Believe it or not, each grading company is bringing a different sales value to the seller.  Collectors should take notice.  Its been an ongoing discussion for years, which is better, and this article will only barely touch the surface on the topic. 

We all collect what we want to collect; raw comics or graded “slab” comics.  Some collectors like to keep their collection raw and be able to read the comic and sift through the pages at a moment’s notice. 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.

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 choose 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.       

BATMAN ADVENTURES #12 (1993)

Let's talk about a recent sale that kind of made me scratch my head a little.  What was once a $1,500 comic book a few years back is now $2,000 + according to recent sales on GoCollect.  As we already know, Batman Adventures #12 features the 1st appearance of Harley Quinn in comic books.  A fan-favorite character for many collectors young and old.  Try to get a copy for $1,500 nowadays is almost impossible...... well almost impossible.  There was a Batman Adventures #12 CBCS 9.8 that sold in February for $1,282.

Wow!  I missed that one.  I have never seen a BA #12 sell for that low in a long time.  As a comparison, just a week later, there was a Batman Adventures #12 CGC 9.8 that sold for $3,000, before that $2,999, before that $2,799; you get the picture.  A direct edition copy, not newsstand, we’re not going to talk about newsstands here!

I think a couple of things hurt the CBCS sale here.  One, the title of the listing is very basic and bland.  It has no mention of CBCS, it just states – Batman Adventures #12 9.8.  No mention of the 1st appearance wording or the word Harley Quinn?  You just never know what search terms collectors are using. Having CBCS, 1st appearance, Harley Quinn, AND anything else you can think of can all help.  Doing so would definitely add more views, which in turn would more than likely add more bidders.  A CGC sale dominated CBCS in this example.  

WRAP UP

There you have it.  Just a small (small) sample size of a recent sale between CGC and CBCS on a specific 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 what is happening in all types of sales between CGC/CBCS; CGC is seeing the higher sale price.  As a result, collectors are grading their collection with CGC versus the competition.  Customer service, turnaround time, and quality of product are the biggest 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?  Are you seeing the gap closing down or widening even further?  Are you grading more with CGC or CBCS?  Why?  Let me know.  

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