ICG vs PCGS, NGC

Why is there such a difference in the prices of the same grade coin by the 2 services? For example,... MS70, First Strike, 2005 American Eagle...
ICG $95.00,...PCGS $275.00+
Thanks

 

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Because the coin collecting community trusts the grades given by NGC and PCGS to be actually indicative of the coin's "actual" grade and believes that other grading services such as ICG and ANACS tend to over-grade coins.

That's the short answer, anyway.

 

I think it all boils down to money of course. PCGS are sticklers for not handing out MS70 grades. Their census report shows that. Along with that comes a higher value due to to lower # of graded MS70's out there. The more valuable their coins the more people invest in them & eventually the real reason boils down to how much their stock its valued at. PCGS is traded on the NASDAQ thats where alot of the descrepncies come form in my opinion.

If you cant tell -Im not a big fan of PCGS.
NCG gades the exact same coins and there is NO differance in between their grades and PCGS's I think.

As for ICG they are a good service but personally they slightly over grade on some things.

Just my 2 cents.

 

I think the general concensus in the coin collecting community is that ICG often overgrades on modern coins (especially MS70). Consequently, ICG MS70 modern coins normally seem to fetch prices about in line with PCGS and NGC MS69 coins. I disagree with the blanket statement made earlier that ICG and ANACS tend to overgrade coins. This is not always true. I don't have much experience examining ICG coins, but I can tell you that ANACS grades very well most of the time in my opinion. Some even tend to think they undergrade on some series.

 

Total disagree.....the know that ICG tends to over grade but that isn't true with ANACS....they are hard on some coins and on ASE they seem hard from the ones I've sent in....ANACS is alot better than most collectors think.

Speedy

 

I have sent many coins to PCGS and NGC and tried ICG once. I even used PCI years ago when they were good. I am now ANACS all the way.

My two cents
Ben

 

ANACS..ANACS
Okay, I am curious as to why NGC is considered one of the top tier major graders. Looking at auction records, I find that NGC coins tend to go for generally 10-40% less than PCGS or ANACS coins. ANACS and PCGS seem to be a much more realistic gradewise than NGC. Looking at, for example, Liberty Head nickels, I have seen NGC MS-67 and 68's commonly, and once in a while a 69. Looking at the coins, they are typically three grades lower, so why IS NGC considered a top grader?

 

Since when does the value make someone a top grader or not??...the reason they sell for less than PCGS is because of popularity....people just think that PCGS looks better or seems harder...it ain't total true
ANACS slabs more than likely tend to sell lower than PCGS or NGC....but at times they do bring top dollar...

Speedy

 

I would disagree that ANACS and ICG tend to overgrade on all coins. For Franklins halfs, with Full Bells Lines I believe ANACS is very tough and provides an accuracy grade. I have also found many ICG graded coins were the grade was accuracy.

I certainly hope some collectors keep believing that ANACS and ICG overgrades because I can continue to find some great coins at bargains prices

 

I'm about equally satisfied with NGC, PCGS and ANACS. I think ICG sometimes overgrades modern coins such as ASEs. That said...

(1) My tendency is to just buy whichever is less expensive among the four, assuming there is a choice and I can't see a grading difference [which I usually can't because of lack of skill on my part], and

(2) The price differential between the slabs of these four companies is just more evidence to me that the price jumps between grades of uncirculated coins is just too much. I'd rather have three ICG MS70 coins than one PCGS for the same total amount of money even if I thought PCGS was a little tougher on the grading.

 

I think it depends on what series of coins it is.
Most of my slabs are Full step Jefferson nickels.
NGC seems to be the best then ANACS.
I have several NGC 64's that are nicer than my PCGS 66's.
Ngc also also seems harder on the steps.
I have a few PCGS full steps that have ticks and nicks,and even had one with a large cut through the steps.
So for Jefferson's I will pay more for NGC or ANACS.

 

Amen....I've never seen a MS/PF 70 in a ANACS slab...I've heard that there is 1....but never have seen a photo.

Speedy

 

I'm just curious if there has ever been an unbiased study performed on all of the current TPG services. I know many a (dare I say) old timer collector that only trusts older slated graded coins such as the old rattlers and the like. They may not offer 50 different backgrounds to choose from as the current market offers. On that note, there are price differences just because modern coins are in a more aestheticly pleasing case. I thought that we were grading coins rather than the box that it is in. But I digress, if there is anyone out there that knows of imperical data rather than one's opinion I would love to see it.

Ron D

 

Almost hit 10 years before being revised!

I wonder if @GDJMSP still feels this way

Or even @Bedford i remember just seeing you post about the new Pcgs holders falling apart.

Just curious myself. I've only dealt with NGC.

 

Haha. I was reading a 10yo thread about tpg seniority and it didn't seem out of place in the least lol

 

Years ago, some coin publications did a few comparisons and then quit for "some" reason. Lawyers, and money , and maybe "guns" too. RIP Warren Zevon.

 

I have 8 PF70 DCAM Presidential dollars (set from 2008 & 2009) graded by ANACS, so to say they don't put 70's on coins is patently false. Now, do they have a higher or lower percentage of 70's than NGC or PCGS on moderns? I have no idea, nor do I care to look it up.

ANACS has changed hands many times. As ownership changed, so has confidence in their grading consistency. Many CT members really like their service, so it seems current ownership is doing something correctly.

@Bedford , I'm not a big fan of PCGS either, but I don't see how their stock price correlates with the sales premium of their coins. I do believe there are very ardent collectors and dealers of that grading company. They don't even consider buying coins in anyone else's holders, because they consider them to be over graded. IMO, that's their loss.

Edited to add:
OMG, I didn't even notice the posts I replied to were from 2006! Many zombie threads coming to the surface lately.

 

Nearly 10 years pass and the arguments remain the same!

 

I was thinking the same thing. And I don't have a horse in this race either.