I don't know how the other grading company's operate, but I have been having my coins graded and slabbed by ANACS since about a year ago, and I am very happy with them. They e-mail me when they ship the coins. they give me the tracking number. In the e-mail they tell me how they were graded and tell me other information about them. They are alway's right on time sending the coins back to me. I feel they bend backwards to satisfy me, and I like there new slabbs much better then the other companys'.
Not a big fan of grading companies in general, but when I feel a need to get something slabbed (more for presentation than anything else, usually modern commems that I don't have packaging for anymore) have to say that they give the cheapest, fastest, and most customer friendly service of any major grading service, plus their slabs give the best view of the coin and print the grade very clearly (their newer slab anyway). I don't know why they're not more popular than they are. There's no real objective reason why they should be considered below PCGS and NGC. Some people think they have a tendency to overgrade, but that's purely a matter of opinion, since grading is purely subjective; besides I don't have resale in mind when I choose to get coins graded since I'm a coin collector, not a coin investor. So looks like there's 3 fans of ANACS at least lol...
I'm glad you are happy with this grading service. Yet you should think about learning not to need them or anyone else to grade what you have. The coins that you have will always be what they are until something changes that. All of the TPG services are just that, as service. Yet they can not and are not an absolute. Paying a premium to have "someone else" tell you what you should know is non numismatic in nature. Forgive for me being opinionated on this subject, but I see to much waste in counting on services. It seems to be a service that prays on those who don't know or mostly don't care to know, money mungers.
Can't say I completely disagree with you on that. However to use an analogy, anyone can learn how to clean their carpet and do it themselves, while some prefer to pay someone in the carpet cleaning profession to do it for them. Nothing wrong with either option really. If you decide to use a grading service, IMO ANACS rates pretty well for the reasons I mentioned. But I think any serious collecter would want to learn enough about coins to avoid using any grading service! Despite the fact that I personally avoid using them (I rarely buy graded coins, except when I want assurance of the coin's authenticity or I find a graded coin for sale for no more than that same coin would cost raw, and I almost never send coins to be graded) I don't fault grading services for earning money by supplying a service people are willing to pay for... I don't see that as unfairly taking advantage of anyone. I do agree that a big part of their appeal is to people who don't know (and might not want to learn) how to figure out grades for themselves. However, I don't see that as any worse than a restaurant that makes money preparing food for people who can't, or don't want to, cook their own food.
Would you buy a 1909 SVDB raw on ebay? or would you prefer to purchase one in a TPG slab. I can tell you that without a doubt at least in my mind. I would not purchase a raw key coin off of ebay unless I knew personally the dealer/person selling it. Does the Slab make the coin? NO, does the slab tell you the true grade? not all the time. But chances are much better that you are going to get at least close to what you think you are. I have to wonder how many percentage wise of the Trade Dollars on ebay are real... myself I am not a big fan of slabbing coins but there is a place for it in our hobby thats for sure.
The VAST majority of my coins are raw. I've been doing this for over 35 years myself and YES I have taken the time to learn to grade. However, any dealer will (or should) admit that a certain coin gives him/her a problem when it comes to grading. With me it's Peace Dollar, Walkers and Franklins. A TGP is worth it to me at this point. AS TGPs go I DO like ANACS. I feel they grade a lot stricter in many cases - more in line with how I grade when purchasing a raw coin. I also like PCGS and NGC but ANACS is really my favorite. Have TGPs gotten out of hand. That's a no brainer now isn't it? However, unless I REALLY know the dealer I'm not buying raw without a darn good look when it comes to higher priced coins. You also have to consider that everyone has their own budget for coins. Yesterday I received 2 ANACS slabs from a person I've never dealt with. Dropped $525 on them which was not really in my budget but the prices were right. I LOVE the coins I received. 1883 Three Cent Nickel in AU50 and 1914-D Lincoln in F15. I agree with the grading and am totally satisfied. Now, had these not been slabbed by a trusted services I would not have made the purchase even though I got them UNDER Greysheet bid. I have put a downpayment on my next biggie. It's a raw 1876 Twenty Cent Piece. Graded at AU58 by a dealer that I've dealt with for years. He's never let me down so I have no apprehensions. The bottom line is that with the advent of internet trading we really do need TGPs. GOOD TGPs. A picture can only do so much. You really have to see a coin to form your own decision. A good TGP can help you make that decision when the price is right.
Well as I said in my post, that's the one excpetion that I'd make, when a coin is counterfeited so frequently that it's worth paying for reputable assurance of authenticity. That's pretty much the only excpetion that I'd make, unless I can find a slabbed coin at no more than that same coin would sell raw.
Do you might posting how much that one was? Late last year I sold my PCGS G4 1914-D cent and bought a nicer ANACS F12/5+ 1914-D and from what I've seen got a pretty good deal one it. I paid $277 if I remember right. I posted photos of it here not too long ago and some of the guys thought it could go VF. Speedy
Looks like you did really good----on Heritage this year they sold: http://coins.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=27032&Lot_No=11017# And this one: http://coins.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=451&Lot_No=7085 Speedy
I paid $180 for my 14-D about 3 years ago. It is a good solid VF-35 – but it has been cleaned. I took it to one of those shows where ANACS (at least used to) give you a grade opinion. “That is such a high VF, I would net it at VF-20.” Of course, it came back VF details, cleaned, net F-12 – not even F-15. I also submitted 9 other Lincolns and 8 came back at least one number lower than they “opinioned” it as. 2 “64’s” came back 63, “65” came back 63, “63” came back 55, and a “58” came back 53. My opinions would be 63, 63, 64, 63, and 55. I became firmly convinced that their “grading opinions” are purposely high to encourage people to submit more coins. Aside from that, I think their grades are the same as NGC or PCGS, but they do not carry the same respect (i.e. price) as the those two. The reasons I certify are to sell (eBay) to buy better coins and so my heir (who does not know fine from MS-70) can likely sell them when she gets them. Both of these say I should use someone else.
