"Very Good" Definition on NK • Collecting General • The Acaeum

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"Very Good" Definition on NK
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gvaughn1
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Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 2:19 am

Hello - I'm looking at a module that is in VG condition on Noble Knight. Here is their definition:
VG Very Good. Used. May have medium sized creases, scuff marks, very small stain, etc. Complete and very useable.

Question: has anyone ordered a VG module from NK before? The description above sounds a little scary. I've heard excellent things in general about KN, but curious specifically if this will be a "decent, collectible quality item?"

Or should I hold out for something in Fine/VF?

Doug Williams
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Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 7:37 am

Condition grading is very subjective. Some people/businesses are very strict, some less so, some noob sellers on eBay have no idea and call virtually everything "near mint". I may or may not have ordered anything from NK in the past (can't remember). I can tell you that I've been mostly satisfied with the condition grading from The Dragon's Trove.

As for "Very Good".....I consider a fairly graded "VG" item to be the very bottom end of what I would consider "collectable". I personally tend to avoid buying "VG" items, unless I want a play copy, and try to hold out for a "Fine" or better. YMMV.

bbarsh
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Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 7:47 am

It is more about your expectation than their grading. If you are looking for an item in collectable condition, then you are taking a gamble with anything described as VG.
KN is a class act, for the record. But I would not extrapolate a VG beyond what it really is.

And I could've bought these damn modules off the 1$ rack!!!

New modules for your Old School game http://pacesettergames.com/

Everything Pacesetter at http://pacesettergames.blog.com/

Gnat the Beggar
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Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 7:49 am

Aree with the above.

And a large sized scan/picture (or five) is worth a whole stack of grading conventions.
Not the all too common postage stamp sized photo, or the dreaded STOCK photo!

But a detailed description to match those scans/pictures is worth ten thousand grading conventions.

If this is going to be a collectable, then go for items described as Fine or better.
If it is just a place holder/reading/playing copy then it wont matter.

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Kingofpain89
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Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 8:29 am

If you want specifics about an item or are looking for better photos/scans, just email them. I have done so in the past and always received an email back from them within 24 hours with very detailed information regarding my inquiry.

By the way....who the heck is KN?

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killjoy32
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Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 9:23 am

Kingofpain89 wrote:If you want specifics about an item or are looking for better photos/scans, just email them. I have done so in the past and always received an email back from them within 24 hours with very detailed information regarding my inquiry.

By the way....who the heck is KN?

agree. i have enquired about things a few times and they are pretty good at keeping you posted about things.

Al

Are we nearly there yet?

TheHistorian
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Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 9:36 am

Yeah, Aaron has always answered questions for me without problem. I haven't asked for pics of anything, but I'd be surprised if they wouldn't provide them.

Areas of interest/knowledge: Harn, WFRP, Ars Magica, anything BRP based such as CoC, Runequest, Pendragon and all their related games

bbarsh
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Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 9:44 am

Kingofpain89 wrote:
By the way....who the heck is KN?

Call it dyslexic typing, John! Looking forward to having you as a player in one of my games next year at NTRPG :twisted:

And I could've bought these damn modules off the 1$ rack!!!

New modules for your Old School game http://pacesettergames.com/

Everything Pacesetter at http://pacesettergames.blog.com/

gvaughn1
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Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 9:50 am

Everyone - thanks! I'll email them and ask a more specific questions.

Traveller
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Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 11:44 am

Doug Williams wrote:Condition grading is very subjective. Some people/businesses are very strict, some less so, some noob sellers on eBay have no idea and call virtually everything "near mint". I may or may not have ordered anything from NK in the past (can't remember). I can tell you that I've been mostly satisfied with the condition grading from The Dragon's Trove.

As for "Very Good".....I consider a fairly graded "VG" item to be the very bottom end of what I would consider "collectable". I personally tend to avoid buying "VG" items, unless I want a play copy, and try to hold out for a "Fine" or better. YMMV.

And then there is Cougarrinard, king of "VGC". It could be shredded and he'd still claim it was "VGC".

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Mars
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Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 12:35 pm

I don't really care much for these types of grading as they don't tend to have much consistent meaning. Lots of people want to claim their items are NM or even Mint even though there are visible signs of wear etc. In most official grading scales, most items direct from the publisher do not meet a "Mint" standard.

When you get down to a level of "very good" it is generally a crap shoot on what you are getting. As with most resellers, NK does not post actual photos of the item but its good to hear that they will give you a more accurate description of the item upon request. Troll & Toad are notoriously bad for this - box "may or may not be" missing flaps, included, complete, etc and basically zero communication.

Also, in general, you will get a better condition item from Ebay or smaller sellers for your money. If I could get the prices that NK was asking for stuff, I would probably sell half of my collection.

simon
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Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 2:37 pm

If I see VGC I think a decent neat enough copy for gaming but not for collecting. So all depends on what you want it for.

Oh yeah and the coug 'VGC':)

copycat
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Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 2:55 pm

In my experience, items ordered from Noble Knight have been in better condition than described in the listing, or at least better than what I would have graded them had I been the one to sell. Then again, I am one of those stupid people and don't like the normal condition system where somehow Fine means better than Good. Not to me... Fine means "meh, it's not crap."

Those who can, don't. Those who should not, do.

dwarf
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Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 6:16 am

I bought many times at Nobleknight, and never been disappointed.
I think they are accurate on the classification. But until now I bought to them only Excellent or Near mint items, and they were effectively excellent to Near mint, often in a better condition that I thought. So I do not know what is a VG item at NBK but I guess that it's a good and complete copy. Probably first collectible stage. I appreciate the fact that NBKT gives condition for both the cover and the interior.

Doug Williams
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Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 12:42 pm

serleran wrote:In my experience, items ordered from Noble Knight have been in better condition than described in the listing, or at least better than what I would have graded them had I been the one to sell. Then again, I am one of those stupid people and don't like the normal condition system where somehow Fine means better than Good. Not to me... Fine means "meh, it's not crap."

Think of it like wine. Would you rather have "good" wine or "fine" wine? ;-)

Coming from a comic book collecting background, I tend to grade D&D collectables just like I would a comic book. BTW, "Excellent" is not a grade in the comic book world, although I see it occasionally in D&D grading.

Poor = Complete Crap
Fair = Crap
Good = Ok for a play or reading copy
Very Good = Bottom end collectable
Fine = Nice looking copy, collectable
Very Fine = Better than fine, not as good as Near Mint
Near Mint = This is what most brand new items should be graded
Mint = Perfect, no flaws whatosever. Most brand new items are not Mint.
SW = Covered in plastic wrap. May be a pile of crap when you unwrap it.

copycat
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Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 2:10 pm

Think of it like wine. Would you rather have "good" wine or "fine" wine?

Neither.

Those who can, don't. Those who should not, do.

Doug Williams
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Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 2:56 pm

serleran wrote:
Neither.

Barbarian.

copycat
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Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 3:54 pm

If it means I don't have to eat something that has spoiled and rotted, I guess that makes me the uncivilized one... so, yeah, gladly. Heh.

*rages and calls his horde*

Those who can, don't. Those who should not, do.

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