Any speculation on PCGS's upcoming "BIG" announcement?

So I got an email stating that PCGS is gonna be making a "BIG" announcement at an upcoming show here in a few days. This will be regarding something that they believe will revolutionize the grading industry. Anybody care to speculate?

PCGS Unveils 'The Big One' March 25 in Fort Worth
http://www.pcgs.com/articles/article_view.chtml?artid=6116&universeid=313

 

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Here is my guess: They signed a contract with the US Mint to be their official grader and starting 12/21/12 all coins sold to collectors by the mint will be PCGS certified. :whistle: TC

 

my prediction is that it will be no where near as big as it is being hyped up to be and it'll end up costing me money somehow... hopefully i'm wrong

 

Would be nice if it was lower fees or something.

 

I will tell you what, I will bet you that you are no worse than 50% wrong.

 

Lower fees across the board would be nice!!

 

I have read a few threads about this topic but have never responded, until now. I have a feeling that it will be something that satisfies consumer demand while at the same time opens a whole new source of revenue for already graded coins.

My guesses are a universal strike designation across all series or an eye appeal rating designation similar to the star designation for NGC.

 

Digital scanning and grading, for a "FEE".

 

Has anyone heard anything? <--- speculation on 'the big one'

 

Yes, I heard that they were getting a lot of publicity from just spreading rumors. I think that means their ad campaign is working.

 

I see that...

and...

My guess is they came up with some sort of method to automate the coin grading process which will...

1. Save PCGS $$$.

2. Provide a more consistent grade for the consumer...or create grade shred-outs within a grade.

 

That could be it but isn't one of the grading companies already doing this?

 

Yes two of them are, but PCGS hasn't always been known for being an innovator.

Photo look up for every coin? (already done by NGC and DGS)
Changing the slab to make it more counterfeit resistant? (Done by NGC)
RIF chip in the slab to make it scannable? (No one has done this one but it has been discussed pro and con for over two years.)

Frankly I wouldn't see the first two as being "BIG". The third possibility is "bigger" and has other potential for revenue enhancement if you can only get the chip readers from PCGS, and/or a fee for access to the scanner database.

 

Well, whatever it is...is gonna be "demonstrated" at the American Numismatic Association National Money Show™.

Now...what could this "BIG" thing be if it can be demonstrated?

 

Either a photo look up or an RIF scanable slab with or without and online verification could be demonstrated.

 

I got a "newsletter" from CAC for collector-members saying that PCGS was going to provide a more detailed grade report. Something on the order of NGC's "star" designation crossed with the CAC's analysis of 3 tiers. Maybe an A,B,C breakdown.

 

That would be back to a repeat of what ANACS did back in 1986

 

I think they are going to start grading coins over the phone. You want your coin graded? Just call them up, answer a few questions about your coin with an automated operator and wait for your slab to arrive in the mail. Just don't forget to send them their payment.

 

I KNOW...I KNOW!!! It's an automatic grading machine like CoinStar! :hail:

Not THAT would be BIG! You drop your coins in a hopper and they come out the bottom in graded slabs!

 

...and the PCGS Automat will be at every Walmart right next to the new Dr. Scholl's Custom Fit™ Orthotic Inserts machine. "Are you gellin'?":hammer: