1890-CC Morgan Dollar: You Vs. ICG

MS60

ICG graded this one AU-58. This one is tough. There might be just a touch of wear on the hair and breast and enough little chatter spots to call it AU. The luster is much better in hand. I may crack it out and submit it to PCGS or NGC. Even if it comes back as an AU-58 again, I should still get my grading fee back due to the premium over an ICG holder and then I may get lucky and get an MS grade.

this post is not necessarily regarding your morgan but rather the inconsistencies I have found about what some of the other posters have said about ICG. This thread is an example as well as several others which are similar which I have read over the past several weeks. Personally I like ICG. I believe that they are quite consistent, conservative, and most technically correct. However I read from other posters that ICG stand for "I Can't grade " or other similar sayings. The point I am getting to is that, now I have seen posters send coins in to ICG or ANACS, for that matter whom I also like very much, not getting the grade you are expecting and now sending them to PCGS or NGC in the hopes of getting a better grade. So which would you really trust? Personally I would want the appropriate, technical grade for the coin. Also when I see the online Heritage auctions or stacks and bowers auction , I don't find lot of difference in premium coins as the educated collector will but the coin and not the slab. As a point of fact I was intrigued more recently back in February when the caretakers for the famous 1804 Parmelee/Reed dollar chose ICG amongst all others to authenticate and officially grade it. I don't believe that there would be a lower premium on that coin because it was in an ICG holder

I understand those concerns about moderns, although admittedly I don't understand it. I also know it is profoundly subjective. I appreciate coin community as it has enhanced my education and perspectives on the hobby itself as well as my own coin interests. There is no doubt in reality PCGS and NGC lead the show but are they the be all and all.....NO. I believe newcomers to the hobby are goaded into looking at that slab as opposed to the beauty of the coin, if you are primarily interested in the hobby and not the investment.

Actually I have. I have sold many of my doubles on ebay but I am not a dealer. I love my classics, have holders from pcgs, ngc,anacs, old holders and new holders. Frankly I find no difference in the TPG but rather I find that the old green PCGS holder, the old fat NGC holder and the old small white ANACS holder get the higher premium. Actually the "worst" selling holder in my little experience is the new generation yellow ANACS holder

I do not see the point in sending coins to IGC or ANACS when PCGS and NGC slabs are far more respected and hold their value relative to the assigned grade far better. Who cares if IGC is accurate when grading when an IGC-graded coin brings 15-20% less than a PCGS-graded equivalent? Part of my mantra as a collector is to maximize the value of my coins for potential resale. I do not have too many years left on this earth, and I would like my wife and/or kids to be able to maximize their return on my lifelong investment.

Thank you Dave, exactly my point

Either AU-58 or MS-62 seems reasonable depending on one's opinion on whether we're looking at wear or strike weakness