I've purchased many slabbed coins from all 4 of the "top grading" companies. Also, like many others, I've purchased many raw coins. But I personally have never sent a coin to be graded. Would anyone with some experience care to give me some advice? I would like to send off about 5 coins (no more than 10) a year. So whats my best option? I've researched all 4 companies and the different tiers. It can be a little intimidating. Some have club fees, and others do not. Some have a minimum coin submission and some don't. I'd like to hear some pros and cons....Good and bad experiences that you've had from those who have been through this process. I'm not getting the coins slabbed for sentimental reasons. Just to authenticate, establish ms state and hopefully increase the resale value. Thanks in advance.
ANACS is the one I have used. Some of their specials require you to submit ten coins at a time though.
Here are my personal opinions: I personally send my coins to NGC, as I don't agree with paying PCGS a fee just for the right to pay a fee to get coins graded. I have piggybacked a couple coins to PCGS with other forum members, though. I think NGC is more highly regarded for world coins, and I think different series of US coins have different "better" TPG to send them to (PCGS or NGC.) So, it's really up to you. If you have coins with die varieties that are not recognized by NGC or PCGS, send them to ANACS. Honestly, I'm not sure I would bother sending in coins to ANACS for any other reason right now unless they had a "too good to be true" price (say, $6 a coin.) I wouldn't personally ever send any coins to ICG. It is a distant 4th place - and it's not "top 4" - it's "top PCGS/NGC, then further past them ANACS, and then wayyyyy past that ICG, then everyone else."
For resale value PCGS and NGC. Neither actually has a club fee when you do the math on the membership fees. NGC gives you credit for the fee but the PCGS 8 coin voucher saves you money. I would renew my PCGS membership with the 8 coin voucher every submission if I could. Use the 8 on the regular secure plus tier and and you have saved more than the vouchers cost. The vouchers just have to all be used at once but if you are submitting 8-10 coins a year it is worth it unless they're all moderns or all economy tier coins every time. NGC basically gives you a 150 credit for 150. Both give you back the "club fee" with your submissions cost savings they just basically make you put a down payment on the first submission.
Can you post some images of the coins that you are considering slabbing? Also, let us know the various reasons that you would like to see the coins slabbed (want to sell, curious to know the 3rd party grade, want to store with other slabbed coins, very valuable specimen, protection, etc).
It really depends on why you want them slabbed. NGC and PCGS are the only graders that have any credibility in the aftermarket. I use NGC for gold and a few other categories. Most others go to PCGS. ANACS is used for coins that I want proven genuine but which I am not concerned about the grade for selling purposes.
First, unless the coins are quite inexpensive, PCGS and NGC should be the only TPGs to consider because these two get the most respect in the marketplace. If you want to compete in the registries, then all the coins in a particular series should be graded by either one or the other because neither service allows the other's slabs to be registered for competition. As pointed-out by others, memberships can pay for themselves because they come with a certain number of included submissions. Read the fine print though. The submissions have restrictions on coin value, and extra services (photography, conservation, variety attribution, etc.) are extra cost. You can get submission privileges at NGC by becoming a member of ANA. You should do your own research on whether PCGS- or NGC-graded US coins get more respect in the marketplace for particular series. Use the PCGS auction results or the Heritage database. Pricing guides, like Red Book, CDN, coin magazines, those of the grading services, etc., often have out-of-date or excessively high prices. NGC is probably more popular for non-US coins, and only they do ancient coins. Cal
I sure can. It will probabaly be tomorrow though before I have a chance to dig them out of the safe. And the reason for slabbing is to preserve and hopefully increase the resale value.
Thank you everyone for your input. I cant thank you all enough for spending the time to give me your input. I have done a fair amount of research as to which TPGs have the highest resale value for the series of coins in consideration. Until I get some pictures up....I have a couple of low mintage Peace dollars in ms condition (in my opinion), and a couple of Morgans.
Where and how do I find such a dealer? This would be ideal. My LCS told me it would be between $40 & $50 to have him send a coin off for me.
I would add that to have any real chance of not losing money in a resale, the coin value should be a minimum of $200.
Well, I get a special price I guess since I do a lot of business with them. Try developing a relationship with your LCS and maybe then they'll give you a better price.
I use ANACS. They run some good specials. Generally i send coins that I want to be authenticated. 09SVDB for example. Prices fit my budget.
Where would be preference service to authenticate and grade an US Trade dollar. I have never sent one in. Thank you for your expertise/opinion on this type coin.
Some of it is luck of the draw for what is around you and some is how well they know you. There is no standard dealer charging to submission fee though so they will vary and the dealers can ask whatever they want for doing it. Personally I prefer to cut out the middle man and just do it myself
