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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Conder101, post: 1404815, member: 66&quot;]Small correction to what Doug had to say.&nbsp; ANACS started authenticating in 1972 not grading.&nbsp; Grading did not begin until 1979.&nbsp; And they were not the first, they were beat by about a month by INS.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>There were actually about five or six grading services before PCGS but ACG was the only US company doing slabs.&nbsp; (There was actually a currency grading service that used a sealed holder in the early 70&#039;s, Hallmark Currency Grading Service, no connection to the other two companies named Hallmark that came later.&nbsp; The very first company that I have been able to trace that graded and encapsulated was a South African company in 1975, SAGCE.&nbsp; A very strange company that used a 105 point grading scale and only graded proof Krugerrands.)</p><p><br /></p><p>Probably the reason PCGS took off and have stayed on top was the reputations of the top dealers that banded together to form the company.&nbsp; Add to that the financial power a for the advertising like Doug mentioned plus the fact that they had a year and a half of no real serious competition before NGC came along allowed them to develop a following and consolidate their market position.&nbsp; This meant that although they were a solid well backed company, they have had to play catch-up ever since.&nbsp; Even though NGC has created many of the innovations in the TPG&#039;s since then, somehow PCGS manages to maintain the image that THEY are the innovators.&nbsp; Once again probably through advertising and self promotion.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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