What would it take for ANACS to become a peer to NGC and PCGS?
coinlieutenant
Posts: 9,319 ✭✭✭✭✭
I have heard recently more grumblings than normal about the displeasure with PCGS and NGC on multiple levels, whether it be accusations of inconsistant grading or poor customer service. Assume then that you are the President/marketing director/CEO or whatever at ANACS. You have the go ahead/money from your parent company to try and grow and make the top tier grading services change from its current oligopoly to one that is perhaps more competitive? What do you do?????
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Russ, NCNE
1) Customer service
2) Turnaround time
3) Online resources (registry sets accepting ANACS/NGC/PGCS coins and an online population report)
IMHO, their product (grading) is already good enough, and it is the above areas that need improvement...Mike
Largely the pecking order of the TPG's is consequential to market perception.
It would really come down to market strategy, a succinct marketing plan, the creation of a compelling unique value proposition, proper financial backing, and EXECUTION!
I think there is no shortage of "Intellectual" talent in the coin industry, but only a select few have demonstrated the ability to execute.
If Anacs can execute a sound marketing strategy, they will begin to gain marketshare.
Just my 10 cents
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<< <i>Offer the same guarantee that PCGS does for slabbed coins. >>
Like I said, it's all about marketing.
and it sets us apart from practitioners and consultants. Gregor
<< <i>They also need to adopt a cameo/deep cameo designation that matches the rest of the community. >>
They did starting a few weeks ago. Cameo and Heavy Cameo are now gone and they haave the same designations as PCGS and ICG: CAM and DCAM.
Cameron Kiefer
Cameron, thanks, our posts crossed.
and it sets us apart from practitioners and consultants. Gregor
<< <i>If ANACS were to continue what they have been doing for years, that would be sufficient. If PCGS and NGC dont stop shooting themselves in the feet - ANACS doesnt have to change anything. >>
We here on this forum may believe this to be the case, but unless the dealer community takes this message out to the other 99.5% of the collecting public, (unfortunately) what Anacs has been doing for years won't be sufficient.
Part of the success PCGS has enjoyed is consequential to the dealer community (in essence) promoting PCGS through their inventory and through the premiums that they charge for PCGS slabbed coins. If the dealer community were to take a stance and promote Anacs and charge the same for Anacs slabs as they do for PCGS slabs, this could create more of a level playing field and the consumer might begin to buy larger quantities of Anacs plastic.
In many respects the dealer community has bestowed upon PCGS their market leadership position, and if they choose to they can gradually begin to promote a different TPG. There might be some pain at the outset, but like the old saying goes -- no pain, no gain.
5 years or less ...................
most likely less if they do not muck it up like *** did
One suggestion might be that ANACS do away with body bags for all coins except counterfeit and altered pieces. I think that they already do that, but I'm not totally sure. At any rate if you have a rare coin with a problem, nothing sucks worse than to get back a useless body bag for your grading fee. Getting back a coin in a "genuine, but ungraded slab" or a genuine and net graded slab would go a long way toward making customers happy.
ANACS is already VASTLY better in die variety attribution than PCGS. Sorry, PCGS, but you are near the bottom of the industry in that department. I've seen PCGS blow it on Red Book varieties when it made a big difference in price. There is really no excuse for that. NGC already does a credible job on die varieties.
The really big problem is ANACS is the perception that they grade more liberally than the “big two.” In truth there are many overgraded ANACS slabs out there, and changing market perceptions from this point forward will be tough. It’s a catch 22. If ANACS tightens up, collectors and dealers will stop sending them coins because they might perceive that they could get higher grades the “big two.” If ANACS remains the same or gets loser, they will remain the #3 grading service.
Changing things will take a major marketing effort. And as one other person mentioned, there would be an opening if one of the big two made a MAJOR mistake. If PCGS went to the 100 grading system, which would force all of us to get our coins regraded, that could be THE opening.
<< <i>They need to court the modern community. They also need to be very careful not to abandon ANACS careful conservative technical grading. They also need to adopt a cameo/deep cameo designation that matches the rest of the community. ANACS has a chance to own a large portion of the market if they can hold the line on gradeflation and remain technical in their approach. JMO >>
"...careful conservative technical grading...." What are you talking about? I've heard ANACS uses..used to use...technical grading. I emailed them a couple months ago and asked them about technical grading. They replied back that they use Market Grading. I'm going to ask James Taylor about this when he joins coincommunity.com in January for his Q & A session.
Jerry
<< <i>
One suggestion might be that ANACS do away with body bags for all coins except counterfeit and altered pieces. I think that they already do that, but I'm not totally sure. At any rate if you have a rare coin with a problem, nothing sucks worse than to get back a useless body bag for your grading fee. Getting back a coin in a "genuine, but ungraded slab" or a genuine and net graded slab would go a long way toward making customers happy.
. >>
ANACS only bodybags fakes and coins with active PVC. All others get slabbed.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Their problem lies in the perception of ANACS within the hobby and that is their biggest obstacle.
I am guilty of it-
From a buying perspective I say ANACS all the way, more often than not their slabs sell at a discount to PCGS/NGC. On the other hand when I do sell something off and want to maximize my $$, I look to crossing the coin to PCGS first. I have a feeling that this happens quite a bit and is the root of the problem.
So with that said, I am not really sure I would like to see the perceptions of ANACS change, after all, where would I find properly graded coins at a good price.
Buy the coin, not the holder esp NGC.
<< <i>Anacs is already far above NGC. NGC competes with PCI and SEGS.
