New Collector Has Question

Lori

What is the best grading company out there. I have noticed quite a few names. I want to know who to trust when I am purchasing coins. I heard a few companies are way off in there grading standards. Thanks for any help, tips, suggestion!

I am starting out with the american eagles and statehood quarters. I have only been buying ones that are graded ms69 or better. Many are dcam or ultra cam. That is good right? Like I said I am new at this.

airplanenut

Most people here will say NGC, PCGS, or ANACS... stay away from the rest. Most eagles and quarters will come back as PR69s, and it is pretty rare to have one that is only a CAM (except with the quality of some of the newer quarters... the eagles should all be DCAM)

Welcome to the boards!

Bear

Lori - The two top grading companies are PCGS and NGC. Each company has its strengths
and weaknesses. Both companies will give you reasonable assurance of quality.
However, you must still be careful as each grade by each company will contain
marginal, low, medium and premium quality for every grade. It is the old
bell curve of quality that only your own sharp eye can evaluate. Good luck Bear

Blade

Lori,
Welcome! You question is the equivalent of asking a muscle car driver if they like Ford or Chevy - hot debate. PCGS and NGC both have good reputations. PCGS has taken the most conservative approach to grading, and that helps boost their value for a specific grade. Then again, many say that NGC is more consistent in their grading of some series. PCGS does offer a grade guarantee, which helps hold the value. If they overgrade a coin (and admit to it upon resubmission), they will make some sort of financial numeration. My personal reason is that I like the look of the clear PCGS holders better and the security that their reputation brings. (Others like NGC better).

Stick around here a few weeks, and also try the NGC forums. The discussions will help you make up your mind.

Russ

Welcome aboard! Got proof JFKs?

Russ, NCNE

Bear

Yes Russ - Everyone has nice Proof JFKs , its just you that cant seem to ever get enough of them.

Catch22

If you are going for coins in Mint State grades, PCGS is the only way to go, absent the experience to grade yourself. In circulated grades, PCGS, NGC and ANACS are accepted by the market. Stay in the hobby long enough and you won't care who's plastic surrounds the coin...you'll know what you're looking at and how to grade it. I have long thought NGC to be the strictist grading service, but PCGS still brings more for plastic.

RGL

Agreed, PCGS is No. 1, with NGC a tad behind. But, for varieties, RPMs, doubled dies, over mint marks, etc., neither of the Top Two can hold a candle to ANACS for attributing your coins. Both PCGS and NGC are giving away the attribution market, VAMS, Snow, etc., to ANACS. Welcome on board, Lori.

RLinn

Welcome to the forum.

gemseeker

Welcome. I have only purchased two slabbed coins (by ACG) and their product has to be scrutinzed before purchasing. As noted with the other replies, PCGS, NGC are the two major grading services. There are others such as ANACS, SEGS, ICG, PCI, NTC, DCGS, etc but you have to be careful with any of them. With coins being submitted multiple times and getting different results, you have to examine each one individually and not just rely on what is written on the slab.

toners

Lori,
Stay away from anything that is not PCGS, NGC or ANACS, preferably the first two, welcome aboard.
Allen

dorkkarl

lori, i think it depends on what your goals are. sounds like for what you're trying to collect, the above advice makes sense. IF you branch out into more mainstream coins, ie earlier types such as barber coins, etc., getting a quality dealer on your side will prove more beneficial than grading companies.

K S

FC57Coins

Lori - welcome to the boards. As a freshman to the coin collecting game I'm going to have to agree with the majority of the gang here and say that PCGS, NGC, and ANACS are the way to go. However - keep in mind a saying that you'll hear a lot around these parts - "Buy the coin, not the holder" - what that means is that as you get more experienced and can get to appreciate a really beautiful coin, buy that coin, at a price that you feel is fair, regardless of the holder. If you're serious about collecting, you'll also do well to start reading some of the primers on the hobby like the "Red book". You may also want to go to your nearest coin store and ask then what might be some good books for you to read. Welcome aboard, you'll learn a lot here too!

Regards,

Frank