Need to get coins graded. Options?

I have 5 or so coins that I would like to get graded. Ebay members can get coins graded through NGC without paying a membership. PCGS has three membership levels, Silver, Gold, and Platinum, $50, $100, and $200, respectively. Since I will probably be selling these coins, I probably want to go with PCGS, since PCGS coins seems to sell for a higher premium. What do you think my best option is? I was thinking the Silver membership.

 

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If it costs more than 10% of the coin's value, IMO it's not worth slabbing.

 

I agree. I want to grade me CC Morgans. Hopefully they'll be worth more than that!

 

If all you want graded are 5 coins, then there is really no need to join any of the services. Just take them to an authorized dealer and submit them.

Don't believe the PCGS myth about higher prices. It's a scam by them undergrading coins and intentionally keeping the populations low.

 

If you know how to grade and would know when the coin comes back from the services misgraded then PCGS is your best bet (they tend to be more inconsistant with their grades, so you need to be able to grade well enough to know when you've gotten a gift grade and when they have undergraded you coin and you need to submit it again.) If you are not an expert grader then you should use NGC (unless they are problem coins, in which case you should use ANACS) since NGC tends to be much more consistant in their grading and you will get the proper grade a much higher percentage of the time.

 

One thing to consider is that when you join NGC or PCGS they provide a free grading voucher (valid on coins valued<$3,000, all coins submitted at the same time). PCGS will grade 8 coins for $200 membership, and NGC is 5 for $100 membership. So depending on what you need graded it can be worth it (check their fee schedule; if you have modern coins it probably isnt, but if they are pre 1965 (PCGS) or pre 1955 (NGC) it might be.)

 

One of the blocks you have to fill out on the submission form is your estimated value of the item.
So, you're going to HAVE to come up with some sort of value.

 

True. But the only time that number comes into play is insurance value when they ship them back.

 

keh:
Silly question, but:
What were you planning on submitting?
(that is: what coins, estimated grades etc?)

 

grading

i think it's wise to learn how to grade first, otherwise how would you know whether or not the coins were indeed graded correctly?

steve

 

What grizz and Cave Troll said: :thumb: What coins were you planning on submitting?

Phoenix

 

I agree with most of the comments here. I am pretty decent at grading Morgans. I am getting several CC Morgans graded. They should fall in the MS63-65 range. I had some questions about my 1878 CC Morgan, which I posted in a separate thread.

I have always been under the impression that PCGS graded coins tend to garner a higher price in the marketplace than a similarly graded NGC coin. I know this is a real hot button with the group. I am not trying to stir the pot! Curiosity got the best of me and it was a slow day at work today, so I went to the Heritage site and compiled data on some of the coins I'm interested in selling. I grabbed all the data available in their archive and put it into an Access database. I grouped the data on grade, TPG, and average price. I posted the results on my website. Click Here for Stats

A couple trends jumped out at me:

- ANACS dominates the lower grade coins, for obvious reasons
- Between MS60 - 64, NGC tends to dominate
- MS64-65 and above, PCGS dominates

Based on these results, considering I expect my coins to fall into the MS63-65 range, NGC would give me the edge in price.

Having said that, my statistical model my be a little too simplistic to give a precise view of what is going on in the marketplace. Many of the grade ranges have too few examples to draw a strong conclusion from. I didn't separate DMPL and PL coins from regular coins. This could skew the results, as there may be more DMPLs and PLs represented in one TPG's population over another. Also, the prices were avaeraged over all auctions, which span several years. Who knows what trends could emerge if I added a time element.

Thoughts?

 

My thoughts ? I really appreciate your efforts. Thanks.

I was gonna say "Be careful about getting price vs. numerical grade off of Heritage, b/c that doesn't include PL and DMPL designation...", but you beat me to it.

Ya GOT to include that, and it makes for MUCH more work. And yes, there is the time factor.

IMHO, NGC and PCGS are pretty close. Might make a difference with certain types, however. Research case-by-case.

 

Iccs.

 

I agree with the sentiments about PCGS undergrading. Its sort of the reverse effect of SGS overgrading. With moderns, a PCGS 69 is generally worth a bit more than an ungraded coin, while a 70 commands a ridiculous premium. I believe NGC is the most accurate and consistent service.

That being said, I use PCGS as my grading service for silver, gold and platinum eagles, because, when I get a 70 (6/53 so far), I sell it for the high premium, and thus get to acquire more raw shineys from the mint.

I have not started sending any of my older coins in for grading yet, but I think I am going to go with NGC for them. I don't mind the 'standards' being a bit overdone with PCGS, but what I didn't like was when they actually said they would NOT grade any of the 2007-W Unc Silver Eagles as MS70 (then later changed their minds and started doing so). Without seeing every example which would ever be submitted...how could they say there would not be one 'perfect' example out there.

So I guess my theory is, it depends on your purpose and situation which is the best, but I think NGC is the best overall decision for most.

 

well officially PCGS is the no 1 company although i am mad at them for their walker spoof

 

i think there is another 'myth' in the making......................CAC

 

What is Iccs? Is that a new grading company? :hammer: