Preparing my first submission...couple questions

[wallywest]

I am about to send in my first submission. I have about 90 books that I have personally pre-screened that I will be fully reviewing this weekend. I am hoping to get at least 25 that I send in. I have a few questions that I was hoping you guys could help with:

1. I will be grading some books on the Modern service, some on the Economy (or Value if I end up with enough), and some on the Magazine sized Economy (Turtles!). Can i ship all in the same box with three different submission forms? Or, do I need to ship each service level separately?

2. They recommend no more than five books in a group. That's fine. Do I then combine the groups together somehow with the submission slip? I am assuming I might get 10 or 15 of one service level together.

3. When determining the value that you will assign to each book, do you guys use Overstreet value for your expected grade, or GPA for the expected grade?

4. USPS on the return shipping...right?

Thanks, all!

[nycjadie]

1 - All in the same box is fine, but they like separate invoices for each category.

2 - Packing? Their instructions for packing are overkill. I take 30 books, separate in 2 stacks, put them together facing each other, and wrap all in a few layers of bubble wrap.

3 - I use current going price for the book at the grade I think it will get (which is nearly always 9.8 for my screens).

4 - Yes, definitely USPS.

[wallywest]

Thanks!

[GGSAE]

I've been thinking more and more about subbing some books, for me return shipping to Canada is an even more pain-in-the-*SQUEE* dealing with inflated costs and custom forms. Given the recent controversy regarding CGC, would it be wise to hold-off for awhile?

[nonplayer]

I've been thinking more and more about subbing some books, for me return shipping to Canada is an even more pain-in-the-*SQUEE* dealing with inflated costs and custom forms. Given the recent controversy regarding CGC, would it be wise to hold-off for awhile?

I had a small pile Of books done through a local comic shop they take care of shipping and insurance and everything. I sent my books just as the new old case was being introduced. Cgc has adressed my case issues and has paid for shipping both ways I've hurd of no more problems with the new new case so I'd say go for it. If your in Canada find someone to do this service for you as long as you only have a few books to grade. As they send in big groups and have a cgc account.
I sent my most valuable and best condition books.

[wallywest]

I have it narrowed down to about 40 books. Most of these are just because I want them slabbed for my own collection. About 15 - 20 or so are candidates for flipping. Here are the finalists:

[wallywest]

More pics.

[wallywest]

Ugh...got all my forms filled out. I ended up striking three of the pictured books from my list (Magnus 12, SHIELD 1 and Shadow 1). But, I still had six magazine sized books to add (Turtles!). My bill is over $1,100. I knew it was going to be high, but I am having second thoughts. I might have to pare back a bit.

So, I have four different grading tiers represented (right now): Magazine Economy x 6; Economy x 4; Value x 16; and Modern x 17.

I am going to pack each as a separate bundle with their respective four copies of the submission form for each bundle, but put them all in the same box. No problems here, right?

They will ship the books back to me in the blocks i listed above, right? So, I might get the Economy group one day, and the Magazine Economy a week later, and so on.

Thanks again, guys.

[nycjadie]

Ugh...got all my forms filled out. I ended up striking three of the pictured books from my list (Magnus 12, SHIELD 1 and Shadow 1). But, I still had six magazine sized books to add (Turtles!). My bill is over $1,100. I knew it was going to be high, but I am having second thoughts. I might have to pare back a bit.

So, I have four different grading tiers represented (right now): Magazine Economy x 6; Economy x 4; Value x 16; and Modern x 17.

I am going to pack each as a separate bundle with their respective four copies of the submission form for each bundle, but put them all in the same box. No problems here, right?

They will ship the books back to me in the blocks i listed above, right? So, I might get the Economy group one day, and the Magazine Economy a week later, and so on.

Thanks again, guys.

I think that's all right. FWIW, I ship mine USPS media insured. You can ship a lot of books at an economical price. I know there is a risk that some of the books are not considered "media" because they have advertising in them, but I've never had an issue, and new books rarely have advertising in that sense anyway.

[Intrepidxc]

That's a nice looking submission! If you get the grades back and want to part with any of the SA goodness, let me know.

