There seems to be a growing consensus that one grading company is becoming equal to and ahead of the pack compared to recent years. Nonetheless, each grading company is bringing a different experience to the seller. Each collector has their preference and should take notice of such auctions. Discussions have recently picked up compared to recent years, like which looks better, and this article will only barely touch the surface on the topic of comparison.
We all collect how we want to collect; raw comics or graded "slab” comics. It’s what makes this hobby fun. Some collectors like to keep their collection raw and be able to read their comics. In contrast, other collectors like to preserve their comics through 3rd party grading companies for monetary or aesthetic reasons, to each their own. What I want to write about is not what you should do with your comic book, but rather show you what is going on in the market with recent sales on certain “graded” books. People say the gap is closing. As this series of articles continues to highlight such sales, we will be able to see it together.
GRADING COMPANIES
Before I go any further, let’s talk about the different grading companies out there. There are many to choose from, like CGC, CBCS, PGX, and EGS. Each grading company varies as far as perks, and most importantly, turnaround time. So do your due diligence and determine which one best fits your collecting goals. Most people choose CGC for the look and feel of the slab, while others select CBCS for the faster turnaround time and cheaper cost to grade. Each company has its pros and cons. At the end of the day, the selling value may be what ultimately helps you make your decision. CGC and CBCS are the major grading companies in the industry and most favorable between collectors. You decide.
NYX #3 (2004)
Let's talk about a couple of recent sales that made me scratch my head a little. What was once a $1,000 comic book just last year is now $1,700 +/- according to recent sales on GoCollect. As we already know, NYX #3 is the 1st appearance of X-23, also known as Lauren Kinney. A fan-favorite character for many collectors, especially after the movie Logan. Try to get a copy for $1,000 nowadays is almost impossible as it seems the price is continuing to go up in anticipation of possibly a solo movie. In ComicLink’s May featured auction, NYX #3 was available 3x, 2 CGC graded, and 1 CBCS graded. Let’s look at the results:
CBCS NYX #3 sold for $1,350 with a bid count of 37 bids. Wow! Not too shabby. As a comparison, just one minute later, a CGC copy sold for $1,662 with a bid count of 25. Why the disparity? You tell me. All direct edition copies, not newsstands, just to let you know.
The 3rd copy of NYX #3, another CGC 9.8, sold 5 days later for $1,600 with a bid count of 22. Comparable to the CGC copy that sold five days earlier but nowhere near the CBCS copy that sold for $1,350.
It’s tough to explain actually. Both CBCS and CGC are prominent companies compared to the rest yet have varying differences in sale results. Both press and clean comics as a service before grading. Both use the same grading scale when grading and encapsulating comic books. But it seems the public has decided, and only time will tell if these types of sales continue.
WRAP UP
There you have it. This recent sale is another small (tiny) sample size of a recent sale between CGC and CBCS on a specific key comic book in the same grade. Stay tuned for more of these examples to come as they happen. For the most part, I think this is happening universally in all types of sales between CGC/CBCS; CGC sees the higher sales price. As a result, collectors are grading their collection with CGC versus any competitors. Customer service, turnaround time, and quality of product are the most significant game-changers I have heard between the grading companies, so choose wisely. Either way, I wish you luck in your comic book collecting endeavor. Until next time you comic book junkies...
Please share your thoughts about CGC and CBCS sales. Have you seen the same difference during your buying experience? Are you seeing the gap closing down or widening even further? Are you grading more with CGC or CBCS? Why? Let me know in the comments.
