Pressing Service One of the most revolutionary processes to be developed this decade, pressing has seen its fair share of attention in the hobby. The purpose of pressing is to raise a high grade comic to an even higher grade by removing small defects using non-restorative techniques. For example, a Amazing Spider-man #20 graded CGC 9.0 could possibly raise to 9.2 or even 9.4 with pressing. But finding the right candidates for pressing takes practice. There are several factors that must be considered, like identifying "good" and "bad" defects, value increase vs. cost, and encapsulated candidates vs. raw candidates. Following the sections below will help you make an informed decision and which books are suitable for pressing. "Good" defects versus "bad" defects The first step is to identify a comic book's "good" defects and "bad" defects. In short, good defects can be diminished or removed with pressing, and the bad defects cannot. Here is a list of both:   Good defects (do not break color) Bad defects Dents Bends Folds Light creases Minor spine stresses Impacted corners or edges Slight warping Ripples Slight spine rolls Waviness Light cover impressions Light pencil marks Dirt Creases that break color Missing chips or pieces Tears Stains Detached staples or staple tears Spine stresses that break color Fading Fingerprints Dust shadows or Sun shadows Rusted staples or rust stains Rounded or blunted corners Pen markings Cover veins Just because a comic may exhibit good defects does not mean it will automatically increase in grade with a pressing. For example, the afore mentioned Spidey #20 in CGC 9.0 may have an impacted corner that does not break color. But upon closer inspection a small ¼” color-breaking crease is discovered on the bottom corner of the front cover. Even if the impact is completely pressed out, that crease will keep the book from grading 9.2. this would not be a good pressing candidate. A solid understanding of CGC’s grading standards is essential to determine how each defect will affect a book’s upgrade potential. Because of the thousands of comics we submit to CGC each year, we are among the most experienced with their standards. This makes our proscreening process very accurate. And if you follow this list of defects closely, you’ll enjoy a much higher success rate with the books you choose as potential candidates. Using a formula to determine candidacy Just because a comic can increase in grade from pressing does not mean it’s worth doing. Value and grade increase should be weighed against cost to make sure the book is worth pressing. There is a very simple formula to follow when considering your comics for pressing: (Press fees + grading fees + shipping) < (est. grade value minus cost of comic) Let’s use that Spidey #20 we’ve been talking about as an example. Say you paid $900 for your 9.0 copy. A 9.2 copy is worth about $1,400 according to GPAnalysis.com, which would be a $500 increase in value. Applying the formula, we get: ($75 + $63.20 + $30) = $168.20 (left side of the equation, or your cost to press, grade, and ship) ($1,400 - $900) = $500 (right side of the equation, or your potential profit) = $168.20 < $500 (the potential profit is clearly higher than the cost) If the book don’t get the 9.2 upgrade, $168 has been spent. But if it does, the value increases by $332. So the overall reward is double the potential risk. Not a bad gamble, especially if we think the book is a good pressing candidate. Another example involves an inexpensive Bronze Age comic, where the margin between risk and reward is more narrow. This time it's a raw copy of Iron Fist #15, for which you paid $200. The book is gorgeous, and you’re hoping for a 9.6 with pressing, but it looks like there is a slim chance at 9.8. GPAnalysis shows 9.6 copies selling for around $275. So your formula would be: ($25 + $12 + $30) = $67 (left side, your cost) ($275 - $200) = $75 (right side, your potential profit for 9.6) = $67 < $75    In this case, your potential gain is a mere $8 for a 9.6. But what if it graded 9.8? There are no 9.8 copies on CGC’s census. If it did grade 9.8, the book could be worth around $1,000. Even if there is only a slim chance the book could get a 9.8, the Iron Fist would still be worth pressing and grading because there almost no risk involved. Everyone has a different threshold for risk, and some collectors may be willing to take on more risk for an upgrade, even if it means losing money because the desired grade is not achieved. Other collectors simply want a higher grade for their collection, and value increase is not a factor. Submitting several books at once tends to yield better results because any potential risk is spread out. You’re not putting all of your eggs in one basket, so to speak. We’re happy to discuss your objectives with you, and offer further advice on any books you're submitting for proscreen. Establishing grade and value thresholds Any comic, no matter how old or new it is, can benefit from pressing. But there are thresholds below which value or grade increases do not justify the cost of pressing and grading. There are always exceptions to each rule, but if you generally stay at or above these thresholds, the results are satisfactory. This copy of Daredevil #3 was originally a 9.2, but close inspection revealed visible defects that could be corrected with pressing. After the pressing, the book was shipped to CGC for grading. It received a 9.4, doubling its value from $750 to $1,500 for a cost of $75 plus grading fees. Modern Age Comics (1980-present) Press to 9.8 or higher Bronze Age Comics (1970-1979) Press to 9.6 or higher Bronze Key Issues (i.e. Spidey #122) Value increase > $75 Or overall book value > $250 Silver Age Comics (1956-1969) Value increase more than $100, Or overall value greater than $250 Golden Age Comics (1933-1955) Value increase more than $100, Or overall value greater than $250   There are many exceptions to these guidelines. For instance, because the Golden Age market is more concentrated than Silver or Bronze comics, grade increases don't necessarily translate into a specific percentage increase of value. But Golden Age comics are much scarcer, and there is a greater chance a Golden Age book could become the single highest graded copy, thus dramatically increasing its desirability. Other resources should be included when determining a book's candidacy, such as the CGC population report and GPAnalysis. Encapsulated comics versus raw comics This copy of Spidey #130 was part of a collection of high grade Bronze Age Marvels, but many suffered from the slightest handling wear such as finger dents and slight bends to the edges. The entire collection was proscreened for 9.6 or better, and yielded about 100 books that were candidates for conservation and grading. After the work was performed and the books were graded by CGC, the results were four 9.2's, twelve 9.4's, seventy-six 9.6's, and eight 9.8's. The average cost per book (including pressing and grading), was $62. This single Spidey in 9.8 is alone worth $650. Considering encapsulated comics for pressing requires a more concentrated effort than raw comics. For encapsulated comics, the grade has already been established and the comic has been checked for restoration. But it's harder to evaluate a comic through two layers of plastic. Also, graded comics tend to raise the value of the right side of the equation, shrinking the margin for candidacy. On the flip side, raw comics must be carefully checked for hidden defects and restoration. But if a raw comic passes both inspections with flying colors, and its potential grade justifies the cost, pressing is usually recommended. Generally speaking, potential candidates are more plentiful among raw comics.   Because restoration has been our business for over a decade, we are among the most experienced in the hobby at spotting it. We have also pressed many raw and CGC-graded comics over the years, allowing us to develop a sophisticated method of evaluation, and a very high success rate for upgrades. We strive to make sure every technique is safe for the short and long term. Our pressing process does not involve disassembly, nor do we use abrasive materials like chemicals, or perform any work that would constitute restoration. No excessive pressure or heat is used in our work. You will not receive comics that appear to be "pancaked," or any other unfortunate side effect that usually occurs with improper pressing. The end result is undetectable, with each comic exhibiting a fresh, untouched feel and look. This All-Star #6, originally graded CGC 8.0, exhibited numerous defects that were correctable using pressing. After the work was completed, the All-Star #6 was resubmitted to CGC, and received a 9.0. Cost of pressing was $75. Currently our turn time is 4-5 weeks. This time includes evaluation, pressing, packing and shipping. Your comics can also be mailed directly to CGC for grading after work is completed. CGC fees will be included on your invoice, and CGC will mail the books directly back to you after grading. CGC invoice numbers will be provided to you for tracking purposes. To submit comics for pressing, or any other service you may need, please go here.