Why Does ICG Get No Respect?

Here's a link to a review of professional grading services: http://www.camacs.com/coin_grading_services.html


ICG gets a pretty good review when compared to the other professional graders (NCG, PCGS, ANACS, ect). Yet, when I see slabbed coins for sale on eBay (and elsewhere) it seems ICG graded coins are always discounted when compared to PCGS graded coins with identicle grades. My personal limited experience with coins I have purchased is the grading by ICG is accurate and consistent.

 

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This is the market speaking. Perception is reality.

 

Enter the game late into an industry dominated by two huge companies, with basically the same business model, and you get ICG. A company with limited market share, limited prospects for growth. No pop report, no registry are negatives. The lack of a dealer network, and dealer support is the biggest problem. Again, enter the game late, and it is tough to do much, unless the new entrant has a technological or management edge, and ICG doesn't. They basically use the same business model, the same tech (actually less now that PCGS has the sniffer) as the other more established companies.

 

Having collected coins for years I guess I still don' get why folks have to pay people to slabbbbb coins , what makes these slabbers:dead-horse:qualified, say over high end collectors who I'am sure are as good at grading coins as the folks at these slabbbing factories, I can only see it as a money scheme :yes:.

 

For those collectors whose grading skills - and counterfeit detections skills - are who are not as good as "high-end collectors" buying slabbed coins does offer some protection, especially for high-end coins. But, rather than learn to grade (and authenticate) coins themselves, many use slabs as a crutch and end up buying the slab rather than the coin. Each to his own.

 

Nothing makes them better...but how many collectors out there don't know how to grade. Plus, when your going to drop a large amount of money on a coin (even if you are an expert)...would you prefer as much safety when it comes to resale? Because, you have to admit...slabbed coins are easier to sell, especially high dollar coins. Basically, they serve as a security blanket for those who either don't know how to grade or those who are cautious when spending large amounts of money. As for less expensive and modern bullion issues, I don't have an explanation.

 

Many of us "old guys" feel the same, but I guess it's just a sign of the times. Back in the 50's when I started collecting, grade was not as important and there was no internet to allow the uncontrolled importation of "replica" coins. We collected for fun, but unfortunately our hobby turned into big business, which puts profit above all else. However, I do own a total of one slabbed coin.... it was gift.

 

Why don't you tell us how you really feel pappy

 

Slabbing can put a premium on a coin. Coins slabbed by PCGS tend to sell high.

I imagine a collector with a bunch of money would rather by slabbed. Gives you a MUCH better chance of buying authentic, problem free coins and takes the guess-work out of such.

However someone with a limited budged, and knows what they are doing, can buy coins in the raw, and save the premium that slabbed coins tend to have.

 

That will get you arrested in most states.

 

Yep... it's best to be wearing clothes when buying coins, raw or slabbed.

 

Like most grading companies collectors seems to flock to the most popular ones. Since NGC and PCGS are the two top companies most people consider every other company a lower tier regardless of how the actual coin looks.
Collectors of high end items likes to see a TPG slab with that magical number on it. It makes them feel more secure about the item they have/ bought. Sometimes I think its all in the collectors mind.

 

So many coins screaming "Get me outa here."

 

Well I guess nobody on here has ever bought a wizzed POS as BU before. Or been told that a coin is MS65 Gem and then send it in for grading and find out it is AU because you missed the rub spot. Grading got to be popular because it was needed. And the firms that do it the best the greatest percent of the time get the business.

 

That info must have been updated over 6-7 years ago

 

IMO ICG tends to or at one time tended to severely overgrade Mint State coins.
TPG is a trust business and if you lose that trust it's hard to get it back.
Plus they use really ugly slabs.

 

The thought behind it is that they do not grade as accurately as PCGS or NGC so the grade is not as acceptable and the value cannot be determined the same way.

 

The man that created that has been in ill health for the past couple of years.

 

I had wondered the same as the OP. This makes a lot of sense to me, especially the security blanket. With the internet being so involved in coin sales, I would imagine that a slabbed coin is a great security blanket when buying online and the reason they are as popular as they are.