ICG. How good are they?

sliderider

How accurate do you think ICG grading is? If I submitted a batch of ICG slabs for crossover grading, would I be pleasantly surprised or greatly disappointed?

RGL

Let's put it this way ... don't have your hopes up.

coinfreak499

they fall in a far fouth. USually 2-3 point overgrade.

boyhowdy

You won't get a decent price with the coins slabbed by ICG.

I'd crack 'em.

Steve

dorkkarl

they're as bad as any plastic co.

K S

JrGMan2004

Just like pretty much every TPG, it has it's strong points, and it has it's weak points. On early circulated type, they seem to be pretty good, anything Modern (1900-Present, generally) they tend towards overgrading, with it getting worse the closer to the present the coin gets...

ScarsdaleCoin

I think people who state they are overgrading by 2 or 3 points really have no experience with ICG...considering that JP was a pcgs grader and the other folks are just as knowing, I would believe your grades would be similiar to NGC or PCGS....I do agree that perception hence market price would say that the ICG coin value would be lower...however that someday may change....some people realize that there are great coins in ICG slabs and snap em up....why dont you try a few and see...bet they come back same grades...are close to it...

Barry

What does being a PCGS grader have to do with the number ICG puts on the slab. Different company, different standards, goals, incentives, etc. Centles won the dealer section of the PCGS grading contest at one of the shows. So why does he sell primarily PCI and formerly ACG slabs? He must know the grades aren't right...

flaminio

I think ICG's grading is on par with others, and consider them one of the only four TPGs that I trust. On the open market, however, coins in ICG slabs have really sunk in the past couple years, which is a shame, because they're really good guys over there.

I haven't linked this in a while, but here was my Great Grading Experiment -- one coin, five different services. ICG and PCGS agreed, and were the most "conservative" of the five.

MICHAELDIXON

From personal experience, I know there are as tuff on Mercury dimes as PCGS and tougher than NGC.

paigowjohnny

They have their moments. I wouldn't hesitate to buy an ICG graded coin as long as I had a good look at it first.

cdwegner

The prettiest Washington quarter I own is in a ICG slab. It's probably not really a MS67, but I didn't have to pay MS67 to get it either.

c

Cameonut

ICG is one to two points higher on 1950-present cameo proof coinage. I got frustrated with them and I now own exactly zero ICG slabs.

I will never buy an ICG coin sight-unseen again.

Russ

<< <i>I think people who state they are overgrading by 2 or 3 points really have no experience with ICG.. >>



I have plenty of experience with their coins. I've bought quite a few, and handled quite a few more. For modern proofs they consistently overgrade. Period.

Russ, NCNE

nwcs

In my experience, I think that ICG is pretty good for classics but horrible for moderns.

XpipedreamR

There's a place I go on a somewhat regular basis that always has ICG graded Buffs and Jeffs. Consistent overgrading...at least to the standard I'm using, I guess.

ddink

Scarsdale: Type "Proof 70" into an Ebay search and see how many are ICG. Do you REALLY think there are that many PR 70's out there? Come on now!

MacCrimmon

<< <i>I will never buy an ICG coin sight-unseen again. >>

Why would anybody buy any slabbed coin sight-unseen? At least 15% of the PCGS slabs in Heritage's ANA auction were coffins or terribly low-end for the assigned grade, IMVHO.

I have an ICG 1883 Shield nickel right now which has been crossed to NGC, and it will soon be on it's way for crossover to PCGS. Originally, it was an ICG MS65.........Now it's in an NGC PF66 slab (OK, so ICG doesn't know prooflike from proof)....the point is: I bought the coin because the coin was superb quality, and it was cheap too!!

100proof1957

Just my .02

Teletrade must feel the are at least slighty better than the rest of the 4th Tier.

I assume thats why they allow them in auctions.

Russ

<< <i>Teletrade must feel the are at least slighty better than the rest of the 4th Tier.

I assume thats why they allow them in auctions. >>



You assume incorrectly. The fact that Teletrade allows them has nothing to do with quality, and everything to do with who is in bed with who.

Russ, NCNE

davewang202

I will cast a leery eye at ICG holdered coins, particularly since they holdered the coin pictured below, and won't do anything about it.

(Look at the area around the star in front of the nose, E, N in UNUM)

The reverse has the same appearance and same sloppiness in "surface treatment". I've been told by a dealer that this coin likely came from California, from the hands of one of two well known "artists" in this field.

robertpr

Why would anybody buy any slabbed coin sight-unseen? At least 15% of the PCGS slabs in Heritage's ANA auction were coffins or terribly low-end for the assigned grade, IMVHO.

I'd bet that's about the percent of coins submitted to them that they can get upgraded through resubmissions.

100proof1957

Russ,

Point taken and agreed.

really had not thought that angle !

My Bad !

