How Many Grading Companies Are In Business?

SarasotaFrank · January 1, 2003 1:40AM

I'm considering undertaking a project and would like to know how many grading services are actively in the market. I haven't been back in the hobby long enough to know if all of the slabs I see are from existing, or defunct services. Could someone list out the ones who are actively in the business of grading coins today?

barberlover · January 1, 2003 3:51AM

p.c.g.s., n.g.c., anacs. segs, accugrade, compu-grade [i don't think n.c.i. is still active] if there are any others there probabley not used by most collectors anyway

littlewicher · January 1, 2003 3:53AM

There's a lot. Hopefully Condor can enlighten us again. Last time I read his sig. line, it said like 117 grading companies have been in existence, I think.

ms71 · January 1, 2003 3:56AM

There's a LOT of stuff from NTC out there lately. I'd absolutely stick with PCGS, NGC, & ANACS if you have any thought of reselling something in the slab you bought it in.

greghansen · January 1, 2003 4:44AM

Wel of course, PCI, is still very active. Recently there was a thread with a new (but obscure) slab that was suspected to be an off shoot of ACG. I think it was an 'S&G' slab, something used by EBAY seller 'billings13'? Maybe somebody else will have a better memory about that one, or be able to post a link to one of the slabs in auction.

SarasotaFrank · January 1, 2003 4:58AM

Thanks for the responses thus far. So far, as best I can tell, PCGS, NGC, ANACS, AccuGrade (ACS), SEGS and CompuGrade are considered active? I don't know about NCI, PCI and NTC being active.

Any additional input or corrections are really appreciated.

Russ · January 1, 2003 5:01AM

<< <i>slab collector and researcher
reported as of 11/19/02
82 companies
219 production varieties >>

From Conder101's signature. I understand his book is nearly complete.

<< <i>I don't know about NCI, PCI and NTC being active. >>

PCI and NTC are both very active; actively slabbing garbage and ripping off the collecting community.

Russ, NCNE

ms71 · January 1, 2003 5:06AM

NTC and PCI are very active. The real answer, though, is that only three grading companies are in business. All the others are in fantasyland, denial, or both.

dbldie55 · January 1, 2003 5:08AM

PCI and NTC are quite active, complete with full page ads in Coin World. No one has mentioned ICG (probably for good reason), but they are still active and have recently sent out emails with the details of their on-site services at the FUN show.

The S&G slab is one of the new ACG services where they will slab coins with your logo and grade. Hard to count this as a grading service, it is just a fancy holder dealers can use to sell coins.

SarasotaFrank · January 1, 2003 6:46AM

just trying to keep this active till I can sort out the last few

wingedliberty · January 1, 2003 8:01AM

PCGS,NGC,ANACS,ICG,PCI,NTC,ACG,Global, ICCS, TCGS, ACGS,SEGS.

Frank: That would make 12.

BIGDAVE · January 1, 2003 8:42AM

There Are Three Grading company's Pcgs NGC an ANACS,The Rest just think they are ...........

Pushkin · January 1, 2003 8:52AM

<< <i>There Are Three Grading company's Pcgs NGC an ANACS,The Rest just think they are ...... >>

You can laugh, flame, and say what you want, but PGS is doing just fine - THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

Over 100 Indian Head and Flying Eagle cents graded in the last two months!!!

BIGDAVE · January 1, 2003 9:13AM

Pushkin
Sorry Steve I Stand Corrected

dorkkarl · January 1, 2003 9:32PM

<< <i>How Many Grading Companies Are In Business? >>

my question would be "how many grading co's are in the hobby?" & my answer would be "zero".

K S

Conder101 · January 1, 2003 9:45PM

Still active to the best of my knowledge:

ACCS Only does ancients
Accugrade
ACGS American Coin Grading Service
ACGS Australian Coin Grading Service
ANACS
CGA Only slabs currency
CGC Only slabs currency
CTGS Specializes in tokens but also slabs some coins
DCGS Digital Coin Grading Service
GCS Global Certification Service
ICCS Specializes in Canadian. Firm located in Canada.
ICG
INS Not sure about this one. I thought they closed down in 1992 but I recently found one with a 1997 copyright date. They MAY still be around.
MCGC Probably gone. I haven't been able to find any for some time now and their web site has not been updated for a little over a year.
MonExpert Company in New York that does almost exclusively Canadian coins.
NGC
NSCGS New Standard Coin Grading Service
NTC
PCGS
PCI
PCS Not sure about this one.
Photo-Seal
PPGS Specializes in Canadian and varieties
RCGS certifies only currency
S&G Uses the ACG encapsulation service
SEGS
TCGS
TMM Mainly does novelty items such as colorized quarters but I have seen Gold eagles in their slabs.

That's 28companies with three that MAY be dead and a couple other that are borderline and three that only do currency. Call it 20 companies that are definitely active slabbing coins There are also three companies that slab coins but only their own to prevent coin switching in mailorder.

And of course there is PGS.

dbldie55 · January 1, 2003 10:38PM

What about TCGS (Twenty First Century Grading Service, or something like that)? They are currently advertising in Coin World.

Conder101 · January 3, 2003 9:39PM

They are second from the bottom on the list. Not to be confused with TCTS which is also still operating but no longer accepting outside submissions.

If anyone runs across an inexpensive TCGS slab, I still need one for my reference set. I have pictures but not a specimen.

How Many Grading Companies Are In Business?

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