What is the deal with CGC grading?

I would love to hear a bit more about why CGC can DRASTICALLY increase the value of a comic book. I have a certified local bookstore (which would be great, no shipping) and I would love to see if I could have my comic books of worth CGC graded.

I would like some informed opinions about whether this is worth it, especially if the much-needed money could help bring in new comic books. I would assume that first printing issue one variants and fathom direct sales are worth quite a bit of money (eBay listings tell me that). Do you have any advice?

Be careful in choosing what you get graded, both the importance of the issue and the quality you think the book will be. I've sent in some books that I thought would grade very high and ended up with 9.2-9.6. Not bad but I thought they'd be 9.8. Grading can get expensive (shipping) and if it's not a very high grade + a book people are looking for it may not be worth it.

It's certified instead of some average comic book store dork slapping a uneducated grade on it.

I think it is worth it for key books. But nothing else.

Don't you basically end up with a cover incased in plastic? You never want to ever look at anything but the cover it's good but if you ever look at it it can increase the value but a lot more than what you pay to get it gradded?

The reason the value skyrockets is because people are stupid.

Grading comics (or toys) is insurance for the buyer. It does not increase the value of the comic itself. A grade X comic is a grade X comic whether CGC has said it or not. If a comic that is grade X generally sells for $100, and you pay $20 to have it graded, a reasonable price is $120 to get for that comic - the value of a grade X plus the cost of insuring that it really is grade X.

The idea that a grade X comic without a plastic cover is worth $100 and one with the cover is worth 2 or 3 times or more is simply ridiculous. I wrote an article saying that 14 years ago, so this is a particularly old and nasty dead horse I'm beating.

Here is what I have found with a CGC graded comics: If you have a graded comic (key issue, 1st appearance etc) by CGC 8.0-9.4 or higher you can expect to get a premium price from a dealer simply because the Comic Guide have these grades listed in the values sections--are they subjective?--yes but those are the values one can expect to command. The dealer/purchaser will naturally offer less because they want to make a profit. Any book graded higher than 9.4 (9.6-10.0) can command higher prices--also subjective and based on rarity, importance of issue etc.--if the market will bear. There are so many variables, current economy is a big factor as well.

I personally would not bother with any comic since 1980 with the exception of TMNT 1-4 1st prints, and Walking Dead 1 (1st print)--just my perspective tho. Good luck.