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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;SanClem, post: 2524854, member: 81964&quot;]I was going to let this pass but can&#039;t because I want future readers of this thread to know there is at least one dissenting opinion.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Your call. For me knowing that 2 or 3 pairs of eyes -- who see more coins in a month than I&#039;ll see my lifetime -- passed the coin as authentic was the security blanket I needed when I was getting started. While TPGs, and for that matter everyone, makes mistakes, those added pairs of eyes helped me over the &#039;fake coin hurdle&#039;.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>For me TPGs offered additional eyes and convenience. That they want repeat business suggested to me that they had skin in the game regarding authenticity: too much to lose if they develop a reputation for passing fakes.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>If I had to do research before buying my first coin I would never have bought any coins. I knew eBay, I liked eBay, and when I found a cool coin on there I bought it. Once I was interested in my coin only then did I do the research to learn why the US mint made 2 cent pieces. From there I wanted to know why they were so inexpensive. Which led me to why they were for sale on eBay instead of in some coin shop somewhere, and so on. None of that would have been interesting enough for me to pursue where it not for the fact that I had a coin in my hand.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>And I am personally extremely grateful for these services and to the individuals who give their valuable time helping others. Yet, I had many years of happy collecting before availing myself of any of these resources.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>One of the services TPGs offer, in addition to attribution and authentication (the lack of a guarantee notwithstanding), is an opinion on grade. It seems appropriate that be displayed on the label. For me the grade was valueless, to this day the only &#039;grade&#039; I look for is &#039;well used&#039;.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Your call. If I&#039;d had to do things the &#039;right&#039; way -- research first, eschew familiar marketplaces, find the right forums, learn which dealers to trust, avoid slabbed coins, learn about grades and the different grading systems, and so forth -- I wouldn&#039;t be here. The point of my original post was that there are many avenues to become a collector, and via TPGs is one of those ways. I for one am glad that avenue existed, since it&#039;s how I came to be here.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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