PNG Hosts Grading Symposium at 2023 FUN Show (video with PCGS President, Stephanie Sabin)

JohnF

We had a great time at this year's FUN show. The reports I've read on this forum are spot-on. The show was absolutely rocking -- the busiest I've ever seen in my 40+ years attending FUN shows.

Before the doors opened on Wednesday, the PNG hosted a first-ever event and invited the leadership of PCGS (Stephanie Sabin), NGC (Andrew Salzberg), and CAC Grading (John Albanese) to the same stage. As incoming Executive Director of the PNG, I was asked to moderate. My goal was to get out of the way and hear from these dynamic industry leaders and they did not disappoint. We had a great time and, to my knowledge, this is the first time we've ever had these three folks together at once.

https://youtu.be/q0jvJXB4njY

https://youtu.be/q0jvJXB4njY

This is the first public posting of the video, which is completely unedited, so don't expect any flashy graphics. There's some great information here, but my favorite takeaway was seeing everyone together for the benefit of the hobby. We're all in this together!

If you want to learn more about the PNG, visit www.pngdealers.org.

Wishing a happy, healthy & prosperous New Year to all!
John

breakdown

Thanks for posting this, John. I found it very interesting. JA was the lucky one that didn’t have to share a mic!

edwardjulio

Additional thanks for posting. I also found this worth the watch.

JohnF

@breakdown said:
Thanks for posting this, John. I found it very interesting. JA was the lucky one that didn’t have to share a mic!

Good point! The singe-mic was frustrating. The entire event came together on very short notice. The participants proved themselves to be extremely flexible and forgiving under less-than-ideal circumstances. Stephanie especially had to lean over to hold the mic (ugh!) but she was amazing.

John may not have shared the mic but he assured me he would have much rather been there in person. He had no screen to see anything but the front wall.

justindan

Thanks for the posting. Very worthwhile.

ricko

Thank you for the link... Interesting to see - and hear - from the top level people in the coin grading business. Cheers, RickO

DDR

Very interesting. Thanks for posting this, John.

davewesen

I liked how the NGC guy said their investor group sent in efficiency experts that made suggestions which drastically lowered turn-around times.

lilolme

I want to give a 'shout out' to Justin Atkins. If you do not know him, he is simply 'one of the good guys' in this industry.

JohnF

@lilolme said:
I want to give a 'shout out' to Justin Atkins. If you do not know him, he is simply 'one of the good guys' in this industry.

Definitely!

wondercoin

‘’I want to give a 'shout out' to Justin Atkins. If you do not know him, he is simply 'one of the good guys' in this industry.’’

X2!

Wondercoin

Desert Moon

John F is also one of the good guys of the industry. I wanted to thank him in person for the informative podcasts when I was at FUN, but dagnabit, every time I saw him he was busy and justifiably so. I will have to now also peruse the Grading Symposium and again re-iterate the importance of what John is doing to bring salient information to numismatists.

Best, SH

keyman64

Thanks for posting that.

lilolme

Near the end of the video when JA was talking I got a chuckle out of his comment about the BU walker being in someones pocket for 3 months and still BU. Then he implied that this MS grading with cabinet friction isn't anything he is going to start believing in. Running a test he mentioned.

JohnF

@spacehayduke said:
John F is also one of the good guys of the industry. I wanted to thank him in person for the informative podcasts when I was at FUN, but dagnabit, every time I saw him he was busy and justifiably so. I will have to now also peruse the Grading Symposium and again re-iterate the importance of what John is doing to bring salient information to numismatists.

Best, SH

Wow, thank you SH. I am usually busy at shows but always happy to say hello. I will be at Central States on Thursday for those at the show but then heading off to Maastricht for the MIF World Paper Money Fair. We hope to keep posting podcasts of meaningful industry interviews in the meantime!

Best,
John