Is ICG really as bad as many people say?

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by TylerH, Oct 10, 2018.

  1. Insider

    Insider Talent on loan from...

    Publius2, posted: "I don't want to get in the middle of this fascinating byplay but since ICG's website was mentioned and I had never visited, I did so and got a reply that the site wasn't working. I was amused."

    I was not. Earlier today I tried to get on our site to answer @Lehigh96 using Google and could not!!! Apparently it is still not fixed. I told everyone that PCGS had bribed Google to ban us. :D
     
    Kentucky and MIGuy like this.
  2. Avatar

    Guest User Guest



    to hide this ad.
  3. micbraun

    micbraun coindiccted

    So now this is about a web site? Really guys?
    It works for me... and believe it or not I like sites which are simple to navigate and not cluttered with video clips and animations.
     
    Idoono, -jeffB and MIGuy like this.
  4. MIGuy

    MIGuy Supporter! Supporter

    Obviously PCGS has the highest prices for resale, not really a concern for me as a collector, just a fact. When and if I decide to sell something, maybe I'll consider sending it to PCGS, though I haven't yet, but isn't it fair to say that this is because of their marketing and business promotion, including on social media, more than their grading? From my observation over the years of acquiring slabbed coins, all four of the main TPGS do a good job on grading and authentication - and they all occasionally make mistakes. Characterizing ANACS or ICG as "second rate" because they don't market themselves more and aren't as focused on cutthroat business practices seems silly to me and inaccurate. I guess if your only goal is to resell the coin, PCGS makes the most sense, but if you want a solid opinion on the grade and / or to authenticate, any of the four make sense - and for the money ICG is the best deal out there.

    I'm a professional and ran my own business for a long time, and it was high pressure - that's how I learned to work and that's how I expected people who I employed to work. Eventually I sold my interest, took a year off, and then I continued working for myself - until I was recruited by a big software company. I value the greater quality of my life now, far more than I value the fact that I earned more money when I was killing it 70 plus hours a week at the office. I missed a lot of time with my kids and family that I'll never get back. I also was obsessed with my work and worried all the time, I don't miss that at all. I choose quality of life (and my more than adequate income now) over minor local renown and a larger income. I did that, and it kind of sucked, I won't do it again.
     
    Idoono, Kentucky, fireguy83 and 5 others like this.
  5. CoinCorgi

    CoinCorgi Tell your dog I said hi!

    ICG's website only works in some browsers - for me, it only works in IE 11 or earlier. Chrome, Firefox - nyet!
     
  6. Insider

    Insider Talent on loan from...

    baseball21, posted: "That just sounds silly to supposedly be that in the dark about their companies marketing especially saying that on an online forum."

    Sometimes the truth may be silly to some. I am charged to monitor the chat rooms. I have nothing to do with marketing EXCEPT to make suggestions. I have made several suggestions in the past that would REALLY ROCK THE BOATS but for reasons I already gave they were rejected.

    How about this add for free coin conservation: "YOU HAVEN'T SEEN OUR WORK EITHER! :hilarious::hilarious::hilarious::hilarious:

    "I would also want to see proof to believe this. Business/revenue is different than market share. While business/revenue may have increased market share is likely going down given the fact that PCGS/NGC have been expanding internationally and dominate the growing world coin grading."

    Only your fan boys are interested in what you believe! While new markets increase the pie, it does not change the fact that our pie is increasing.

    "Not to mention if someone were to slab a fake themselves they wouldn't know it so it's much easier to try and point out someone elses mistakes."

    You are misinformed. When a professional authenticator says a coin is genuine and sends it out into the world...millions of wanna-be eyes are looking to prove that opinion is wrong. THAT"S A GOOD THING! FYI, many of the TPGS mistakes have been detected OUTSIDE the grading room by knowledgeable collectors/dealers.

