Is there a certain "strategy" for designating a minimum grade when submitting coins for grading? Let's say you are submitting a coin that is "on the fence" between 2 grades, for example, MS-64 and MS-65. If you say one or the other, could that possibly influence the grading decision? I would hope not, but I wonder.
No it doesn't. At least not with the top services. If you have a coin right on the cusp of going either way, there are a few options. One is to submit it on the 24 hour service with a handful of other coins. The best option is have the coin walked through at the show. Both ways tend to get the better grade if they truely could go either way.
Thanks. The value of coins I might submit are probably more suited for the regular service. If they grade a coin lower than the minimum grade, will they still given me the option of having it slabbed, or will they return it and keep my money (I'm talking NGC or PCGS)?
If you submit it - they will keep your money - period. The work is in grading the coin to begin with - not putting it in a piece of plastic. And how else would they know if it meets your minimum grade requirement without grading it ? It's kind of like if you submit a coin for grading and it is returned to you in a body-bag with a note that says - Harsh Cleaning - or Counterfeit. They keep the money for that too. And that is because they still did the same amount of work as if they had graded it and slabbed it. Now you do have the option of having them return a coin to you unslabbed if it does not meet your minimum grade. But you still have to pay for it.
If it does not meet the minimum grade, will they still give you the option to slab it, or will they automatically return it? From what you said, it sounds like you have a choice.
You do have a choice. There is no minimum grade set by the grading companies - only you can do that. They will slab any coin you send them all the way down to the lowest grade you can imagine. I think it's something like POR1. And a coin of that grade is so badly worn that it is nearly unrecognizable. The only conditions for slabbing a coin are that the coin is not damaged or altered, it is genuine, it has not been improperly or harshly cleaned or contaminated with PVC.
I have a 'certian' strategy....... I only use the economy service, even on coins that I feel are major scores..... I send in small submissions of 5 - 15 coins at a time.... I usually have 3 - 6 submissions in the grading que at any given time... and the most important part of my strategy.... I send them GEMs.....
So when you use the economy services, what happens when the value ends up exceeding $300? Do they bill you for the difference between economy and "earlybird"?
nope. I really haven't sent in raw coins that had a value above 300, but I have sent in coins that I knew would hit a grade with a high value....
Oh, so you can declare a value under 300, but if you score big on the grade and it ends up valued greater than 300, they do not charge you extra. Cool!
I have never exactly attempted that approach. Some of the modern coins can be certified with ultra grades and still not have a value of $300.
