Ani? NNC?

Ironman, there's only four TPGs which have proved trustworthy: PCGS, ANACS, NGC, and ICG. For any of the rest (well over 100 of them), with very few unproven and unestablished exceptions aren't worth the plastic into which the coins are slabbed. This especially includes ANI and NNC, both of which seriously overgrade and have been known to slab cleaned and other problem coins. Treat any coins in these slabs as raw coins and be suspicious, be very suspicious. If you're buying anything in these slabs, make sure the seller has a solid return policy. Further, before you buy, make sure you know how to grade the coins you are purchasing so when you have it in hand, you can make your own determination of its grade and whether or not it's a problem coin.

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fred...what about NTC?....have you had any dealings with them?...i talked with customer service reps from pcgs and ngc and they were very short with me!!!...i expressed concerns on how they graded coins and asked how coins came to final evaluation, etc...pcgs rep stated that if I don't know how to grade coins for myself, why am I collecting coins!!!!!....S.O.B.!!!! I thought to myself....what a ahole...ngc told me to just take my coins to a ngc dealer and deal with them...my theory is if you can't talk with me in a professional manner you will NOT get my business!!!!...bottom line...i talked with ANACS yesterday as well, they answered any questions I asked...asked q's to me about my collecting interests, what do I have already slabbed?...am I going to the charlotte nc show...(I'm from nc)...and welcomed me to their booth and even told me who to ask for...excellent customer relations!!!!....so people put that in your log books!!!!!....i am sorry for all the inquiries about certification companies, but PCGS AND NGC WILL NOT GET MY BUSINESS!!!!

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Dave, good observations on PCGS and NGC although I have not had the same reaction with NGC, at least to the same degree as you experienced. PCGS personnel can be very arrogant people which is a turn-off for new collectors and in both the short and long runs, is very bad for the hobby. You'll get a much better personal reception with ANACS which, like Avis "tries harder" although it went through a bit of personnel turmoil a few months ago. PCGS in particular gives the impression that it wishes we small collectors would just go away so they can devote all their time to large well-heeled collectors and dealers. I resigned my PCGS membership last year for essentially this reason. I can't stand arrogance in people, companies, nor bureaucracies.

However, NTC is just another unrated overgrading basement slabber for which the best treatment is to stay away; I've seen NTC-graded coins which were eleven points below what they stated on their slabs (e.g., an NTC MS-66 was actually AU-55). It should be said that with considerable grading practice and experience, some very good purchases can be secured from these alphabet slabbers. While the grades given are not to be believed, nice coins can be bought for low prices with careful shopping and bidding. Nevertheless, I will not buy an NTC slabbed coin without a seller's ironclad return policy since NTC has been known to slab cleaned and other problem coins.