Help talk me off the ledge!!

pbyco · January 7, 2003 11:47AM

OK, help my newbie fears (and some advice would be great!)

I have a bunch of coins that I've decided to get graded. BUT..

I am not sure if I should send them to NGC or PCGS. Using NGC in my opinion would help get the grades I want for the coins (Proof SAE's and Buffalo 2 coin set). But, they make you take the coins out of the mint airtites and mail that way. I'm afraid that doing this then mailing will somehow damage my coins, and they will not get the high grades they deserve. I am putting the coins in 2x2 baggies, then in 2.5x2.5 flips, then wrapping the coins tightly together head to toe in a box that is lined on all sides with 1 inch of foam. (Can anyone say anal).

Using PCGS, I'm afraid some will come back 68's (which we all know is the kiss of death for moderns), but you can keep them in the mint airtites which would be great for shipping (I'll still bag them and all of the above).

My quandry - which way do i turn? I'm very fearful of ruining the proof surfaces if I remove them from the airtites, but I also don't want to get back a bunch of 68's.

HELP - I'm going to jump....

nwcs · January 7, 2003 11:51AM

I believe you are indicating all modern coins. If so, you'll generally have a better price with PCGS. Even if a grade lower as (as I understand it) people knock a point off of NGC modern slabs when pricing them.

smprfi · January 7, 2003 11:54AM

JUMP!!!!! That's the quickest way I know of to get someone off the ledge.

Russ · January 7, 2003 11:54AM

<< <i>Using NGC in my opinion would help get the grades I want for the coins >>

The real question is will they get the grades they deserve. Frankly, I wouldn't submit to a service that always gave out the grades that the submitter wanted. NOTE: I do not think NGC does that, just making a point.

If you believe the coins are 69s, and your first choice is PCGS, than there is no reason not to submit to them. Assuming you use Saflips and not junky vinyl flips, it isn't all that hard to get the 69 grade on these modern proofs.

Russ, NCNE

airplanenut · January 7, 2003 11:57AM

I think you should make smprfi post again... I like his sig

PCGS is more liquid... but it's all just a game...

smprfi · January 7, 2003 12:06PM

Honestly I would use Pcgs.

Here you go "air".

Placid · January 7, 2003 12:07PM

It's usually easier to remove a coin from a flip unless it's the screw type of air tight.
So would you rather be the one to carefully remove it from the airtight or let someone at the grading service do it?
I removed mine myself and sent in in a flip to pcgs and got a pr69dcam.

NBSQLGeek · January 7, 2003 12:10PM

Dont send to PCGS unless you buy there membership and tack on a $50 bill for the grader. WINK

beartracks42 · January 7, 2003 1:13PM

I sent a 2002 proof Silver Eagle to NGC in its mint capsule and they graded it PF70 UCAM. I talked to a lady in their customer service prior to sending the coin and she said that it was acceptable.

IrishMike · January 7, 2003 6:06PM

SAE's in NGC pf and ms 70 slabs sell for multiples over what PGCS 69's do. The market doesn't downgrade them a point. Last year I sold 10 PFUC70's and the least multiple was 4 and most sold at 5 times. The ownly people I know who downgrade them a point is certain CU forum members.

I will also admit unless you use a halogen bulb to view them under its impossible to my eye to see any difference.

This is the sixth time I have made this challenge: if you believe a PCGS69 is an NGC 70 send them to NGC and make a bunch of dough. So far as I know, not one person has taken me up on this challenge.

paigowjohnny · January 8, 2003 12:11AM

Semper Fi....sorry it's off topic, but is that Sung Hi Lee ???

Placid · January 8, 2003 12:47AM

<< <i>
This is the sixth time I have made this challenge: if you believe a PCGS69 is an NGC 70 send them to NGC and make a bunch of dough. So far as I know, not one person has taken me up on this challenge. >>

Wouldn't it be a better test to send a ngc 70 to pcgs and see if it grades 70 at pcgs?
Then if it grades 69 at pcgs then you have a pcgs 69 that would be a ngc 70.

Obviously not every pcgs 69 would grade 70 at ngc maybe one in 200 or so.

relayer · January 8, 2003 2:10AM

Send them to PCGS in the original mint capsule.

ANACONDA · January 8, 2003 5:31AM

"and some advice would be great!"

You asked for it.

Send your coins to Heritage (I think Heritage probably does the best job overall of making coins accessible to the public via auction), direct them to submit them for grading to either PCGS or NGC (it probably doesn't matter which - "higher grades, lower prices" or "lower grades, higher prices") and then sell them through Heritage with no reserve. Take the cash and buy some books from Bowers and Merena on coins some of which, at least, were minted before 1940 (commems, Lincoln cents, Large cents, Indian Head Cents, etc.) or so with the thought in mind of developing an interest in something that isn't going to lose three quarter's of it's value when a droplet of spit shows up on the coin six months from now as a dark spot spot (which was put there accidentally by one of the graders who was asking one of his buddies in the cubicle next to him, to pass the pork rinds). Read the books and start buying some coinage with an interesting history, made in an interesting time that sell for reasonable money, like this coin

(the likes of which can be had for far less than one thousand dollars):

(At this point some of modern collectors may, in a sort of nasally whiny way be saying to themselves...."But I don't like coins that aren't perfect".

Here comes the tough part. Make believe you have a 14 year old son who has just told you he likes, uh, other boys. Yes, in that sort of way. While you have absolutely nothing against gay people whatsoever, (and I don't either) you think to yourself, "Darn, if my kid stays gay he'll have a rough time and never know the joys of having a traditional family, and besides, I'd hate to have to give my son away of some sort of gay marriage.....and have to tell the guys back at the slaughtering plant where I work, what I did that weekend....."

So, are you going to encourage your son to develop an interest in girls? Of course you are. Why? Because you might be successful at it and because you think it will be best for him and for you.

keithdagen · January 8, 2003 5:38AM

Very nice Seated Quarter. Looks like the younger brother of my 1839.

pbyco · January 8, 2003 11:03AM

Adrian -
SAE's are just a diversion from my real passion - pre 1900 gold. Buying silver eagles lets me fill in the time while I build up for the next gold purchase (which at gold prices right now will be a long while until gold comes back down)

Thanks for the advice, lloks like a mixed bag, and there is no wrong direction to go if I use PCGS or NGC. Since NGC is a buck cheaper per coin... (no $99 fees paid here!)

ANACONDA · January 9, 2003 1:30AM

That's an interesting combination - Silver American Eagles and pre 1900 gold.

Do you like your Eagles spectacularly toned?

If so, and i remember and get the time, i'll post an image of one that is pcgs graded and totally intensely orange on the obverse

adrian