PCGS, NGC, or ANACS slabs; which one looks the best?

^^^^This all the way, but if someone made me choose the exact same coin, graded the exact same, and the overall appearances are equal......I would go with an NGC holder

 

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I go PCGS 1st, Then NGC then ANACS. I do think the newer NGC holders are worse than the older ones from about 2 years ago. The plastic seems cheaper, scratches easier.

 

PCGS, and heres why.

When I buy a graded coin, I buy the coin, and not the slab.

NGC holders are a royal pain to photograph, the coin is set inside thick plastic, which adds shadows.

Not only that, but their newer slabs with the prongs cover up too much, at least PCGS uses clear prongs.

 

I much prefer PCGS holders. My next favorite is the old, small ANACS. Some coins look pleasing with a white background when there's a nice contrast, like old copper.

I was a vocal critic of PCGS's prongs. But I've come around. I do like seeing the 3rd side, and the clear prongs aren't as distracting as white ones.

I got burned on an NGC-prong large cent, which had a large rim ding hidden behind it. A careful look revealed a tiny nick. But once out of the slab it turned out to be very significant.
Lance.

 

Isnt that something that shouldve been addressed on the label? Or have given the coin a 'Details' grade since it was damaged?

 

IMO, yes. I was very angry and I sent NGC images of the coin in the holder and raw. I thought it didn't deserve its AU58 grade, if it deserved a problem-free holder at all. But NGC wouldn't budge. They offered to reholder it, no more.

I don't mean to derail this thread but the experience affected my opinion of the NGC prong holders. Here's the coin, FWIW. A scarce petite head large letters.
Lance.

 

Yeah to me that coin shouldnt have been put in a problem free holder and maybe that has something to do with it being rare or scarce (arent they doing something like 'market grading' now?), but that definitely detracts from the eye appeal of that coin, and also around the mouth as well. Im not trying to bash your coin in anyway as it is beautiful, but i see what you mean about their holders causing problems.

I wonder what they would do with my Trade Dollar with a similar ding on the rim, i suspect it would come back in a details holder :/

 

This will just be an excuse for everyone to go back out and have their coins reslabbed when they switch to something a little better, say like clear tips on the prongs or some other such nonsense to send coins back in for regrading

 

This seated half is houses PCGS problem free, has has several rim dings.

 

The question in the op was clear. Why don't we try to keep this from being which grading company is better thread.

 

I like the PCGS holder the best. The NGC white holders I have a devil of a time photographing. As tor the grading efforts between the two companies? I buy the coin, not the holder...........

 

N-g-c!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Pcgs

 

IMHO I think that NGC has the more marketable holders in that they are made to make selling a slabbed coin easier. That's because NGC has a great-looking slab with gold and white as the two main colors. It's very appealing because NGC holders make your coin look so much more sleek and beautiful as compared to PCGS holders.

PCGS on the other hand have holders that are made for proper protection. I'm not saying NGC holders don't protect your coins, it's just that NGC's holders lack the same protection as PCGS because they try to use their holders as a marketing tool. PCGS designs their holders for one simple task, protecting and displaying your coin. They don't really seem to care if there holders look "cooler", all they care for is getting the job done and getting it done right. And PCGS has been very successful with that.

And then there's ANACS. I have no idea why ANACS holders look the way they do, but they look odd, ugly, and you can't even stack them. Totally clueless of what the designers of the ANACS holders were thinking but whatever it was, it isn't working. Maybe that's why ANACS is declining in favorability among collectors.

I actually have both PCGS and NGC holders and they really are great. I've found that for me NGC is easier to photography but I really love the simplicity of PCGS holders. So it's really hard to pick among those two. I guess it depends on the collector or dealer but then again this is just my opinion and you're open to disagree.
-theSharpGun

btw, Is there anyone here who honestly prefers ANACS holders among PCGS or NGC holders???

 

Well, from my experience, although admittedly, I only have three slabs, and they are all NGC, they are proofs, all 69, but they have microscopic nicks that cause distracting cameo disturbance, and are thus overgraded, and one "reverse proof 69" Has a very noticeable cut right on her leg, in the center of the coin. Just my opinion that PCGS grades better.

 

I feel the opposite - I prefer the clear background of PGCS as it leaves only the coin as the focal area. But maybe the toning makes the difference. I only aspire to collect for tone some day. Gotta get some basics done first

 

That is true.

 

I have more PCGS holders in my collection than NGC, because I find their grading standards to be more "accurate", more of the time. But the NGC slabs look far better IMHO, and I've noticed recently that their grading standards are getting far better, even having a couple edge-views that seem under graded. Old ANACS / ANA-PNG slabs are neat especially since edge-toned coins often reside within & a history of under grading goes with them. Don't bother cherry picking, since most of the coins that deserved to be cracked already have been cracked.
Never the less.........I'm NGC all the way!

 

I like the edge view NGC holders the best. To me the coin is what matters most,but the NGC slab makes for a nice overall presentation. Also the coins don't seem to rotate like they do in the new PCGS slabs.