Question about Graded coins.

smiles72

Hello again,

When I started this hobby back up after 15 years away, I was immediately impacted by the graded coin subject.

When I went into the coin shop near my home, they made me feel distrusting of all grading services. They felt like it is best to depend on your own instincts about grading and only buy what you can see.

Now, I understand that i should learn how to grade myself. I am years, it seems, from truly understanding the intricate world of coin grading.

My question is this. WHO should I trust as the best and most accurate source of graded coins? PCGS or ANANC or NGC?

I have recieved many different answers to this question recently. I am looking for more feedback.

Thanks
JM

Purple73

From what the board memebers told me when I first started.

All three are good choices.


PURPLE

ziggy29

On this board, most would steer you to PCGS -- but some are becoming disenchanted with the very long delays it takes to get coins back from PCGS. For most issues, I think most people would consider NGC to be at least a generally trustworthy close second if not an equal.

In truth, for many issues there's little consistent difference between the standards between PCGS and NGC and if turnaround time is important to you, NGC might be the better choice.

When you say "ANANC," I assume you mean ANACS. They're usually at the top of the second tier after PCGS and NGC and they have the added "benefit" (if you need it) of slabbing and "net grading" problem coins. I used ANACS once to slab a lightly cleaned AU 1934-S Peace dollar (AU details, net XF-40) because I knew PCGS and NGC would bodybag it.

Most of the others are considered inferior by the marketplace if you go by sale prices of certified coins at the same stated grade. Though there can be some exceptions -- in particular, some PCI slabs are fairly conservatively graded (corresponding to a certain "era" of their existence), and while you can get some bargains on *those* existing PCI slabs, I'd not put anything into a new PCI holder.

vega1

The question you have asked is akin to asking someone which political party to vote for or mention you are looking for a football team to adopt as your own (the Broncos would be the right answer there by the way)

You are likely to get a multitide of different answers, and "trust" is relative.

*right now* PCGS seems to have the best resale value if that is why you are asking, that may change in the future. Each company is perceived as having their own strengths (moderns, copper, gold, errors, varieties, etc.)

IMHO, all 3 are decent companies, and any are worth trusting most of the time. My advice would be to buy what you like and have fun, and never, ever, ever, buy a coin sight unseen... in any holder. But thats just me.

coinbuf

The top three are PCGS, NGC, and ANACS. You will do well buying any of these. You will pay more for PCGS graded coins because the marketplace has inflated those coins due to perceived higher quality.

Having said that you will find that any grading service can and will make mistakes in grading. Try and go to a show and view as many coins as possible to try and compaire for yourself.

O.. and stay away from ACG, PCI and other bottom feeder slabs as thay consistently overgrade.

Chris

Shamika

smiles72,

Welcome to the Forum!

Conder101

Yourself. If you feel that you don't know enough yet to trust your grading abilities, don't buy expensive coins. And remember, Never invest more in a coin than you can cheerfully afford to lose.

lordmarcovan

<< <i>I am years, it seems, from truly understanding the intricate world of coin grading >>



So am I, and I've been at it for 28 years!

DaveG

Smiles:

If you're new (or newly returned) to coin collecting, I'd highly recommend you read Scott Travers' "Coin Collector's Survival Manual". It's the book I wish I had read first when I got back into coin collecting!

In answer to your question, though, a lot depends on what you're collecting. For example, if you're interested in very, very high grade (MS-68 to MS-70) recent (post-1964, for example) modern US coins, then PCGS is currently the grading service that is most favored.

If, on the other hand, you're interested in better-grade circulated (VF to XF) mid-19th century US coins, then PCGS and NGC are pretty even, with ANACS and ICG next. But (and a big BUT it is), the look of the individual coin is often more important than which service's slab the coin is in.

coinfreak499

Welcome!

tmot99

I've come to have a lot of trust in my dealer. After a year or two, I know what he sees and likes. I trust his opinion on all coins. I understand that not all dealers are trustworthy. I'm lucky that way. That's why he gets 99% of my business.

Cam40

if you read the a.n.a grading standards book that could get you on the way to accurate grading.
any coin shop should have a copy to sell.

dorkkarl

i think you mean "slabed" coins, not "graded" coins. just about every coin you see for sale, whether slabed or not, is "graded"

K S