A Perfect Grading Service....

So last week a dealer whom I`m friends with finally received back some coins that the two of Us had submitted to PCGS almost 3 months prior. (I was waiting for a 1884 O Morgan that has a nice blue ring on the obverse) My friend had submitted a variety of coins and was not pleased with the extremely slow delivery. (despite numerous calls that seem to have fallen on deaf ears at PCGS) This got Us talking about what a grading service should be.

The first thing is a no brainer......customer service. This should be a key focal point of any business, yet seemed to be missing at PCGS. Week after week they responded the same way....."Your coins are on schedule to be graded." Hearing this 2 months after submitting the coins was getting quite lame. I would of settled for something a little more creative at that point.

The second thing that I have a problem with TPGs is simply their approach to grading bullion. I have owned and seen so many MS 69 Eagles with noticeable nicks and scratches......who the hell is grading them? Stevie Wonder? But there is a flip side to that coin as well......the MS 69s that appear to have NO issues. Can someone tell me why the TPGs can`t even tell the paying customer as to why the coin is a 69 and not a 70? At least steer me in the right direction and say...."Issue with reverse" or with obverse. I don`t and would not expect this with other coins, but bullion....YES.

The third problem I have with the TPGs is the lack of variety regarding their slabs. Let me say that I don`t feel honored to see a "limited issue" sticker, or for that matter a "retro holder." With the money that PCGS and NGC are making they can afford to give their clients some variety. Things like different colored stickers. Slabs in some different translucent colors would take off fast. All of this would of course be extra and add to the grading fees, but I personally would pay around $45 for a custom slab for some of my coins. (especially translucent blue and red slabs) These things could be matched up online before the purchase is even made.....thousands of sites offer something similar when purchasing a product with color options. (You heard it here)

I apologize to those whom I have bored with my rant, as I`m sure others have said things of the like in the past. I however have never been one to roll over for bad service that continues to ignore the customer. I understand the volume that the TPGs do and who their bread and butter is, but that does not mean that the rest of Us have to be silent about it.

 

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I avoid the whole gambit of TPG’er marketing, different labels, first strike ……….. you name it. Never have submitted a coin, but have bought certified when a guaranty of authenticity is an advantage and some high grade moderns when premiums are low (much less than the cost of certification). Otherwise, I prefer a raw or ogp coin. Since you notice often flawed TPG’er opinions, sounds like you can grade for yourself or buy accurately graded coins.

 

Well, you could try their "express grading"... however, that appears to be hit or miss also:
http://www.cointalk.com/threads/pcgs-express.236002/
In recent months I've noticed a few CT members have proposed starting their own grading service. I'm sure turnaround time would be a lot faster, lol.

 

i used to submit alot of coins to NGC before they changed to the overlaping prong edge view nonsense, i hate these slabs! but the customer service was always A+. as for PCGS i never used them, who wants to wait 3 months for a submission? but with all the ridiculous labels, inflated fees, and gimmicks now i doubt i will be using a TPG anytime soon.

 

I should of clarified a few things better in my op.....regarding the issue of an explanation of the grade......I strictly meant bullion. This explanation could be sent back with the coin itself.....with no need for an explanation over the phone. (Nobody should expect the poor secretaries to vouch for the graders)

Second, regarding the waiting.....I realize that certain times of the year are going to be more hectic than others, but don`t say that coins can be graded in 30 days or less, charge the customer, and then take almost 3 months. I get the whole "estimation" wording, as it covers their behinds, but don`t mislead people. I guess if I wanted my coin back in 30 days or less I should of opted for the walkthrough option.

 

You know how many Monster boxes they get in January? They'd still be writing explanations.

 

Now there is an oxymoron for you, the "Frequently" Asked Questions section is "Rarely" used

 

Reckon they need more competition to ramp up their service.

 

NGC turns around economies for me within a month sometimes a week or so better than that; early birds usually come back within a couple of weeks. With all the money PCGS is making why can't they speed up the process. Some of us are out of work, so why not get a bunch of collectors on the bus to Irvine and help them out from time to time? They seem to be a lot slower, another reason I have not submitted to PCGS for a while. I wonder if any collectors have literally died waiting for their submissions to get done.

 

Another GDJMSP post I'm saving...

Taken to school AGAIN...

 

See Dougs answer about temps. I doubt very many collectors would qualify as a PCGS grader. And I doubt they would put up with Doug.

 

In my years at this, I keep hearing the same thing. PCGS is slow or really fast at times. Same with NGC. It's what it is and probably will not change.

I'm not willing to pay the bucks to get a coin back really fast unless it's part of a deal that needs a quick TPG opinion.

Doug nailed the temp. idea. Tough to do.