CIB

[ollie]

I see that they are selling a load of card backs with semi-attached bubbles.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?item...ue&_ssn=collectibleinvestmentbrokerage&_sop=1

Just wondering where they would get all of these, are they the left-overs from U-grading?

Surely there's more value to them if they stuck a figure in and sold them as partially sealed? (of course disclosing what they had done)

I also remember there being something of Facebook about CIB not doing business with AFA but thanks to Facebook's terrible search function (despite what the podcast said) I can't find it.

 

[plantman]

looks like U grade aftermath

 

[Mr-shifter]

****ing cunts.

That's just spoilt my afternoon.

Cunts

 

[Bonsai_Tree_Ent]

I wouldn't jump to any conclusions, these are good condition cards and bubbles - I think its unlikely that someone would U grade a MOC in this condition just to get a mint loose figure.

 

[ScruffyLookingNH]

****ing cunts.

That's just spoilt my afternoon.

Cunts

I was struggling for the word, thanks for finding it.

There was a dick on FB the other day that had about 50 like this and multiple duplicates. Think he had 5 x Gamorrean Guard cards with partially attached bubbles. Loads of equally dick-like people "liking" the post and asking questions. No better than selling u-graded figures. Worst of all, none were even close to beater status.

 

[Caswellbot]

What's sadder is that nearly all of them look like nice clean cards! even if the bubbles were cracked I'm sure they would have made great filllers for some folk... Lee might be right though.maybe they were removed along time ago.

 

[jedisearcher]

I find it hard to believe that a kid would carefully slice off a bubble like that but I guess there's a small chance they did. Depressing really.

I know people are saying you'd get more for the MOC but there are some complete **** wits out there who'd take a gamble that it came back U90 and (sadly) that would be worth way more than the original MOC, so it's more than possible that they've all been u-graded particularly if they were bought and u-graded before the recent price hikes.

Most of the tards on FB think the sun shines out of this guys backside, and yet he's selling off a ton of U90's. I don't care what people say whether he u-graded stuff himself or not, anyone who has bought a u-grade has supported that sad part of the hobby (particularly as he's bought and is now selling so many).

http://www.ebay.com/sch/k95zt01/m.h...nc&_trksid=m194&ssPageName=STRK:MEFSRCHX:SRCH

 

[jedisearcher]

Actually, now I've seen it's a brokerage handling the sale there's about a 99% chance these have been u-graded and the owner is hiding his tracks by selling them through a 3rd party.

Sad.

 

[steve obi wan]

:evil: :twisted:

 

[olisuds]

I agree with Matt, judging by the condition of the cards and that several are unpunched I wouldn't be surprised if these were damaged stock where either the bubbles weren't attached properly or had become partially unsealed so the figures could be removed.

 

[Grant_C]

****ing cunts.

This.

I believe CIB are AFA

 

[olisuds]

Easy guys! You don't know they are from U-grading and you don't know if AFA or CIB did it.

CIB are not AFA! CIB is Collectible Investment Brokerage (i.e. Tom Derby)

 

[Bonsai_Tree_Ent]

If it was done to U grade then it was an awful financial decision. What's an ESB MOC Lando worth unpunched with clear bubble in comparison to a graded loose figure? Plus factor in the cost to get it graded too, so I think it unlikely that it was a U grade - im curious now though so i'll send CIB a message and ask.

I know that most sellers don't sell graded figures by auction - which strikes me as rather insecure - they prefer to price fix with BIN. But here's an AFA 85 loose Lando that did sell in auction, well described and well photographed - it only achieved £25...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Star-Wars-vintage-loose-1980-Lando-Calrissian-AFA-85-Near-Mint-Plus-/331639749205?hash=item4d3744fa55

 

[tiefighterboy]

These look like the remains of a huge AFA party.

 

[jedisearcher]

If it was done to U grade then it was an awful financial decision. What's an ESB MOC Lando worth unpunched with clear bubble in comparison to a graded loose figure? Plus factor in the cost to get it graded too, so I think it unlikely that it was a U grade - im curious now though so i'll send CIB a message and ask.

I know that most sellers don't sell graded figures by auction - which strikes me as rather insecure - they prefer to price fix with BIN. But here's an AFA 85 loose Lando that did sell in auction, well described and well photographed - it only achieved £25...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Star-Wars-vintage-loose-1980-Lando-Calrissian-AFA-85-Near-Mint-Plus-/331639749205?hash=item4d3744fa55

Prices for an average condition MOC Lando were much less 2 years ago, wheras U grades started high and haven't really increased in the way MOCs have. What might not make sense now might have made perfect sense 2/3/5 years ago.

Here's a crappy figure which happens to have got a U90 and is now worth way, way more than it would be carded.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STAR-WARS...600?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2801c1a470

I know the maths won't make it 100% obvious if every one of these made perfect financial sense but it will for some.

And anyway, why broker these if you aren't hiding something. It's not like selling afew cardbacks is difficult.

 

[ollie]

When you have something U graded do you give up the right to the card back?

If so there's going to be some pissed off U-graders if these fetch strong money (as I suspect they will), at least something good might come out of this! :wink:

 

[waves of light]

So, as a bit of a newbie, let me try to understand this...

These are card backs with partially connected bubbles, which were once MOC with figures. The figures have been removed and graded as untouched to fetch a higher price. That doesn't make sense. Surely a MOC sells better than a single U graded figure, no?

 

[itfciain]

So, as a bit of a newbie, let me try to understand this...

These are card backs with partially connected bubbles, which were once MOC with figures. The figures have been removed and graded as untouched to fetch a higher price. That doesn't make sense. Surely a MOC sells better than a single U graded figure, no?

Worth a read - http://powerofthetoys.com/afa/

And as for the cardbacks, if they have been Ugraded then they will have been returned from AFA, they don't keep them (I guess unless you tell them to throw them away) - there is a well know Ugrader who regularly used to list cardbacks in great condition that had been through this process

 

[waves of light]

Worth a read - http://powerofthetoys.com/afa/

Just finished reading the content in that link. How sad, that pieces of history are being destroyed for the sake of a few extra pennies.

 

[Ross_Barr]

When you have something U graded do you give up the right to the card back?

If so there's going to be some pissed off U-graders if these fetch strong money (as I suspect they will), at least something good might come out of this! :wink:

Thanks to Grant for calling my attention to this thread. Between all the FB groups and the occasional tumbleweeds blowing over at RS that I pay attention to.... , I don't tend to spend as much time on this great forum as it merits.

What Ollie said above is the $1 million (or 644,842 GBP, as the case may be ) question in my mind. I am not a U-grader (far from it), so I don't know the answer for certain based on experience. To use an analogy, however, when I send a MOC in to be graded in a Star Case, AFA always sends that Star Case back to me notwithstanding that it is no longer useful to that MOC as it is now in the AFA case, but the Star Case still has value, so it is sent back as well. Similarly, once the U-grade figure is off the card back, I would assume AFA still sends the card back back to the collector as it still retains value to that owner.

I would be very surprised if AFA / CIB (they are not the same but there are many undeniable business connections among those two entities) keeps the card backs remaining after AFA U-grades figures.

Ross