I'm no slab expert, but I've heard the opposite regarding grade assignments. The old slabs had higher grading standards. I mean, now we're getting a lot more 9.9s...

I have about 200 slabs, but I no longer buy slabs. Take up too much room, don't fit in my file cabinets, weigh a pound a piece, I think that the grades are subjective (and inconsistent over time, as you've pointed out) and I'd rather use those CGC fees to buy more actual comics. That's why I won't buy more slabs. As to getting raw books that I have, slabbed... there are too many stories of CGC damaging customer's comics. Accidents happen, but when they damage comics, they know they've done it, but they slab'em, mail them back and act like nothing was wrong, which makes it their customer's job to prove that they did it. There are too many youtube videos detailing this subject for me to trust sending any of my raw books to them. But, it's a good video - good information.

I would only consider CGC a victim if the scammers were doing something they were unaware was possible. However, there is another KZfaqr (famous for showing how easy it is to crack their slabs) that stated he told CGC about how easily their slabs could be compromised YEARS before the scandal broke. Therefore, I don't consider CGC a victim at all.

I personally own 278 original (first two years) blue label slabs. I always look for these slabs as a preference. No mass pressing or tweaking of books. I also completely disagree regarding grading. These were the Steve Borock days. I have personally found overall the grading was tighter in the early days. I have 11 books that ALL were resubmitted and came back higher grades. Guess it just depends.

You are close on the label history for CGC... but not quite correct. The old blue boxy label is actually the first label. The red label was only for "modern" comics--comics published after 1974. The blue boxy label and red boxy label existed at the same time--they were just used to denote the age of the comic. I would also add that the CGC grading standards have gone up and down over it's history. They are not necessarily tougher now than in the early days of CGC--in fact, some of the toughest grading was in the early days with the blue boxy label. However, there have definitely been some times that it was very lax. I generally stay away from CGC graded comics with a certification number beginning with 02... For some reason, they had many books graded 9.2 and 9.4 with those cert numbers that would probably not get an 8.5 now (or earlier).

I have never got a graded comic.

I think what they’ve adjusted now with regrading every book that comes in is a good quality control standard. Nice video!

I had always heard that the old grading standards were more strict, but you've seen a lot more slabbed books than me! My main frustration right now with CGC is the period earlier this year where there was a patch of SERIOUS quality control problems with warped inner wells. I submitted 18 books this spring, and three books came back with inner wells that were so warped, they damaged my comics. Sure, they came back 9.8s, but the books within had to have been damaged after grading, during encapsulation, because books I am positive were 100% free of spine tics came back with horrendous spine tics, and yes a few even broke color. And holding the slab from the left side, you can clearly see how warped the inner well is (like a banana!), putting devastating pressure on the spine that no book could withstand. I was really heartbroken. They weren't huge keys or anything (ASM Annual #16, X-Men #177, and Dazzler #1), but they were my own comics purchased new off the shelf in the early 1980's with my own hands, so they were special to me. It's hard to look at them now, and when it comes time to sell, it'll be hard to sell those books in good conscience regardless of the grade.

Your channel, personality, presentation and topics are top notch 👌

I got out of the hobby 22 years ago, and we didn't have any of those terms. Cleaning? Pressing? slabs? We would just find nice looking copies of our favorite comic books, keep them safe, wait for the next SDCC, stop by the CGC booth and place an order to get them graded (It was very expensive to mail comics to CGC). Graded comics we called them. All of mine are either the original red label, or the first generation blue label. Getting a 9.9 was one of the hardest achievements. I was able to achieve this four times: Spider-Man #1 (color), Spider-Man #1 (Silver), Amazing Spider-Man vol.2 #36 and Dark Night Strikes Again #1. I also remember the ones with the green label; I think they were the certified signed ones, usually sold by Dynamic Forces. It's sad to hear that they didn't pay as much attention to detail to the grading process as they do nowadays. I was thinking about upgrading to the newest labels, but keeping in mind what you said, it might be a bad idea, since I'll be likely getting a lower grade.

Nice presentation..always enjoy your comments on grading..

