Another Grade Test. 1900 Quarter.

Well most are pretty close. I bought this coin raw some time ago from a less detailed picture than you see here. Couldn't really see the hair detail but the crown looked so good I was hoping for an MS60. This coin was NGC graded AU55 about a year ago which most here will agree is about right. Just some general comments on consistency with my grading and cross grading experiences. Not that it's all that relevant, let me first preface that I'm an NGC authorized dealer, like the company and frankly find that it has the best all around balance. Saying that, I submit coins to NGC, PCGS, ANACS, ICCS and on a couple of occasions to CCCS. Where I submit depends on the coin, population reports, customer requirements, coin cleaning, etc...I have graded and cross graded a few coins over the past year with most being on par, two a single grade and one two grades off on raw, broken out coins. What I find interesting is that almost 100% of the time when coins are cross graded using previous grader's packaging and graded with the last 2-3 years, they've come back same grade. Not a single NGC coin sent to ICCS came back a different grade (out of 3). Does a previous grade influence the outcome? I honestly think so in many cases. Lastly, I think posters who claim that the grading services are 4 to 5 grades off is just not a fact. I'll try to compile a list at some point and post it here. As the grading industry grows and more coins are graded it also becomes more consistent. Time in history, owners and graders who work for these companies are also variables in coins graded past present and future. ANACS as an example spawned from the ANA and was the king of American coin grading at a certain time. Here are some observations.

NGC - Seems more generous on higher grade coins. More forgiving on minor hairlines than PCGS. Good on sliver, weak on copper. Stingy on proofs. Best online submission system of all. Inconsistent turn around time.
PCGS - Very strict on cleaning and imperfections. Appearance in grading seems to come into play. All around consistency. Alright submission mechanism. Long turn round times.
ANACS - Will grade cleaned/damaged coins. Lately stingy on grades. I've had two PCGS broken out coins graded "UNC" come back as AU58 (Cleaned). No online submission system. Inconsistency turn around.
ICCS - Will grade cleaned/damaged coins. Very consistent until recently. Generous on cleaning, dipping and imperfections (spots, dings in key places, etc...). Great for Canadian copper. Great turn around time.
CCCS - I've only sent two nickels to them and both seemed correct. Like that a Canadian co. took on slabs. The turn around time was atrocious.

Here is the coin in the slab. I will send it to ICCS with my next batch to cross grade and post the results here. Anyone want to guess the ICCS outcome?

Thanks for the insights. Judging on my thoughts, the thoughts of most others here, and what you just posted - it'll be ICCS AU55.

If submitted in the NGC holder, ICCS will cross grade the coin as an au55.

You can either submit your coin in the holder or not.

If submitted loose, you are taking the risk of ICCS grading it lower than au55.

What I find best is this.....

Submit your coin in the NGC holder and tell Brian or Scott "if the coin grades au55 or better, crack it out and put it in an ICCS holder. If the grade is lower than au55, then leave it in the NGC holder".

They will do this and this eliminates the possibility of getting back a lower grade.

As promised, see ICCS cross grade below.