is shipping charges a rip off with PCGS like w/ NGC?
zeek
Posts: 397
I bought a membership last year and never submitted the first 5 free coins until month 11, a week ago today. I totally understand I have to pay for shipping to and from, but 21.80 is a lot; especially when the shipping of the same coins with registered and ins cost 7.19. My next membership will be w/ PCGS. Does PCGS charge excesive shipping as well?
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Comments
Shipping charges will be comparable. Registered mail costs what it costs.
<< <i>especially when the shipping of the same coins with registered and ins cost 7.19 >>
Such a Deal!
Considering that they DO have a Shipping and Receiving department that must be paid for, I can;t fault these registered mail prices at all!
The name is LEE!
<< <i>I totally understand I have to pay for shipping to and from, but 21.80 is a lot; especially when the shipping of the same coins with registered and ins cost 7.19. >>
I think it's a mistake to compare "shipping cost" to "postage cost" as though they were the same thing.
Suppose PCGS/NGC didn't accept or send out stuff through the mail, and that the only way to submit coins was by dropping them off in person. They'd likely not need to rent as much office space as they do now, since no shipping department would be required. They'd also need to purchase less equipment and supplies and would probably not need to employ as many people as they do now, either.
All those costs have to be accounted for, which is why "shipping" doesn't equal "postage". Whether or not you're being "ripped off" would depend on how those costs relate to the amount over and above the cost of postage you're being charged.
<< <i>shipping of the same coins with registered and ins cost 7.19 >>
I thought registered shipping alone was like $9!
<< <i>Such a Deal! >>
Well I live in the same state and it was 7 coins total.
How the H*ll did you get everything for $7.19?
That's about the same, a it more. I had a total of 7 coins a 250 and was charged 21.80......oh shux.
<< <i>Registered is close to $10 not including shipping costs.
How the H*ll did you get everything for $7.19? >>
He didn't.
<< <i>Registered is close to $10 not including shipping costs.
How the H*ll did you get everything for $7.19? >>
No idea. My wife takes care of shipping from work. Maybe business to business is discounted and being in the same state....well. Also when sending registered mail it's automatically ins 250, so she says. And yes I've heard this before as being in fine fine print and something USPS doesn't like to mention.
<< <i>
<< <i>Registered is close to $10 not including shipping costs.
How the H*ll did you get everything for $7.19? >>
No idea. My wife takes care of shipping from work. Maybe business to business is discounted and being in the same state....well. Also when sending registered mail it's automatically ins 250, so she says. And yes I've heard this before as being in fine fine print and something USPS doesn't like to mention. >>
So you've got someone who works for free mailing your items on company time (being paid by someone else). PCGS and NGC neither have that luxury...they have to pay their shipping agents. Imagine that. --jerry
<< <i>So you've got someone who works for free mailing your items on company time (being paid by someone else). PCGS and NGC neither have that luxury...they have to pay their shipping agents. Imagine that. --jerry >>
Wait a seccond, Jerry. There is nothing "free" about my wife or just about any wife!
<< <i>Also when sending registered mail it's automatically ins 250, so she says. >>
That's not actually true. From the USPS website:
2.1 Registered Mail Fees
Fees and charges are in addition to postage:
Declared Value - Fee (in addition to postage)
$0.00 - $10.00
$0.01 to $100 - $10.80
$100.01 to $500 - $12.10
...
The rest of the table (above) is not included here- just enough to show that there isn't automatic $250 insurance coverage.
<< <i>
<< <i>So you've got someone who works for free mailing your items on company time (being paid by someone else). PCGS and NGC neither have that luxury...they have to pay their shipping agents. Imagine that. --jerry >>
Wait a seccond, Jerry. There is nothing "free" about my wife or just about any wife! >>
Correct, so your actual shipping costs are much higher than PCGS and NGCs if you figure it that way.
happens to the excess S/H charges we pre-pay when 1) coins grade lower than we think they do or
2) when the total insured value on the RETURN is not as expected!
Given all is pre-paid, what becomes of the excess we pay and the coins are shipped back "worth"
substantially less?
I have never received a credit or a refund for over-payment on Return S/H charged to my card.
Zeke, is this sorta what you are asking? I ask because lately, as I go through past submissions,
I see that I overpaid many times over and have NEVER received a refund, rebate or credit!
What becomes of the excess S/H (pre-paid) and why isn't it refunded to the submitter?
Thanks.
To ship it "registered first class with insurance" will cost about $20 depending on the declared value.
Always keep the reciept, without it the insurance is meaningless.
To ship it registered you must seal it in brown special tape and they stamp it on every seam so nobody can tamper with the seal and it gets signed for at every step in shipping. It also takes longer to get delivered.
You will save the "Going to" charge ($20+)...Makes things a little better.
Brian
I Love
<< <i>I may or may not be understanding the question posed however I've recently wondered about what
happens to the excess S/H charges we pre-pay when 1) coins grade lower than we think they do or
2) when the total insured value on the RETURN is not as expected!
