be a lot more. I sent it in on a whim, and it came back a 9.0. Now I get it. It's not just about the money, it's about knowing exactly what you have. That slab tells a clear story about the book's condition that any other fan can understand. Has anyone else had a single book change their mind about the whole grading scene?

4 comments

4 Comments

andrew_shah2mo ago

Yeah, I saw a video where a guy found a beat up copy of X-Men #94 in a garage sale box. He almost didn't grade it because the cover was loose, but it came back as a 6.0 and he sold it for a few grand. It's proof that you really can't judge condition by eye alone, the graders catch stuff we miss.

the_elizabeth2mo ago

That one story doesn't prove much, grading is still pretty subjective in my opinion.

jessica3312mo ago

Totally agree with @the_elizabeth, it's a total gamble sometimes. I sent in a Spider-Man book with a tiny tear I didn't even see, and it dropped the grade a full point. The graders have those special lights and tools, they spot EVERY little flaw.

wells.evan1d agoMost Upvoted

Wow, that reminds me of the time I sent in a random Silver Surfer #4 that had a coffee ring on the back cover. I figured it was a 5.0 at best, maybe a 4.5 if they were having a bad day. Came back as a 7.5. The grader notes said the ring was mostly just staining on the cover stock and didn't actually break the surface much. Sold it for way more than I expected. So yeah, you never really know what they're gonna see or miss.