Where do I get coins graded?

I have a 1909 S VDB Lincoln penny and a 1916 D Mercury dime that I would like to get graded. How does this process work, and does anyone know the right website/company to go to? There seem to be quite a few, but I would like to know which one is the best, and how much it costs, and how the process works. Thank You!

 

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NGC or PCGS are the best.

Your best bet would be to find a local dealer who already has submission priveleges to these 2 services. It would save you time and hassle, and gives you a chance to have the coin examined by your local numismatist prior to shipping.

 

Thanks jerseycat10. I also found a website ANACS. What do you think of them? I wouldn't have to join any club and pay high fees for such membership. Thanks!

 

ANACS is the original grading company.

They were well respected, but---
lately?


You'll hear a lot about them in a little bit.

 

PCGS is probably the one you want. Lately at coin stores, coin shows, on line dealers you will always hear them brag if the coin is a PCGS graded coin. Not so much for the grading, but just the most popular.
As to how, probably the best method is as already noted. Go to a reputable coin store and have them send it in for you. Yes they will charge you more than if you did it youself, but if your doing it only once, still the easiest way.
You could just go to the PCGS web site and there they would walk you through the process. Gets pricy and time consuming but if you plan on having many in the future graded, might be worth the cost.
ANACS, NGC and many others are available but for a coin in a slab for resale purposes, I'd stick to PCGS.

 

Just Carl, Thanks for the insight and help. Good info.

 

Do yourself a favor and ask a local dealer or coin club for their opinion if the authenticity is in doubt. Those are commonly counterfeited coins, and you could save yourself $50-$100 in shipping, insurance, and grading fees if they're obviously counterfeit.

 

This is very important... not just for authenticity, but also cleaning, alterations, and other problems.

The US Coin market is very advanced and highly competitive, which means most valuable coins have already been slabbed - including key dates like yours. When ostensibly valuable US coins are raw, that's a Big Red Flag for me.