Very satisfied with ICG

Discussion in 'US Coins Forum' started by Owle, Feb 14, 2023.

  1. Owle

    Owle Junior Member

    I've sent coins to ICG over the years and generally quite satisfied with their service. This is an example of a smaller company that can deliver things the larger ones can't. Fast turn-arounds, some of the top numismatic professionals in grading, reasonable pricing, highly responsive customer service as well.

    As popular as NGC and PCGS are for high end coins, they are slow and tend to be expensive.
     
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  3. Paddy54

    Paddy54 Well-Known Member

    The issue is on the selling end.. as most dealers are only interested in NGC or PCGS when purchasing...most will discount a coin or specimen in an Anacs,ICG.etc...
    To each their own I tend to bust out more coins these days than sending in for grading.
    Yes I know you buy the coin not the slab... most dealers are only interested in turn over at a profit.
    That said they want what is most popular with their customer base. Which is NGC & PCGS
     
  4. Mr.Q

    Mr.Q Well-Known Member

    I personally prefer ANACS. I have not used the others for more than two years now and I am happy with that. To each his own and I respect that also.
     
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  5. charley

    charley Well-Known Member


    And....CACG
     
  6. charley

    charley Well-Known Member


    You are a Junior member. That is a wise choice, for now, and you can build and learn on the experience.

    The added benefit for you, as a member of CT., is one of the very experienced graders that is @ ICG is an active member here, and will help you with numismatic questions (and I would hope PMs) concerning your pieces graded by ICG.

    It is important that you have a love of artistry and color and emojis and word (in place of face) slapping, though. He is quite efficient in utilizing his abilities in all 4 categories, to explain and/or discuss the query you may present.
     
  7. charley

    charley Well-Known Member

    PS:
    Can you inform us what the ICG grader that is a member here "gifted" you for your review? Anything less than 5 free submittals is in the cheapskate category, IMHO.
     
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  8. lardan

    lardan Supporter! Supporter

    In 2022 I bought 4 Anacs coins and 4 ICG coins. I have to say I am very pleased and it did save me some money. IGC is only about five miles from my house. I thought it was further, but pretty close by. I would like to see their reputation increase. I was always told PCGS graded coins usually sell a bit higher than NCG, is that still true (if it ever was)?
     
    Mr.Q likes this.
  9. charley

    charley Well-Known Member

    NGC, and it certainly depends on the coin at any given time in any given venue (including world coins).

    These days, there are so many variables in deciding the bestest of the bestest, that any definitive answer will lead to a Champion Debate Forum (OVER AN OVER AND OVER...), with a little prejudice and a LOT of storytelling mixed in.
     
    Mr.Q likes this.
  10. Jack D. Young

    Jack D. Young Well-Known Member

    I actually use all of the “top 4” TPG’s as each has its niche in my experience.

    PCGS is acknowledged as the top slab to sell in the Marketplace and I use them for any of my higher value coins. They are to my knowledge the only one of the top 4 who guarantee their assigned variety attribution, which is important for rare varieties like early copper (I collect low grade early large cents). Also in my experience PCGS is a little more lenient on slightly “cleaned” examples.

    I own a number of countermarked coins and find NGC to be good certifying and slabbing them by Roland #. They don’t guarantee their variety attribution so I don’t send them varieties to certify. They are tougher on suspected cleaned coins in my opinion as well.

    ANACS is actually really good with early copper and variety attributions but they only guarantee them to the extent they will correct the label and reholder at no cost- a problem if you bought an expensive misattributed coin! I do send them any problem early copper for their slab. They are less expensive but also valued below PCGS and NGC in the marketplace.

    ICG is cool in that they offer an “educational/ counterfeit” holder- the only one of the top 4 and I believe in the industry. I have a number of examples in these holders for education and sharing. ICG is also very good at determining and attributing fakes and I recommend them if there is any doubt in your mind your example is genuine. They are also competitively priced for certification and I have some cool countermarked coins in their slabs.

    All 4 guarantee authenticity, which is a key to me in the current climate of the hobby- there are many very deceptive counterfeits out there and the guarantee can be very important…
     
  11. Kentucky

    Kentucky Supporter! Supporter

    How do they "guarantee" it? Buy back?
     
