COMIC BOOK PRESSING FAQ
Can pressing a comic book damage it or shorten its life span?
Can books already graded and encapsulated be pressed?
Do books ever grade lower after pressing?
The short answer is no – not if done correctly. There are people pressing books with insufficient knowledge using very aggressive methods. Pressing using excessive heat, pressure, moisture and/or time can cause damage.
IS PRESSING CONSIDERED RESTORATION?
Yes. There are advantages and disadvantages to pressing books that are already professionally graded. Since a thorough restoration check has already been done there is much smaller chance of the book coming back unexpectedly as restored. However, evaluating a book’s upgrade potential from pressing is more difficult as it is being done through two layers of plastic. Books are not removed from the holder for this evaluation. They are only removed once it has been determined there is a good chance for improvement.
None of the comic gradining companies consider dry cleaning nor pressing to be restoration.
Can you press books with Signatures?
Yes, it can happen with books that were already professionally graded. It is not that the appearance of the book did not improve. Rather it is that over the years grading standards on certain defects change subtly. For instance the impact on grade for the tanning of covers has varied over the years. A reduction in grade is also possible when “cross grading” or sending formally PGX graded books to CBCS / CGC and vice versa. While they are similar, all treat certain defects differently. While many CBCS, CGC & PGX graded books can be pressed and resubmitted for higher grades, an occasional disappointment is the risk you take with pressing and resubmitting books already professionally graded.
Yes, books with signatures can be safely pressed.