Given all is pre-paid, what becomes of the excess we pay and the coins are shipped back "worth"
substantially less?
I have never received a credit or a refund for over-payment on Return S/H charged to my card.
Zeke, is this sorta what you are asking? I ask because lately, as I go through past submissions,
I see that I overpaid many times over and have NEVER received a refund, rebate or credit!
What becomes of the excess S/H (pre-paid) and why isn't it refunded to the submitter?
Thanks. >>
When you submit a coin with a declared value of $1,000, that coin is returned to you insured for $1,000 whether it goes back to you in a bodybag or a holder? Why do you think that PCGS would set an arbitrary value less than your declared value just because the coin didn't grade as you thought it might?
<< <i>When you submit a coin with a declared value of $1,000, that coin is returned to you insured for $1,000 whether it goes back to you in a bodybag or a holder? Why do you think that PCGS would set an arbitrary value less than your declared value just because the coin didn't grade as you thought it might? >>
You could have stopped after the first sentence.
In cases when a coin or group of coins come back graded significantly lower
they then have the Price Guide, auction results and greysheet to go by.
Don't be facetious.
Thank you.
I just don't get, people want top grades, they want the best coins and then they turn around and gripe about NGC vs PCGS shipping fees.
Well I will tell you this! I think people that pay .99 for a double cheeeeze booger at Mickey D' are paying .98 too much, you know why because a pound of dog food is only .1 cent so who's screwing who.
:Ripping off: is slang for buyer has no idea about why he woke up that morning.
<< <i>Submit a lot of coins, Yaha?
Yes I do, mainly to NGC and ICG. I know it's not cheap, but why the freaking complaining. I just paid $5.95 for a $14.99 NGC 70 Statehood quarter New Mexico, received today in a bubble with a $1.34 postage on it. So I bend over and take it hard, but again, the insurance at the TPG make up the most $$$ in my opinion. Again that is what we must pay.
Sorry if you disagree.
I'm just curious and asked a valid question.
I don't either 3rd party Grading Service is ripping anyone off. Period!
They ALL do what they're paid to do - provide a "service"!
<< <i>I'm not complaining at all. I think PCGS does a fine job.
I'm just curious and asked a valid question.
I don't either 3rd party Grading Service is ripping anyone off. Period!
They ALL do what they're paid to do - provide a "service"! >>
Boom, I sorry didn't mean you were complaining just the thread writer. Your question was very valid and as always I type fast with bad grammar and leave my opinions open for negativity. Sorry BOOMEr.
PCGS Registries
Box of 20
SeaEagleCoins: 11/14/54-4/5/12. Miss you Larry!
<< <i>
<< <i>When you submit a coin with a declared value of $1,000, that coin is returned to you insured for $1,000 whether it goes back to you in a bodybag or a holder? Why do you think that PCGS would set an arbitrary value less than your declared value just because the coin didn't grade as you thought it might? >>
You could have stopped after the first sentence.
In cases when a coin or group of coins come back graded significantly lower
they then have the Price Guide, auction results and greysheet to go by.
Don't be facetious.
Thank you. >>
If you read the form they ask you to declare a value for return insurance purposes. Why do you think they would take someone's time to revalue your coins just to save a lousy couple bux? It would cost them more to do it than they would make by doing it.
When grading is completed there is no longer an unknown.
What then is at hand is a PCGS coin with a fair Market Value.
edit for spelling corrections!
<< <i>One grade can make a big value in coin value. They should have a box to check "insure for price guide value". --Jerry >>
Bingo! Thank you Jerry!
<< <i>One grade can make a big value in coin value. They should have a box to check "insure for price guide value". --Jerry >>
Shipping is predetermined and prepaid. They aren't going to piss around re-invoicing you several times on one measly submission. If they were to use the price guide a lot of your economy level fees might get bumped up to regular service level, then folks would really have something to piss and moan about. From a practical standpoint with registered mail there isn't a big difference insurancewise between a $3K shipment and a $4K shipment.
Whatever!
Going "in" is one thing but coming "out" with KNOWN Market Values .... WOAH!
OK, let's assume 10 coins are sent in for grading. I place a "value" on them at $100. PCGS bills me in advance & I pay.
Of this group, should by chance I "MAKE" coins worth MORE than I valued them at AFTER grading & PCGS ships them AFTER
making the grades available to me - What are they gonna do? They gonna bill me again for what they NOW are worth or at
the "value" I initially placed on them?
I think we BOTH know the answer - now don't we!? Will the "value" I placed on them hamper grading and prevent the coins
from being graded AS THEY SHOULD BE? What happens then?
<< <i>Going "in" is one thing but coming "out" with KNOWN Market Values .... WOAH!
OK, let's assume 10 coins are sent in for grading. I place a "value" on them at $100. PCGS bills me in advance & I pay.
