Why am I noticing a trend where PCGS slabbed coins bring a higher premium than NGC or other slabbed coins of the same grade? I have done some searches on the internet and read a few articles in which sadly, none of them provide me the answer. They all seem to be bias to personal preference with no factual substance to point to a reason why. If you do some deeper digging, you can find articles where people have pulled, for an example, a MS 65 coin from a NGC slab and sent it to PCGS for grading and it comes back MS 64. Is grading all a matter of personal opinion? Does PCGS hold higher standards or employ more seasoned graders or have higher criteria? As an investor, does going through or only purchasing PCGS coins seem to be the best investment for your dollar in the future?
Because they do, and have for many years. The gap is just growing if anything at this point just like CAC coins will bring more at well. PCGS/CAC>NGC/CAC>PCGS>NGC If its a 30 dollar coin it doesnt really matter, if its 300 dollar coin it does matter and if its a 3k coin it absolutely matters. The more expensive the coin or the greater the price jump from the next grade down the more you will see the difference between the two. Long story short even if you say they grade equally (NGC is more likely to give a better grade on an ugly coin thats technically strong which hurts them overall) PCGS has the better holder which most people prefer. I dont make the market nor do I have any influence on it but auctions and sales prices will reinforce this time and time again
This question comes up all the time and this discussion is a well beaten path. It seems to be a Ford vs Chevy argument. If you pay attention over the years, you'll see the same graders leave PCGS to go work at NGC or vice versa. I think right now there may be some newer graders that may be a bit more timid to assign higher grades or are quick to assign AU details cleaned these days. Just what I've seen. Could be wrong. Grading is an imperfect process. There are some series that are easier to grade than others. For example if you cracked out MS-64 through 67 Oregon trail commemoratives or MS-63 to 65 $10 gold Indian eagles and mixed them on a table raw and had to separate them again for a cash prize, GOOD LUCK. Once a high grade is achieved it's never getting cracked out again. Where as many lower, MS grades are probably submitted multiple times hoping for an upgrade. Anyway, I would say most of the slabs at the ANA WF show were PCGS but NGC was not uncommon. It's difficult to tell which was the most represented. Both companies were present for submissions there. I can say I do not trust one over the other and have seen sketchiness out there regardless of the company. They're equal in my eyes but someone may come along to explain why ones better. Not worth stewing about for me.
You might find the post at the link below interesting in proposing why PCGS remains the dominant company for US coins. As to why it became dominant in the first place, I dunno. Could be as simple as the fact PCGS was founded a year earlier than NGC. Cal https://www.cointalk.com/threads/mo...ate-for-older-more-valuable-u-s-coins.367629/
Its country specific. Auction results show that time and time again that many countries prefer PCGS while others prefer NGC. Japan, Australia, Mexico, GB, China just to name a few prefer PCGS, eastern Europe is NGC for sure
That's true, and some countries prefer (or hold on equal footing) other TPGs as well (like ICG for Canada). It is also somewhat nuanced for US coins, for example VAMs with ANACS. I also prefer NGC for early US where the variety attribution is important (especially when the variety affects grading).
Canada is definitely in its own world when it comes to that, which I believe does hold their market back. ANACS is great if you want every single VAM done, realistically if PCGS/NGC dont do that VAM its not something that adds value though. Their specials are great though for those sub 75 dollar coins that just arent worth the higher fees. I wish theyd bring back the dollar and cents special as that ones always really popular with cheaper morgans, theyve been doing the buffalo nickel one for months now
