Professional grading services. Who would you use?

im not sure about your question. but i am a buyer of coins and let me just say this. that i only buy graded coins if they are from PCGS or NGC
 

PCGS, NGC, and ANACS are the only three I would use. The industry opinions rank them

#1 PCGS
#2 NGC
#3 ANACS

If you Google those 3 together and include the term "accuracy" it will come up with some articles you can read to get further info.

There are some types of coins that ANACS will do that the others won't so they may be your only choice.
 

FredCobol said:
PCGS, NGC, and ANACS are the only three I would use. The industry opinions rank them

#1 PCGS
#2 NGC
#3 ANACS

If you Google those 3 together and include the term "accuracy" it will come up with some articles you can read to get further info.

There are some types of coins that ANACS will do that the others won't so they may be your only choice.
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Agreed !!! I have sent coins to NGC and ANACS.


VPR
 

The only problem in using those 3 is the cost to get them graded. Big coin dealers sent out many at a time and get great deals. For the average guy, you can pay $30+ just to get 1 coin certified. If your token is only worth $60, it is no longer worth certifying it. I have used PCI for many years and they are affordable and dependable. They will not cost you an arm and a leg to get a certification. Tokens I think are around $15 each and you do not need a membership to certify with them. PCGS and NGC are the best but you need to join and it is not free. If you have high priced coins, use them. If not, use PCI. I do not like ANACS.
 

don't use ANACS! They returned a coin to me ungraded and kept my money. They gave some B.S. reason for no grade. Use PCGS or NGC.
Or try PCI if not a high value token or coin.
 

All good points, but as a recent article I read points out the fact that someone has now started a certification service that will certify that PCGS and NGC coins really grade what the label says. The article goes on to say that this is basically an admission that even within PCGS and NGC an MS65 is not necessarily another persons version of an MS65.

In the 40 or so years that I've been involved with coins the grades have moved at least a full grade. Things I bought as VF are now considered XF. things I bought as XF are now AU and several of my AU washingtons are now considered BU by folks I have shown them too.

Good for me since I finished up the basic sets years ago and the overall average grade has gone up:).

The bottom line is still - learn to grade for yourself. A grade on a slab is just someones opinion of that coin for that day and time.
 

waseeker said:
All good points, but as a recent article I read points out the fact that someone has now started a certification service that will certify that PCGS and NGC coins really grade what the label says. The article goes on to say that this is basically an admission that even within PCGS and NGC an MS65 is not necessarily another persons version of an MS65.

In the 40 or so years that I've been involved with coins the grades have moved at least a full grade. Things I bought as VF are now considered XF. things I bought as XF are now AU and several of my AU washingtons are now considered BU by folks I have shown them too.

Good for me since I finished up the basic sets years ago and the overall average grade has gone up:).

The bottom line is still - learn to grade for yourself. A grade on a slab is just someones opinion of that coin for that day and time.
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Very true. I remember in the mid 90's people were buying up all the "old" PCGS slabs, breaking them out and resending them in for the higher grades.
 

oldplacesnofinds said:
The only problem in using those 3 is the cost to get them graded. Big coin dealers sent out many at a time and get great deals. For the average guy, you can pay $30+ just to get 1 coin certified. If your token is only worth $60, it is no longer worth certifying it. I have used PCI for many years and they are affordable and dependable. They will not cost you an arm and a leg to get a certification. Tokens I think are around $15 each and you do not need a membership to certify with them. PCGS and NGC are the best but you need to join and it is not free. If you have high priced coins, use them. If not, use PCI. I do not like ANACS.
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You do not have to be a member get a coin graded by PCGS or NGC. You can find local coin shops that are PCGS or NGC members that will submit them for you. They are listed on the PCGS and NGC website. However you are correct that it is not cheap. It is really only cost effective for higher value coins.
 

Everyone is making great points!!! 8)

There are a couple more aspect of coin grading that I would like to mention:
- The coin grading company is not just grading the coin. It is certifying that the coin is authentic.
- PCGS and NGC will reject "problem coins". ANACS will grade some problem coins but the holder will list the problems such as "cleaned","scratched","corroded",...