CbCS slabs are currently my favorite but im thinking of trying EGS due to your vid on them. The idea of customizable labels sounds awesome

Just laser etch the serial number onto the inner well. Shouldn't be TOO hard. Keep it small enough that one needs a magnifying glass to see it, so that it doesn't detract from the appearance, and it should be good.

Even if you get an old slab cracked, cleaned, and pressed, and it stays the same grade, the book looks a lot better in presentation, AND you have the new slab, so I think it's still worth it in the end.

If I were just trying to make $$$ on flipping comic books, I might go with the newer CGC slabs. But, for my personal collection, I would want the current CBCS slabs.

I'm not into the whole slab thing, but maybe a fourth grading service is needed to watch the third grading service for honesty and integrity!

Keep up the good work!

the slab scam is probably still happening, just not being sent to cgc to reholder, since cgc slabs arent tamper evident.

The mere existence of CGC (and its various scandals) has put me off collecting comics forever.

sure CGC is starting to really make more of a difference. but, the damage was already done. so, it would take a lot for everyone to trust them ever again. #ROADTO40K #IWANTCAPTAINCARROTPLEASE

Ive sold red old red label (not the wierd 9.5 red) and 1st blue label , and they have always gone for much more than they should . I really cant figure out what other collecters spend their money on .

Cool vid dude!

Cbcs label yes please …

Recently I had a copy of Daredevil 158 that was an 8.0 it said there was a slight bend it was graded last year so I cracked it I had it pressed and cleaned and sent off to be signed by Frank Miller to my surprise it came back a 7.5 I was expecting an 8.5 or a 9.0 but the graders note still said there was a slight bend on the right side of the cover meanwhile my wolverine 1 that was 9.4 that I also sent off to be signed by Frank Miller which was supposed to be guaranteed to come back as a 9.4 came back at 9.6 I used the third party comic book shop I asked what happened and he said he thought he had opened up and pressed my wolverine 1 not sure if I should keep going through this local comic book shop that offers pressing and CGC submissions

Disagree on cgc getting stricter, any slab with a QR code is one you need to really examine closely.

I got a Powers 1 in the Red label from a grab bag. Should i reslab or should i press and regrade a book worth maybe $60.

Wasn’t CBCS the place that lost someone’s large submission of rare, old comics? Or was that fake news?

Regardless of what the "Grading Standatd" is, it all comes diwn subjective decisions made by the people themselves.

We as a community need to change the CPR process. Until the community as a whole have a Crack, Press, and Resubmit process where each certification number is accounted for per book in the census, there will be a level of untrustworthyness on transparency and grading.

Old slabs are more fragile alot of them cracks more often in the corners from age.

I slab my slabs

Make a video by cracking some old slabs and sending them back in.

Now that 9.9 and 10 slabs exist, I'm more comfortable with their grading. There's a ton of 9.8s that will get CPR'ed into 10s. Can you or I tell the difference between a 9.8 and a 10? Probably not. But collectors are spending money on them.

i dont trust any of them

As far as the construction of the slab itself, are the newer slabs improved? They seem thicker and sturdier. I got my ASM 39 signed by Stan Lee in 2014 and the slab itself has like air gaps. Want to get a reslab but I don't want to lose a point or two.

I’d go CBCS but CGC still sells more

"Started with a red label ... soon after that, they had this blue label" - not accurate. The two were used at the same time when CGC began; the red label denoted a "Modern" book ('75 or newer) while the blue label denoted a pre-'75 book. Only lasted a couple of years before they moved the Moderns to be blue as well to avoid confusion. My GSX 1 is still in a red label slab. Been thinking about reholdering, but I kind of like the nostalgia of the red label.

I surrender. Raw books only for now.

Which can we trust? None. CGC's aim is profit and they will manipulate their market to achieve that aim. The only good thing about sealing a comic in a plastic shell is to preserve it.

I've watched enough of your CGC unboxing videos and the answer is neither. From you unable to get hardly any 9.8s to getting almost everyone back a 9.8 after the previous video of you complaining about their process. Just a scam to keep buying the same back issues over and over but for more money. No thanks.

CGC is dead to me. I have an idea on how they can regain trust, but I'm not gonna share because they deserve what happened to them. They knew about the problem and did nothing to fix it. As far as I know they aren't even designing new slabs to be more secure after the scandal happened and prevent this from happening again.