Question regarding CGC treatment of distribution ink

ZephyrWasHOT!! · Post by **ZephyrWasHOT!!** » Mon Jul 12, 2004 12:26:02 am

Hey hey...does anyone know how CGC treats distribution ink/paint? They don't consider this 'restoration' do they? That dreaded green/purple label would kill me. It makes no sense that they'd consider it a 'color' touch, but does anyone know for sure?

Thanks!

ckb · Post by **ckb** » Mon Jul 12, 2004 1:34:11 am

They ignore it if they can. It doesn't factor in, unless it's bad, until the very high grades. No worries about green and purple labels.

Shakespeare · Post by **Shakespeare** » Mon Jul 12, 2004 10:56:39 am

I've gotten them back as high as 9.8 with distribution ink. Even if it bleeds to the cover, I've gotten 9.6s.

S

ZephyrWasHOT!! · Post by **ZephyrWasHOT!!** » Mon Jul 12, 2004 12:49:05 pm

Excellent. Thanks guys. Hadn't encountered it before, have some super books with dist ink...wasn't sure if to send in.

Shakespeare · Post by **Shakespeare** » Mon Jul 12, 2004 12:56:44 pm

Hey, Zeph, not trying to be too much of an *SQUEE*, but to continue our recent conversation about grading...

Neither Overstreet nor CGC consideres the ink to be a defect...but it happened after the presses, so wouldn't you consider it wear on the comic?

The way I see it, if you had two identical comics, one with the ink and one without, 99% of people would choose the one without. But how can they both be the same grade if one has a defect that most people would choose not to have?

S

ZephyrWasHOT!! · Post by **ZephyrWasHOT!!** » Mon Jul 12, 2004 2:15:06 pm

Shakespeare wrote:Hey, Zeph, not trying to be too much of an *SQUEE*, but to continue our recent conversation about grading...

Neither Overstreet nor CGC consideres the ink to be a defect...but it happened after the presses, so wouldn't you consider it wear on the comic?

The way I see it, if you had two identical comics, one with the ink and one without, 99% of people would choose the one without. But how can they both be the same grade if one has a defect that most people would choose not to have?

S

No, it's not wear, because it's not *damage* to the paper's structure. If the paper structural integrity is compromised, that is wear, and what everyone normally thinks of as wear...creases, bends, dings, scratches, stress marks, etc.

In the same way, stains, glop, paint, whatever that's on the cover isn't wear, but it naturally falls into the 'damage' category.

As far as who would choose what, of course, on an otherwise identical book, most would choose the one without the ink, because it effects the eye appeal. But they can be the same grade BECAUSE...as I said before....the grade as CGC and Overstreet (and the coin and card hobbies/industries have said for years) refers to wear, and wear only.

Not printing defects, nor, apparently, distribution ink (hence my question.)

Agree or not, that's what has been established, and I agree.

Shakespeare · Post by **Shakespeare** » Mon Jul 12, 2004 2:42:40 pm

The strange thing about our hobby is that, if the ink were to be professionally removed, it would be seen as restoration.

Card companies also check centering, which isn't wear, so you're not 100% correct on that point.

ZephyrWasHOT!! · Post by **ZephyrWasHOT!!** » Mon Jul 12, 2004 3:13:09 pm

Shakespeare wrote:The strange thing about our hobby is that, if the ink were to be professionally removed, it would be seen as restoration.

Card companies also check centering, which isn't wear, so you're not 100% correct on that point.

Do they just CHECK centering, or is it part of the grade? Ie, an off center card cannot by their 10.0 (I think it's 10.0), whether the rest of the card is otherwise perfect? Or can it, and it's just 'noted'?

I don't deal in cards, I'm just familiar with NGC and CGC (and they have a card division), and what they do and do not consider wear, currently.

Shakespeare · Post by **Shakespeare** » Mon Jul 12, 2004 3:17:25 pm

Oooh, fieldtrip!

http://www.beckett.com/help/ListQuestio ... ectID=6#89

I'm not into sports cards at all, but a friend clued me in on this. Beckett, from what I've heard, is the toughest of the professional grading services.

Looks like they check centering at every grading level.

ZephyrWasHOT!! · Post by **ZephyrWasHOT!!** » Mon Jul 12, 2004 4:42:27 pm

Shakespeare wrote:Oooh, fieldtrip!

http://www.beckett.com/help/ListQuestio ... ectID=6#89

I'm not into sports cards at all, but a friend clued me in on this. Beckett, from what I've heard, is the toughest of the professional grading services.

Looks like they check centering at every grading level.

Ok, so that's different....BUT..even in their '10', they allow off-centering on the back. Soooo....unlike CGC and NGC, the 'printing process' IS an issue in the final grade IF it's on the front, but not the back.

I mean, either perfect is perfect is perfect...OR...they're considering things partly my way and not 'grading off' for printing flaws on the back?

So it sound like a half n' half sort of thing?

Rai-fan · Post by **Rai-fan** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 9:06:47 am

When I was at Wizard World East a few months back a couple of dealers were discussing this.

Turns out one was absolutely ecstatic because he had a Giant-Size X-men # 1 with lots of distribution ink that CGC still graded at 9.4 (blue label).

He was incredulous that CGC doesn't seem to count it, & already counting the $$$$ in his head.

ckb · Post by **ckb** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 9:30:34 am

But I guarantee it will sell for less than a 9.4 without ink. I'd be pretty sure that the book in question would have graded higher without the ink, if it was really that bad.

lobo · Post by **lobo** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 5:40:47 pm

Does distribution ink always appear blue? I have not come across too many books with this 'feature' but the ink always seems blue. If so what's the reason for it?

ZephyrWasHOT!! · Post by **ZephyrWasHOT!!** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 7:41:37 pm

lobo wrote:Does distribution ink always appear blue? I have not come across too many books with this 'feature' but the ink always seems blue. If so what's the reason for it?

Nah, distribution 'ink' is really just spray paint that distributors in the olden days used to mark books (usually top and/or bottom edge) so that newsstands would know when to pull the old (and unsold) copies. They come in all sorts colors.

This is not to be confused with printer's ink, which is just leaky ink that's smeared on the COVERS or PAGES during the printing process.