Thread: NGC vs. PCGS

I voted PCGS. Pretty much all I buy.

Also I think the new NGC slabs scratch horribly. I know that sounds weird but the more of them I photograph the less I like them. I think their latest slab was a downgrade in plastic.

I look at them both as pretty much equals. I honestly don't have a preference. I have send in 2 coins to be grade...both were sent to PCGS simply because the dealer I went through didn't submit much to NGC.

NGC is the worst out of all the grading companies in my opinion. PCGS is better, but still not very consistent. I think ANACS is the best.

I TRY to buy on the coin not the holder.... but NGC holders are just soo much more attractive and the edgeview ones pushed that to yet another level. so in the end I think ive got 1 PCGS and about 15 NGC lol NGC it is!

Originally Posted by CHAMELEON

NGC is the worst out of all the grading companies in my opinion. PCGS is better, but still not very consistent. I think ANACS is the best.

Bernie,

Care to expand on that opinion. In other words WHY

I try to stay with PCGS because NGC allows you to register PCGS coins on their Set Registry, and that way I can have coins on both Registries (PCGS & NGC). If that makes any sense lol

PCGS. For what I collect, they are more consistent. I may be one of the few, but I do like the new NGC holders.

Originally Posted by Lehigh96

Bernie,

Care to expand on that opinion. In other words WHY

Who's Bernie? I'm Martin.

I could write a book about all the problems I've had with NGC. NGC slabs more AT coins than any other TPG. I've seen 30+ AT coins that they graded, and gave a * designation to at least a dozen of them. They don't give *'s to a whole lot of coins that deserve them though. They don't know how to grade either. I sent in two nickels in the same submission, and one came back as MS-66 & the other was MS-64. The one that was graded MS-66 was actually more like MS-63/64, and the one graded MS-64 was more like MS-67. I compared the coins side by side and the grades made no sense at all. I've cracked out about a dozen NGC coins and sent them back, and not a single one came back with the same grade. They have no consistency whatsoever. I spoke with one of the so called "expert" graders there and he told me that they graded a Morgan dollar I sent in MS-63* because it had so much eye appeal, even though it was more like MS-61/62. He said that had the coin been white, it never would have been graded that high. WTF? Isn't that what the * designation is for? So if you send in a coin with dark toning that is really MS-68, they'll grade it MS-64 because it doesn't have great eye appeal? I couldn't believe the guy just came right out and told me they knowingly graded my coin incorrectly because they liked the toning on it. NGC is a joke. I could give you 100 other reasons why NGC sucks, but I don't have the time to type it all.

PCGS is much better at giving a coin a grade that is close to the condition of the coin, but they still lack a good deal of consistency as well. I've seen a lot of PCGS coins in MS-64 holders that are actually a much higher grade than other coins in MS-66 holders. Because of a highly skilled coin doctor that has recently (past year or two) dumped a large amount of AT coins into the market, PCGS has become ridiculously tough on toned coins. They are real quick to bag toners because of this guy's coins. He does a damn good job of AT'ing, and PCGS hasn't figured out how to tell the difference between his doctoring and the real deal yet. Both NGC and PCGS have graded a lot of this guy's coins. NGC gave a lot of them stars too.

I've never used ANACS, but I think they are the best. Their grades are usually pretty consistent with the condition of the coins they hold (more so than NGC or PCGS in my opinion). I can only think of 1 AT coin I've ever seen in an ANACS holder, and it was one of the real old small holders. I've seen 30+ AT coins in NGC holders, and close to a dozen in PCGS holders. That could be because they grade more coins than ANACS, but having seen only 1 in an ANACS holder gives ANACS a lot more credibility in my book. I've read hundreds of posts in various forums where people complained about the results of their submissions with NGC & PCGS, but I can't think of ever hearing one complaint about ANACS. They only charge $10 bucks a coin, and are more consistent with their standards of grading from what I've seen.

The other guys charge close to $20 per coin, and there's no telling how they will grade them. I've had them come back graded 2 points too high, and up to 3-4 too low with NGC. Also, I've had way too many NT coins get bagged with NGC & PCGS (or coins with no problems get bagged for reasons that did not apply to the coin). NGC took a half dollar out of a government sealed cello and bagged it for "improper cleaning". Say what?! I spoke to the person that graded it and he told me to send it back and he'd look at it again. I did, and then he bagged it for "artificial toning". Like I said before, I could keep going on and on about NGC. I'll wrap it up now though.

Grading is subjective. Anyone who expects consistency from subjective judgments is setting themselves up for disappointment, IMO.

Personally, I could care less between the two companies (for all but RD/RB copper) because their opinions often vary wildly from my own opinion -- and in the end it is my opinion that matters.

Respectfully...Mike

Originally Posted by Leadfoot

Grading is subjective. Anyone who expects consistency from subjective judgments is setting themselves up for disappointment, IMO.

Personally, I could care less between the two companies (for all but RD/RB copper) because their opinions often vary wildly from my own opinion -- and in the end it is my opinion that matters.

Respectfully...Mike

+1 mike! like I said I try to buy on the coin not the holder but ive def had some NGC coins that I think to my self... wtf how did this score pf70... I would give it a 67.

IMHO the ABSOLUTE best grading company is ICCS, I buy all the ICCS maple privys I come across and have NEVER been disappointed. their 67 is NGC and PCGS's 70. Amazingly conservative! 5 thumbs up, 10 stars, cant say enough good things about them, just wish they had a website.

NGC or
PCGS?

what?

Which do I like to buy?
Sell?

Like the grading?

Hate the grading?

more conservative grading?

More liberal grading?

easier to get CAC'd?

Higher grades for Toning?
Lower grades for toning?


see:
How could anyone vote on this question?

Originally Posted by boxerchip

IMHO the ABSOLUTE best grading company is ICCS...5 thumbs up, 10 stars, cant say enough good things about them, just wish they had a website.

Ohhhhhhhhhh.... kay.......

No website, eh ?

I spoke to the person that graded it and he told me to send it back and he'd look at it again.
CHAMELEON


I've had many coins graded by NGC. I never knew that you could talk to the grader that graded your coin. If the grader did not grade it the way you think it should have been, then why have him grade it again ?

Personally, I have had much faster turnaround time with NGC. I feel they are more consistent.

I have had excellent customer service from both.

NGC also gets a big edge by giving submission privileges to ANA members. PCGS membership fees are steep.

Another biggie... variety attribution. NGC charges $10, PCGS $24. Ouch !

Originally Posted by 900fine

Ohhhhhhhhhh.... kay.......

No website, eh ?

http://www.coincommunity.com/forum/t...TOPIC_ID=37233

Read up on them man.... I promise you, they are not like American grading companies that do the eye appeal bull****, they grade coins like its a science. Most conservative, best grading company around (again imho) if I could send all my coins to them I would.

ICCS contact info:
2010 Yonge Street
Ste 202
Toronto, Ontorio
Canada M4S 1Z9
Phone 416-488-8620
Fax 416-488-6371

If you would like, when I get home from work ill post some high res pics of some coins they graded and you can judge them for yourself. They blow PCGS and NGC out of the water.