Disgusted with ANACS and just need to vent
lordmarcovan
Posts: 43,530 ✭✭✭✭✭
Sent a 46 piece submission with over $500 in fees to them, during the first week of November.
They received it November 13th. Six of the coins were submitted under their 5-Day Service, the other 40 were Economy. All were on the same submission form.
I got my 5-Day coins back within a reasonable amount of time, I guess, but was thoroughly disgusted with the grade they gave my 1797/8 cent that was featured here and in Coin World back in October. I'm not disgusted that they net-graded it for environmental damage, as that was to be expected with a detector find. What disgusted me there was the "details" grade they gave it, which I consider 20-25 points too low, and the picture gets even uglier after the final net grade. I for one do not like the whole net-grading concept, but it's a necessary evil with "problem" coins. Most everyone who's seen the coin agrees it has EF40 to AU50 details- for ANACS to give it VF details and net it to F12 is, in my opinion, ridiculous.
OK, so that's just sour grapes. Everyone gets a third-party grade they disagree with from time to time.
Then, there was the F-VF 1775 British halfpenny that was found by my detecting pal with the 1798/7 cent, on the same site and in the same hole. That came back in a bodybag. Yes, that's right. A bodybag. From ANACS. Not a net grade. "Non-Valid Coin Type" was the only notation. Now, wait a minute... I have owned several British halfpennies of the period... in ANACS holders. What goes with that?
The day after that, I get an envelope in the mail from ANACS. With a bill for $17.30 in additional shipping fees. Never mind that I followed the instructions on their form to the letter and paid the amount stated for return shipping and insurance based on the declared value, and so on. Insult added to injury.
I called them and politely asked what the deal was with 1) the bodybag on the 1775 halfpenny and 2) the bill for extra shipping. I briefly (and mildly) complained about the grade the 1798/7 cent got, too, though I knew that was pointless. They were polite but not very helpful. The explanation I got was this: 1) the 1775 halfpenny was "underweight"; perhaps a contemporary counterfeit. (It doesn't match any of the Machin's Mills or colonial halfpennies in Breen, so maybe it's a contemporary imitation made in homeland Britain, as it is of the same design and obviously the same period as the regular-issue George III/Britannia coppers.) OK, I guess I can live with that. 2) They said the $17.30 bill was for "additional packaging", because my submission was split in two different service levels and had to be shipped at different times. $17.30 apparently buys some damned expensive bubble wrap and cardboard- remember, I already paid the return shipping and all the insurance fees, on all 46 coins, when I made the submission.
Grudgingly, I paid the "additional packaging" fee, figuring that this meant my 40 Economy-level coins were ready and I'd see them as soon as the check cleared, right? After all, it had been a few weeks by this time. We're up to late November, now.
Wrong! Here it is, December 26th, and I still don't have my coins. Called ANACS again today. They said it should be next week. This means I should have my coins back about two months after I sent them. If I'm lucky.
I know people who sent Economy submissions after mine, and they've had their coins back for some time, now.
Back to the undergraded 1798/7 cent for a moment: when I mentioned that, they said I could resubmit it for review, and if I included some sort of documentation on why I believed it deserved a higher grade (like the article in Coin World, which is owned by the same company as ANACS-hmm), then that might sway the graders' opinion in my favor. They actually said that to me! (Yeah, sure, like I'm gonna package the coin up again, spend more money mailing it again, pay them more fees, and maybe get a partial refund of those fees if they agree their grade was low.)
Why should I bother?
I can't send the coin to PCGS or NGC, 'cause they'll bag it for the environmental damage. SEGS? I thought about it, but I'd probably be just as well off selling it raw. I quit using PCI years ago.
As if that weren't enough, my $1,645.00 display case that was supposed to be delivered to the mall on December 16th is not here yet, either. So much for getting a little bit of time to sell a few coins before Christmas. Oh, yeah- and an eBay lot I spent over $200 on a month ago is not here yet, either, despite all sorts of warm promises from the seller. (At least he answers my barrage of emails.)
The holiday season, both Thanksgiving and Christmas, probably had something to do with some of the delays in these situations. But, come on, people! Gimme a break!!
Thanks. I needed to get that off my chest. I feel better now. You're a patient soul if you read the whole rant.
They received it November 13th. Six of the coins were submitted under their 5-Day Service, the other 40 were Economy. All were on the same submission form.
I got my 5-Day coins back within a reasonable amount of time, I guess, but was thoroughly disgusted with the grade they gave my 1797/8 cent that was featured here and in Coin World back in October. I'm not disgusted that they net-graded it for environmental damage, as that was to be expected with a detector find. What disgusted me there was the "details" grade they gave it, which I consider 20-25 points too low, and the picture gets even uglier after the final net grade. I for one do not like the whole net-grading concept, but it's a necessary evil with "problem" coins. Most everyone who's seen the coin agrees it has EF40 to AU50 details- for ANACS to give it VF details and net it to F12 is, in my opinion, ridiculous.
OK, so that's just sour grapes. Everyone gets a third-party grade they disagree with from time to time.
Then, there was the F-VF 1775 British halfpenny that was found by my detecting pal with the 1798/7 cent, on the same site and in the same hole. That came back in a bodybag. Yes, that's right. A bodybag. From ANACS. Not a net grade. "Non-Valid Coin Type" was the only notation. Now, wait a minute... I have owned several British halfpennies of the period... in ANACS holders. What goes with that?
The day after that, I get an envelope in the mail from ANACS. With a bill for $17.30 in additional shipping fees. Never mind that I followed the instructions on their form to the letter and paid the amount stated for return shipping and insurance based on the declared value, and so on. Insult added to injury.
I called them and politely asked what the deal was with 1) the bodybag on the 1775 halfpenny and 2) the bill for extra shipping. I briefly (and mildly) complained about the grade the 1798/7 cent got, too, though I knew that was pointless. They were polite but not very helpful. The explanation I got was this: 1) the 1775 halfpenny was "underweight"; perhaps a contemporary counterfeit. (It doesn't match any of the Machin's Mills or colonial halfpennies in Breen, so maybe it's a contemporary imitation made in homeland Britain, as it is of the same design and obviously the same period as the regular-issue George III/Britannia coppers.) OK, I guess I can live with that. 2) They said the $17.30 bill was for "additional packaging", because my submission was split in two different service levels and had to be shipped at different times. $17.30 apparently buys some damned expensive bubble wrap and cardboard- remember, I already paid the return shipping and all the insurance fees, on all 46 coins, when I made the submission.
Grudgingly, I paid the "additional packaging" fee, figuring that this meant my 40 Economy-level coins were ready and I'd see them as soon as the check cleared, right? After all, it had been a few weeks by this time. We're up to late November, now.
Wrong! Here it is, December 26th, and I still don't have my coins. Called ANACS again today. They said it should be next week. This means I should have my coins back about two months after I sent them. If I'm lucky.
I know people who sent Economy submissions after mine, and they've had their coins back for some time, now.
Back to the undergraded 1798/7 cent for a moment: when I mentioned that, they said I could resubmit it for review, and if I included some sort of documentation on why I believed it deserved a higher grade (like the article in Coin World, which is owned by the same company as ANACS-hmm), then that might sway the graders' opinion in my favor. They actually said that to me! (Yeah, sure, like I'm gonna package the coin up again, spend more money mailing it again, pay them more fees, and maybe get a partial refund of those fees if they agree their grade was low.)
Why should I bother?
I can't send the coin to PCGS or NGC, 'cause they'll bag it for the environmental damage. SEGS? I thought about it, but I'd probably be just as well off selling it raw. I quit using PCI years ago.
As if that weren't enough, my $1,645.00 display case that was supposed to be delivered to the mall on December 16th is not here yet, either. So much for getting a little bit of time to sell a few coins before Christmas. Oh, yeah- and an eBay lot I spent over $200 on a month ago is not here yet, either, despite all sorts of warm promises from the seller. (At least he answers my barrage of emails.)
The holiday season, both Thanksgiving and Christmas, probably had something to do with some of the delays in these situations. But, come on, people! Gimme a break!!
Thanks. I needed to get that off my chest. I feel better now. You're a patient soul if you read the whole rant.
0
Comments
done with them, half of my mercury dimes didn't have FSB designations. Stick to PCGS and NGC.
I am done with ANACS.
Brian.
DPOTD-3
'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'
CU #3245 B.N.A. #428
Don
Man, sorry to hear that, I have never had a problem with ANACS other than they are tough, and econ service take foooorrrreeevvveeerrrr!!!
You can also buy coinworld slabs and do it yourself.
That will certainly be my last submission under the ECONOMY plan and possibly my last submission to ANACS, PERIOD!
Frank
In God We Trust.... all others pay in Gold and Silver!
Just to cheer you up.
Leo
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
My Jefferson Nickel Collection
Never use ANACS economy service if you want to get your coins back in a reasonable amount of time. Two months is not out of the ordinary.
ANACS net grading sucks. It's like they are scared to put some coins in slabs at a proper grade, so they net it. I've cracked many net graded coins and had them slabbed by PCGS/NGC.
Maybe a year ago ANACS wanted to play the grading game like the big boys. They tightened up their grading. Not just a little tight, but SOB tight. They pissed off a LOT of people - many dealers. Their submissions dropped because of this, then they loosened up again.
One of the main problems with ANACS is that they use microscopes to grade. All coins look like crap under high power mag.
In February, I was looking at some Goldberg lots. The guy next to me starts laughing, and asks me if I'd like to look at a really expensive piece of plastic. I said, 'sure' and the guy hands me the coin. It was a 1796 Half Cent with Pole. PCGS slabbed it as an MS 55; it might have been a midrange VF coin.
"Seu cabra da peste,
"Sou Mangueira......."
Like many others, i feel your pain. I appreciate anacs more in a conceptual way than realistically. i like their grading at shows, i like that they are an alternative to the big two, i like that they grade problem coins. Unfortunately, in practice they are not able to execute to any consistent, satisfying degree. That said, i think Placid's idea of going to NCS is a good idea.
Hope there is joy in all other parts of your life this holiday season, since you seem to be getting numismatized in the worst possible ways.
z
<< <i>Maybe a year ago ANACS wanted to play the grading game like the big boys. They tightened up their grading. Not just a little tight, but SOB tight. They pissed off a LOT of people - many dealers. Their submissions dropped because of this, then they loosened up again. >>
Amen to that. I have no problems with tight grading. You win some, you lose some. That's the nature of the game. But "SOB" grading and fluctuations in strictness piss me off. Precisely the reason I dropped PCI years ago. Who cares if a service is cheap, if they grade all over the map? And why is it the cheap or mundane stuff seems to get overgraded, while the better coins get slapped down?
I think I'll carry the coin with me to FUN and see if I can get some satisfaction in person. I had wanted to sell it to get some spending money for the show, but if I do sell it before the show, it'll be raw- I plan on busting it out of that absurd "Net F12" holder.
I wonder if NCS will be at FUN, and will they be accepting submissions in person?
<< <i>Hope there is joy in all other parts of your life this holiday season, since you seem to be getting numismatized in the worst possible ways. >>
Thanks, Zenny. Other than the above items, I can't complain.
My Website
"Everything I have is for sale except for my wife and my dog....and I'm not sure about one of them."
Hopefully someone at ANACS will take note of this thread and see that they make some serious changes. I would not submit a coin to them now based on the information presented here.
Hope the venting has helped you some.
peacockcoins
<< <i>I wonder if NCS will be at FUN, and will they be accepting submissions in person? >>
I just asked them this question and haven't received a response yet. There is an "Ask NCS" section over on the NGC forums.
Andy
First POTD 9/19/05!!
You can get 10 day service for $10-$12 anytime, and that's what you have to use if you want the coins back for selling purposes.
I like Anacs, and use them quite frequently. Never a problem. Sure I get some puzzling grades sometimes, but who doesn't? I don't care which service you use.
For average collector coins, you can't beat the specials that Anacs is running right now.
Spend the little bit extra next time, and go for the 10 day service. It's not much more than economy.
LSCC#1864
Ebay Stuff
Submit 10 coins....blah....blah.....blah
Because I DIDN'T check online first, I submitted them as ECONOMY. There were 10 coins in the submission and everything qualified for the 10-10-10 deal, but I didn't know about it and there is nowhere to signify it on the submission form.
So they decide to let my coins sit for 6 weeks and then maybe we will pull them out, can't tell, maybe in a few months we will find the kindness in our hearts to grade you poor pittiful ECONOMY coins
Makes you wonder about the quality of grading for your POOR, PITIFUL ECONOMY coins!
Don't EVER use their economy. It's a waste unless you want to be surprised that you owned the coins when they finally arrive.
Send that 8/7 to NCS!!!!!!!!!! 12.00 plus shipping!
PCGS has had my Economy submission since Nov. 19th...
David
No good deed will go unpunished.
Free Money Search
Dave
Sorry to hear of your problems with ANACs...especially the time table for economy. Unfortunately, the timing of the economy class is just out of control. Perhaps they could use afew more graders...
Grading early copper is tough and that alone is part of the problem. I have seen slabs by all the services for both US and British copper and sometimes its just not possible to make sense with respect to grades that have been assigned to certain coins. Grading still has and will always have a subjective component to it that will always be a "wild card" when submission time comes. Unfortunately grading coins is not an exact science. Having said that, there will always be room to second guess a grade or resubmit a coin... that is just part of the submission game that we are all subject to whether we like it or not. I still think its better to be in the game and offer ways to improve this part of the hobby. Unfortunately, I'm not sure everyone that could make a difference is willing to listen and institute change for the better.
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.