I have a dozen or so raw Morgan dimples I plan to submit for grading. I'm trying to decide whether to go with PCGS or NGC for submission. How do the two compare in grading proof like coins? Crossover results would be particularly helpful to hear about. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
DMPL is not a subjective judgment, but a physical observation of measurable characteristics of a coin. It isn't like grading. At least, it is to those who know what a DMPL coin actually is. Therefore, I would tend to lean towards whichever TPG is more difficult to get the designation from. I don't know who that is these days.
Only DMPL I've tried to cross was an '83CC Morgan. Crossed from NGC to PCGS and later got a green bean. Have never tried submitting a raw coin that I thought was a DMPL. Cal
I generally prefer NGC for just about anything, so I would say NGC. Others will say PCGS. Really, as long as you stick to either of those two, you'll be fine (someone will inevitably get on here and tell you to send them somewhere else - ignore them: they are less accurate, less well respected, and sell for less money). While SuperDave is correct that collectors like a certain number of inches of reflectivity, in reality the TPG's don't measure that. To them, it is subjective.
OMG! IMHO, this is not very helpful to the OP. No one needs a brain to post an opinion so try mine: Since a DMPL designation will increase the value of your coin I SUGGEST YOU SEND THEM TO THE SERVICE THAT HAS LOOSE STANDARDS FOR THE DESIGNATION. Unfortunately, PL and DMPL standards FLOAT depending on the TPGS and THE DATE/MINT of your coin. IMO, this is STUPID but the fellows who buy/sell/and grade coins wish to keep it complicated and dependent on their whims.
This is mostly true. While PCGS and NGC (usually rated in that order but I agree with the poster and prefer NGC) coins are generally more respected because they bring more money when slabbed, the grading accuracy argument is pure BS foisted on the uninformed by NGC and PCGS dealers and Koolade drinking collectors. Knowledgeable collectors and dealers are able to judge the coin to their financial gain. Actually, in most cases this is not true. While professional graders do not use a ruler to determine a coin's mirror, they do employ other methods (based on experience) "such as a finger" or even the printing on a flip to physically measure and make an educated, subjective determination - especially when a large jump in price would result. Like anything else, "it has to be all there for each examiner to rate the jump.
Knowledgeable collectors will just as easily buy a raw coin if it meets their standards and don't need to rely on the TPG at all. These collectors are rarer than the coins they collect.
Very true; however, the OP, you, and @SuperDave were not talking about knowledgeable collectors - I brought them up. The subject being discussed was the TPGS and I wished to add a different opinion.
I cannot say that they still do, but for years PCGS had less stringent requirements for DMPL than NGC did.
I believe at one time, we only used Semi-Prooflike and Prooflike designations. Anyone know the year when Deep Mirror Prooflike "officially" came about and when Semi-PL was no longer used?
NGC has tightened up on PL and DPL standards IMO. As far as I can see ICG and Anacs are about the same on the standards, but are less marketable.
I can't recall Semi-Prooflike being used, but that doesn't mean it wasn't. What I can tell you is that Heritage has archives showing PL and DMPL being used going back to Jan. 6, 1993. I can also tell you that the first edition of the ANA grading guide has the term Prooflike listed in their glossary, and that book was published in 1977. So I'd have to say it goes back to at least before that.
Thanks for the research. Semi-PL was still in use thru the 80's. I believe PCI still used it in the early 90's. Prooflike has been around forever. I'm curious to know when DMPL came into use by the TPGS. Then UDM (ultra-deep mirror) or some such thing.
ANACS used "UDM" for a while, as a third level of Prooflike designation. They required 12"+ of reflectivity for the designation.
If you would like to see a video of a TPGS actually grading a coin being considered for PL status (real world example), Charles Morgan has the whole process of an ANA walk through grading right now on CoinWeek. It is NOT objectively measured with a ruler, but as @Insider said, as a subjective "finger job". Spoiler: the coin got the PL designation.
Like I said above, the best I can prove with outside sources is that it was prior to '93. That's within 5 and 6 years respectively of when they opened for business for both PCGS and NGC. But if memory serves, they've both used it from the get go.
My opinion. PL and DMPL dollars that are brilliant tend to bring more in PCGS holders. Still I like NGC because they are much more user friendly. Slabbing coins that are PL is a tough thing. DMPL's typically are worth more but just the PL designation doesn't always add value.