I have never come across a coin grading service at any of my local coin shows. I guess Sacramento is underdeveloped as far as coin grading goes. Meaning hardly anybody gets their coins graded here. I mean ANACS sent a representative to one of the coin shows, but the lady wasn't grading any coins, all she was doing was soliciting services. Anyways, I thought of an idea. Wouldn't if be great if your local coin club had a couple coin graders come to one of the coin club meetings to grade and slab some coins?? Anyone out there belong to a coin club that had a grading service pay them a service visit, simply to grade coins? They could even come to town on a Saturday, I'd be there. Does it happen, why not?
Oh - the lines for coin grading would be so LOOOOOOONG and everybody with crap coins they think are wonderful would be wasting the graders time!!! NOT worth it and a waste of time IMO!!
Most coin clubs wouldn't be able to afford to pay for the services. It takes more than just a single grader to process all of the various coins. Chris
Also you have to think of the machinery required to slab , and equipment needed to make sure its airtight
I've seen ICG at our local club show a couple of times, but not consistently (The show is about 60 tables, twice a year). I'm guessing that Randy Campbell probably knew someone in the club, or wanted to visit Charleston, and did it as a favor.
You gonna foot the bill for the plane fare, food and lodging? Then I'm sure as the devil they will come......... Nice thought though, Fret.
The TPG's go to shows that they think will give them a LOT of business. That means the bigger shows -- couple hundred dealers or more. You've got an ANA show coming to Portland, OR the first weekend in March. NGC and PCGS and ? will be there.
Even the bigger shows I've been to where they all have booths set up, most of the time they will not same day grade a coin for the average customer. The people picking up slabs booth-side are people that had sent them in weeks earlier and agreed to pick them up there. They'll take your coins and tell you it'll be three to six weeks, just like mailing them in.
ANACS will be at Portland/ANA. ICG does not list the show as one they will be attending. SEGS' website doesn't list anything after FUN. I believe to submit to PCGS you have to be a member. NGC too, but you can join ANA and get a free lowest tier membership [in addition to free show admit]!
I know that PCGS currently charges a little over $250 per coin for guaranteed same-day grading at the big coin shows (4-hour turnaround time). If you had tons of collectors willing to line up and submit lots of coins at those fees, I imagine you'd get the grading companies to come and cover their own travelling expenses!
I talked with a nice lady from Anacs at a big coin show. I ended paying 48 dollars to grade 1 world coin worth less than a hundred. And I paid this amount after getting some supposed show deal plus not having to pay for shipping to Anacs. I don't know how these TPGs stay in business. I guess people are sending away, maybe mostly dealers. It's not such a bad idea buying slabbed coins that were paid to be graded already. But I think eventually these services will tank once their fees reach even more absurd levels.
Just to be clear, not all coins graded at the big shows cost $250 to grade... that is just if you wanted same-day service. If you're willing to wait and maybe not get your coins back until the end of the show, then the prices vary from around $50-$125 per coin, depending on the coins.
They'll same day grade whatever anyone wants for whoever wants it. You just have to pay for it. Not many people have coins valuable enough to justify this price. Same with any other tier - if you want it done faster, you pay more for it.
