PCGS-NGC 1996 Silver Eagles

Murdoc

Is there relly such a great disparity between NGC and PCGS in the grading of the 96 Eagle? I can easily pick up an NGC MS69 coin for about $50, where the PCGS will usually run over $100. I know that may not sound like a big difference, but in my case, it is a sizable hunk of my monthly "coin allowance" i let myself spend.

Would the NGC coin fit in my PCGS Blue box? It is the last coin I have to fill out the complete set...should I pick up the NGC coin to call it done with, or hold out for the PCGS graded coin? Is a PCGS MS69 that much better than the NGC in this case?

Thanks in advance...

wam98

Welcome Murdoc. Can't answer your question, but I like my eagles raw.

Murdoc

I like 'em raw too. Got a Nice set of those too. Swear one or two of them are 70 worthy, but i refuse to have them graded. I even have one that was delivered damaged that I use as my flippin' coin. Don't know why i started the set of graded ones...but now the touch of OCD won't let me quit till its done.

clevegreg

I like 'em raw too

I think the disparity in price is due to several factors:

1. Many more Eagles are graded by NGC than PCGS. More supply usually dictates a lower price.

2. PCGS is certainly stricter in their grading of these coins than NGC.

PCGS has only graded a total of 12 Silver Eagles in 70 for ALL of the years since 1986. NGC has graded thousands as MS 70s.

My favorite year for comparison is 2001, the year that PCGS graded more Silver Eagles than any other year. Out of 15,772 coins submitted, 13,356 were graded 69, 2288 were 68s, and a smattering of lower grades, NO 70s.
NGC by comparison graded almost 30,000 with 210 70s, 29,232 69s and a smattering of lower grades.

In more recent years the difference in 70s is even more dramatic. In 2004, NGC graded 1,214 as 70s, out of 44,000 or so submitted, with 42,487 as 69s. PCGS shows 6,946 graded, NO 70s, and 6,872 as 69s.

While one can make the case that NGC is a bit "loose" on the 70 grade, I think a better case can be made that PCGS is too strict. Some of the later dates in particular should be grading out as 70s at PCGS. The "smart" money submits their coins to NGC in this series with the hope of hitting a few home runs.

IMHO

Greg