Of this group, should by chance I "MAKE" coins worth MORE than I valued them at AFTER grading & PCGS ships them AFTER
making the grades available to me - What are they gonna do? They gonna bill me again for what they NOW are worth or at
the "value" I initially placed on them?
I think we BOTH know the answer - now don't we!? Will the "value" I placed on them hamper grading and prevent the coins
from being graded AS THEY SHOULD BE? What happens then?
You still don't get it. The graders have no clue as to what you declared for a value. The value is for insurance purposes, not marketing purposes. If you buy a coin for $1,000 and it bodybags or grades below the grade you expected, it likely will have lower market value. BUT the fact remains that you still have $1,000 in the coin even tho you might not be able to get that for it in its new holder. So if it gets lost while being returned to you, you will get your $1,000 from the USPS because you have your receipt to prove what you paid. What if you have a killer toner that grades ms65 and is $160 in the price guide and $1100 in the market. Do you still want PCGS to return it insured for $160? Is PCGS going to be the sole determinator of toning premium in this case? In the event of loss you have to prove value which will generally be what you paid for the thing. Also the coins belong to you and not to PCGS; they are simply temporary custodians while the coins are being graded.
The original question is basing costs of shipping as a determining factor on who grades the coin or who will get the business.
I personally am concerned with the protection and accurate assessment of the coin being graded, so shipping charges are an incidental to me. A couple of dollars doesn't matter if the coin isn't all there and the plastic doesn't matter if the coin isn't desired by someone else, in the event one decides to sell.
``https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
Suppose you have a coin that you think is a 65 shot 66. In 65 it is a $500 coin. In 66 it is a $25000 coin. What do you declare as it's value? --Jerry
``https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
<< <i>Bajjerfan,
Suppose you have a coin that you think is a 65 shot 66. In 65 it is a $500 coin. In 66 it is a $25000 coin. What do you declare as it's value? --Jerry >>
Well if you paid $500 for it and the USPS lost it, then your realized loss per the USPS is likely to be $500 at least for insurance purposes. If twas me I'd get an opinion from the USPS on what they would do if it came back a 66 and it was insured for $25K. You can't mail me a penny, insure it for $50 and expect the USPS to give you $50 if they lose it.
If you sent it to PCGS and declared the value as $25K and it got lost, you would have a helluva time collecting $25K from the USPS, but its pretty likely the coin wouldn't get lost. OTOH if PCGS gave it a 66 and it got lost on the way back, you still might have a hard time collecting $25K from the USPS. I'd do my homework first and see how others have fared in similar situations.
<< <i>
<< <i>Bajjerfan,
Suppose you have a coin that you think is a 65 shot 66. In 65 it is a $500 coin. In 66 it is a $25000 coin. What do you declare as it's value? --Jerry >>
Well if you paid $500 for it and the USPS lost it, then your realized loss per the USPS is likely to be $500 at least for insurance purposes. If twas me I'd get an opinion from the USPS on what they would do if it came back a 66 and it was insured for $25K. You can't mail me a penny, insure it for $50 and expect the USPS to give you $50 if they lose it.
If you sent it to PCGS and declared the value as $25K and it got lost, you would have a helluva time collecting $25K from the USPS, but its pretty likely the coin wouldn't get lost. OTOH if PCGS gave it a 66 and it got lost on the way back, you still might have a hard time collecting $25K from the USPS. I'd do my homework first and see how others have fared in similar situations. >>
Suppose you've owned it so long that original purchase price is irrelevant...
I think the USPS isn't likely to lose anything. I never know what to declare as a value. Declaring $500 seems pessimistic, Declaraing $25,000 is probably a waste of money on shipping fees.
Not the worlds greatest unsolved problem but one I ponder occaionally. --jerry
I didn't create this thread. I am not insulting PCGS. I am not insinuating, implying or asking
anything other than my original question.
At one point I even told you "whatever, Bajjer" but you insist on harping on the subject!
I have no beef with PCGS. As a matter of fact I am totally satisfied with PCGS in every way but
since this subject HAS been brought up it's occurred to me that many people, many times over,
over pay for return S/H.
Sending raw coins in for grading, valued realistically, is one thing however, my "value" or not,
once coins are graded, now have a different "real world" Fair Market Value determined by auction
results. In such cases many people will have overpaid for return S/H on PCGS certified coins
assigned grades lower than expected.
Given we pre-pay, will PCGS re-bill a submitter IF one is fortunate enough to now have coins grade
higher than expected? If the answer is yes, the submitter's "Value" then is no longer a factor and a
new value now comes into play. If they DO NOT and something happens - what then?
Turn it over and re-think MY question.
If they adjust for coins that now are knowingly worth MORE - then the same should hold true for coins that
at this point NOW are worth considerably worth less! What is so dificult to understand here?
If submitters consistantly over pay for return S/H - IT ADDS UP. Ethically, over-payment should
be refunded or credits issued! What part of this do YOU not comprehend?