Please Explain PCGS Grading Fees!

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by iPen, Nov 5, 2015.

  1. iPen

    iPen Well-Known Member

    I've purchased slabbed coins before but I've yet to submit any coins to any of the TPGs. I'm strongly considering PCGS to grade some of my 20th century classic commemorative silver coins, along with one of my late 18th century British coins (my avatar). Three coins are worth less than $300 each, and one is less than $3,000.

    I'm debating whether or not it's worth it to get the Gold membership to get the four free submissions (I know that there are other benefits to a PCGS membership, but let's isolate the free submissions benefit only, as traveling down to the various coin shows are a bit too expensive for me to consider). Here's the cost breakdown I have for 4 coin submissions for the two options I'm considering, silver and gold. From what I can tell, it appears that Gold membership is the best value when submitting 4 coins.... Please let me know if I'm missing anything and thanks in advance!

    PCGS Gold
    - Gold Membership: $149
    - Return Shipping: $20.95
    - Handling Fee (?): $10 x 4 = $40.00 (Does Gold membership cover the handling fee?)
    - World Coin Secure Shipment: $5 (If I have one world coin and the rest are US coins, do I need to add the secure fee to all of the coins regardless of where they're from?)

    Total
    $174.95
    or $214.95 with handling fee



    PCGS Silver
    - Silver Membership: $69
    - Economy Grading Service: $20 x 3 = $60
    - Regular Grading Service: $32 x 1 = $32
    - Handling Fee: $10 x 4 = $40
    - Return Shipping: $20.95
    - World Coin Secure Shipment: $5 (If I have one world coin and the rest are US coins, do I need to add the secure fee to all of the coins regardless of where they're from? I'm guessing no, but you never know...)

    Total
    $221.95


    Other Costs
    - Initial Shipping to PCGS (Insured and Tracked)


    Other Questions and Notes:

    1. If I mistake the value of a coin and one of them is worth more than $300, will PCGS simply charge my credit card? Or, what will happen?

    2. 2 ½" x 2 ½" mylar flips for each coin, no doubling up

    3. Quarterly special does not apply to the silver commemorative coins, so this benefit doesn't do much for the 4 coins I want to submit.

    4. Anything else?


    Source
    http://www.pcgs.com/servicesandfees/
     
    Last edited: Nov 5, 2015
  2. Avatar

    Guest User Guest



    to hide this ad.
  3. dwhiz

    dwhiz Collector Supporter

    When in doubt just call them they are nice people
    (800) 447-8848
     
    tommyc03 and green18 like this.
  4. KoinJester

    KoinJester Well-Known Member

    $8 paperwork fee
     
  5. Treashunt

    Treashunt The Other Frank

    With the Gold, don't you get 4 free slabs?

    oops, I think you calculated that in there.
     
  6. Jaelus

    Jaelus The Hungarian Antiquarian Supporter

    The value you assign to the coin is merely used for insurance purposes on the return shipment. They're not going to mess with what you put down.

    Why PCGS over NGC? NGC is much better for world coins.
     
  7. iPen

    iPen Well-Known Member

    I don't want to pay for two different memberships for one world coin.
     
  8. Jaelus

    Jaelus The Hungarian Antiquarian Supporter

    I agree, but why PCGS as your one membership instead of NGC? NGC has better customer service, they're good for classic US (better than PCGS for some series), and hands down better for world coins. The only thing PCGS has them on is moderns really.
     
    brg5658 likes this.
  9. Jaelus

    Jaelus The Hungarian Antiquarian Supporter

    On another note, if I'm reading correctly, you're intending to use your voucher to cross multiple submissions. You can't do that (NGC doesn't let you do that either by the way). You have to use your voucher for ONE submission, so you can't mix US and world together on your voucher.
     
  10. ToughCOINS

    ToughCOINS Dealer Member Moderator

    You've also figured on PCGS charging you a $10 handling fee for each coin. The handling fee applies only once for each submission (each form).
     
    tommyc03 and Jaelus like this.
  11. iPen

    iPen Well-Known Member

    Does the Gold membership's 4 free coin submissions cover the handling fee?
     
  12. ToughCOINS

    ToughCOINS Dealer Member Moderator

     
  13. Jaelus

    Jaelus The Hungarian Antiquarian Supporter

    The PCGS website leads me to believe that you still have to pay the submission (handling) fee, but you can include additional coins on the same submission that are not covered by the voucher. The NGC voucher covers 5 submissions and includes the submission fee, but you can't include additional coins on the submission. Neither company covers shipping/insurance fees since these are actual costs they pass on to you.
     
  14. brg5658

    brg5658 Well-Known Member

    If you really want to go with PCGS, why not just submit through a trusted dealer? As others have noted you have to submit four coins of one invoice type to use the "free gradings" (which aren't free at all...they are why you are paying for a membership...they are included in the membership fee is a better and more honest way of stating it).

    Seems you would get little if any actual benefit of being a member with submission privileges if you plan to submit nothing beyond these 4 coins.

    Just my opinion...
     
  15. brg5658

    brg5658 Well-Known Member

    PS - your avatar coin is 19th century, not 18th. ;)
     
  16. iPen

    iPen Well-Known Member

    That's right - I always wondered why they didn't just say "0th" century. We skip over from 1st century BC to the 1st century AD and forget the math. Pure convention.
     
  17. iPen

    iPen Well-Known Member

    How much does a dealer typically charge?
     
  18. iPen

    iPen Well-Known Member

    So, if I'm understanding correctly, the total would be as shown below for 5 coins (4 US commemorative silver coins and 1 world coin). And, I take it that I can submit the 1 additional (world) coin along with the 4 free voucher coins.

    PCGS Gold

    - Gold Membership: $149
    - Return Shipping: $20.95
    - Handling Fee: $10
    - World Coin Regular: $20
    - World Coin Secure Shipment: $5

    Total
    $204.95 + Initial Insured Shipment to PCGS (Probably around $10-15)

    So, effectively, it'll cost me $44 per coin shipped both ways. Yikes!

    Gold doesn't seem to be worth it if you're an avid collector. I think Platinum is the way to go, with its 8 free coin gradings. And, diamond is at 8... why?? It should jump to 15 to make it more appealing.
     
  19. miedbe7

    miedbe7 Wayward Collector

    I think you'd have to do 2 submission forms, which means two handling fees and two return shipping fees. The problem is you can only have one service level per form. The voucher would be US/Regular tier. The second service level would be World/Secure/and whatever you want, Economy,Regular,Express, etc. Anyone else picking up what I'm putting down? granted I've only done 2 submissions myself.
     
  20. pennsteve

    pennsteve Well-Known Member

    Because the first century started at 1 and ended at 100. The year 101 was the start of the second century and went to 200. The year 201 was the start of the third century, etc etc etc. They didn't skip any centuries. A lot of people (pretty much everyone) celebrated the millennium on new years eve 1999 that brought in 2000, but in reality the new millennium didn't actually begin until 2001.
     
    Last edited: Nov 5, 2015
  21. brg5658

    brg5658 Well-Known Member

    If you have a relationship with a dealer who submits regularly (i.e., you buy from his store on a semi-regular basis), they will often submit coins for customers for the split cost of shipping (usually way cheaper than submitting on your own), and the actual costs of grading and encapsulation. Some other dealers may charge an additional per coin or per submission "convenience" fee. You'd just have to ask around at your local dealers.

    I know a few collectors and dealers here on these boards have also very kindly allowed others to piggy back on their submissions before.
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page