I guess I do not have enough experience to post replies to threads lest I originated them. So here is one which I am sure gets discused ad nauseum Comments on comparing lower level grades G6-VF35 or so, for PCGS vs PMG (and CGA if desired) Is it fair to assume they grades are "equivalent", or is the "magic PCGS premium" in effect?
Personally, I feel anything less than AU you are basically getting the authentication. I feel low grade is low grade no matter which TPG it is.
Buy the note, not the holder. I favour one TPG for currency, and even they mess arp occasionally. I tend to trust myself and what I like over what someone else thinks or does, which IMHO is what collecting should be about.
+1 I agree with the others Also notice that each TPG have their own unique grading scales and they are not interchangeable: PMG Grading Scale PCGS Grading Scale
I will give you my opinion as other,s have voiced there,s when it comes to collecting Or investing in paper money you will find the two top tier companies PCGS or PMG I have found there grading to be the most consistent and you can usually cross Grade here with no problem and get an identical grade, i have yet to send in anything To CGA so i cant really comment on them. And from my experience you want a company that grades just as good from the Bottom to the top, i currently have a PCGS registry set going so that is very important To me! Also remember there are some notes that dont even make high grades so you will need A company that knows what there doing there as well!
Thanks. I make it a point to get graded notes/coins if I spend over a certain amount for them. That takes care of the authenticity and provides what I hope is a more acceptable opinion than mine to ensure the price is fair. The links to the criteria are most helpful. I was not aware that there could be a VF20 or 25 type with pinholes, and have now confirmed the 2 fold lines max for an AU grade (3 folds= XF) rule of thumb I am not sure I have the eye to tell a 63 from a 64, 64 from 65 or 66 etc., and thus stay away from that region (I can not justify the extra $ if I can not see why someone would pay it), though I am sure others can (ie alignment/centering, etc) All in all, the paper grade criteria appears to be more objective than that for coins, which is a good thing. Does anybody know the timeline for the CGA issues? I have heard it has changed hands, serious conflict of interest issues, and lawsuits. Unfortunately, I can not see a correlation between date of grade and TPG serial # which could be used to isolate a time period where the grading may have been suspect. This would, I suspect, apply to all TPGs equally, and be very telling, hence the desire for all TPG not to have a correlation between said # (not the note's S/N) and the date
You can Google it but the best way to tell is by a blue star on the back of the CGA note This tells you that has been graded under the new ownership!
Rusty is right on the money. Just flip the holder over, and if you see a big STAR beside the CGA Certification number, you can rest assurred that the note was graded AFTER CGA Notes was sold from Jess Lipka to John Spinelli, (2009). I talk with John regularly on the phone for advise, and met him for the first time at FUN in Tampa......a VERY knowleadgable gentleman, and generous with his time.
