PCI Friend or Foe?

Hedger

Are they really a dealer's best freind? Or, are they the buyer's foe? I researched a bit here but it seems PCI has taken over eBay and I'm not sure I should trust their grading. Anyone have stories to share? Thank you.

FullStepJeffs

For fear of being sued... no comment.

Dave99B

As a buyer, I hate them less than ACG. Does that help?

Dave

Hedger

I guess that sums it up. Never bought ACG. That means ACG very bad.

Myqqy

I love the original photo-certified holders with the coin photo covering half of the slab- cool slabs, cool coins, nice grading.....

lordmarcovan

Many of the old PCI green-label holders have been my friend at crossover time.

ccex

What LordMarcovan said...

Almost all of the PCI coins on eBay are the newer gold-label slabs, though. I find it interesting that many former ACG sellers on eBay are now selling NTC and PCI gold-label slabs.

My favorite dealer lives not too far from PCI and believes that PCI grading is OK for a small-time anonymous submitter, but that the company will give the requested grades to bulk submitters known to them. Therefore, I can't ignore all recent PCI-graded coins. I have a beautiful 1876-CC quarter in a gold-label PCI VF-35 slab which I think would cross at any other service.

I wish PCI would still put cleaned, AT, or damaged coins in red-label holders like they used to. As far as I can tell, they no longer mention net grading or problems on their slab inserts.

I have corresponded with only one former PCI grader, who told me that he quit after four months since he was so tired of submitters telling him that any modern proof was at least a 69 and that the few they selected for submission should grade 70.

WaterSport

I used them for about three years. I liked their service, price and holder. But alas, they do overgrade. Right now I have about 15 I will send to PCGS in the coming months. All Lincolns. I expect a lot of my MS coins to be retured as AU's and cleaned. Yet I too have some coins in their slabs that I like and will keep them if for no other reason they are protected.

WS

zzzz

It depends ... I hate it when a seller of PCI coins that refer to the PCGS price guide ie ... "1909s VDB MS67RD PCGS lists at over over $50,000 my PCI MS67RD starts at .01 NR"

On lower graded PCI coins I don't think you can be hurt much.
On their higher graded(?) junk ... beware ...

Of course this is my unbiased third party opinion

dorkkarl

friend or foe? to me, it's just another plastic co. selling temporary holders.

if you view every slab co. like that, then it really does remove 90% of the plastic-stress your feeling.

K S

Conder101

<< <i> wish PCI would still put cleaned, AT, or damaged coins in red-label holders like they used to. As far as I can tell, they no longer mention net grading or problems on their slab inserts. >>


It has seemed to me that the red labels have all but disappeared. Before they came out with the gold labels the reds were fairly common. After they came out I noticed that the reds were disappearing but a couple dealers that submitted reported that they were still getting red labeled slabs. Since then the number of red labels has continued to decline rapidly. I do still suspect they are no longer using the red labels. The question is, are they returning more body bags, o are more problem coins getting into gold label slabs?

AgMe

<< <i>

<< <i> wish PCI would still put cleaned, AT, or damaged coins in red-label holders like they used to. As far as I can tell, they no longer mention net grading or problems on their slab inserts. >>


It has seemed to me that the red labels have all but disappeared. Before they came out with the gold labels the reds were fairly common. After they came out I noticed that the reds were disappearing but a couple dealers that submitted reported that they were still getting red labeled slabs. Since then the number of red labels has continued to decline rapidly. I do still suspect they are no longer using the red labels. The question is, are they returning more body bags, o are more problem coins getting into gold label slabs? >>



I think that's an interesting point, I don't have a problem buying slabbed "problem coins" as duplicates (for "fun" coins around the house and office) as long as it's marked on the label and discounted accordingly (i.e. no body bags). Kind of like a pocket piece.

I always feel funny about handling the coins in my collection, so having a lesser coin during the day is nice.

-g

Fairlaneman

I was taught a lesson recently and it was a green holder. Sight seen only from now on.

Ken

PTVETTER

PCI grades cirulated coins like all the other grading services however the MS grades may vary. Like all grading services buy the coin not the holder that goes for ALL services

KurtHorn

I have trouble getting the right money for my coins in PCI holders. They are definetly heads and tails above NTC and ACG (just my humble opinion). They do still do red labels/ I recently got a coupon from them that was just so cheap I couldn't pass it up. I got most of my coins back Gold Label. But, I sent in an honest slider 1941-S I was expecitng an AU58 or MS 61. What I got was redlabel AU58 lightly cleaned.

kieferscoins

<< <i>I have trouble getting the right money for my coins in PCI holders. >>



Because their grading is way off nowadays.

Cameron Kiefer

BillJones

It all depends upon who owned the company when the coin was slabbed, and how lucky the submitter was in the "grade lottery." Having said that, their coins sell for less than NGC and PCGS coins.

Julian

I have no problems with any of the third party services, as long as I look at the coin.

Problems arise when buyers do not look at the coin and only at the holder.