"Independent" Third Party Grading Services

sgsgrading>>>

 

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I meant it as a compliment. I think you have a future in hand modeling, that is, unless you don't have "self control" like George Costanzas predecessor. He won a contest.

 

LOL.. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA


Beware of MS 70 coins graded by SGS

Published by
paulr7
After reading the article about the problem with over-grading Coin grading services such as NNC and SGS, it reminded me of my purchase experience on EBAY.

The coins that I bid on and won were a date and mint run of Washington Quarters 1950-D through 1959-D. All graded by SGS as MS 70!! I really knew they couldn't be, but it was worth the $30 gamble to see. Up until then I had not heard of SGS. Upon receipt of the coins, I gave them a quick visual. With over 40 years as a coin collector/investor/speculater and concentrating on Washington Quarters, I knew at a glance they definely were not MS 70!

Out of 10 coins received, they all ranged from MS 62 to MS 64 ( only one was a 64). Of course I sent them back for a full refund, minus shipping both ways.

As to NNC, I had never bought a coin from them until a few days ago. Again as an experiment, I bought a 1963 DCAM Proof 69 Quarter. Now don't get too excited! I only paid $15 for it. I am yet to receive it. It was mailed yesterday per the seller. It did look real good in picture on EBAY. I expect it to probably grade a 66 or 67. In DCAM 67 PCGS list for $100. I will probably send it to NGC. I will let this thread know what the regrade turns out to be if I don't send it back to the seller first.

The coin came back yesterday. I was astounded! NGC graded it Proof 65 Cameo!!! Down 4 grades and a lower Cameo designation! Talking about conservative! What a difference! The coin looked pretty good to me, but....! I don't want to say which grading service they are working for but Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder must be grading at one of them! Maybe both! LOL Now the question is do I send the same coin to PCGS??? [Chuckle]

I guess the crux of this review is be very careful and remember,"If the coin in question is such a high end coin why is it not being sold to the big dealers that you see in the publications for 10's or 100's of thousands of dollars??? 'til next review

Regards Paul

 

Does anybody have an old Blanchard slab? I used to have piles of them when they were selling common uncirculated Morgans for ten bucks a pop. I guess I traded them all off or cracked them out over the years, but it would be fun to find one.

 

That signature of mine hasn't been updated for some time now. I'm actually up to 155 companies now.

I think the strangest one I have seen was a grading service that simply put the coin in a 2X2 holder, added a label, and ran it through a laminating machine. They even used that as a selling point claiming you could "crack it out" with just a pair of scissors.

Another good one was a service that used three large sheets of plexiglass like Capital Plastics uses with the coins in holes in the center section. But instead of using screws or rivits to hold the three layers together they used and adhesive. Then they cut the "slabs" out of the plexiglass sheets with a bandsaw and used a belt sander to bevel the edges of the slab. Unfortunately I can't remember the name of the company off the top of my head at the moment. Oh they also graded currency. For those they used a standard currency holder, stuck a label inside with the note, and then sealed the top edge of the holder closed, apparently with a soldering iron.

 

I also have had a coin graded by that company. A 1982 George Washington Commrative Half Dollar graded MS-65..... think I still have it in the holder too.

 

@Conder101 do you have your complete list somewhere online that you could link to?

 

That is incredible. I would love to see a collage of these "slabs" (especially the zingers), like a gallery to go through. I like a good laugh now and then.

 

A complete list no, but this is a list of 143 of them I posted on Coin Community back in Oct 2013.

A-Mark
ACC
ACCS
Accugrade
ACCGS
ACGS (American)
ACGS (Australian)
AGA
AGI
AGS (Advanced)
AGS (American)
ANAAB
ANACS
ANICS
ANL
ARC
ASA
BCGS
BLANCHARD
CCGC
CCGS
CGA
CGC
CGCGS
CGGA
COINLAND
COMPUGRADE
CRC
CSA
CTGS
DCGS (Digital)
DCGS (Distinctive)
EAC
ENGS
ErrTrends
eSLAB
FCS
FSC
FTGS
GCS
GCGS
GEM
GGC
GLGS
GSA
HALLMARK (currency)
HALLMARK
HCGS
HOLT
HMV
ICCS
ICG
ICGS
ICI
ICS
IGA
IGS
IGSI
INC
INGS
INL
INS
IRI
JNDA
LCG
MCCS
MCGC
MEGS
MGS
MMNS (MNS)
MonExpert
MPGS
MTB
NANC
NANCS
NCCA
NCG
NCG
NCI
NECA
NES
NFC
NGC
NGCC
NGCS
NGS
NGS
NIC
NLG
NNC
NNCS
NSCGS
NTC
Numex
OCC
Paramount
PCGA
PCGA
PCGS
PCC
PCI
PCS
PGCS
PGS
Photo Seal
PMG
PNG
PNGS
PNGL
PPGS
RCGS
S&G
SAGCE
SCGS
SDGS
SEGS
SGS
Silvertowne
TCGS
TCTS
TGS
TMM
TruGrade
Tulving
UNC
Unknown
USGCO
USGCS
USGS
USNS
USRCGT
USTI
WCCS
WCG
WCGS
Webcoinage
WMP
WWCG

 

Like that old commercial of the guy painting the Kansas City Chiefs endzone for the game...."hey that looks great, but who are the Chefs?"

 

Another oddball that was purchased today.

 

ICGS! That was the knock-off slab I had, and cracked out. Still have the paper tag that was in it.

 

He ought to see his trainer and get that deep cut on the eyebrow stitched-up before it gets infected. Looks like he caught one heck of a real wallop there.

 

IRI - Investment Rarities - my favorite part is the $1,000,000 grading guarantee

 

Wonder if they're still in business ? $1,000,000 guarantee Cool !!!!! Looks like they got the grade right , even for a poorly struck New Orleans Morgan . I do like how they have the grade molded in the plastic .

 

I just had a brilliant idea. I could start my own grading service, and for every coin that I "grade", I could start a "whats the grade" thread/survey. Whatever grade gets the most votes is what I would grade it. That way it would at least be halfway close! ha!

 

About 6 years ago I cracked out a few common Saints from MS65 IRI holders and they PCGS graded 65's just as stated on the IRI label . When I say crack I should say pry and tear and should have taken them to a bansaw because they were really hard to get the coins out of.

 

When I am reading your signature, am I reading it correctly in that you have "x" number of different companies (your above list) and "y" total of each different companies different versions/iterations of slabs (ie, PCGS' new waterproof version would count as 1)? If so, first, that is incredible and I tip my hat to you. Second, if it is something you have already in a spreadsheet, could you put a "count" next to each companies name? I am curious to see if ones I recognize hit a critical mass to a relative degree and found it profitable to improve upon their first generation, and decided to release a 2.0, etc, etc. I am also curious to see how the big two rate, and maybe 3-4 others I have seen somewhat frequently. If it's something you readily have available and are willing to share of course.

*edit* Hope I get this before you reply. I am willing to bet there are a whoooooole lot with just one. Are you finding that with your collection so far? How do you decide which coin to buy in these slabs? Is it, whatever is in the new companies slab when you come across it and hopefully it isn't too expensive?

 

Some really neat, if not cheesey slabs here. This is one instance where "collect the slab and not the coin" comes into play. How interesting would a collection of crumby cheap coins in all the slabs Conder listed be? I'd vote that exhibit 'best in show'.

 

Here's mine: