PCGS vs NCG on modern commem (cringing already)

pbyco

Is PCGS grading hard right now or have they lightened up on modern commem silver dollars? Now with Rick going to NGC, will PCGS still be "the one" to have grade my coins or should I jump over to NGC. I hear it is easier to get a 70 at NGC anyway, but that resale is lower. Any thoughts??????

tradedollarnut

I hear the "cross section" for grading is as big as a "barn"!!

pbyco

I thought this would garner more answers..........

flaminio

NGC is way too loose on modern commemorative, IMHO. PCGS, on the other hand, has been historically tight -- not for any particularly valid reason, just to create artificial rarity at the top.

Of course, with Rick's move it's all up in the air right now.

keithdagen

Let me try to help, Rick's move will not change NGC's grading standards. NGC grades according to ANA standards, or some semblance close to it. PCGS grades according to their own standards, which in their opinion, are stricter than ANA grading standards. Buy the coin, not the holder.

BSqr

This is kinda off topic but I'd like to hear someone explain the rational behind the 70 grade because it seems there are two major philosophies on the 70 grade. The one that it seems PCGS adheres to is a belief that 70 is a 'perfect' coin and there is really no such thing as perfect. Of course this thinking results in very few 70s. The other side of the coin, so to speak, says that flawless coins are very possible and where modern commems are concerned they are rather common. Case in point, the 2002 SLC Olympic $1.

The PCGS ratio of 70s to total graded is ~ 1 in 50.7 with 862 graded.
For NGC the ratio is 1 in 2.6 with 566 graded

I can see the logic in both arguments but I think I tend to lend in PCGS's direction.

crito

the pop report shows fairly clearly that there's been a shift in PCGS' stance on 70's. I don't know if that's a result of some coins "going bad" (developing spots or haze after slabbing) or something more philosophical (a "perfect" coin can't exist.) In either case, it's somewhat disconcerting to think that many 69's being holdered today are really 70's, or conversely, that many of the old 70's are now really 69's. Whatever they're thinking, I hope they don't flip-flop like a politician on the issue.

DCAMFranklin

The vast majority of the 70 candidate coins are going to NGC. The prudent business decision in today's atmoshere is to take the coins to NGC where the opportunity to receive the 70 grade the coin deserves has remained viable. There is virtually no chance of receiving the 70 grade with the current environment at PCGS, so NGC is getting all the super high quality coins.