Barber collectors: PCGS vs. NGC

dan1ecu

Does anybody have anything positive or negative to say about how each service grades Barber dimes, quarters and halves? I’d like to add MS64-65 examples to my type set. Which service is tighter?

Thanks,

Dan

EVillageProwler

This is a loaded question if ever there was one...

Dan,

If you are submitting these coins to the services NOW, then I'd say that they're about equal, with PCGS being possibly slightly stricter.

If you're buying Barbers already slabbed, then you should never, ever forget that there is marginal as well as PQ material in both service's holders. I've seen plenty. And, the percentage of marginal and PQ coins seem evenly distributed between the two services. So, in this regard, they're evenly variable...

My unscientific conclusion is that they're too close to tell either way... Your best bet is to just buy nice coins.

EVP

Placid

No major difference.
Just buy the coin, if you don't like the holder that can be changed but the coin can't.

dan1ecu

I think you guys hit the nail on the head. I should probably get good at distinguishing a PQ example from a borderline one. It’s difficult, though. Sometimes the difference between an MS64 and an MS65 (or even a high-end MS64 vs. a low-end MS64) is not easy to see - for me anyway.

Dan

heavycopper

I had 3 MS65 barber dimes. The one graded by PCGS developed a large fingerprint on the white coin. It was very faint when I bought it but got wrose over 2 years. It looked bad so I got rid of it. My NGC ones looked better. I'm sure there are nice ones graded by PCGS too. Here you have to look at each coin and know what a MS65 should look like.

dorkkarl

the prob. w/ getting a ms65 is that it is about 95% certain to be dipped & "blast white" & have all those other screeching descriptives. i'd cherry-pick a nice ms-64 w/ choice original tone, and put the savings toward your next coin.

K S

keets

EVP

it occurred to me after reading dan's thread starter and your post that this is an entirely sensible way, and one that shouldn't get any bad blood flowing, to discuss PCGS and NGC. on an individual series basis with a look at buying already holdered coins and getting raw coins into holders. doing it in this fashion sharpens the focus of respondents and makes the comparative arguement more logical. i for one think that dan may have stumbled onto something-------a sensible way to discuss a topic which is important to us all.

al h.

dorkkarl

i respectfully disagree. the focus should be on the coin, not the slab. i realize the topic was specifically to compare N & P, but i just gotta wonder why such a comparison is so important when nobody even discussed grading standards for the barber series. my understanding is that dan is really wanting to add a nice ms-64+ example. i'd think of more impoartance than N or P is: What do you like, Dan? Toning? Sharpness? Luster? etc. etc

K S

Nic

Barbers are one of the tougher series to grade, with many dates or mints having poor luster and strike. Try to attend a few auction viewings so you can look at a large quantity of coins side by side without pressure. Quick way to climb the learning curve. Concentrate on the P mints first... more consistency in mint production quality. Both PCGS and NGC have jewels and dogs. K

dan1ecu

Another possibility that I’ve just thought of is a nice PR64. They aren’t too much more expensive than an MS64 in some cases. I’ll bet proof Barbers are beautiful...

Dan

Placid

Go look thru the stuff a heritage I am sure they have alot of barbers listed for the long beach show.
www.heritagecoin.com
Just "window shop" and compare the different grades and ms to proofs.

Just try not to drool too much when you look at the ngc proof 68 cameo 1/2.

tradedollarnut

Wow! This thread is wayyyyy too civil. Where's Wallstreetman when you need him?

jom

Barber Proofs are nice but the MS coins are far rarer. It all depends on what you like. And, yes, take Karl's advice. Don't focus on the slab, just the coin.

jom

michael

first and foremost you have to know waht you are looking at when you buy gem and superb gem mintstate and proof barbers if not then for me let the buyer beware!

also it doesnot really matter pcgs/ngc just make sure you buy the coin not the holder and make sure you get solid for the grade or maybe hi end eye appealling super eye appealling coins that are fully original

as for halves the best in mintstate are ms 65 and higher if you can afford it white coins but fully original white coins not dipped stay away from dipped coins!!!!!!!!!! and of course superb toned coins are nice also!
barbers are currently undervalued coins guive me your e mail and i will send you three examples of scANS of three exceptional barber coins one in proof a deep cameo and a monster toned gem ms dime and quarter and i will describe them to you and tell you wahy i think they are great coins then you migjht get an idea of value combined with a great coin

as each barber has to be evaulated on an individual basis coin by coin sight seen

but in general do not be too concerned with rarity over common just be mostly concerned with monster eye appeal and if the coin is rare well so be it just a bonus!!!!!!!

sincerely michael

keets

Karl

let me explain where i was coming from.

it seems to me that the collector/dealer community has a certain perspective when it comes to grading that might not be shared by PCGS, NGC or any of the other services because of economics and the market in general. my line of thinking is which service LOOKS at whatever series the way we do and responds less to market pressure and bottom lines. i'm sure that changes and it's sensible to expect collectors to know which service is in line with them by the results they report to their submissions. and i'm not talking about who gives the higher grades, cause i wonder who would be top dog if that were the criteria!!! if collectors of barber half dollars are clear across the board as to who is grading the series properly, then i think that's valuable information. let's face it, we should want a submitted coin graded properly regardless of the number on the holder. after all, if it says MS65 and all the collectors/dealers who know barber half dollars view it as an MS63, what have you gained?

al h.

Dog97

Me thinks that with white and toned Mint State both services are par for par. With white and toned Proofs both services are also par for par but NGC is more forgiving of minor marks if the toning is attractive instead of neutral/ugly/original than PCGS is. But this is nothing new as PCGS has always been more technical vs NGC's market grading.
I agree with everybody else that the COIN must be evaluated as high grade Barbers are not the same as high grade Morgans. You know an 81-S MS65/66 Morgan will be pretty but MS65/66 Barbers run the gamut from ugly to beautiful. Most white Barbers were once ugly original Barbers that were dipped and show this in the form of retoning or white spots where the tone was heavy and etched the surface and are now ugly white Barbers. I don't buy the first Barber I find but rather be real picky. I'd rather have a 1 tick mark in the fields than a patch of hairlines. If it's toned the toning better be uniform and attractrive. It's next to impossible to find a nice white Barber without problems but easy to find a toned Barber, especially Proof, that looks nice because the toning covers up a lot of hairlines that are common on lesser grades such as Proof 63/64.

braddick

<< <i>No major difference. Just buy the coin, if you don't like the holder that can be changed but the coin can't. >>


I agree. Both Services are competent at grading this Series.