Certification Companies: Which One?

Hello! I primarily collect coins but have a piece of currency that I need to have authenticated and graded. I understand there are two primary companies that do this: PCGS and PNG. Are they both equally reputable? Either one more desired when selling? Major cost differences? Any other pros/cons?
Thanks!

 

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I like PMG. Like their labels better, like their encapsulation. I think they are both equally good at grading and I don't think one has an edge over the other. But if you only have one note, you will have to find a dealer to submit it for you and that will cost you more in his fee, grading fee, shipping to and back. If I am not mistaken, there is a 5 note minimum just like sending in coins to be graded.

 

I prefer PMG, too. They are an affiliate of NGC.

Chris

 

My latest submissions have been to PMG...let's see what you have.

 

Show us a picture of your note. We love pictures

 

This is $100 Gold Certificate, series 1928.
Backstory: A family friend found this along with a bag of coins (mostly junk silver and some Whitman Folders of cents, dimes, and nickels) with her late husband's possessions. She thinks it belonged to his father and from what I can tell the coin collection was assembled from circulation in the late 1950s and 1960s.

If this bill checks out it would be the most valuable thing in the lot, so I'd like to submit it for grading and authentication. Any thoughts from anyone about it? Had a hard time photographing the reverse of the bill.

 

That's a nice note I'm not a paper expert but I'd say it is VF20 maybe a little better but still a nice note. Price range (this is not an offer) between $400 and $500 JMHO. I really hope the experts have a say just to see where I'm at. Thanks for sharing

 

Nice $100 Gold Cert. Would probably grade VF25 with a notation about the mark on the face.

Perfect candidate for a note doctor. In the hands of an unscrupulous eBayer, this note would clean up dramatically. The mark on the face would disappear, the years of dirt and grime would melt away, and with the right photography, they would make this note appear as an XF45.

I like it just the way it is Mike.

 

Thanks for your feedback and thoughts. It has been really fun to look over a collection that isn't mine!

 

as a member of both camps and putting everything as equal i believe PCGS has the
Better quality holder, PMG,S new holder in my opinion isnt as solid

 

I am going to respectfully disagree with you on this one Rusty.

PCGS uses a glossy paper label folded over the top of their holder. I once bought a PCGS graded note, and the seller had placed a price/inventory sticker on the back of the holder at the top. Try getting a sticker off of the PCGS label without ruining it. Not the same with PMG. The label is protected inside the upper portion of the holder. I also like that PMG is now using a clear holder. The older PMG holders had a slight tint.

Take a PCGS holder and a PMG holder, put them in a bucket of water and let them sit there overnight, and tell me which holder you would rather have. Just my opinion.

 

Basically what iam talking about is the materials being used i have roughly 100 graded PCGS notes in both there first generation holder (which were in a single word crap!!) you could easily damage the note inside if your weren,t careful, (here are some Examples) of all and you can decide for yourself

 

First Generation PCGS (Crap"Ola)

 

The Mil on the holder is less then on the new ones, if you accedentley sat on this
Note it would be ruined, avoid this holder !

 

Here,s an example of the current PCGS holder, good quality Mil encasement
I like it if there is a draw back its that the note isnt completely sealed and
Moisture could get in, but there has always been the argument about the lack
of oxygen/air to the note causing it to degrade inside the holder not sure how
Much science is behind that however

 

Heres an example of a first generation PMG holder dont like the way they put
the note in a sepperate holder though looks cheesy !

 

And here is what i dont like about PMG.s latest offereing

 

Here,s a disney dollar i just bought because the Mil is so light the holder actually is
bent and to top it off the note is basically swimming in the holder, if this was taken
out it would not regrade 66 way to wavy