ICG Grading Standards

I was at a coin show over the weekend, with roughly 90% maybe more of the raw coins over $200 being "traps" in terms of overpriced or overgraded, problem coins, etc.. Not even ICG would put most of those coins in numeric holders without noting issues.

But if you need an extra point in type gold or have a slider in one of the other better grading services, ICG will likely give you the better grade.

 

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If all grading companies can randomly fluctuate in grading by a point up or down, then it reasons that even if ICG over-grades that they are occasionally right on. However their slabs always sell for less, so I think they can be bargains due to them scaring people away just based on the slab.

 

Let's say that ICG is more liberal than PCGS and NGC. It would be a good thing to quantify this in the form of an experiment or test. According to one dealer I spoke with yesterday, the difference is 1 point at most. I think another dealer said 1 to 2 points. Yet, it seems sometimes ICG slabbed coins are selling as if they are 3 or more points off. I remember I once paid about $250 for a 1921 MS63 Peace dollar graded by ICG, though it lacked luster. Assuming ICG was off by 1 or 2 points, or even 3 points, it was a bargain. I doubt ICG is off by more than 3 points.

 

Definitely they are better than raw coins of which there are some pretty egregious examples at coin shows and on the internet.

They have a FAQ here: http://www.icgcoin.com/about/faq/

What strikes me about it is how open and honest they are and accessible, unlike some of the grading services which can be pretty arrogant, snooty, snobbish, etc., which is the opposite of the way Randy Campbell is.

 

Skip Fazzari joined ICG as a grader from NGC, I'm not sure how this will affect operations or how they grade. Also I saw that a Mr. M. Jaffe signed for a package there recently, I'm not sure if that was one of those from the former National Gold Ex. operation, same city and street.

 

In comic books, CGC (NGC's comics division) slabs over-inflate values of unremarkable books pretty substantially, in my opinion.

Wondering if that's true for NGC and PCGS grading? For some coins on eBay, ICG MS70 slabs cost almost 1/5 of what the same coin in an NGC or PCGS holder costs.

Any opinions on if coins are actually DEFLATED in value due to the ICG holder?

I have seen coins going for more just because they are in a black NGC holder, which I think is completely insane. So obviously there are collectors buying the holder. I just don't want to pay $250 (NGC) for a $69 (ICG) coin just because the slab is fashionable.

 

I bought one that I liked and got a great price on. I even think it might be cameo but not sure. It is borderline. I paid a very fair price for a coin, albeit with milk spots but those are common.

I am very pleased with it. Like someone said, if selling no ICG, if buying check the coin.

 

How so? I have read that they switched but ANACS and ICG were 2nd tier, what changed?

I have been looking for one on Kennedy's. I get coin world and have a few older issues but I would like to read that specific issue. Any idea's?

 

Seems like determining a perfect coin would be just about the easiest grade to assign accurately. "Doh! There's an imperfection, not a 70."

 

Isn't the title oxymoronic? ICG Grading standards? You mean, they actually had standards? Seriously, most of their coins are grossly misgraded. However, some very nice coins can be had in ICG holders, as they were wrong a majority of the time, but not always. They also tend to sell for a lot less than PCGS and NCG equivalents, so bargains are to be had.

 

here is some of my coins i recently grade at ICG ( PLEASE WRITE YOUR OPINION)
i think they are very conservative on world coins & medals as PCGS and ANACS , NGC lately make a lot of mistake with labels & grades and also they refuse to grade many other world coins for auth, questions - i think they have no time to spend learn more ..

 

what about if it a ultra rare problem coin ?? for example 1927 2 kopeks

 

some people dont really care if coin were cleaned or other problem they want real coin

 

From what I can tell , from the angled pics is the 64 coin seems right . But could you take a pic with the coin straight on .

 

If anything, I'm sure we can all agree that nothing is the same as it once used to be (cars, coins, subjective opinions) and that it was different prior to that, as well. I don't think subjective opinions were ever the same. Thinking logically, opinions should change, should vary and should constantly evolve. After all, they are opinions.

Maybe the reason ICG slabs sell for less, is that they are butt ugly.

I dislike ICG so much, that I just decided to pick up a couple of toned half dollars in the newer (no front bar code) green label slabs.

I guess we all need to make a purchase related decision, once in a while. Are we buying the coin in the slab, the slab itself, the meek coin show sales pitch, the TPG opinion or the opinion of one of the many CT members?

 

Nice to see they grade details coins as details coins, especially if they have environmental damage or if the surface has been, to put it gently, Europeanized with a cloth or brush.

I think the country of origin, with their coins, should lead the way with their own learn-ed experience, grading, authentication. If, in fact, it's not too much to learn for the Russians, Chinese, East Europeans, etc.. I guess they are happy keeping their coins in the formerly Polish, now Indian or misc., PCG. Such a vast region should have its own reputable TPG, so that a collector of their coins, shouldn't have to complain about the US TPG services, every time he/she sends in foreign questionable coins.

That is the best EF40 I've ever seen. It might even be an AU, if you squint.
http://www.ebay.in/itm/INDIA-BRITIS...3724232?pt=IN_Coins_Notes&hash=item3ce23d9448

Learn-ed individuals providing learn-ed grades for learn-ed collectors in Asia and Eastern Europe. Maybe they can spend more time and learn more. What do you think?
http://www.pcggrading.in/