PCGS Turnaround Times

Follow up:

Some good news! Phil at PCGS sent links to the images of the 6 coins in the submission.

They are spectacular! The max file size is now ~3+ times larger than the previous full file size -- about 36 MB vs 10-12 MB.

There are multiple smaller file sizes available as well.

The images are also accessible via the "Your Orders" page, same as before.

I have always used the cert # links on the orders page to access photos. It occurs to me that it's possible that ~36 MB has been the max for a while and I just wasn't aware of it.

Whether there have been recent changes, or I just wasn't aware of everything that was/is available, the photos are incredible, and I'm glad to have the various file sizes to choose from.

Now if we can just get the submission of 25 coins photographed and returned...

Just to add to the topic, I went to a coin shop 8/5 with several raw coins. After consulting with the guy in charge I decided to submit 9 coins for grading. I was told based on their recent submissions and the level of service I chose (economy), expected turn around for NGC was 4 to 6 weeks and that PCGS was 2 months minimum. They had PCGS submissions sent in May that were still waiting to be graded.

Good news and bad news:

I received an email from PCGS telling me that the resubmission of 25 coins was being returned.

The box arrived yesterday (Saturday, 8/13). I opened it up and found that only 5 of the 25 coins had been returned.

When I resubmitted the coins I had to complete new submission forms. I had to use the PDF forms that only have space for 20 coins. So there were two (2) submission forms, each with the same number (the original submission number).

So although all 25 coins were submitted together, with the same submission number, they are being returned separately.

The photos of the 5 we received (let alone the other 20) are not yet available.

PCGS RECEIVED MY ECONOMY SUBMISSION ON JUNE 30th, with posted turnaround time of 30 days. After which the weekly times changed as follows; 36 days, 37, 43, 42, 47, 36, and on 8/29 42 days. But 2 days later, on 8/31 50 days! This is by far the longest duration/delay that I've experienced for any PCGS submission.

You have my sympathy wings.

I was hoping that by now I'd be able to report that we had received all of our coins back from PCGS, but that's not the case.

Of 59 coins submitted, they still have 20.

Those 20 are the majority of a submission of 25, which was received by PCGS on May 23 and shipped back to us on July 18.

Unfortunately, although we had requested "secure service" for those 25 coins, that was not performed.

Due to that "mechanical error" (as PCGS calls it) those 25 coins had to be returned. PCGS received them (for the second time) on August 1.

Five (5) of the 25 coins were processed relatively quickly. They were shipped back on August 11. Still, that's 11+ weeks (over 55 business days) -- not counting the shipping time to or from PCGS on either end.

The remaining 20 coins are still at PCGS. This Monday, September 5, will be a full 15 weeks and counting, from when they were first received by PCGS on May 23.

It would be bad enough if this was an ordinary submission and I had been told the turnaround time would be 50 days (as I gather is currently the case).

We were led to believe that the turnaround time would be no more than 30 days, max.

Instead, they had those 25 coins for a full 8 weeks, _40_ business days.

Then, due to their 'mechanical error', we had to resubmit all 25 coins -- which necessitated filling out the PDF forms again from scratch, line by line, finding a box and packing material, driving to FedEx (15 miles r/t) because PCGS will not pay for a pickup (or for USPS Priority Mail, which is what PCGS uses...). In short, it cost us time and money to return the coins -- due to PCGS' error.

I don't have a MBA degree, but it seems to me that when a business makes a mistake the correct response is to:

a) Make correcting the mistake as easy as possible for the customer, and

b) Correct any mistakes before moving on to other jobs.

Those 25 coins should have all been processed and shipped back to us in less than one week, max.

Prior to submitting our coins to PCGS I had heard nothing but high praise for them.

I have to say I am very disappointed.

At this point whenever PCGS gets around to performing the secure service on the remaining 20 coins, the least they can do is not charge us the additional $125 for that submission.

I'll post here again when I have more to report.

I've had very similar experiences to the above in terms of delays but I do have the opposite story. Submitted an express order which arrived on the 26th August, 12 coins mostly Aussie and the results were posted last night, total turn around of 6 business days. The grades are very fair as well.

They are probably bogged down with all the OTHER mistakes they are having to fix.

As for the long wait times, I've watched PCGS and NGC since their start and wait times have always fluctuated. Some time very short other times very long, up to six months. But it is always the same, if it takes more than a week or two people start griping. Every one want their coins NOW!

What I like are the people that start complaining when turnaround time start getting longer that say "Well if they're getting behind they need to put on some more graders." It there a Temp service out there somewhere you can call up and say "Send me four world class grader right away."? (Well there might be , but they would be looking to leveling out your landscaping.