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Pillar of the Community
United States
1613 Posts |
I've been collecting (hoarding a more fair statement) long before third party grading was a thing. In the ensuing years since PCGS tends to bring higher results over NGC when offered for sale. As one falling into the "buy the coin, not the holder" camp I'm more often speechless seeing such high gaps between identically graded specimens. While most will point to preference in grading firm it seems to be something more. Others may claim that PCGS is more accurate at grading than NGC. Having both graded specimens in my collection neither seem to have a standout advantage explaining this. Neither are without their flaws or occasional miss grading, especially where attributes are concerned, when overall they are consitantly equally. Again, my personal opinion looking at both side by side. Both also offer the same grading and accuracy guarantee. I suppose what I'm looking for is some enlightenment as to why this is. What am I missing? Is an auction close of 25% (or more in some cases) on a PCGS truly warranted?  ANA member - PAN Member - BCCS Member There are no problems only solutions - the late, great John Lennon
Edited by Ballyhoo
09/06/2025 3:09 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2213 Posts |
The grading companies have a bunch of trained graders who offer their opinion. There's always going to be differences in grade and attribution as long as humans do it. Sometimes the grading companies get the error or variety wrong. I have a 1991 silver Mexico Libertad that NGC mislabeled as year 2010. I bought a .10 oz gold eagle graded by PCGS as MS70 that had lots of scratches, dings, was really more like a MS66. The grader clearly got it wrong. I sent it back to dealer for refund. Someday there may be a reliable AI app to grade coins which could be more consistent I think. My daugher works for an insurance company. She got a letter from corporate saying AI was going to eventually replace workers in their customer support centers. Likely graders would lose their jobs too if a good AI app graded coins. It can depend on what a collector wants graded. NGC has been grading ancient coins for a long time so ancient coin collectors prefer them. It's been said classic USA coins sell some better in PCGS, but I've never seen a research comparison study proving this. CAC is growing and others have a market share like ANACS. Here's an interesting point of view from NGC: https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/5740/Edited by livingwater
09/06/2025 8:58 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19108 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
613 Posts |
Hence why CAC stickering has been so successful and why CAC stickered coins sell for 10%+ over non stickered coins (Greysheet values and sales realized). If nothing else, the sticker is yet another set of graders eyes on a coin.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5177 Posts |
When large sums of money are involved, the inevitable "arm twisting" follows.
And since higher grades mean more money, sellers will invariably move toward those TPGs that offer them the highest grade no matter what.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1960 Posts |
@livingwater : At some point, NGC backed off the position outlined in that 2017 article. I've registered PCGS graded slabs in the "My Competitive Coins" section of the NGC registry.
" Even a clock that's stopped is right twice a day. "
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
24878 Posts |
Ballyhoo is asking whether the premium shown for PCGS-graded coins over other TPGs for the same coin and grade is warranted. My opinion is that much of it is herd mentality.
Inordinately fascinated by bits of metal with strange markings and figures
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Valued Member
Italy
284 Posts |
I personally like a PCGS slab more (and the whole tech/images/registry/sites/whatnot behind it), thus I naturally tend to pay more for a PCGS slab compared to an NGC one.
I also trust their grades more by virtue of the fact that I see a lot of coins slabbed in NGC holders which don't hold up to my own personal scrutiny.
I cannot think of paying several thousands of $ for a coin encased in a piece of plastic which I find unappealing. When I buy NGC I always have in mind to cross to PCGS and thus paying less makes perfect financial sense considering I'll have to shell out more $ for the cross. The process also might cut the grade so there's also that fear baked into the price.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
669 Posts |
Wonder then if the price difference is that great, buy a great NGC slabbed coin and send to PCGS for cross grading hoping they'll match/beat the grade and have them put it in their holder.
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Replies: 8 / Views: 710 |
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Posted 09/06/2025 9:55 pm
