So you are saying that the staples were centered on the spine going thru to the crease of the centerfold but the cut of the pages was such that the panels were encroached by the staples?
Definitely a bindery error that should lessen the grade by at least a full step, I would think. Sounds like that would affect the cover cut in some fashion also unless I'm out of my tree in seeing the accurate picture.
However, opinion here, with older books some defects aren't taken into consideration as much to a demeritus claim as might older books without defects which seem to be considered a step above the average.
Kind of a grading bend in goldenage where less books are readily available in any grade in comparison to the greater abundance of silverage.
So I view the overall rarity of a piece places a book out of the normal precision often used on more common silverage highgrade books. The diff between a vf and f will show itself in the dollars
but say for example a DC Action 300 or a Marvel FF 90 which can be found fairly frequent. The price varience between a fine+ and a vg would be minimal if even taken much into consideration as the dealer is just glad to be able to turn it over.
But take a lesser known to the masses goldenage book like your Black Terror19 and not many dealers come across a copy very often
so if a buyer happens to see one displayed for sale just the rarity of the book alone can propel it above a graded guide price since the guides are just that, a guide, and I love dealers who view them as such and are willing to wheel and deal and put some of the fun back into comic collecting.
Those quality dealers are out there and when I want a particular book I'll sure go to one of those real dealers before going to some mega company's "price is the price and that's how it is" type of retail outfit who are more interested in the commerce and dollar value of everything than the overall love of the field.
If it's just a book I stumble on without it being someplace on my hit list and the dealer wants to play hardball with his book then he can keep it. He'll probably end up holding it thru a couple dozen shows and then put it on ebay, pay the charges and finally end up selling it around the price you offered anyhow.
dang but I got wordy. What time is it anyhow?