My CGC grades pre and post press

[nycjadie]

Some time back, I sent in several special books to CGC for pressing and grading. However, they screwed up my order, and didn't press them. After a lot of back and forth (with them agreeing to press them for free), and 6-7 months of waiting, I finally have the posted grades. Original post here:
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=49349" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

What makes this interesting is that I have the official CGC grades both before and after pressing. The data is below. Now, this is probably much more interesting for me, as I've seen the books up close and know the defects. For example, 1 of the Archer golds has an obvious tear, which isn't going to get corrected from a pressing, and the color breaking spine splits on some corrected better than others (apparently).

Learning lessons:

The books with wrinkles and creases fared the highest increases in grade with a pressing. Makes sense, but I was surprised by how much. The Nintendo Sneak Preview for example went from a 6.5 to a 9.4. There was a slight stain that may have largely been removed, but this was a pretty wrinkly book. The other promo books fared similarly - Cheesasaurus 7.0 to 9.0 in one case, and Adventures of the O with a 7.5 to 9.0 and a 8.0 to a 9.2.

The questionable on the line moderns did much better than I anticipated, garnering what I thought might at best be a 9.4 to 9.8s. See the Mirage SDCC book, and the Faith 3 Keep a Breast variant.

Those 1980s newsprint books always grade better with a press, even when they have that still new supple "bounce" that a new copy has. I think it's because CGC prefers pancaked books over those that don't. They like pancakes, and pancakes look better in a slab. Pancakes is my term. Stacks of pancakes.

Tears don't get fixed, obviously. There was a tear in the 7.5 Archer. However, thick cardboard also doesn't get fixed in the pressing. I look forward to seeing the Nintendo cassette book, which was a wash, grading 7.0 before and after pressing. The book is a thick cardboard type, so I knew the creases/wrinkles wouldn't press out, but I thought it might grade better after a pressing regardless. I look forward to seeing it, and suspect it will likely present better.

For books that are worth $100 or more in 9.8, a pressing is probably a good investment, even if it doesn't garner a higher grade. None of my books went down in grade. However, some did go up enough to make it worth much more. New Mutants 1 in 9.8 is an $80-100 book. I bought these in a dollar bin. In 9.4 and 9.6, these are $50ish. Definitely a step up. DC Presents 26 in 9.6 is a $270-300 book. In 9.2, it's a $140-175. Silver Surfer 44 in 8.5 is $40ish. In 9.6, it's a $140-150ish book.

For the real rarities, you just need to do it. The Turok Evolution EB Games book, which is incredibly rare in any grade, it went from a 9.0 to a 9.6. There is only 1 9.8, and 2 9.6s. The 2 X-O Kotaki variants with the Quantum & Woody error (perhaps the rarest Quantum and Woody book ), I believe there are only 3 9.8s. I just landed one of them. The Nintendo Comics Sneak Preview as well. There is 1 9.8, but I was able to get the 2nd highest grade at 9.4.

Adventures of the O – 6.0/6.5
Adventures of the O – 7.5/9.0
Adventures of the O – 8.0/9.2
Adventures of the O – 9.0/9.4
Archer 0 Gold – 7.5/7.5
Archer 0 Gold – 8.5/8.5
Archer 0 Gold – 9.4/9.6
Archer 0 Gold - 9.6/9.6
Cheesasaurus Rex - 9.0/9.4
Cheesasaurus Rex -7.0/9.0
Cheesasaurus Rex -8.0/9.2
DC Presents 26 – 9.2/9.6 (1st New Teen Titans, Raven, Cyborg, Starfire)
Death Defying Doctor Mirage SDCC Convention - 9.4/9.8
Faith 3 Keep a Breast Con Edition – 9.4/9.8
FCBD Valiant 25th Anniversary Tommy Edwards Cover - 8.0/9.2 (the Ultimate Comics no sticker version - only 100 copies)
New Mutants 1 - 9.4/9.8
New Mutants 1 – 9.6/9.8
Nintendo Comics System Sneak Preview - 6.5/9.4
Silver Surfer 44 - 8.5/9.6
Super Mario Bros NN Random House Cassette Book - 7.0/7.0
Turok Evolution EB Games - 9.0/9.6
X-O 15 Kotaki Error Book - 9.2/9.4
X-O 15 Kotaki Error Book - 9.4/9.8

Bubblicious Insert Books:
Avengers 236 - 9.6/9.8
Cloak and Dagger 1 - 9.2/9.6
Power Man/Iron Fist 98 - 9.6/9.8
Rom 47 7.5/8.5 (also a very rare book)
Spectacular Spiderman 83 8.5/9.4

[TheeBaldMoose]

For the amount, it's well worth the investment. I've resubmitted two CGC books, both went up after pressing. Kept the majority of my books in the 9.6 range too

[BloodShot]

X-O 15 Kotaki Error Book - 9.4/9.8