Satellite grading sites around the country?

morgansforever

I'm curious if our host and other TPG's have thrown around the idea of, setting up grading service sites
around the country? Perhaps a location on the East coast, central U.S.? Instead of mailing them across the nation.
This might be really out there, a bus like RV traveling the country with sonic sealers and graders?

CoinRaritiesOnline

They do grade at shows.

BryceM

What would be the advantage? Coast-to-coast mail delivery isn't that much different than it is to an adjacent state.

Issues of security, storage, travel expenses and such would be hard to offset by any potential savings.

morgansforever

<<They do grade at shows.>>

I know they do but the nearest show would be Baltimore for me. If there were a huge show in Hartford, CT, that would be swell.

morgansforever

<<What would be the advantage? Coast-to-coast mail delivery isn't that much different than it is to an adjacent state.>>

It's the piece of mind that comes with hand delivering them to the graders and returning home with the slabs.

Zoins

PCGS has grading sites in Paris and Hong Kong so they'll do it if there's a good business reason to.

I like the idea of PCGS grading at shows. I've been tempted to get a few coins graded at shows but they don't grade all coins at shows, including some I've been wanting to get graded.

illini420

When you have several grading sites you increase the chances of having differeing grading standards under the same company label. The official company grading sets to compare with can only be in one place at one time.

PCGS now grades coins in Hong Kong and Paris. I've seen quite a few U.S. coins graded by PCGS in either Hong Kong or Paris and I haven't always agreed with the grades of those coins, including some that were new top pops!!! I've even heard of one submitter intentionally sending his U.S. coins overseas knowing that his coins were more likely to get better grades by graders overseas...

morgansforever

<<When you have several grading sites you increase the chances of having differeing grading standards under the same company label. The official company grading sets to compare with can only be in one place at one time.>>

Good observation. I was thinking the same set up at PCGS CA could be duplicated.

LindeDad

Being ex-military and spending more time away from home than home for many years. I think they would have a hard time getting graders to live that life. Add to the fact that it cost at least $100.00 per day per person per diem makes no sense at all for them to do more than what they do now with hitting the major shows.

WTCG

Satellite grading centers will not work and would create far too many variables, not to mention additional costs to the grading company. The fact that PCGS and NGC have offices in Asia and Europe is due to necessity: emerging markets in those areas are worth the investment but the hassles and bureaucracies of importing and exporting high value coins to and from the U.S. for every single submission makes it impossible to not set up grading facilities outside of the country.

And for the idea of the travelling RV, I am certain graders are not interested in living the life of a Carny.

Baley

<< <i><<What would be the advantage? Coast-to-coast mail delivery isn't that much different than it is to an adjacent state.>>

It's the piece of mind that comes with hand delivering them to the graders and returning home with the slabs. >>



That's an advantage for the local submitter (maybe), what's would be in it for PCGS? How many satellite offices in the US (besides the one in your hometown) should they consider opening?

Recall that their office does not just consist of some graders, a tag printer, and a slabbing machine, there's a whole structure with raw material warehousing, shipping/receiving, accounting/payroll, security, administration, hiring and firing, performance evaluations and raises, all the other usual office management stuff. It's a lot of infrastructure.

Anyone have an idea of about how many employees Collectors Universe in general and PCGS in particular currently have?

blu62vette

Bad idea. There would likely be a lack of consistently that could really hurt the PCGS brand and the market overall.

MICHAELDIXON

Economics dictate it wouldn't be feasible to do so. It would cannibalize the existing location and would be cost prohibitive. Rent, security, insurance for 2 locations is expensive. In addition to that, where would you find the additional graders? Why would a grader living in California want to move to the midwest or east coast?

It's the piece of mind that comes with hand delivering them to the graders and returning home with the slabs. For security reasons and any insurance regulations, I would not want individuals walking in and out delivering and picking up coins. The system, as it is, works, so why fix it if it ain't broke? I would say the number of individuals who do not send their coins to be graded for "the piece of mind" is minute and you are in a minority.


travelling RV Alan Hagar offered that with ACG years ago.