Spent $85 on a comic grading membership and it burned me more than it saved me

I finally signed up for one of those comic grading services, the basic tier for $85, thinking it would help me sell my old issues for a fair price. I sent in a 1985 Uncanny X-Men 200 I thought was in near mint shape. When it came back graded at a 7.0, I lost about half the value I was expecting. On the other hand, my buddy swears by grading because it kept him from getting ripped off on a key issue he sold last year. So now I'm torn - is grading worth the gamble when your own eye might be off, or is it just a way to burn cash on books you plan to keep? Has anyone else had a big swing in either direction with a grading investment?

2 comments

2 Comments

cameron53817d ago

Man I felt this. Spent $70 on grading a Silver Surfer 4 I was sure was a 9.0 and it came back 6.5. Lost like $200 on what I thought I had. Now I just look up raw prices and sell as is, way less stressful.

verar2117d ago

No way, a 6.5? That hurts to even read. @cameron538 I would have been so mad. I mean $70 for grading is already a gamble but to have it come back that low is brutal. You must have had like a hidden crease or some edge wear you didn't catch. I hate that feeling when you think you're sitting on something good and the numbers tell you otherwise. Selling raw is probably the smart move, less headache and you don't have to worry about that shock.