PCGS - Grades for Sale

But I don't call the "+" designation as "other special stuff." It is a normal modifier being added to grades and other designations (like FB, FS, FBL, FH, etc.). I could understand the extra charge for errors and VAMS. After all, the latter require extra effort and research. Adding a "+" to a high end coin doesn't take any additional time. I think charging extra for it is ridiculous.

 

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Nice photographs. Are the Ike Dollars yours?

 

You didn't miss out by not paying extra, you just were unlucky and PCGS disagreed with your assessment of the coins. PCGS will award a + grade to coins sent in under the standard service or the SecurePlus service, you can call them to confirm that your coins were considered for + grades if you wish.

I recently sent in 18 coins to PCGS for regrade, at least half of them I thought had a great shot at a + designation or even a point upgrade. Only one of the coins actually received a + grade... PCGS is pretty tight on giving out that + it seems, especially on copper and silver type coins. I've seen it much more available on common gold coins though.

 

I think CAC is a crock too. It's the collectors, after all, who are paying for the fees they charge. All it does is give the seller the ability to jack up the selling price, and it gives the untrained collector confidence in knowing the coin is on the high end of the grading scale (which any collector could determine with a little studying and experience).

 

From e verything I have read, it seems that PCGS is considered a tier one grading service because it allows dealers to gain the most profit from their submissions. I have even read where people are advised not to use ANACS because the grade will be lower. It seems that perhaps biased grading based on costs or volume is a growing problem with the integrity of Numismatics ?

I do know that ANACS grades and authenticates varieties that the others do not have the expertise or knowledge base to recognize.

 

I have to agree with these comments. Saying PCGS or NGC doesnt have the knowledge to attribute all varieties is way off. There sure do but they make a business decision not to.

 

I'm glad they don't attribute all varieties. I can't even count how often I've bought coins for 1/3 or less their value because the person selling didn't know or didn't care it was a variety. If they knew, I wouldn't be able to afford half the coins I like to collect.
Guy

 

This is not always the case. ANACS has changed ownership several times, and standards have varied along with change of ownership. Many of the coins in the old holders that I have encountered are conservatively graded and do cross to PCGS and NGC at the same grade, although this could be because I cherry pick them. I have seen dogs in all the major TPG service holders.

 

I believe this to be true.

RiverGuy, I'm sorry you had a bad experience. Sincere. But it seems like this is more a case of "the grades didn't come back as high as I had hoped", as opposed to "I paid for one thing and got something else - not what I expected". I think your choices on the submission form were correct, and you could have received the "+" grade. It just didn't work out this time.

Buzz is that PCGS is pretty harsh right now.

 

Out of curiosity, when isn't PCGS considered harsh (or any other grading service for that matter). I don't mean this sarcastically, but obviously no submitter will receive all of the grades desired leading to a tendency to label them as "conservative" or "harsh". Maybe they're just accurate.... Sometimes the monetary value associated with coins can lead sellers/submitters to overgrade.

Again, I don't mean this sarcastically.

 

I wouldn't consider any of them harsh at all, considering that they are all slabbing worn coins as Mint State. You want harsh, have Doug grade your coins.

 

You are completely right; I misread your original post (sorry; it's been a long week). I agree that the new ANACS does appear to be loose.