Be careful! Slabbing books can become addicting!

[ckb]

Ugh...got all my forms filled out. I ended up striking three of the pictured books from my list (Magnus 12, SHIELD 1 and Shadow 1). But, I still had six magazine sized books to add (Turtles!). My bill is over $1,100. I knew it was going to be high, but I am having second thoughts. I might have to pare back a bit.

So, I have four different grading tiers represented (right now): Magazine Economy x 6; Economy x 4; Value x 16; and Modern x 17.

I am going to pack each as a separate bundle with their respective four copies of the submission form for each bundle, but put them all in the same box. No problems here, right?

They will ship the books back to me in the blocks i listed above, right? So, I might get the Economy group one day, and the Magazine Economy a week later, and so on.

Thanks again, guys.

I think that's all right. FWIW, I ship mine USPS media insured. You can ship a lot of books at an economical price. I know there is a risk that some of the books are not considered "media" because they have advertising in them, but I've never had an issue, and new books rarely have advertising in that sense anyway.

That's not the problem:

- The USPS made an official call that old and new comics are not media mail
- Media mail is treated with the lowest priority by the post office at all stages. If can go into a bin at your local PO and stay there a week. In practice it is not that bad.
- Media mail is subject to inspection at any point along the path. The local PO can inspect it. The distribution center can inspect it. The recipient post office can inspect it. By "inspected", it means it is opened and unpacked so all items are visible, and then it is repacked at the whim of the inspector.
- Media mail, even insured, has no return service. Meaning that if along the way somehow the package becomes undeliverable (label gets ripped off, becomes unreadable, gets smashed open) the package does not have to be returned. Indeed, Media Mail rules explicitly state that undeliverable packages may be destroyed without any notice to the sender.

The risk associated with sending anything valuable with Media Mail is very large compared to sending it properly.

[nycjadie]

Ugh...got all my forms filled out. I ended up striking three of the pictured books from my list (Magnus 12, SHIELD 1 and Shadow 1). But, I still had six magazine sized books to add (Turtles!). My bill is over $1,100. I knew it was going to be high, but I am having second thoughts. I might have to pare back a bit.

So, I have four different grading tiers represented (right now): Magazine Economy x 6; Economy x 4; Value x 16; and Modern x 17.

I am going to pack each as a separate bundle with their respective four copies of the submission form for each bundle, but put them all in the same box. No problems here, right?

They will ship the books back to me in the blocks i listed above, right? So, I might get the Economy group one day, and the Magazine Economy a week later, and so on.

Thanks again, guys.

I think that's all right. FWIW, I ship mine USPS media insured. You can ship a lot of books at an economical price. I know there is a risk that some of the books are not considered "media" because they have advertising in them, but I've never had an issue, and new books rarely have advertising in that sense anyway.

That's not the problem:

- The USPS made an official call that old and new comics are not media mail
- Media mail is treated with the lowest priority by the post office at all stages. If can go into a bin at your local PO and stay there a week. In practice it is not that bad.
- Media mail is subject to inspection at any point along the path. The local PO can inspect it. The distribution center can inspect it. The recipient post office can inspect it. By "inspected", it means it is opened and unpacked so all items are visible, and then it is repacked at the whim of the inspector.
- Media mail, even insured, has no return service. Meaning that if along the way somehow the package becomes undeliverable (label gets ripped off, becomes unreadable, gets smashed open) the package does not have to be returned. Indeed, Media Mail rules explicitly state that undeliverable packages may be destroyed without any notice to the sender.

The risk associated with sending anything valuable with Media Mail is very large compared to sending it properly.

All great points. Some postmen have noted the inspection issue to me from time to time. The loss issue is why I send it insured. A calculated risk with a big cost savings - a $80 priority package turns to $13.

[GGSAE]

I have it narrowed down to about 40 books. Most of these are just because I want them slabbed for my own collection. About 15 - 20 or so are candidates for flipping. Here are the finalists:

Wow those Batman books look Amazing!

[wallywest]

Thanks, all.

