Many places I have worked, when confronted with busy times or when operations fell behind, there would be Voluntary or even mandatory overtime requested....Perhaps now is the time for management at PCGS to call a quick meeting to address the huge backlog and offer or require a couple of weekend overtime shifts.
Been there...doing that...right now...overtime on a Saturday...cha-ching!
I hope there is someone working today in Newport Beach!
Looking at the turn-around time updated today the Regular Submissions are now down to 18 days and the Regular submissions are up to 43 days. Our host is prioritizing the more expensive submission over the less expensive one- as it should be.
Originally posted by: Manorcourtman Day 75 on Monday. The shared order page is not showing many orders shipped these days!
I notices that also. Is it possible that only 2% or so of coins graded are shared? That is what my informal calculation tells me over the last several days. That seems implausible, but maybe it is accurate.
Looking at the turn-around time updated today the Regular Submissions are now down to 18 days and the Regular submissions are up to 43 days. Our host is prioritizing the more expensive submission over the less expensive one- as it should be.
I would normally agree with that principle. However as stated numerous times when economy orders were submitted in freakin May the times were half that!! Come on PCGS, get on the ball and take care of your little peeps!
What's the last Economy submission date received to have received their order? It looks like some of the shared orders are probably around 6/15, does that sound right?
Originally posted by: ModCrewman What's the last Economy submission date received to have received their order? It looks like some of the shared orders are probably around 6/15, does that sound right?
I have a US economy order still in the works that was dropped off at the Long Beach show on June 9... though not logged in until after the show on 6/14. Thought it was a very simple order, just 9 silver dollars...
Also have a World economy order still in that was submitted at the same time.
I'm a PCGS authorized dealer too... shows that we get no special treatment
What's the last Economy submission date received to have received their order? It looks like some of the shared orders are probably around 6/15, does that sound right?
I have a US economy order still in the works that was dropped off at the Long Beach show on June 9... though not logged in until after the show on 6/14. Thought it was a very simple order, just 9 silver dollars...
Also have a World economy order still in that was submitted at the same time.
I'm a PCGS authorized dealer too... shows that we get no special treatment
Looks like this one was received by PCGS on 6/14 with grades posted last week...at least it looks like an economy order to me.
This situation is unacceptable. I work for Lost Dutchman Rare Coins in Indianapolis. We have a 21 coin economy that was checked in on 5/13. Today will be the 55th business day. I have repeatedly called customer service and they have now put 2 "expedite requests" on it. There is absolutely nothing special about it, no attributions, no special labels, NOTHING. It is just 21 type coins... Customer service has supposedly placed 2 expedite requests on it which have done absolutely nothing. Worst of all, I was told 2 weeks ago that it was in the final verification stage and that basically all that had to happen was someone had to check the box and post it. Yet here we are 2 weeks later and nothing has happened. I really hope PCGS is listening to the complaints on this thread because this is out of control. We all understand that "estimated times" are just that... but 55 business days is beyond acceptable. I also noticed today that they bumped ECO up to 43 business days. I guess it has to get worse before it gets better??
What's the last Economy submission date received to have received their order? It looks like some of the shared orders are probably around 6/15, does that sound right?
My June 1st received orders are done as of Friday.
If you were as big as Collector's Universe why would you not hire many new graders to keep up with demand? Is the overhead really that high? Seems sloppy to me. This is 2016. Speed things up. Get it done. Be state of the art. I really think it ridiculous how slow the service is for the price we members pay. Just my opinion.
If you were as big as Collector's Universe why would you not hire many new graders to keep up with demand? Is the overhead really that high? Seems sloppy to me. This is 2016. Speed things up. Get it done. Be state of the art. I really think it ridiculous how slow the service is for the price we members pay. Just my opinion.
You think it is as easy to hire graders (of the necessary caliber) as it is someone taking your order for fries? Or someone to cut your grass?
Not easy, but I'm sure you could find hundreds of people across the country that can accurately grade coins at PCGS standards. Pay them well, because it has to be tedious work all day. Its like the check out lines at Walmart. Its like there should be a bunch of open lanes, but nobody is there. Aggravating is what it is.
My longest wait for PCGS grades on standard US Coins submitted raw for grading was: Check in Date = 4/14/2016 Shipped date = 7/14/2016 This was for 20 raw coins (modern stuff, not varieties) PCGS Secure Plus ... Raw Grading ... Economy It took 3 calendar months from check in to mailing back A total of 64 Business Days.
The best way to handle this (IMHO) is simply to forget about stuff you submit. Put it out of your mind for 3 months, by the end of that time it should be done.
Day 75 on Monday. The shared order page is not showing many orders shipped these days!
Taking out the 2 holiday days, you are at 50 days today. What type of attribution did you request? I want to make sure I never ask for the same thing!
