What's the preferred third party grading service for dark matter?

FC57Coins

I see that a lot more people here use ICG than on the light side - where it is considered one of the worse services - what do you guys like to use for having coins graded?

cosmicdebris

Airtite holders.

ajaan

For pre-1400 coins I think ICG can't be beat. They use one of the best consultants in the biz IMO. For other coins I use NGC, grading is as accurate as PCGS IMO but cheaper and much quicker turnaround time. Any problem coins go to ANACS.

GDJMSP

If you do a search on ebay under World Coins for just NGC or just PCGS, or ICG or ANACS - you'll quickly see what the rest of the world thinks. NGC outnumbers them all by a large margin.

Askari

Mark I Eyeball.

MSD61

<< <i>Mark I Eyeball. >>



Guaranteed quality everytime

rhound1977

I pretty much agree with Ajaan, I use NGC first and ANACS second (ANACS will net grade for coins that have issues). I have no experience with ICG for Darkside material, but was not pleased with them for Liteside. I have defaulted to ANACS and NGC for their pricing and turnaround time being the most effective. I have some Darkside coins in PCGS holders, and I have nothing against their Darkside grading,
butthe turnaround time seems to be rather lengthy from what I hear from others. Coins I have purchased in ICCS holders are always better than what I anticipate (they grade on the conservative side) and I never shy away from and ICCS coin.

OK that was more than what you asked for.....

coinkat

It depends on the coins. I like ANACs and NGC. PCGS gets some coins too but mostly US. I still enjoy buying raw coins and submitting

Aethelred

ICG is the only game in town for all ancient and many medieval coins, so we are forced to use them. I see many errors on ICG slabs, for example at the 2003 FUN show there was a Roman Denarius marked as Augustus that was really issued under Tiberius and on the Richard I Penny I just bought from Ajaan the name of the moneyer is spelled wrong on the ICG slab. That being said, ICG does have it's place and is useful.

My first choice for English milled coins is PCGS, but I often don't agree with their grading of hammered coins. I believe NGC does a better job with hammered material (which I don't like to admit because I don't like NGC). ANACS also does a good job, has quick turnaround times and low prices.

I would rate the services as follows for world coins:

GENERAL & MODERN:
1. PCGS
2. NGC
3. ANACS
4. ICG

EARLY MILLED:
1. PCGS
2. NGC
3. ANACS
4. ICG

HAMMERED:
1. NGC
2. PCGS/ICG (tie)
4. ANACS (who does not grade hammered coins minted before 1601)

ANCIENT:
1. ICG

ajaan

I have bought quite a few ICG foreign coins and have crossed them to NGC at same grade or higher. I find it great that most collectors think ICG sucks so much, it reduces the price on the coin and quite a few bargains can be found it you know how to grade.

Aethelred

<< <i>I have bought quite a few ICG foreign coins and have crossed them to NGC at same grade or higher. I find it great that most collectors think ICG sucks so much, it reduces the price on the coin and quite a few bargains can be found it you know how to grade. >>



That is true!

MacCrimmon

I had an 1883 Shield 5c which ICG graded MS65.....I bought it, cracked it out and sent to NGC......now, it's a PF66......

Forgive the Liteside example.

All superb gem Swiss go to PCGS for the correct grade per da mus. NGC will tend to grade Swiss (Federal) one point higher across the board. Sometimes, NGC has shown an inability to properly assess Swiss Specimen strikings correctly.

Aethelred

<< <i>I had an 1883 Shield 5c which ICG graded MS65.....I bought it, cracked it out and sent to NGC......now, it's a PF66...... >>



Lightsider! BURN HIM!!!!!!!