Buy the coin, not the holder esp NGC. >>
Spoken like a true Merc collector
<< <i>Anacs is already far above NGC. NGC competes with PCI and SEGS.
Buy the coin, not the holder esp NGC. >>
Sorry, but you must be on drugs or something when you shop for coins. Your statement about NGC is completely off-base, and any beginner who reads it should disregard it as a rant.
In the last month.
Cracked 2 pci mercury dimes both upgraded 1 point to pcgs.
Cracked 1 anacs mercury overdate that upgraded 50 to 53.
Cracked 6 ngc mercury dimes two got the same grade 4 were downgraded.
Proof is stranger than bs.
The crack-out game must be played with intelligence. If you just buy coins at random, crack them out and send them in, you’ll probably get different grades, which will include some lower ones. If you are going to play crack-out, you need to know how to grade coins and send in only those pieces where it makes sense to crack and go for a higher or equal grade.
ANACS belongs.........
ANACS was always on the right track when it came to slabbing problem coins.
Lets face it! When I get a "Body Bagged" coin, I ship it to ANACS, get it slabbed, get the reason for the problem, and I'm happy.
ANACS, in my opinion, was always ahead of the game on this aspect.........plus, I am able to submit my coins to them from home without all the hassels of going to a "submission center" to do it.
PCGS is way better now then they were before......they are getting the hint, and the recent VAM thing proves it.
BIG THREE: PCGS, NGC, ANACS.........in that order.
Pete
No cross? ANACS pays other TPG fees and postage both ways.
If it crosses, the fees are the responsiblity of the submitter. Soon get around if they were crossing or not. If it crosses, then suddenly the OTHER TPG has the responsibility of the grade guarantee.
Get the rep for successful crosses anywhere and suddenly confidence in the product would follow. I like em now, but many are fearful of them.
This would eliminate those fears and provide nearly instant feedback if the grading was "on" or not.
siliconvalleycoins.com
I've been thinking the same thing. And to me, as a collector, anacs is already as respectable as pcgs and ngc, if not more so....
<< <i>A guarantee to cross at any service? I dont think that is possible... >>
I agree. All you would need is another company to make a decision not to cross anymore X slabs causing the competitor (x grading company) to have to pay tons of fees and go bankrupt.
Cameron Kiefer
When serious money is on the line based on 1 point in the scale, there will always be rants about the grading services.
Bottom line...what does PCGS have over NGC and ANACS? Better resale value and better-formatted message board...that’s it. If ANACS can get a good message board up and running, they will have half their problems licked!
Make their holders more like PCGS's.
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
<< <i>Make their holders more like PCGS's. >>
Check out my current listings: https://ebay.com/sch/khunt/m.html?_ipg=200&_sop=12&_rdc=1
It will take a while for me to change my impressions of ANACS.
Edited to add - did you try returning it to ANACS? They guarantee their work same as NGC and PCGS.
Here are some slabs I cracked:
<< <i>I agree. All you would need is another company to make a decision not to cross anymore X slabs causing the competitor (x grading company) to have to pay tons of fees and go bankrupt. >>
Maybe. But don't you think that such an announcement would send a HUGE message of "fear?"
Bankruptcy is always a risk with any company. But to make a change of such magnitude as ANACS becoming a "peer" to PCGS and NGC in the eyes of the collector/dealer community would require ....risk.
Also, the guarantee of the cross could have "conditions" limiting risk if worded right. Just one "What are they scared of?" ad in Coin World could have a huge psychological effect.
<< <i>
<< <i>Anacs is already far above NGC. NGC competes with PCI and SEGS.
Buy the coin, not the holder esp NGC. >>
Sorry, but you must be on drugs or something when you shop for coins. Your statement about NGC is completely off-base, and any beginner who reads it should disregard it as a rant. >>
Bill,
Would you care to explain to explain the statistics I've laid out at the end of this thread?
I personally do not believe NGC takes the time to properly grade some series. I actually subscribed to
one of NGC's $99 memberships and I should have looked at their pops on Jeff nickels before doing so
but now I have this membership and I can't do anything with it. I can't even base a good argument for
using the freebees other than having some coins graded in hopes of selling to recoup my money.
Leo
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
My Jefferson Nickel Collection
Very, very true. I cracked out about 5 a few weeks ago using a few light taps with a hammer along the edge. All of them cracked out cleanly and would have been relatively easy to re-glue back together.
I do not buy and sell modern coins in slabs. From casual observations I have stated on many occasions that PCGS is the leader in the modern coins (1940s and up) third party grading market. I would agree with you that NGC has often not spent the time to do a good job in grading modern coins.
Having said that, I have bought and sold a lot of coins from the 1920s and before in PCGS and NGC holders. My perception, which has been supported by a large dollar volume in sales, is that both companies slab accurately graded, marketable coins that can be sold at premium values. Both services also have overgraded some coins that don’t deserve to be in slabs that they are in. I have tried to sell ANACS graded coins for fair prices but have run into more than my share of resistance. For that reason, I have a hard time getting excited about ANACS coins.
I’m defending NGC because I don’t want to see ONE GRADING SERVICE dominate that market. If I thought that NGC sucked, I would write that. BUT that is NOT my perception, and I will defend NGC when it comes to older coins so long as they are producing a viable product.
Fair enough! But sounding the alarm on NGC's grading tactics for some series, perhaps they'll wake up once they'll realize that there is a the backlash coming. They do need to get their act together.
From my perspective and it may be from a very small window, I wouldn't recommend NGC to anyone!
Leo
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
My Jefferson Nickel Collection