Why Do Canadians Hate NGC?

Years ago I bought an NGC 1858 20 cents,definitely over graded.Never looked at NGC coins again until last year when I saw on ebay an NGC pl64 coin being sold with its original ICCS pl65 holder.Since then I've bought many NGC pl graded coins,always undergraded by ICCS standards,always a bargain.Perhaps I shouldn't bring attention to this until I have my complete series in NGC holders,and have sold off their ICCS counterparts.

"Unfortunately with all of the counterfeit coins around they may have become a necessary evil to assure one gets a genuine coin. "

This is in fact why coin certification started in the US in the 1970's, and evolved to a slabbed product by the 1980's.

As I remember it third party certification came into being because coin dealer's routinely undergraded coins that they purchased and overgraded coins they sold to optimize profits. I remember buying some "GEM BU" Morgan dollars from a local dealer back then, and several months later had to sell them back. I was shocked to hear my GEM BU Morgans were magically worn down to AU when brought back in. I'm sure authentication was a contributing factor, but not the only one. Today, thanks to the Chinese, certification is becoming more important than ever. ~ Jim

Hello Stooges,

The differences between the US and Canadian culture are much greater than appear on the surface. Canadians are much more "world citizens", pride themselves on being more civilized (although it is only a veneer) and are a bit "calmer". Americans are much more passionate about everything - politics, religion and everything else.

It is great to get away from the US and "decompress" for 5 years. You begin to realize that it is the passion that drives US culture that explains both its success and many of its problems. You also begin to realize how the US press manipulates the public in (what I am now sure) is a coordinated way. The press may be the undoing of the US. They have a very distinct agenda and it is not in YOUR best interest. You are lied to routinely and with complete contempt.

Why did I move to Canada? Opportunity. Alberta exports more oil to the US than Saudi Arabia (although few Americans know that, why would the press want you to know?). The oil brings in so much money to Alberta that the (provincial, it is not national as most in the US are lead to believe by the press) health care system works better than the US, education is high quality and cheep. I have 2 kids in college that I float out of my pay check without problem.

Coin collecting..... I gave up on the US (after collecting since I was 5 years old) when I sold a 1995W silver dollar to a dealer in NJ six years ago for $6K+. There are 35,000 of these extant. They are not at all rare. Here I have many (dozens) of "census" coins and more than a few "best that exist" and have NEVER paid $6K for any. Truly RARE coins can be had here for $hundreds occasionally.

I see Canadian coins as a better investment than US coins. When the baby boom "cashes out" in the US, I think rare coins will drop precipitiously in value. Here, coin collecting is 30 years behind the US, growing, and in a country that is just now getting a sense of national identity (which should promote "national" things like coin collecting).

I hope that helps.

Coin dealers for what type of coins?
Calgary has Albern Coins- one of the most respected dealers anywhere:
"self edit removing web link to adhere to the rules for newbies...however doing a web search can find them anyway."

They do mostly modern and currency conversions, but have a few ancient coins etc.
It depends on what you're looking for.

"It is MUCH more fun here."

Perhaps. But collecting Canadian coins in the US is quite good (if you are knowledgeable) because few US dealers know much about Canadian material. For most of them, whatever Canadian material they get is a result of what comes with buying a US collection.

I honestly believe you are not correct with the UNESCO thing, as it does not include valid currency. to the best of my knowledge, Canadas money is all still very valid.
and customs does not collect anything , except the GST and PST where applicable, and only if the value is over $ 50.
and, if you make a list of what you send and keep a record of what you shipped to a TPG, their invoice will only be the subject to GST and PST, NO duties. Nothing else.
hhb