With most dealers scrambling these days to keep a decent stock, I am seeing more & more dealers offering Slabbed ANACS and ICG offerings. I am wondering if this will just be a passing phase or if this will continue on for a great deal more time. There's probably some variables that will dictate a final outcome but what are your thoughts on this? Note-When I visited Maine Gold & Silver in South Portland I also noticed quite a few ANACS & ICG offerings than I have seen in a shop in quite awhile. I also noticed that someone(s) had sold their ANACS errors, in particular a half dozen off center cents in MS 65 priced at only $15.00 each. It's a lesson about slabbing some coins and the loss you can take. These had no dates either so I passed on them.
I live in the Denver Metro. I see more and more dealers slabbing with ANACS than ICG. I do see plenty more than usual of both slabs.
The turn around is quicker, anacs offers more varieties than others, price point is cheaper,and they appeal to collectors who don't or wont buy a raw coin. Also due to covid there is alot of collections becoming available due to older collectors passing from the virus.
Plus Anacs has a sales rep at shows. So if a dealer has purchased a collection, or had purchased a collection at the show,there's no charge to ship the coins but 1 way..the return. At <$10 @ coin in many cases its just smart to pick, and choose what coins to send into the top 2 tpg's or go Anacs . There's a lot of collectors who won't buy unless its in plastic. That alone would make a good continuing ed class at any community college.
It's really just a reality of the last two years. Everything was basically online which means more grading and not everything is worth sending to PCGS/NGC. PCGS/NGC were also grading very conservative which like turned off some dealers. I'm sure they probably had a record year but so did every one and realistically PCGS/NGC almost certainly have an even bigger percentage of the market now
I've been considering sending ANACS some coins for these exact reasons. A three month turnaround with 75% rude/unhelpful customer service reps (vs. 100% polite and helpful CS reps like NGC used to have) plus not attributing as many die varieties means I've disabled AutoRenew for my NGC membership. I'm mostly just waiting for an ANACS Insider special that helps with the coins I have to submit. I honestly wouldn't consider sending anything to ICG yet, though.
However...you only get what you pay for...I have issues with Anacs with turn around as well telling me the customer what they will or wont put on a slab out of spite! I gave them two 1938 D/S that graded 67 and 68 and they refused to put the varieties on the slab. I can pretty much look at any 38 D and tell you which variety it is... so when Anacs gets busy...they are just as bad on turn around ,and customer service. I do not or would not considered any other TPG regardless of the cost than the top 3 .
I have my first ANACS submission on the table next to me. It will be going out registered mail in the morning.
After collecting for years, including PCGS, NGC, ANACS and ICG slabbed coins, I decided last year around Halloween to submit some coins, mostly for my son and my Standing Liberty Quarter set, as I had some nicer raw coins and wanted to complete my graded / slabbed set. I was aware of the Insider special at ICG from here ($10 per coin for US issues, $15 for world coins), but I looked into submitting to PCGS, NGC and ANACS as well. I am not worried about resale - I'm just a collector / curious - and these weren't really expensive coins, so for simplicity of the process, quality and price I found ICG was the best match for me. I really appreciate how responsive they are, their willingness to discuss coins / issues, their conservation service, their guarantee, and the 3 week turnaround for economy coins. I have now done 3 submissions of 10-20 coins each and I'm learning a lot. I think they are tough but fair in the grades I've gotten and I like the fact that every coin is examined by at least 2 professional graders. If I do ever attend a coin show where any of the big 4 is accepting submissions I will certainly try that as well.
I'm mostly just waiting for an ANACS Insider special that helps with the coins I have to submit. I honestly wouldn't consider sending anything to ICG yet, though.[/QUOTE] Most dealers in the mid Atlantic area dont want an ICG slab....now if purchased in a lot or collection they will crack them out ,sell raw, or send them into ngc or pcgs if they determined that its worth the money spent to have them regraded. Walking shows in this area you'll find that ICG graded slabs dont sell..... they will buy a PCI even the gold ones...
Anacs is a good grading company . Way more reliable on vams than pcgs plus they do them all. I send them the more common stuff since the resale is lower . My only complaint is I don’t like the bright yellow holder. As far as grading they are as consistent and reliable as pcgs or ngc . ICG is hit or miss but the coins are cheaper to buy. If I see the coin in hand though I will buy any of them if the coin is good.
I will buy ANACS and ICG but mainly to crack and resubmit if I like the coin. But I don’t submit to either because ICG has a reputation for straight grading problem coins and ANACS consistently grades more harshly than PCGS and NGC (for about two years now).
They really arent doing themselves any favors with that holder. Id put them 3rd as a TPG but 4th in terms of holder
I may have not said enough. I see a lot of ICG slabs here, but compared to a couple years ago I see the percentage increasing. Heck, I see a lot of ICG slabs that I agree with. There is a shun to those that just want an honest grade that doesn't come with all the market Hype.
ANACS is great. ICG is good too. Problem is that they were noticeably harder to sell. But i think there will be a shift considering the registry sets dont seem to be really as popular as the TPGs want you to think, although it is fun. That is on top of the aforementioned points above.
