How do you feel about coin certification by the big three (ANA, NGC, PCGS)?

Are you for it or against it? If you believe in it, do you prefer one service over another? Any negative experiences with a major certification service? How about CAC?

 

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Can of worms....opening.

My two cents: PCGS currently brings most return on investment at sale time. NGC second, except on ancients where they are the leader. Neither is especially easy to submit to or affordable for the average collector.

ANACS is extremely affordable and has faster turnaround times. Excellent for less expensive coins and things you just want authenticated. There are some coins that they grade stricter than the other two.

CAC....lots of threads already about that.

Believe in it? Let’s just say that although slabs can be counterfeited too, if there is an expensive coin that isn’t certified I won’t buy it.

 

Umm... Yeah. What Mike said!

 

I have only dealt with NGC for my Mint Error attribution and grading. I feel like they got worse in turnaround time so I haven't submitted any coins in over 2 years and I've read some threads with the same complaint. They also were a bit sloppy in the positioning of some of the coins. Maybe it's just me but my OCD kicks in and it bugs me a bit

 

NGC is also the leader in world coins.

 

In 75 years of collecting I have never used any of them.

 

#1 - NGC (but only because they have a faster turnaround time)
#2 - PCGS (would have been #1 but [see #1])
#3 - ANACS (only for 20th century and less expensive coins)
#4 - ICG (don't know how they are doing currently)
#5 - CAC (do we really need another TPG?)

I depend on the TPGs mostly because my primary collection is a Type Set.
I don't have the time to learn the in's and out's of each issue.

 

Can-o-worms opened and are escaping and here’s my two cents…… I think the TPG’s played a big part in turning an enjoyable hobby into a stressful experience in marketing….. There, I said it. And having said it, like @SilverMike I will not purchase anything of value that is not entombed in plastic…… Let my floggings begin.

 

Most of my better stuff is in NGC holders because they are still the leader in world coins (imo) and that is what I mostly collect. I also like the uniformity of having them all in the same holder. There lead times have gotten better. In the last 2 years I haven't sent in anything except the stuff I felt justified paying the express service fees for. I had a nice credit to use up so that offset some of the cost.

Nothing against PCGS, just see above.

I have used ANACS because I am friends with one of their employees. Only for common stuff or needs to be attributed.

 

I’ve never sent any coin in and only 1 note but that was sent to PMG. I got it back fast and graded as I thought. As for coins, I buy them raw unless I want them authenticated or I am building a high grade set.
PCGS
NGC
ANACS

 

I buy a lot of current coins from the Mint, mainly, because I kind of know what I am getting. The only coins that I sent in was to NGC. I had bought a Liberty Eagle and a Liberty Head Double Eagle from a local (30 miles) dealer that were raw. The dealer offered to take them to a show he was going to. They were certified by NGC. The Eagle came back MS61. The Double Eagle came back Details, UNC scratch of face. I did buy the MMIX Ultra High Relief Gold Coin. The dealer bought it from a collector. I was new to the grading, except that expensive. should be graded. The MMIX was graded by PCGS MS68. I mentioned it several years ago and was advised to sell it. I like it. It came with the Mint's shipping box, the wood box it was displayed in, the book that the Mint included. Overall, I think I got a good investment at $1,500 in about 2010.

 

I only buy coins that have been slabbed. I am just a hobby guy and wouldn't want to even TRY to be my own authenticator.
I don't trust the grades on any slab I see. In my opinion I have seen over graded/undergraded, cleaned yet slabbed straight, perfectly original slabbed details etc. It is a buyer beware market and you have to use your own judgement on each coin you consider. James

 

I've never used any of them and always went by; If you like it, buy it. The caveat of course is that those items so frequently faked. I wouldn't buy a Trade dollar that wasn't slabbed by one of the top three.

 

I am for them. I wish they were a little more user friendly for the average person to use their services, especially PCGS.

 

I collected slabbed graded coins for decades but didn't submit any until about three years ago when I decided to move my top SLQ set into a graded / slabbed set and had a bunch of raw quarters I needed graded to do that (I still have four albums for my lower grade sets - but I only have one 1916 so that stays with the top set). I used ICG because it was simple, I like their process (like the other TPGs with multiple graders reviewing) and they don't buy or sell coins, they do guarantee authenticity. Also the CoinTalk special is a great deal. $10 a coin (US - it's $15 for world coins / tokens) and economy only takes about 3 weeks to turnaround from when I mail it to when I open up the fun box back from Florida.

What I have found on the 70 coins / tokens I've submitted to ICG is that they are really terrific at attribution of variety for early American coinage (at $5 extra per coin for the service), their grading on SLQs has been tough but fair IMO, on medieval hammered silver coins I think they are sometimes a bit overly tough - I've got NGC slabs with equally nice coins graded better / straight graded. Studying how ICG grades coins has been a terrific education for me. I do plan on submitting some world coins and medieval coins to NGC to see what they do - as I bought the $150 credit / $99 thing. I joined ANACS for Hugh Wood insurance discount (what a deal!) and I do plan on submitting some SLQs and some early US copper to them, just to see how they compare to ICG. If I was a seller / dealer I'd use PCGS for most coins and NGC for world coins as those slabs tend to carry a premium, which I am grateful for as a collector, because it means I'm more likely to get a deal on an ANACS or ICG slabbed coin.

 

I am sure they are… for the average millionaire at least ;-)

 

I prefer PCGS in terms of grading but their customer service is a joke.

 

It's been a long time but I have used all three services. I learned from all of the opinions and would argue with very few. If I were selling today, I would want most coins in PCGS plastic.

 

I have to admit that I generally prefer PCGS. I think that their holder displays the coin more nicely, and their grading is a little more conservative. BUT you can't take that to the bank. NGC has graded many coins well also. My most valuable coin is housed in an NGC holder. Both services have made mistakes, but they often get the grade right.

I don't own any of the new ANACS holders. They bring less money when it comes time to sell. I only have a few of the old "soap bar" ANACS holders from many years ago.

 

I've always been of the mind, You want it graded? Buy it graded.

I've never used any of the TPG services.........