How can PCGS make itself better? My vision...

robertpr

Firstly, PCGS needs to make it's grade guarantee service available to the general public, not just platinum and gold level members. What good is a guarantee if you have to pay a hundred bucks to join a club to use it?

Secondly, I think PCGS should allow everybody to submit to all service levels, at the same price regardless of whether they're "club" members. This may be fantasy talk that will never happen though Sorry, non-members!

So, why would anyone join the 'collectors club'? Here's what they should do with it:

-Anyone can read the forums, but only club members can post! (Perhaps a bad idea...)
-PCGS could easily set up a trading system on their website so members could buy and sell PCGS coins while not paying eBay or Heritage or whatever fees. Allow fixed price postings, and make searches super easy (pop in the pcgs number, browse by coin series, minimum/maximum grade, designation, etc.) Being able to PRECISELY list and search coins would be a great time saver.
-You could link the trading system to the registry so that if coins appear for sale on the site and the coin is needed (or higher grade becomes available) the registry registrant would get an alert email.
-The online price guide could also be linked to the website to automatically update the prices (and to for once be considered ACCURATE!)

Also, PCGS should sell coin collecting supplies, online, not just through the telephone.

Well, just my 2¢. Seriously, being able to buy and sell coins online without paying per-transaction fees to eBay, etc. would be a big big plus, and as I mentioned a lot can be done with it.

braddick

Your favorite authorized PCGS Dealer may also send your coin in for review. No need for you to join a club. You just pay the postage.

airplanenut

They should also:

make pop reports online free like NGC

As per your collector's club idea... I emailed them similarly once with that... I said that joining gives you your membership's worth in submissions, so why can't you not get the submissions and submit as you please...
to no avail

Russ

I'll tell you one thing they should do; give Charlie Kahler some actual authority to solve customer service issues. He's a great guy, and his heart seems to be in the right place, but he has no real power to do anything. Unless, and until, the rest of the players demonstrate a genuine interest in problem solving, nothing has changed outside of assigning a front man to head the customer off at the pass.

Russ, NCNE

Loki

Good post robert!

I would like to see segmentation of grading on their label. Like this:

PCGS MS65
Lustre ****
Strike ***
Eye Appeal ***** (this could take in aspects of toning that is currently not considered for grading purposes)

Where * is a weighted indicator from * = poor to ***** = outstanding

dorkkarl

loki, that's how anacs started out. the problem is that it leads to a pricing guide nightmare. for example, for ms-60, you'd have a price situation like this:

"ms-60, luster=10, strike < 10, wear < 10" = $100
"ms-60, luster<10, strike = 10, wear < 10" = $110
"ms-60, luster<10, strike = 10, wear < 10" = $95

etc for all combinations

just four simple change to pcgs would make be run out & get all my coins certified:

(1) certify "problem" coins
(2) guarantee against undergraded coins
(3) ONLY grade coins, no signature stuff, no death coins, etc.
(4) retract all "population" reports

K S

Placid

Acg has some interesting designations
Accugrade™ has Introduced Five New Trademarked Grading Services:

MIRRORLIKE™ or ML™
Grading service for modern issue mirrorlike coins

FROSTED WHITECAM™ or FWC™
Grading service for proof coins with frosted white surfaces with no film or spots, is a grade above an Ultra or Deep Cameo Proof - the first off the dies.

Full Beak™ or FEB™
Grading service for Washington Quarters and Kennedy Halves that exhibit a Full Split Eagle's Beak on the reverse of the coin.

Full Split Hand™ or FSH™
Grading service for Walking Liberty Halves that exhibit a Full Split Hand.

Full Tail™ or FT™
Grading service for Buffalo Nickels that exhibit a Full Tail on the Buffalo's hind.

osirisMMII

They could learn to grade Kennedy Proofs!!