PORTLAND, Ore., April 11, 2023 – The Certified Collectibles Group (CCG) and its comic book and magazine experts at Certified Guaranty Company (CGC) are offering clients the ability to immediately vault their newly authenticated and graded assets with PWCC Marketplace, one of the most advanced collectibles marketplaces in the world.
This development continues a series of strategic partnerships between the Certified Collectibles Group companies and PWCC that offer collectors services to enhance the value, improve the utility, and increase the liquidity of their assets.
“We are pleased to announce another expansion of our partnership with PWCC,” said Steven R. Eichenbaum, CEO of the Certified Collectibles Group. “Collectors of coins and cards have quickly embraced the streamlined process of grading, storing and transacting that PWCC offers, and now comic book collectors can also take advantage of the convenience and overall improved collector experience.”
The PWCC Vault — located in the sales tax-free state of Oregon — has expertly archived, secured, and insured a diverse range of physical asset classes since its launch in 2019. This new partnership provides an immediately accessible and robust vaulting solution for collectors of comic books and magazines.
Collectors submitting assets for authentication and grading simply create a free PWCC account then select “Send to My PWCC Vault” when filling out CGC’s online submission form. Comic books and magazines will be priority shipped to PWCC where they receive high-resolution imaging and are curated into a client’s PWCC Vault Portfolio. A one-time $10 vault processing fee is charged per asset regardless of value. There are zero ongoing fees.
A PWCC Vault Portfolio empowers collectors and investors by offering them immediate access to a robust menu of benefits:
- The PWCC Vault features real-time insurance valuations and robust physical security.
- Assets can be accessed and managed at any time via a digital portfolio featuring high-resolution imaging and PWCC value estimates.
- PWCC Marketplace provides auction and fixed-price markets that draw in more than 200,000 potential buyers across the platform. Assets in a portfolio can be listed on any market at any time, 24/7.
- Concierge-level customer service and white glove shipping services allow any questions or requests to be responded to swiftly.
“We’ve invested heavily in our ability to add liquidity to the comic book market, adding technical features to the PWCC Vault that specifically address the needs of this niche market,” said Brent Huigens, CEO of PWCC Marketplace. “This includes building out proprietary systems and robotics to ensure assets are securely archived, accurately categorized and titled, and made easily accessible and manageable via PWCC clients’ digital portfolios. It’s been an exciting undertaking for PWCC that ensures we are best serving the comic book market and its unique needs.”
What categories of items can take advantage of this opportunity? Do you accept collections?
Harshen Patel, CGC Vice President:
“Anyone submitting comics and magazines to CGC for grading can take advantage of the direct vaulting partnership with PWCC. We are accepting any number of assets through this partnership, whether it be a single item or full collections. Making use of the service is as easy as selecting the PWCC Vault option when filling out your online submission form for grading.
This is a natural maturation of the vaulting partnerships previously announced between Certified Collectibles Group (CCG) and PWCC. Right now, clients grading coins through NGC and clients grading trading cards through CGC Trading Cards or CSG can all select the PWCC Vault as an offering on submission of their assets for grading.”
Shipping and packing collectibles is SO stressful – what kind of guarantee can you offer that the items will arrive safely?
Harshen Patel, CGC Vice President:
“In 2022, we developed a unique grading partnership with PWCC where clients submit raw trading cards to PWCC, and their team streamlines the card identification, submission, and shipping process to our team for priority grading. That partnership proved our operational capabilities to ship assets effectively and securely between our two locations. Thus, we developed the next step of the partnership and began offering PWCC Vault services.
Beyond that confidence in the strategic operational partnership, we also fully insure all assets through the shipping process and, once they arrive in the PWCC Vault, they are again appraised for insurance purposes. This is all about making sure your assets are protected from the moment they enter our teams’ hands.”
If someone submits an item but changes their mind about auctioning, can they get the graded item returned?
Brent Huigens, CEO at PWCC:
“There is absolutely zero obligation that you send your assets to auction through this partnership. When you submit your assets to CGC – or to CGC Trading Cards, CSG or NGC – and select the PWCC Vault option it is exactly that: robust vaulting services and all the benefits a vault enables. Your assets will receive high-resolution imaging, be added to your digital portfolio for ease of management and observability, and if you do decide to sell you do have immediate access to our marketplace. This is all made available through a one-time, $10 flat archival fee. There are zero ongoing fees for storage.”
Is there anything in place for books submitted through the Sig Series to move on to PWCC?
Harshen Patel, CGC Vice President:
“CGC Signature Series books can also benefit from the PWCC Vault partnership.”
This is a major step in the future of collecting! Can you tell us what this might mean for non-CGC-graded items in the future? (CAG, PMG, etc?)
Brent Huigens, CEO at PWCC:
“In the past year we have seen the partnership between PWCC and CCG develop rapidly thanks to a shared vision that we can empower the passion of collectors with our services and product offerings. The PWCC Vault is expanding both physically in terms of size and technically in terms of new robotics and archival processes that allow us to expertly archive new assets. For those seeking solutions outside of CGC, CGC Trading Cards, CSG and NGC the answer is: watch this space. It is highly unlikely we are done innovating as partners.”
Can you break down the process and cost structure for taking advantage of the service?
Harshen Patel, CGC Vice President:
“The grading fee schedule remains in place through CGC and the cost to vault at PWCC is a one-time, $10 flat fee regardless of asset value. There are zero ongoing archival fees.”
How soon can we start sending in items? Will this option be added to the website?
Harshen Patel, CGC Vice President:
“It’s live on the site now. You can take advantage of this immediately!”
