Why would anyone use ICG grading?

I was browsing eBay looking for graded mercury dimes and came across this under completed listings.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1939-Mercur...=&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

According to numismedia, a 1939 Mercury Dime in MS68 is worth $325. This one sold for $44. I have had some experience with ICG coins before, and it seems like they usually sell for around what PCGS and NGC graded coins are selling for 1 grade lower. My question is why would anyone use ICG to grade their coins? If the person having their coins graded knows that they sell for 1 grade lower, why not just send them to PCGS or NGC. It seems like the only thing that could happen is that they would miss out on PCGS or NGC possibly grading the coin the same as ICG, in which case you would have missed out on ~$275 on this coin. Plus, it is much easier to sell PCGS or NGC graded coins. Why do you guys think people choose ICG to grade their coins?

 

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Cheaper.

 

Wow! Someone got a really great deal.

PCGS price guide lists the price of a 39 Merc MS68 at $300, and NGC/Numismedia lists the price at $325.

 

At one time, truly only during their first year or two of operations, ICG was quite well respected and graded on par with PCGS. This coin may have been graded in that time period.

 

ICG used to be more popular at one time years ago, could be it was graded years ago. It's worth looking at the ICG listings on ebay in hopes of getting a great deal. :thumb: Problem is, a lot of other collectors are aware of this as well.

 

Faster and cheaper than PCGS and NGC and as good a holder in my opinion. Less reliability on grade. My experience was they graded coins conservatively. Randy Campbell is a great guy, I think he was one of their main graders.

 

how much is it per coin to submit to them actualy?

 

NGC - http://www.ngccoin.com/services/services.aspx

PCGS - http://www.pcgs.com/gradinglist.html

 

i meant icg atualy it says on the site 1-4 coins $20 is that twenty dollars each coin or 1-4 coins is twenty all together?

 

That's $20 each.

 

thats to much i rather do pcgs or ngc

 

However, PCGS and NGC require you to join to submit coins yourself.

There are dealers that will submit your coins, for a fee of course.

 

i wish there was a dealer i could give some to submit to but i will in a small town in tennessee

 

I trust ICG's grading of Large Cents, but not much else.

 

I wouldn't say they were on par with PCGS...but there was a time when PCGS and NGC were considered to be the elite graders and ANACS and ICG were closely behind and highly respected. But, those days are long gone and I don't know if there is a way to tell when a particular ICG coin was graded.

 

If you go to NGCs website there is a dealer locater that will show you any authorized dealers in Tennessee that you can submit coins through. That's how I found the only one in NH that I plan on submitting coins through very soon.

 

ICG is no longer in business anyway... I would never send a coin to them.

 

???

http://www.icgcoin.com/

 

I heard from a few people that ANACs bought them out last year. Maybe they were wrong. I hadn't heard about until Long Beach so I found it surprising too