  12. Jack D. Young

    Jack D. Young Well-Known Member

    Yes.
     
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  13. Collecting Nut

    Collecting Nut Borderline Hoarder

    My LCS only wants PCGS and NGC graded coins. Whatever he sends in he sends it to NGC. PCGS does bring higher prices for the most part. It all really depends on the coin. I’ve bought PCGS graded coins for $5.00 or slightly less and they had graded of MS-64 or better.

    I have slabbed coins by all TPG’s and probably some you’ve never heard of. I buy the coin, not the slab. Just yesterday I bought a nice ANACS coin from my LCS. He does sell a few but mostly he’ll break them out and sends to NGC.

    We have a great member here on CT that works for ICG and he is very helpful to us. He’s honest and you may not want to hear the truth but with him, you will, even if you disagree.
     
  14. mpcusa

    mpcusa "Official C.T. TROLL SWEEPER"

    Its a personal preference, however if you looking to maximize value you should
    send it to PCGS or second to NGC these are the most recognized in the the coin
    grading industry, ANACS and IGC coins sell for less same grade slab to slab as
    far as turn around time, your going to keep the coin for awhile so the really
    shouldn't be part of the conversation.

    For me its always been PCGS and PCGS only !
     
  15. imrich

    imrich Supporter! Supporter

    I've been using TPG services since they were first publicly offered, and have tried all.

    I specifically dealt in high value scarce coins, offering coins in Numismatic publications.

    My primary clients were of ethnicity known for their tenacity and shrewd trading techniques, spending hours trying to negotiate a reduction of a similar PCGS coin to that of an NGC, even though the difference was only a minor 2 digit amount.

    We usually split the difference!

    The only time I can remember a PCGS similar coin having a general price same as NGC was when they had legal trading problems.

    I generally found the second tier TPG services equal or better than the first tier, all factors considered.

    I no longer will directly submit to first tier TPG, because of their grading practices, and have experienced dealers who attend all major shows to buy my first tier 1977 Copyright A.N.A. standard coins.

    The first tier TPG are grading MS67 on some coins that wouldn't meet 1977 MS60 standard.

    The current find for this week is a 1910-S $20 PCGS MS62 CAC - OGH, that will regrade PCGS MS65, or CAC MS64 in the future.

    Last weeks' coin was a 1923-D $20 PCGS MS64 CAC that will regrade PCGS MS67, or CAC MS66 in the future.

    JMHO
     
    Last edited: Feb 14, 2023
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  16. mpcusa

    mpcusa "Official C.T. TROLL SWEEPER"

    I am sure you will agree that PCGS coins sell for more money, thats not a secret
    the only arena where NGC would have an advantage is with the Ancients as
    thats pretty much the only game in town.
     
    imrich likes this.
  17. micbraun

    micbraun coindiccted

    NGC is an excellent choice for ancients, world coins and coin conservation.
     
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  18. micbraun

    micbraun coindiccted

    Maybe he just wanted to share his positive experience…?
     
  19. desertgem

    desertgem Senior Errer Collecktor

    Since you are a member of CoinTalk, you can get a discount. Here is the answer when I asked earlier in the year . Regular cost $15 a coin.

    " now $12 but now a $3 savings per coin. Return Postage went up to $25 for 1-10 coins and $30 for 11-20 coins."

    And yes he knows his coins ( especially his "gifted area ) and the turn around is much faster that the other companies I have used. You have to mention his name on the form you download from ICG if you want the discount so he knows you are from COINTALK.

    Jim
     
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  20. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    I believe NGC does not offer an ironclad guarantee of authenticity on Ancients but also will not slab anything in that category where they feel they can’t determine it.

    (I’ve had it happen, on a coin which was likely genuine but which had some file marks on part of the edge which caused an element of doubt. They didn’t declare it fake but it came back in an “authenticity unverifiable” bodybag.)

    So though it’s not a 100% guarantee on Ancients at NGC, you do still get a professional opinion and thereby another layer of protection.
     
  21. Jack D. Young

    Jack D. Young Well-Known Member

    Sorry, I was only considering US coins... As I stated I collect early copper- thanks for the clarification on "ancients"!
     
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