Proof

tgilliams

They are at least 2 grades to high, gives away DCAM designation too. They are run by some top people in the hobby, but they continue to give away grades, therefore the prices will remain depressed. Their (ICG) PR70DCAM Modern coins sell for under $25 in most cases, that should be factored into your decision. They don't compete with PCGS, NGC, or ANACS coins-a distant 4th, above PCI, NTC, SEGS, ACG etc.

UncleWiggly

I've always paid attention to ICG and ICG graded coins. The credentials for of those associated with ICG that are featured on their website look good to me. However, reading some of the posts here I now know which ICG graded coins might not stack up to PCGS or NGC. I do like the looks of the black Intercept Shield insert you can get now particuarly Gold coins.


Jerry

bestclser1

I cracked out 4 ICG Morgans.Three graded the same by PCGS,and one upgraded by a point.Buy the coin.JMHO

coinbuf

Like any holder there are some cherries to be plucked but you will have to do some searching. I cannot recomend the Lincoln coins I've seen them grade. I have about ten MS67's and all are overgraded one to two points.

Chris

sliderider

Cherrypicking is what I'm talking about. I have access to a few really nice lookers from a local collector of ICG slabs. I have to buy a bunch of ones I don't really want to get at the potential crossovers, though. One especially that I like is a nice proof clad Roosie dime with smooth and clear fields and details so absolutely white, that they look like they were carved out of ice. It's in a PF70DCAM holder and if it crosses over to PCGS in that grade, it will be a 1 of 1, finest known for the year. Even if it only comes back PF69DCAM (the DCAM is NOT in doubt by the looks of this coin, just the number), it will still be a top pop piece for the year.

MrPlatinum

You'll be pleasantly disappointed

Fairlaneman

<< <i>From personal experience, I know there are as tuff on Mercury dimes as PCGS and tougher than NGC. >>



Michael I cannot believe you said this. They are very inconsistant with the Mercs I have seen. One will be graded very well and the next one will be a dog that barks at the moon all night long. Early on they were tough but that went south quickly.

I have another little story about ICG and a Bluemoon dealer that I heard at the Portland ANA Show. This little story turned me off completely about ICG.

Actually it is really to bad this company has not done better. The people seemed to be very nice when I contacked them about three years ago about the one and only submission that was sent in.

Ken

INXS

When I started collecting coins 40 some years ago I didnt have this problem. Since collecting plastic I have tried to keep one thing in mind when buying a coin. If the bottom should ever fall out of the coin collecting market a PCGS MS69 $1 is still worth the same as a ICG MS69 $1, its only worth a dollar. Except that the ICG collector may have many more. For those of you that are in it for the investment, you dont agree, but thats alright, and good luck to you. I am in it for the pleasure and enjoyment, I buy the coin not the plastic or the name.

inxs

sliderider

Normally I would agree about the plastic not meaning anything, but the coin IS still a really pretty one with potential, and I need a PCGS serial number to add it to my registry set. If it wasn't a registry candidate, I wouldn't care whose slab it came in. I'd buy based on the look of the coin alone. I think I'm going to get stung on this deal, no matter what because it's a lot of 10 ICG slabs the guy wants to sell, and only 3-4 of them look like they might come back in at least the same grade. I need the points, though, and the existing top pop pieces in PCGS slabs are a little pricey and hard to find so submitting raws and crossovers is my only real option.

centmaster

<< <i>The prettiest Washington quarter I own is in a ICG slab. It's probably not really a MS67, but I didn't have to pay MS67 to get it either.

c >>



I don't get it. If it's in a 67 slab then it should look like a 67. End of story. The marketplace sould accept it as a 67, and we don't. You probably paid 66 money for it, but then it should be in a 66 slab. Pretty has nothing to do with it. I have pretty coins grading VG. The point is that the marketplace gets clouded with modern super grades in non-PCGS slabs, and many people get confused when they get offered a properly graded PCGS coin for 20 times the price of another service's coin.

cdwegner

<< <i>

<< <i>The prettiest Washington quarter I own is in a ICG slab. It's probably not really a MS67, but I didn't have to pay MS67 to get it either.

c >>



I don't get it. If it's in a 67 slab then it should look like a 67. End of story. The marketplace sould accept it as a 67, and we don't. You probably paid 66 money for it, but then it should be in a 66 slab. Pretty has nothing to do with it. I have pretty coins grading VG. The point is that the marketplace gets clouded with modern super grades in non-PCGS slabs, and many people get confused when they get offered a properly graded PCGS coin for 20 times the price of another service's coin. >>



centermaster,

I posted a pic of it here and the users of this fine bulletin board considered it 65/66. Which is what I recall paying for it.

In this case, I bought the coin and not the holder... IMO, if I sent it to NGC for grading, it might come back with a *.

c