    PS I'm giving you guys a very hard time BECAUSE I respect the both of you. Today I learned about tweets. I may decide to stop posting on all internet forums and only post on the IGC accounts because it will be great for our business! We can have all kinds of good info for collectors. I'll be checking out the other TPGS accounts. THANKS!
     
  7. baseball21

    baseball21 Well-Known Member

    No one said to be involved with it, but to not know something as basic as whether or not your company has a twitter with how much time you spend online is perplexing

    Ah resorting to insults now, great marketing. Anyways doesn't change the fact that once again revenue is different from market share. Say the market is 10 dollars and you get 1 dollar of it, then say the market increases to 100 dollars and you get 5 dollars of it, your business and revenue jumped dramatically but your market share actually decreased.
     
  8. MIGuy

    MIGuy Supporter! Supporter

    Ugh, don't make us sign up for twitter!
     
    -jeffB, Kentucky, longshot and 3 others like this.
  9. micbraun

    micbraun coindiccted

    I use the latest Firefox 83.0 - no problems at all.
     
    MIGuy likes this.
  10. furham

    furham Good Ole Boy

    Some admit to it and others don't.
     
  11. brg5658

    brg5658 Well-Known Member

    No, it is about an image. If ICG doesn't care what their image is (ugly and cheap feeling slabs, ugly website, etc.) - then why would I want to give them my money in hopes that they are actually skilled at their jobs of grading coins?

    I believe there are nice coins in ICG slabs. But, even a blind squirrel occasionally finds a nut. ;)
     
    Insider likes this.
  12. Insider

    Insider Talent on loan from...

    :happy:
     
    micbraun and furham like this.
  13. baseball21

    baseball21 Well-Known Member

    That's not market share and you're trying to change the measure now to something that cant be measured. Petty insults also don't do anything to help your brand in these advertising posts. You can go ahead and add one to the lost forever category since that's such an important measure
     
  14. micbraun

    micbraun coindiccted

    Cheap feeling slabs? Debatable. And what happened to buy the coin not the holder...?
    Ugly website? Nope, it’s ok and it serves its purpose.
     
    Stevearino, MIGuy and furham like this.
  15. brg5658

    brg5658 Well-Known Member

    If I am buying a coin I buy based on the coin. But I would never choose to send coins to ICG for grading and slabbing. To each their own.
     
  16. Insider

    Insider Talent on loan from...

    brg5658, posted: "If I am buying a coin I buy based on the coin. But I would never choose to send coins to ICG for grading and slabbing. To each their own."

    Agree, an the earth continues to turn. ;)
     
    Kentucky and MIGuy like this.
  17. Lehigh96

    Lehigh96 Toning Enthusiast

    You didn't really just say that!
     
    Insider likes this.
  18. Lehigh96

    Lehigh96 Toning Enthusiast

    Skip, this is mostly nonsensical. I pay them to grade my coins, not to whisper sweet nothings in my ear.
     
    Insider and baseball21 like this.
  19. Allan

    Allan Member

    I have coins in all 4 grading services slabs and I like anacs but to me, they have the cheap-feeling slabs
     
  20. Virginian

    Virginian Well-Known Member

    I thought you paid them for their bountiful twitter followers and beautiful website. After all, as someone said . . .

    "There is more to being a good grading company than grading coins."
     
    MIGuy and furham like this.
  21. CamaroDMD

    CamaroDMD [Insert Clever Title] Supporter

    I don't think what he is saying is nonsense...what he is saying is these companies have different missions.

    PCGS is the big grader. They do a ton of marketing, a ton of volume, and basically run the market. Because of their standing, their coins sell for more money. They have turned collectible, subjective coins into a somewhat trade-able commodity. In this way, they are more investment driven

    ICG seems to be more collector focused. They are a smaller company more focused on the collector. I have no doubt I could call ICG and speak with Skip or anyone else who graded my coins and discuss it. I could use them as a resource.

    Both have their place. @Insider has a...err, unique way of discussing here at CT. But, I think he makes a really interesting point.
     
    Stevearino, Insider, Kentucky and 4 others like this.
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page