Why Do Canadians Hate NGC?

My opinion of this is based solely on my observations. I have a few PCGS graded circulated coins, and the grades are noticably higher than what ICCS would normally assign (about 1 grade higher). But when is comes to uncirculated coins, that is a different matter. There, it seems PCGS is very comparable to ICCS coins, and may even be tougher than ICCS. However, I suspect many collectors assume the same difference in grading in uncirculated coins applies as for circulated coins, and they bid less for PCGS coins. But PCGS acknowledges that they do this, refering to the practice as market grading, and only do it for the more rare or scarce coins. Newer, more common issues are graded more like ICCS. AS for NGC, it appears that they grade like PCGS as well. Interestingly, I have a 1935 silver dollar graded by NGC as MS62 and it looks a lot better than many coins given MS64 by ICCS. Note that this may not be a fair comment as the coins I have looked at may have been switched with a lower grade item as this is fairly easy to do with an ICCS holder. On the plus side, both PCGS and NGC have more grades. They grade MS61, AU53, VF35 and may even grade VF25. You can often buy an ICCS coin graded as VF30 but is VF35, or one that is graded as VF20 but is VF25. The best is to learn how to grade coins yourself.

I know my write up may make me sound like a sales agent for I.C.C.S., however, the following is based on fact, knowledge and experience. Yes I agree that one should always buy the coin and not the holder.
I'm starting to notice as of late that there are many raw (ungraded) coins on E-bay (key date Canadian decimal) showing up that I know in my heart are replica's / counterfeits. Especially when you see the starting price of a coin at $29.99 and you know the trend value of an original piece would be thousand$ of dollars. Also I've deliberately went out of my way to purchase a few of the Chinese counterfeit coins to educate myself and prevent being defrauded.
When comparing U.S. Third Party Graded coins to Canadian T.P.G.'s you have to take into account that I.C.C.S. only basis their opinion on a "technical" grade whereas U.S. T.P.G.'s base their grades not only on a technical grade but also on EYE APPEAL.
We all know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so if one loves blondes, does it mean all brunettes are ugly? (and vice versa)
This being said, I.C.C.S. grades on only three criteria whereas the U.S. T.P.G's base their opinion on five criteria. This is the reason why in most cases you always get a far superior Canadian coin in an I.C.C.S. slab than the same graded coin in a U.S. slab.
I've cracked out dozens of P.C.G.S. Canadian coins and sent them off to I.C.C.S. to have them return 99% of the time anywhere from 1 to 3 grades lower. I now will never buy another U.S. T.P.G. Canadian coin as a result of this experience.
Also, when it comes time to sell a Canadian coin slabbed by I.C.C.S., it always sells at a higher premium than a U.S. slabbed coin of the same denomination and grade. To confirm this statement, check the "Standard Certified Price Guide of Canadian Coins". This publication can be purchased on line for appr. $40.00 from a company based in Florida. It compares the prices of all slabbed Canadian coins from all the TOP Third Party Grading Companies in North America. In all cases I.C.C.S. is the highest regarded in terms of highest premiums received, most respected and TOP $ paid.
Collectors who frown purchasing Third Party Graded coins will eventually be forced to or risk being defrauded, especially coins of higher value. Our hobby has now been heavily infiltrated by scammers looking to make a fast buck which will force the collector to either T.P.G. their collection or quit collecting! Simple as that and there ain't no inbetweenies.
Always remember: "Knowledge is POWER".

Glenn Pinto

Oh, so to stay on topic, if I were buying US or world I would have no problem with NGC or PCGS or others.

Hello,

Yes, after 5 years up here I still don't get why there are lines at Tim Horton's (although Molsons is good).

While I really appreciate the comments, the real question that I am asking is why is NGC so looked down upon here while PCGS gets some degree of respect (albeit considered a grade lower than ICCS). In the US PCGS and ICCS are consider the top two TPGs and essentially equal, at least up to MS/PL 65.

Why do Canadians hate NGC coins, as opposed to PCGS?

QS I disagree about TPG's. If a coin is $1000 in MS-63 and $2000 in MS-64, some third party mediation is going to make the buying/selling process a lot smoother. Guaranteed, the seller thinks it's a MS-64, and the buyer thinks it's a MS-63. The TPG resolves the issue - that is the grade, take it or leave it.

I don't like NGC because they over-grade, that's it. I once had a 1925 5 cent NGC graded AU-50, that was actually a VF-30ish coin. If I were to buy an NGC coin, I'd do so only if heavily discounted from catalog value. ICCS is the only slab I will pay 100% or more of cat for.

I've personally observed a few egregious errors on NGC's part with regard to grading, type and authentication of non-US coins. It's my unfortunate conclusion, based purely on my own personal experience and what I've read of others' reliable experience, that NGC is not a top-level TPG in any but US issues. Perhaps Canadian collectors agree with that assessment.

This is a little off topic, Steve, but why did you move to Canada?

What are the main differences you see in daily life and well as the collecting scene as compared to the U.S.?

Steve quote::
"Yes, after 5 years up here I still don't get why there are lines at Tim Horton's (although Molsons is good)."
You must not have tried the Tim's at Country Hills plaza beside the BK. Totally awesome staff and the lines are short and sweet, always getting your order right. The best in the (best) city by far.