The results will vary from coin to coin. Some of them will be spectacular and show improved differences that hard to believe. Others will show virtually no change at all. The best was to understand what NCS can or cannot do is to post pics of coins that you think you might like to send to them.
There are two possible fees that might be charged: 1) Evaluation: The fee is 1% of the declared value with a minimum charge of $5. Coins not receiving conservation work will be returned as is and only the Evaluation Fee will be charged. 2) Conservation: The fee is 4% of the declared value up to $150,000 per coin, and 2% of the declared value over $150,000 per coin, with a minimum of $15. So, if you had a coin that is worth $1000, the Evaluation Fee would be $10, and the Conservation Fee would be $40, for a total of $50. (Don't try to underestimate the value, because it won't work!) Chris
I have used NCS and I am very happy with the results. That being said, I agree 100% with Doug's comment. Very best regards, collect89
1) Me? Not yet, but I am an ANA member and have registered with NCS to submit coins when needed without being an NCS member. 2) NCS Fees & Services 3) NCS gallery of conserved coins: every coin is unique to begin with and each has it's own characteristics. Each coin must go through an evaluation of what the problem is, if and how it can be conserved and what you receive back from what you sent in can be anything imaginable. NCS has a very informative web site and a good newsletter you might consider signing up with too to get a feel for what they do. NCS main page
And some of them will come out looking horrible. This is most likely true with copper pieces. I have seen some copper they have done well with, but I have seen a lot that comes out looking "stripped".
Many submissions will truly show no change at all as they decline to mess with 'em. Apparently, they use the medical maxim "First, do no harm." A wise move IMO.
I've used them for 5 coins: 1 -- A 1967 10 Lirot Israeli Victory Coin. These were distributed in a PVC-laden plastic holder. This coin had far more sentimental value than monetary value -- it was the last coin given to me by my grandfather. Result: PVC removed, MS67 NGC slab. $36+shipping paid to save a $15 coin. 2 -- A Gettysburg Commemorative. PVC damage again. Result: PVC removed, MS62 NGC slab. Odd note: This coin was returned to my a week before 2 other coins I had sent in the same box to NGC for Economy Service, even though I also paid for Economy Service slabbing on this one. 3 -- An 1875 S/S 20 cent piece. Was in an ANACS AU details NET AU-50 slab. Artificially toned to cover cleaning. I had the AT removed to make it an honest cleaned coin. Result: NGC AU Details, Cleaned Slab. 4 -- An 1851-O NGC AU55 3CS. Originally, I sent this to NGC for a possible regrade or refund, since it appeared that multiple tarnish spots had developed after slabbing. NGC disagreed, so off to NCS it sent to get it out of the potentially contaminated holder and see if the damage could be fixed. Result: NGC AU55 slab, some remaining toning. 5 -- A Lafayette Commemorative Dollar, NGC MS63. I was convinced that this coin had been market graded down a step due to unattractive (but natural) toning. I literally spent years dithering on this one -- I bought it in late 2003. Result: NGC MS64 slab. Finanically, NCS charged the most for the Lafayette, and for me, it was the only clear financial winner. I may have broken even on the trime. The other three coins were financial losers, but I sent them in knowing they would be.
Thank you. This is the type of reply I was looking for exactly. I don't have a specific coin in mind now but I did. It's a 1907-S $20 gold piece with some minor green dots on the reverse and a distracting orange spot on the obverse at 12:00. At least that is what it looked like. I confess I did an acetone dip which got rid of some of the green dots [pvc] but didn't do much for the orange [copper] stain. Welp it then got a quick dip in EZ-est and some minor fiddling with a q-tip. Sent it in to ANACS where it graded MS-63. There are some collectors who don't mind the orange spots on gold. But I am not thrilled by them. Now that it's slabbed if the spot returns I guess I will live with it. Then I looked up the value of a 1907-S in MS-63. Wow it's up there in the $3,200 to $3,380 range. If I had researched the value prior to messing with it I would have probably sent it to NCS.
