Crossover or leave as is??

I agree that TODAY U.K. is effectively European. Not so sure about 6 months from now. Factually, all is up in the air. Maybe opening the U.K. office while already having one in continental Europe was a way of playing it defensively. Sure would beat an emergency add-on. That said, it seems that the U.K. appetite for slabs at all is a work in progress, at best.

I've been studying up on the practicalities of U.K. collecting. The BRM is doing some exciting things, finally, and firing up the beginner base with their own albumish products, but the serious guys who have beards and bald heads still seem to like literal "cabinets" of raw coins.

 

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PCGS brings better money period. Now I don’t really understand why, they both have some flaws, and sometimes they both flat out get it wrong.

I personally prefer PCGS over NGC because I think they are much more consistent with early proofs which has always been my main collecting focus, but I buy NGC, ANACS, ICG and some other basement graders if I agree with the assigned grade. In fact, I’ll focus on basement slabs when I go to shows because that’s where some really good deals can be found. In the end, PCGS has been at the top of the food chain as far as prices realized for a very long time and I don’t see it changing anytime soon.

 

I'm not a big fan of changing holders without a good reason. Without good reason, it's a waste of money.

One reason is if the current holder is not protecting the coin.
Another reason comes into play when it's time to sell something with a lot of value. These type of coins will go to PCGS and CAC just before I try to sell them and not before.

The low end stuff will sell in it's current holder. Just getting the grading cost back is not good enough. It needs to pay well to make it worth the time.

 

I do submit to CAC, if for no other reason than to get more information but I would definitely cross from one to the other for higher end coins if the market data shows better results with PCGS. I have wondered about higher end coins in NGC holders with CAC. Changing slabs could result in losing the sticker, and if nothing else the hassle of sending it out twice. And, I find that a nice coin with CAC will usually sell for around the same price as similar coin graded one step higher without CAC. The old question, take a step down and CAC or leave it where it is?

 

Genuinely curious, what sort of information does that bean give you?

 

I appreciate that question. I have pretty consistently found that among my old coins (early to middle 19th century), both gold and silver - most have gotten CAC approval if they have what looks like original surfaces and "accurate" grading from my perspective and moderate experience. Achieving CAC approval on coins I think will make it confirms my own skills and when coins I think would be approved, aren't, I often learn more by trying to figure out why. One result is that I have learned a lot about what is original and how it can be identified. I have to say that there is almost always a reason that I can understand - certainly in the vast majority of times. I've learned that an old coin with original surfaces may not always be the prettiest coin, but for old stuff like that I personally value originality over tampered beauty. I know nothing about nor do I have much interest in 20th and 21st century coins - and only a little in post civil war coinage. It seems like a different world.

I also collect vintage pocket knives - rarely, rarely rarely is anything in that realm mint and any collector with that interest has to learn and understand "cleaning" - something we call "Kentucky Mint". There are parallels. I wish there were an equivalent of CAC in that world. I find it useful for coins and would enjoy getting certification on some of my old folding knives were that possible.

FWIW, I "only" own 50 coins. They are all within the focus of one collection or another (I have a nearly complete collection of coins minted in 1840 - although nothing silver that's smaller in size than a quarter) - I stick to my focus so my collection doesn't get out of hand. At this point in time, exactly 60% of what I own have CAC stickers and the 40% are all "acceptable" to me. I have very few mint - 60 or above - pieces and nothing below 35 - Lots of XF and AU.

 

Most people with the high end coins will take pictures of it before the cross then include the label and pictures with a note about how it crossed over ect. The added bonus to doing that is that it also keeps the CAC populations more accurate when you're talking about the higher up coins and where sticker vs no sticker can have significant price differences.

 

Leave it. I have no problems selling the old ANACS coins for fair money. Just don't throw it in a no reserve auction! Knowledgeable collectors will buy it as is. Old ANACS is on par with normal PCGS/NGC standards.

 

I’d cross it if it would. I’d even take a point lower in a straight holder. The color sells this coin. Then send to cac. Usually a eye appealing accurate graded toner Morgan will bean. I like pcgs holders best myself. For the look and salability