Although I’ve been collecting coins for many years, only recently I’ve become interested in having them slabbed, expecting it will increase their marketability. Mostly have collected Washington quarters and Peace dollars, but also a few Morgans and walkers, and the coins I grew up with. So I packaged up a few to send to each of the four graders listed on this sites Grading Companies Forum. Haven’t seen any results yet, but this is where I am so far. First I took up ANACS on their 10 silver dollars for 10 dollars each offer. Economy tier. They acknowledged receipt of the package and had the order loaded on their webpage within a couple days. Next PCGS. Opted for Regular tier as a couple coins were probably worth slightly over $300. Similar – acknowledged within a couple days and shortly after status shown on their webpage. Next NCG. Standard service. They haven't acknowledged receipt but three or four days after they received it the status was loaded on their webpage saying they have it - unopened in their warehouse. Five days after receiving it the clock still hasn’t started on their supposed 12 day turnaround. ICG - Economy. They don’t do on-line status but one day after receiving it they called me to talk about my order. That impressed me so I sent them another order the next day. I’d like to get some more orders in the pipeline but first I want to see some results. Certainly I’ll post some examples when the grades start coming in. I bought these coins from dealers advertising in national coin magazines in the early nineties, mostly they were advertised as Premium BU, Gem BU, Select BU, Proof-like, or just BU and I suspect I’ll get my share of details and disappointment on several of these. Hopefully, not too many.
As Kentucky says - ICG gives a discount for Cointalk members. I've used the Cointalk discount - you just write "Cointalk discount member name [insert your CT name]" and it's $10 per coin for economy service. If you already sent them in I'd call or email to take advantage of the deal, maybe fax / email them a revised submission sheet.
You might be surprised, lol, I still get and receive faxes occasionally, but I don't use a fax machine anymore and I usually just use the app on my phone.
Don't get too excited about the ones at NGC. This was a screenshot from yesterday. I have a handful down there at the moment too. They have a P.O. box at their facility but they're currently opening mail from nearly 4 weeks ago. You aren't considered in the que to start the current 53 day wait until it's opened and accepted. So you most likely won't see those back till well into July or later. Mine were accepted 4/22 and I'm hoping to see them back maybe after the 4th of July. They say working days but if they're working weekends maybe we'll get lucky and see them back earlier.
Unfortunately working days are counted as Monday-Friday and holidays and show days are excluded. The weekend working is to catch up but doesn't apply to the official counts just like memorial day wont etc
Guess I wasted money joining NGC. Looks like I'll be using them least. Oh yeah, my printer faxes. Not that I'll chase after a few bucks now, but I appreciate the tip for future orders!
This is not entirely true. NGC recently updated its turnaround times to reflect the lag in opening delivered mail. See the link below for more information. https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/9110/ccg-turnaround-times/
I saw this as well. That's insane. I asked them if this was the new normal and the customer service rep said, "Probably, yes. We've just been slammed with submissions." My real question, though, which I didn't ask (and she likely didn't know the answer to), is, "What really happened to cause this change?" I mean, did the receiving department get hit with Covid? Did the company have to go full-stop and give a new training to to that department? Did they go on strike? Did they fire several of them? I just have a hard time believing they got "slammed" with an unprecedented amount of submissions like never before. But maybe I'm wrong and my skepticism is unwarranted.
It's highly unlikely that that happened to only them just now when PCGS is working at a much faster pace in a state with much tighter Covid restrictions. They did have an opening backlog several weeks ago as well when all the packages that got caught up in the big ice storm in Texas and the south showed up at once, but they've dug out of it already and NGC should have as well. They're either not being honest about working late and weekends or something else is going on, whatever it is there is little to no chance it's just simply submission volumes like what happened to PSA
Just heard from ICG: they have processed (as in done) my order received May 11th, less than one week ago, and it is now on its way back to me. Turnaround on an Economy Tier order of under one week! Maybe because it was "easy" stuff (?)... total of thirteen coins, mostly Washington quarters and Walking Liberty Halves, but a couple Morgans, a Peace, and a Lincoln thrown in there too.