What you're describing sounds it may be copper spotting due to improperly mixed alloy. The copper then tones. http://www.ngccoin.com/news/viewarticle.aspx?NewsletterNewsArticleID=572 claims that NCS can "selectively eliminate such spotting" from a gold coin, but it's (obviously) not a service I've used. You'd have to ask NCS or a chemist why such a treatment wouldn't suffer the same pitfalls as other ways to "detone" copper.
NCS is something I know very little about. Thanks for the info on this thread, although I'm still left with one question in mind. Has anybody, or can anybody, just crack the coin outta the NCS slab, and send it off to another TPG to get graded, if the coin doesn't show obvious signs of any kind of cleaning or artificial imperfection removing?
Yes T they can. They are affiliated with NGC. What they do is not considered cleaning but conservation and much of it will leave the coin in a gradable form.
So basically you can have a coin with extreme spotting, get it 'cleaned' up from NCS, and send it to NGC out of the NCS slab and there is a possibility of it grading. Your coin could really go up in value. I'm sure this has been done. Is NCS THAT good? (I guess it just depends on what coin, what year, what conditions, etc, etc. Coin by coin basis)
T, When you submit to NCS, there is a place on the submission form that you can check to have it submitted directly to NGC for grading after conservation. It saves you the cost of mailing it all over again. Chris
Never knew. So, basically, they allow this, and encourage it. Sending it to NGC costs more money, just minus shipping to there. Actually quite smart of the company to do that. Thanks Duke and Chris!
I have sent in a few coins in slabs. Some they would not work on because the downside of cracking the coin out of the slab, working on it and re-slabbing it would have been a big problem. They lightened the toning spots on a $20 piece which made it more marketable. If you have a $20 piece with copper spots there will be a significantly lower bid on the coin if it is in an NGC or PCGS holder. If it is in an ICG, ANACS or other holder, there will be no sight unseen offer, the slabbing may do little good if you offered it to a wholesale buyer. There are Bluesheet prices for certified coins in ICG, ANACS, PCI and other holders, but I don't know who is offering those prices. I sent a High Relief to NCS for conservation that was in a MS holder and high end. The result was not good plus they charged over $1000 all told. I would not have a high end coin conserved by NCS if you have not first had some other experts look the coin over. You may be left with a coin that is worth less and that has cost you substantial money for their service.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Can you tell us more? Exactly what I am afraid of. And when I have so called "experts" look at my coins each has a different opinion. I had a 1936 Buffalo nickel proof. It was sold to the previous owner as a PF-65 for mega money. When I came to own the coin it had a nice obverse but the reverse had several corroded spots near the rim. It looked like at least one spot was worked on with a dremel tool and grinding wheel. There was missing metal and an obvious concave area ground into the coin. Nice coin for what I paid for it. It was looked at by several experts and all agreed it was a satin proof and not a brilliant proof. Anyway I sent it off to ANACS and they slabbed it "Brilliant, corroded, rim polished. PF60 details ". I had considered sending it to NCS but- What could they have done with the missing metal concave area? My guess is they could do nothing to help that coin. Long story short= I decided not to crack it out and sell it slabbed as is. I also considered making a necklace, bracelet, money clip, or earring with the coin exposing only the nice obverse and hiding the damaged reverse. What I did was bring it back to the ANACS guy at the Auburn coin show. He strongly advised not to crack it out but sell it slabbed as a PF60. I didn't want to keep a problem coin. One dealer offered me $100 instant cash or trade credit. A second dealer offered me $300 cash or trade credit. I traded it for a 1986 NGC MS69 quarter oz. AGE. and that was that. Undamaged a 1936 Brill. Buff PF63 or better is a $3,000 coin. I got rid of it for $300 worth of gold.
I bought the High Relief from a dealer who specializes in quality. He thought it was a high-end "62" and would probably "63" if a small ball of dirt was removed from the reverse. I should not have taken the chance, and NCS did not have to run it through their system. I hope they will be more conservative in the future on what they work on.
I sent my Prooflike Mercury dime to them to remove a couple of potentially hazardous spots on the reverse. The coin came back gorgeously bright, spot free, and absolutely beautiful. I am absolutely pleased with the work they did, although my submission was free.