So, I sent my books in two shipments. The first had four in the Economy tier, and 17 in the Modern tier. Then, two weeks later, I sent in 16 in the Value tier.

On the first shipment, my Economy books moved from "Received" to "Verified" pretty quickly. The Moderns did not. The Value tier moved from "Received" to "Verified" in 24 hours (albeit two weeks later). My Moderns are still showing as "Received".

I am assuming I had an inconsistency with my submission form? Any insights here? Anyone had to deal with this? I am very frustrated by this, and thought I had all the info buttoned up nicely. Thanks for any help you can give.

[ckb]

Sounds about right to me.

[wallywest]

Called CGC to see if I could get a reason. The guy on the phone said it had nothing to do with my submission. He says that it's due to the volume of mail that they receive, and the fact that the complexity of the Modern queue (variant covers, series 2 vs. series 3 vs. other, etc.) has it so backed up

Now, I am not 100% sure that's accurate. Seems like the verification process should not take weeks. But, I will take him at his word for now, and hope that there aren't any real issues with my submission paperwork.

[greg]

Called CGC to see if I could get a reason. The guy on the phone said it had nothing to do with my submission. He says that it's due to the volume of mail that they receive, and the fact that the complexity of the Modern queue (variant covers, series 2 vs. series 3 vs. other, etc.) has it so backed up

Now, I am not 100% sure that's accurate. Seems like the verification process should not take weeks. But, I will take him at his word for now, and hope that there aren't any real issues with my submission paperwork.

Here's a typical week of CGC grading (from September 13th to September 20th), according to the CGC census:
75% Modern tier - 45% are variants, 30% are non-variants
25% non-Modern

More detail:
28% variants dated 2010 to current
14% 1970s comics
13% 1980s comics
13% 1960s comics
12% 2010 to current, non-variant
9% 1990s comics
6% 2000 to 2009 comics
2% 1940s comics
2% 1950s comics
<1% 1930s comics

Other interesting note:
CGC Census TOTAL (All-Time) - Over 3,000,000 books
35% 1975 to 1999 (only 1 out of each 18 submissions is a variant)
34% non-Modern (pre-1975, no significant variant totals)
31% 2000 to current (half of these submissions are variants)

[wallywest]

I guess that lends some credence to the notion that the Modern queue can get really backed up...even for verifications. I can imagine that the simplicity of the GA/SA/BA titles is a relief sometimes.

[nonplayer]

CGC ruined my comic and it graded at a 9.0 for a comic that had no marks it's curious how it got spine damage. I won't ever send anything to them again that's bull ship

[nycjadie]

I've noted CGC damage. I think it happens on a regular basis. It's pretty evident to me on the 9.8 screen rejects I get back, even accounting for damage in the flimsy packing they send the books back in.

[wallywest]

Well, my Modern submission just moved to Verified. So, it seems the info I got on the phone was accurate. Even if it wasn't, at least there wasn't a huge delay. Now to get those submissions scheduled for grading. Given the posted wait times, I am thinking I won't hold my breath.

[maraxusofkeld]

Did you grade these to sell or to keep, or a combo of both?

[wallywest]

Combo. I have two Harby Pinks in the submission, three EW #4, and a Dark Knight Returns that I *hope* is an upgrade to the 9.2 that I already have. Plus, a few of these are not really things I focus on...just things I have picked up along the way. Of the 37 I submitted, I think upwards of 10 of them will be sold.

My Value tier just got moved to "Scheduled For Grading" today. Any idea what kind of fuse that carries? Does this still mean it could be weeks before they are graded?

[TheeBaldMoose]

at Rose City Comic Con, I noted just how flimsy they packed the comics, and I too was a little worried.

My first batch (6)that I had signed there were sent to CCS first before they were then sent to CGC. I too am a little worried about this process, but I guess everyone was probably a little nervous. I sent one directly to CGC, and I know it's been received, but nothing yet. I am trying to be patient as well, I know it won't be a barn burner as far as total cost goes.

[maraxusofkeld]

Silly question here, but if you purchase the CGC membership, is it good for a calendar year or a year from the time of purchase?