Hello I was wondering is there any difference between PCGS and NCG, does one grade more accurately then the other? Does one have better service? Is one cheaper then the other? I searched them both up went to their sites read the directions and I don't understand what all of it means. How do you send a coin in, where would you guys send it in, and what would you guys deem worthy to send in. Thanks, Youngcoin
To start, go back into both sites and pull up their PDF submission forms, print them and compare side by side. Using a TPG can be very costly and it would be best to know your coins well and be able to come close to grading them correctly. After that, go to websites that auction and sell similar coins to see what they are selling for, both w/o being encapsulated and certified. This will give you a ball park figure on weather or not you will want to invest in having this service performed. Also compare to ANACS as a third choice. They are open to the public without membership fees. Hope that helps a bit. Tom
Its a matter of preference both are considered top tier graders, so regardless of who you choose i think it will be equal, myself because i grade paper with PCGS i also do my coins there as well
I saw something very helpful recently. The guideline was not to consider having any coins sub $200 slabbed. If you want one of these, buy it slabbed.
Although I don't think there's necessarily a magic number, I think this is a wise guideline to follow in many cases. Personally, I like slabbed coins, and out of the ones I have, only one have I sent in. Many times you can find coins that wouldn't be "worth" sending in yourself already slabbed for not too much more than raw, if those are what you're looking for. As to this thread's original question, I don't think there's much difference between the two overall. PCGS is known to be better for US coins and NGC for foreign coins, but each grades both, and I think the differences are fairly negligible. Each company is composed of trained human beings. Certain collectors of specific series may have a stronger opinion, but that isn't my area of expertise.
And that's why I'm sending those two 1995 doubled dies to Wexler first to see if they are EDS and his thoughts on them overall as to grade. A whole lot cheaper that way. IMHO.
Thanks guys everyone Tommy ill definitely do a side by side comparison of a sort, thank you, ill also look into ANACS. mcpusa yes it is personal preference and PCGS is a great option for me. Kentucky while I don't believe I have any coins valued over 200$ I think it would be a good experience for me and to see one of my coins slabbed, I've never seen a slabbed coin and I could buy one but where's the fun in that. Mack since I would most likely be sending in a US coin I will take that into consideration (possibility an ancient as I'm receiving 2 I'm the mail (my first ones) thanks to @Sallent which was very generous him and kind and I thank him again although ill never be able to thank him enough) and green18 yes it is a good guideline. Thanks, Jacob
Thanks again @Youngcoin , though I'll admit my idea of slabbed coins has been tainted by the ancients' crowd dislike of slabbed coins. Although I did get a slabbed coin as a gift recently from Brian Bucklan. How nice of Brian. He really shouldn't have. And he even wrote a little note and a stuck it to the slab. Did I mention this is my first slabbed ancient? Now, how should I show the slab some proper respect? Yep, this little coin is free at last, just as it was always meant to be. Rhodes AE10. (1.02g) ca 394-304 BC. P-O either side of rose, S to left / rose. SNG Cop 248
Haha seems like someone met mr.hammer why break it out though? Also very nice coin great detail and how thick are slabs? Also do the grading company's photograph and clean your coins? Thanks, Jacob
The last time I got anything graded was five sets of 2011 four coin American silver eagle 25th anniversary sets. They were graded by NGC because NGC is significantly cheaper than PCGS. If there is a large coin show near you there'll be a NGC or PCGS grading service present, maybe both. If you get there early, before they get busy, they'll talk to you and explain the process. IMO, unless a contemporary coin is a ms70 or proof70 grading a contemporary coin is usually a waste of money because grades of 69 or below usually adds nothing to the resale value of a contemporary coin unless it's rare or otherwise special. I buy gold coins directly from the Mint unless I buy them already graded. I will not buy an ungraded gold coin. I stick with PCGS and NGC, it seems to me the other grading services don't have the credibility they have. I'm sure others will have different opinions than me. Good Luck.
Perhaps this will explain things better. This is a shirt made by @TIF which I think perfectly encapsulates the way most of us in the ancients section of the forum feel about slabs. It's hard to explain, and I don't want to hijack this thread, so here is a link to one of the many threads that capture just what we think about slabbing coins. Though hey, do what you want to do man, they are your coins after all. https://www.cointalk.com/threads/grade-wars-attack-of-the-slabs.271072/
"It's hard to explain, and I don't want to hijack this thread, so here is a link to one of the many threads that capture just what we think about slabbing coins" "many threads that capture just what we think about slabbing coins" Who are "WE"? It certainly isn't me or many many others. The slab/no slabs discussions have been going on forever. What some have learned from these never ending discussions is the no slab guys refuse to comprehend or even listen to the advantages of slabbing. Peace, Love and Eternal Cosmic Wisdom
Their cost difference is really marginal at best. Their pricing is really the exact same in the majority majority of places. Errors are the one place NGC is significantly cheaper
One additional thing to consider is whether you want to participate in a registry. PCGS and NGC allow only coins graded by them in their respective registries. So, if you're interested in registry participation, you should choose only one service for each series of coins. If interested, check out the registries of the two services. They don't have identical series, and for some series, mandatory varieties for completion differ. As an example, for CC Morgans, NGC requires both a 1879 plain CC and a 1879 capped CC for completion; PCGS doesn't care as any 1879 CC will do. Cal
If I can add to your modern coins being 70's. There are some exceptions with the State quarters. many were poorly made and some in MS68 command quite high prices in this and higher grades. Most grades above MS68 are not even price listed due to the rarity factor. Many are in the $400.00 range. Of course one would have to be adept in their grading skills to take the chance of sending in otherwise. IMHO.
"Their cost difference is really marginal at best" At the time it was a pretty significant difference what with twenty coins and having the original packaging shipped back to me. Why did I have them graded? I paid $150.00 x five x whatever the grading cost was. After wheeling dealing on eBay I wound up with five MS70 sets worth at least $1,400.00 set x five. Had I not have them graded they are worth not much more than what I paid for them from the mint. I never did sell any of the sets. Still got 'em.
With the modern tier they both charge 16 per coin for US coins. PCGS is still 16 for world moderns where NGC is 17 for world moderns. NGC also has a per submission charge to return the OPG while PCGS returns it for free. The only real difference with moderns is NGCs cut off is 1955 and the PCGS one is 1965
" Many are in the $400.00 range. Of course one would have to be adept in their grading skills to take the chance of sending in otherwise. IMHO." I agree. ". . . because grades of 69 or below usually adds nothing to the resale value of a contemporary coin unless it's rare or otherwise special."
