TPG: ANACS Winter Warmer

I'm an ANACS member, so I get their emails. Today, this was the pitch:

"Now, here is the deal for you: Through the month of February, you can extend the Dollars & Cents pricing to any U.S. Mint coins."

This seems like a reasonably priced way to get my feet wet in slabbing; I've got Dollars, but the Cents have no interest for me. In between, however, I have a good variety of US silver, along with a single Quarter Eagle; their offer to opt for attribution, imaging, and conservation with this deal, all at their regular prices, also seems to be an opportunity long avoided out of ignorance.

What does attribution mean in context of 19th & 20th C US coins? And, is imaging a service that involves some digitized storage of pics of the obverse and reverse of each of my coins, in addition to the grading?

I think I understand conservation to mean the most gentle removal of minor blemishes that will yield to the process...not to be at all confused with cleaning, and not necessarily undertaken on every coin submitted. I think (perhaps erroneously) all three of the extra options are priced by the batch, in this case minimum of ten coins, none of $500 value or higher. I'm not afraid of 'body bag' returns, either...though I will select my ten as well as I'm able to avoid such embarrassment.

Have any of you used these 'special offers'? Have you got horror stories, or high praise, for ANACS? Would a consensus agree that this is an OK idea, or that I should avoid this offer?

 

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Attribution is if you have a variety or error that you want noted on the slab, i.e., "Type B Reverse" or "FS-801"

Imaging means they take pictures of your coin for you.

 

I've used them twice recently. First was the "10 for $100" and I got it back two weeks before their estimate date. (nice!)

Second was a "Free two submissions for Insiders" winter special. Took an extra week after their estimated date.

 

OK...so if I haven't noted any variety or error in my request, it doesn't get noted? Or can I just ask for such notation if justified?

 

If you don't mark on the form that you want it researched or attributed (and pay for it), they won't do it. You can ask them to find out if there is a variety or error on the coin, which will cost you the higher of the two fees (I think there is a research fee and a verification fee. Verification is when you know what it is and you want them to agree, research is when you have no idea and you ask them to find out.)

(Edited on 2/19 to correct a dyslexic/late night explanation)

 

I'd say PCGS and NGC are generally considered the top two TPG, and people have their preferences for either. Kind of like Chevy vs Ford. ANACS is usually considered third, above ICG, but will attribute many, many varieties that PCGS and NGC will not touch.

 

Thanks...very helpful, particularly the research/verification definition!
I've heard about the TPG rankings, but as I'm not really after VAM or error info, the price seems OK for starters.

They won't get what I know are my best pieces right out of the box...or (depending on results of this little experiment) maybe ever.

 

Glad I could help. Another perk of ANACS is that you don't need to pay any subscription fee to submit coins.

NGC you can submit yourself, if you have a paid ANA membership. But that costs money.

PCGS you have to be a dealer to submit. I think you can apply for a membership - not sure what the cost is. I personally don't enjoy paying someone for the right to pay them to do a service.

Some coin shops will submit coins to PCGS for you, but will charge you an arm and a leg...I heard the LCS quote someone $40 a coin plus shipping. I feel like that would add up really, really quickly.

 

You can join PCGS at different levels. At the $200 level you get 8 coins graded for free. You still pay for postage both ways and a small order fee. I'm always shocked over how high the postage is.

 

I think you might have this backwards.

 

I recently did the 2 coins for free offer. I sent a 1941-S Walking Liberty and a 1964 Proof Kennedy. The Kennedy came back Proof 66 and the Walker was graded AU-58.
Overall I'm happy with the results.

 

You are ABSOLUTELY correct. Wow. Must have been up too late!
I'm editing the original post so no one else reads it and gets confused.

 

I agree...they are not considered a reputable TPG and thus don't really add anything to the coin. I'd not waste my money on them.

 

I feel like I'd disagree with them being a waste of money, if only for the fact that they will attribute varieties that NGC and PCGS are too indifferent to look up. I know that ANACS has reputable people attribute/verify them (James Wiles has attributed the ones I've sent them.) I just feel like that is a valuable service and Mr. Wiles is trustworthy...I mean, he literally "wrote the book."

 

The 2 coins I sent in to ANACS were graded for free.

 

It seems like some people just have to accept the fact that there are folks who actually like ANACS.

 

While they will attribute varieties that other services will not...and that is nice, they are not held in high regard throughout the industry. Most serious coin buyers see value in the opinions of PCGS and NGC and even pay a premium for coins graded by them (because they feel that the package value of the expert opinion and the coin is worth more than the coin alone). This is not the case with ANACS. Most serious buyers look at coins in an ANACS slab as raw.

 

^^ And that's ok with me. I rarely sell my slabbed coins and I don't expect any premium for my ANACS "screaming yellow" holders. The main benefit is I know the coin is not a fake. And I know I paid a very small fee to have it so.

 

It still seems like a relatively cheap way to authenticate coins. Is anybody questioning ANACS' reliability when it comes to authentication?