Grades are based on opinion and do vary. Even higher grade coins can be UGLY!!!! There is a saying that you need to remember when buying certified coins: "Buy the coin, not the holder"
 

Ditto on PCGS, NGC, and ANACS, in that order. Stay as far away from PCI as humanly possible. Just my opinion.... ;)
 

Jeffro said:
Ditto on PCGS, NGC, and ANACS, in that order. Stay as far away from PCI as humanly possible. Just my opinion.... ;)
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Everyone will have their own version of what to use and what not to use. PCI is an excellent "gentlemans" coin collectors certifier. PCI will not certify fake coins, PCI will certify your damaged coins, corroded coins, cleaned coins. Which really is a plus. Take that woman that found the chain cent in her garden. PCGS and NGC would take your money and send the coin back in a body bag. PCI would give it a red label, showing it is damaged, and give you a grade. If this is what you want, use PCI. I have never had a problem with PCI for all the years I have used them. They also get your coin back to you in a fraction of the time. The other groups could take you over a month or more. Yes, coin dealers will send them out for you but I have not met one that will do it for free. So in a sense, you do have to join or pay someone to do it for you. Either way, more money. Trust me, for your everyday coins worth $250 or less, send them to PCI. If they are worth more, send them to PCGS or NGC. Anacs is not consistant. My professional opinion. PCI also has monthly deals if you join there monthly email posts. They only send you one a month.
 

Just what coins and tokens do you have? This would make a difference whether it is worth having them certified, and which service is best.
 

I agree,PPCGS is the best.Im a member and they charge me $19.00 each to grade coins.I would be happy to send out any coins anybody has to have graded for 20.00 each.I hope this helps...just PM me and let me know.
 

DOCC77 said:
I agree,PPCGS is the best.Im a member and they charge me $19.00 each to grade coins.I would be happy to send out any coins anybody has to have graded for 20.00 each.I hope this helps...just PM me and let me know.
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Does that cover the shipping and insurance? I know that the certification companys kill you with the shipping charges unless you send out a bunch. Something like this, for a coin worth $300 in your opinion, $19 to certify, $12 to insure, $2 to ship, and this is just to get it back to you. You still have to pay shipping and insurance to get it to them which could be around $5 depending on how you ship it. So that is almost $40 to get your coin certified. Am I off base with PCGS charges? It had been awhile since I used them.
 

well I do have to add in return shipping they go by the total cost of the coins and what you value them at.All Im offering the members here is a little bit better way to get them graded and not get screwed from some of these "vulture" coin shops....
 

oldplacesnofinds said:
Jeffro said:
Ditto on PCGS, NGC, and ANACS, in that order. Stay as far away from PCI as humanly possible. Just my opinion.... ;)
Click to expand...

Everyone will have their own version of what to use and what not to use. PCI is an excellent "gentlemans" coin collectors certifier. PCI will not certify fake coins, PCI will certify your damaged coins, corroded coins, cleaned coins. Which really is a plus. Take that woman that found the chain cent in her garden. PCGS and NGC would take your money and send the coin back in a body bag. PCI would give it a red label, showing it is damaged, and give you a grade. If this is what you want, use PCI. I have never had a problem with PCI for all the years I have used them. They also get your coin back to you in a fraction of the time. The other groups could take you over a month or more. Yes, coin dealers will send them out for you but I have not met one that will do it for free. So in a sense, you do have to join or pay someone to do it for you. Either way, more money. Trust me, for your everyday coins worth $250 or less, send them to PCI. If they are worth more, send them to PCGS or NGC. Anacs is not consistant. My professional opinion. PCI also has monthly deals if you join there monthly email posts. They only send you one a month.
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Every single coin I have bought or seen- every single one- was way overgraded by PCI. Try selling one sometime..... very lucky if you can get your money back. They're cheap for a reason.......


Look up any PCI coin on Ebay. Either zero bids or way under the book price. You'll see what I mean. ;) Crapola.
 

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