NGC's Re-grading Skills

Objective: Wanted to see how accurate NGC was regrading coins they had once already graded.

Background: Over the years, I would look for raw and graded coins to fill my albums. If I found a slabbed coin that I liked, I would crack it out and put it in the book. Fast forward 10 years and here I am selling off parts of my collection. One of these collections was my early commemorative set. I sold off all my coins within the set minus a few that I wanted to keep for my own personal enjoyment.

Goal: Resubmit 12 coins that I am keeping and hope that I get the same or higher grade that I had on them. All coins were bought as MS64 so anything higher would be considered better and anything less would be consider worse.

Results: See Below
Original Grade New Grade
1. 1934 Texas Raw MS 63
2. 1935 Texas Raw MS 63
3. 1935D Texas NCG MS 65 MS 65
4. 1935S Texas NGC MS 64 MS 65
5. 1936 Texas Raw MS 65
6. 1936D Texas NGC MS 64 Unc Details
7. 1936S Texas NGC MS 65 MS 65
8. 1937 Texas ANACS MS 64 MS 65
9. 1937D Texas NGC MS 64 UNC Details
10. 1935 Conn NGC MS 64 MS 64
11. 1936D CalPac Expo Raw MS 65
12. 1936D Arkanas NGC MS 64 MS 64

Blue = Better than expected
Red = Worse than expected
Black = Same

Comments: Overall, I received the same or better grades on 2/3 of the coins or 66.5%. I have mixed feelings about the two raw coins that graded 63. Although I am disappointed that they didn't grade at least a 64, I am also happy that they at least graded. I am fairly confident of my grading skills but for those who don't know this coin, it can be a difficult coin to grade due to the busy design. That leaves 2 coins which, as you can imagine, I am extremely disappointed with. I don't know what to do about these two. Maybe crack them out and resubmit or sell and buy fresh.
Out of the 12 total coins that were sent into NGC, NGC originally graded 7 of these, 5 of which came back same or better than expected. That means that 71% of the coins came back favorable. Unfortunately, the two that came back unfavorable were in body bags which is never something you expect, especially since these were previously graded by the same company. Overall, I am pleased with the final results but left contemplating what to do with the two UNC details coins.

 

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Appreciate that you shared your results with us!! This is a good sampling that shows all the ANACS bashers, that you sent in one ANACS graded coin and it came back, re-graded higher. See, you just never know. The ANACS bashers are doing some of us a great service. It's a great opportunity for collectors to get some really good deals on ANACS graded coins, especially the older slabs. I'll be keeping my eyes peeled.

 

Interesting research.

 

Write to NGC and tell them the UNC Details pieces were once holdered as graded by them (send them the cert numbers) and you want to send the pieces back for review service, and imply that you expect at least the same original grade or very close to it up/down in return. Just because they sent it back like this, you don't have to agree with them and it doesn't mean they did their job right either.

 

All they will say is as soon as it was cracked out of the holder the original grade no longer applies

Without seeing the coins you could also argue they got it wrong the first time

 

Just for grins, what era were the original coins from?

 

Unless you complain and ask for a review they will assume they get it right all the time, first time around. In such a subjective matter, it's not worth being complacent when you disagree, especially since you are paying a lot for the service. Joe could also return the pieces for grading and get back different grades than the first two times, without alerting them to his dissatisfaction with the current grades.

They offer review services for a reason and it only helps their census/pop reports to have coins graded problem free. Grading services get back plenty of coins from customers and dealers who are paying a lot for the service and will resubmit until they get what they want anyway. One option is to confront them on the grade, the other is to resubmit without telling them they saw/graded it previously. Accepting what you disagree with, particularly if you know the issue and how to grade it better than the grading companies staff, is something a customer shouldn't have to shoulder.

 

Yes plenty of coins get cracked out for another trip to the grading room when people disagree with the assessment. Sometimes it changes often times it ends up being the same.

I don't know how their grade review works. I know how to do it with PCGS and they have a bit of a prescreaning process to prevent everyone from just sending every coin back who wanted a higher grade.

My point was more that they just won't care what the previous grade was once it has been removed from the holder as they don't know what was done to the coin from that point on.

 

I saw all of these in hand before Joe sent them back in. He submitted them WITH the original certification numbered insert, meaning they saw the original grade.

 

Hmm, all the more puzzling results on those pieces.

 

Is the pictured coin one of the ones that came back UNC details (can't tell if there's a mint mark there)? I don't see anything wrong with it.

 

For curiosity's sake, I'd like to see the UNC Details pieces.

 

No. There is no assurance that the certs matched the coin.

The certs were shunted off to update the pops (having the paper is evidence it's no longer in the slab) and the coin was graded as submitted raw in a flip.

 

Improperly cleaned.

 

This is what I was probably going to do Krispy. Both these coins set me back $40 or so. NGC raised their prices this year so nothing is cheap. I still saved the labels but there is one problem.....one of the labels had the incorrect info on it. It was the 1937D. The label did not have the D on it, and NGC lists it as a 1937P.

 

Exactly, plus there is no real way to prove what I am saying is true. I have pics, but I don't think it would matter. May just be easier to resubmit. Just mad about the $40 they "took" from me.

 

John, actually I didn't. I thought I told you, but at the last minute I decided not to do that so that the graders wouldn't be swayed to go a certain way. I still have the labels though.

 

Fortunately, that was one that came back as the same grade. It is the 36S.