Yeah...I know some of those dealers. They are the ones that would try to convince you their coin is graded 65 when you think otherwise. Also, they are same bunch that would try to convince you when they buy coins that YOUR coin now is a 63. Never mind you have their invoice stating it was sold as a 65. They will claim you probably dropped it and/or handled/stored it wrong making the coin a 63. Yeah, I seen that bunch at the FUN show too. They are the ones selling a bunch of raw coins like the 16-D Merc with a "trust me" smile. "A fool and his money are soon departed" Some of those collectors lost their buying and selling edge...and are just kicking themselves they didn't come up with graded slabs in the mid 80's. B.U. coins anyone? I have a GEM BU Luster Plus Star Morgan....any bidders?
So I guess anything I saw you won't listen to so why should I even try... Midas...I've told what I have read...what I have learned...what others think...none of the grading Co. I know of are perfect...none of them...but the one that grades the best (This is what I think and many other collectors think) is NGC...GDJMSP has posted facts...I have told what I know and what others say...and others on this forum have posted...IMO (and many other people) PCGS is not perfect...none of them are...so what that they sell for more...does that mean that the silver dollars on the Shop At Home TV show are better than the ones at a coin shop just because the guys on TV charge more???...that is nuts. I'm going to leave this topic...But I haven't changed my mind Speedy
Midas - ANACS does publish pop reports, once a year - they have to be purchased though, just like PCGS, and they are not available on-line. Nothing I say will ever change your opinion - I'm not trying to do so. I am just trying to present information so that others may form their own opinion. I understand what you do with pop reports and why - that's fine, I have no problem with it. I've used the pop reports myself many times. And for whatever it's worth - I have no problem freely agreeing that NGC assigns more 70 grades than PCGS does - never did. And I have no problem agreeing that PCGS slabbed coins sell for more as a general rule. What I do have a problem with is agreeing that because of these things PCGS is the most conservative or a better grading company. The logic just doesn't follow. If it did - then it would have to be agreed that ANACS is the most conservative. It doesn't matter what the ANACS pop report says - use your own eyes. You've seen lots of coins and lots of auctions - have you ever seen ANACS grade a coin as MS or PF70 ? If they did the coins would be out there on the market - they are not. Therefore they do not - and if they ever do it would have to be extremely rare. Personally I have never seen even 1 - I doubt you have either. But that really has nothing to do with which company does the better job of grading coins. To me, what determines the better grading company is consistencty & accuracy. If a coin is worthy of a 70 grade - fine assign it. But if it's a AU55 - give that. In my opinion PCGS is extremely inconsistent with grading. It sometimes seems as if their standards flucuate with the weather. NGC, and ANACS on the other hand seems very consistent. But - that is my personal opinion. That and $1.50 will buy you a cup of coffee
I do see that ANACS publishes a population report. I wish it were on line so we can instantly look it up. You are right, I never saw a 70 grade from ANACS. Actuallly, I do not see that many moderns graded by ANACS as it appears that most moderns end up at NGC and PCGS. I wish that PCGS didn't charge a silver memebership of $49 to view pop reports either. I do like NGC's new slabs (I believe they are air-tight) as I broke one out the other day to add a MS66RD Lincoln to upgrade my "raw" slot and it was tough as nails. Either way, if I submit raw coins, I only submit to PCGS for the sole purpose of if I have to sell or liquidate my collection, I just know (at the present time) that I will realize more dollars for these graded coins that the others. When I buy, I am equal opportunity all the way to the top four if I am buying sight-unseen (auction houses). Since I primarily collect Lincolns, I have to be careful with raw coins because I was told by Randy Campbell of ANACS himself at a recent show that I may be color blind. Many raw coins I thought looked good were either dipped or recolored or both. That's a great service at a majr show. Find a raw coin, take it to one of the TPG's booth and ask them for a quick opinion of the grade. I took four Lincolns to Randy and he goes, "dipped, dipped, recolored...not bad, high AU, maybe 58" I felt like a 3 year old getting spanked at Wal-Mart! So I only much buy raw if the grades are in the AU range as I still can look at wear on wheaties or cheek bones, but for Lincoln color where one year may be brassy in color versus orange-red, that is where I fall short.
