PCGS/Ngc

It's purely a public perception of PCGS as the "best" TPG. People are willing to pay more for a PCGS slab. Reality, as evidenced by published polls of coin dealers and the like, establishes PCGS as no more consistent and possibly less so than NGC, ANACS and ICG.

Yeah alot of great collections have been done by NGC though.I am not collecting multi-thousand dollar coins so I don't think it makes a difference for me anyway.

Thanks Tony

Let me share another thought.

You will notice in almost all of the major advertisements that "dealers" keep this myth alive and well. They will offer two coin in the exact same grade and the price will be different.

Looking at a recent ad, I see a dealer offering two MS-65 1944-S Washington quarters. PCGS $45.95 NGC $39.95

Now this is not a huge difference, but it is common.

Why? Because most dealers, just like collectors, have no idea how to buy and sell the coin.

The bottom line is that when I submit, I submit my coins to PCGS because IF I have to sell, I know I will realize higher prices than NGC and the others...hands down.

When I buy, I am equal opportunity and many times I have "stolen", for instance, a PCI graded coin at "x" dollars, cracked it out, and submitted it to PCGS (raw) whereby after submission fees and all, I was able to sell it for MORE than what I initially paid.

The bottom line is that when I look at prices realized for PCGS on Teletrade, ebay and Heritage, all things being equal, PCGS realize way higher prices for the "same" coin in the "same" grade.

Please note the quotation marks around the word "same".

As for Mr Taylor. I hope he gets Anacs into a better slab with better protection. The Intercept Shield would be great, but I don't know how long this exclusive deal will go on between ICG and Intercept Shield.

Maybe he knows something we don't. Time will tell.

I should add that I feel far more comfortable buying a coin online slabbed by one of the top four TPGs than I ever will buying a raw coin since I have a great deal more assurance that the coin has no problems, even if the top TPGs do tend to be somewhat inconsistent with each other and, often each within itself. I simply do not trust nor even believe what most sellers state about the grade and condition of their raw coins and pictures certainly do not tell the whole story. Like zakgold, I also am very concerned about the financial aspects and there is no doubt that PCGS sells for more than the others, so I prefer to sell my coins with a PCGS encapsulation. If ANACS can break this cycle, I will switch to them in a Yankee second!

Fred

I don't like PCGS, and I tried them years ago, as forcing someone to join an imaginary club for around a $100 bucks and then offering up a few free slabbings is nothing more than a con job for your money. I see them as saying if you send us a hundred bucks then your good enough to do business with us but we really don't care if you ever submit coins or not as we are going to keep that hundred bucks regardless! (and after your time runs out you really are screwed then!) I also think it should be AGAINST the LAW to send back a body bagged coin with out the refund, minus a small handling fee, of course! This is nothing short of stealing or theft by deception especially when most collectors don't realize, when they submit the coin, that it has a problem. This places ANACS and there policies on TOP of my list as everyone deserves something for there money. I also believe that slabbing those problems coins is a plus for the hobby as the problems are now out in the open and there will be no more surprises from that coin down the road! Also if it has been cleaned, and literally millions of coins have, the slab will guarantee it won't be cleaned again! PCGS has helped build an imaginary market that needs to be brought back into check. The differences between grades in value is ridiculous and I find it very offensive that a "raw" coin that would probably grade out as, lets say MS-66, is only worth $50 bucks because its raw and the same coin slabbed is worth $600. As numismatist's are we gullable enough to think PCGS's opinion makes that kind of difference in value? Sorry folks, I can not and will not ever buy into these imaginary values in a hyped up market for slabbed coins which has been created by the very people slabbing your coins?
One other item I might bring up at this time is WHO are the guys that SET the PRICES in the coin guides and coin values and just how often do they get together to determine prices? What REAL aspects of the hobby do they base their decisions and prices on? We see the guides, tons of them, but where is this pricing guru we have never had the opportunity to meet?
Last but not least would be the intercept shield? I sure wish someone could convince me the extra money for this product is money well spent as to this day I can't see it? I have NEVER had a coin tone in an airtite so why would I want to spend the money for the intercept shield? Personally I don't like the appearance and everyone knows, in this hobby, eye appeal is everything!

quote:

---

Originally posted by tnwalker10

I wonder if these people that look at a coin and refuse to grade it think that someone paid honest money for nothing. It must take a really pompous attitude to do business this way. Is it possible that enough people will catch on to this scam for the graders to have to change their methods. The word scam may be harsh but money for nothing is a scam.

---

It was my understanding that they rendered their opinion on the coin regardless of problems, then returned it to you. As an added bonus it the coin is problem free then they will entomb it for you with a numerical grade too.

I think you're missing the point about the importance (or lack thereof) of the slab itself. When you send your coin to PCGS et al. then you are paying for the opinion, not the slab, and even a problem coin get the review and opinion. Even if the opinion is that the coin has a problem that would preclude slabbing.