If you're buying Comic Books of Value, does it Pay to go Ungraded?

[highquality]

Before I was into Megos, Comic Books were my first love. It's an easy enough progression.

So, back then when I was 13 or so, obviously there was no CGC or any other types of grading services.

I'd like to buy some nice key issues, but worry that I've been out of the game too long. Anything I buy, I'd like to see hold its value, or better yet...Gain in value. They're not purely investmentary. If that was the case, I'd just buy stocks. But, I don't want to lose money in the deal either.

So, when I'm buying comics on ebay, is it at all safe to go ungraded on

Silver Age Keys?

Golden Age Keys?

Is there any benefit or downfall either way?

I know the price differences between the graded and ungraded comics are staggering. As much as I hate toy grading, comic grading seems a bit more necessary for the future of the hobby. If I get some good deals on Silver or Golden Age Key Issues, should I

Always consider Grading them?

Sometimes consider Grading them?

Thanks for the help. This has really been on my mind a long time.

[jds1911a1]

if your plan is an investment even if you don't get graded ones they should be graded once they are yours. the hard part is who is grading an issue. AFA has become the standard for graded toys but I don't even know if there is a similir first level comics grader company that most people rate as "dead on" in grading

likewise asn an investment comics are a tough investment unless you are only going golden age and early silver age. even by the lager silver (66 -70) the issues get fairly common.

the reprint market has hurt comics the same way reissue toys hurts toy investing (it gives an out to the casual fan trying to recapture a childhood memory that isn't buying a vintage item)

[toys2cool]

the only good thing about ungraded is that you will get it way cheaper....there are really some great deals out there

[kryptosmaster]

I don't believe in grading. I think it's a ripoff and totally negates the point of owning a comic book...TO READ IT!!
I will NEVER buy a graded/slabbed comic.

Rich

[tay666]

Well, a lot depends on your personal tastes.
Are you a stickler for condition?
Do you want to read these at any time?
How much risk do you like to take?

The biggest problem with buying ungraded online is that you cannot actually see the comic and get an overall feel for it's condition. You are taking the sellers word that the comic is in the condition he says it is.
And also, grading is highly subjective. One persons mint is not another persons mint.
And when you start getting into the really high grade stuff, even CGC isn't all that consistent. I've heard lots of people talk about cracking open their slabs and resubmitting and getting a different grade the second time.

[kryptosmaster]

And also, grading is highly subjective. One persons mint is not another persons mint.
And when you start getting into the really high grade stuff, even CGC isn't all that consistent. I've heard lots of people talk about cracking open their slabs and resubmitting and getting a different grade the second time.

I didn't mention that but that's another reason I don't believe in it.
Rich

[tay666]

Yeah.
When you come right down to it, it is still human beings looking at these things all day long. And there are no real hard rules when it comes to the ultra high grade stuff.
Does a 1/8" none-color-breaking crease on the corner of the back cover take it down from a 9.9 to a 9.8?
How about that micro tear on page 6 near the spine?
Will every grader in the building spot it, or will some miss it because they still have 20 other comics to grade before they punch out today?

[VintageMike]

It's pretty much like anything else on Ebay, check the feedback and try to stick with people who have 100% positive or close to it and a decent number of feedback. I buy books off Ebay (althogh I'm generally only looking for G/VG copies) and find those with perfect/near perfect feedback describe their books accurately. In fact in a couple of cases the books were better than described.

[tay666]

That is my approach as well.
I'm not a high grade collector, as long as the book is in decent shape, I am happy with it.

But if you are collecting as an investment, you need to be looking at higher grade books that will hold and improve their value.
And even amongh HG collectors, they can't agree on what is mint and what isn't.
Some must have pure white pages, while others aren't so picky.
Others won't touch a book with any kind of cover offset, while others couldn't care less.