Simple Buffalo nickel DDO's and DDR's. Order rec'd May 17th and entered in system May 19th. I see some new additions to the thread! Glad other people are upset also. The service is unacceptable.
are you kidding ! the management at pcgs does not care about customer service, they are busy at coin shows buying graded coins so they can have them upgraded and double their money .
Completely agree on service being "unacceptable." PCGS is unable to fulfill its obligations to its loyal customers. Although it was helpful to hear from the VP it would be more helpful if we had a more concrete statement on what was being done to fix it, and when it might be fixed. They should have this front and center on their home page. Today I hit 55 business days on my 5/13 ECO lot. That is just absolutely ridiculous and should be regarded as a complete embarrassment on the part of PCGS. I have worked in several different industry's throughout my life and I would never / and have never, treated my customers which such a complete lack of disregard is PCGS is currently doing. It's not just the screeching halt on the grades, but it is also the pitiful customer service they provide over the phone. Every time I call, I get the same robotic answers, with not the slightest concern for the issues I raise. I get the sense their customer service reps are also overwhelmed with the situation, which is understandable. But where is the support for them?
For me as a dealer, time is money. Having such a huge backlog destroys my cash flow and makes it so I can't provide my customers with the product they want. My feeling is that if PCGS wants to be the industry standard as they are regarded as far as values on US coins, then they should provide the customer service to back that up.
This morning I took a look at current turn around times. Economy Submissions increased from 37 days to 43 days now. I sent my 7 coin order to NGC. I HATE the way they grade Morgans but these are coins that I'll sell. I don't care that they are in NGC holders. NGC is at 28 days which means the order will return approximately Sept 10th.
An economy order sent to our host won't ship back until October 1st or later at the earliest.
If you do what you always did, you get what you always got.
Completely agree on service being "unacceptable." PCGS is unable to fulfill its obligations to its loyal customers. Although it was helpful to hear from the VP it would be more helpful if we had a more concrete statement on what was being done to fix it, and when it might be fixed. They should have this front and center on their home page. Today I hit 55 business days on my 5/13 ECO lot. That is just absolutely ridiculous and should be regarded as a complete embarrassment on the part of PCGS. I have worked in several different industry's throughout my life and I would never / and have never, treated my customers which such a complete lack of disregard is PCGS is currently doing. It's not just the screeching halt on the grades, but it is also the pitiful customer service they provide over the phone. Every time I call, I get the same robotic answers, with not the slightest concern for the issues I raise. I get the sense their customer service reps are also overwhelmed with the situation, which is understandable. But where is the support for them?
For me as a dealer, time is money. Having such a huge backlog destroys my cash flow and makes it so I can't provide my customers with the product they want. My feeling is that if PCGS wants to be the industry standard as they are regarded as far as values on US coins, then they should provide the customer service to back that up.
They already have a fix for the issue; it's called Express Service.
Pick 2:
Fast
Accurate
Cheap
Sorry. Just couldn't stay silent on this issue any more. And thank you to all the collectors out there.
There's close to 300,000,000 citezens in the U.S. I think the largest, most successful, grading company could find a few more decent coin graders than the handful that they currently have. I think the business should grow along with the wallets.
Completely agree on service being "unacceptable." PCGS is unable to fulfill its obligations to its loyal customers. Although it was helpful to hear from the VP it would be more helpful if we had a more concrete statement on what was being done to fix it, and when it might be fixed. They should have this front and center on their home page. Today I hit 55 business days on my 5/13 ECO lot. That is just absolutely ridiculous and should be regarded as a complete embarrassment on the part of PCGS. I have worked in several different industry's throughout my life and I would never / and have never, treated my customers which such a complete lack of disregard is PCGS is currently doing. It's not just the screeching halt on the grades, but it is also the pitiful customer service they provide over the phone. Every time I call, I get the same robotic answers, with not the slightest concern for the issues I raise. I get the sense their customer service reps are also overwhelmed with the situation, which is understandable. But where is the support for them?
For me as a dealer, time is money. Having such a huge backlog destroys my cash flow and makes it so I can't provide my customers with the product they want. My feeling is that if PCGS wants to be the industry standard as they are regarded as far as values on US coins, then they should provide the customer service to back that up.
They already have a fix for the issue; it's called Express Service.
Pick 2:
Fast
Accurate
Cheap
Sorry. Just couldn't stay silent on this issue any more. And thank you to all the collectors out there.
That's not the point. Advertisers at 22 days only to have it change to near double time 43 days plus and received back with trueviews lagging 2 weeks behind is simply not cool.
And it's important to understand that for some coins the margins are tight and not all coins can get graded at the express tier as they'd be underwater.
So a few things.
- You guys want them to hire more graders. Where exactly do you find graders with 20 years experience? You want some newbie grading your coin? Doubt it. Even if they could find experienced folks they cost money. That means fees go up... a lot....for everyone. They probably have hired graders to handle the influx of Modern coins (up 100% over last year due to new pricing). Modern graders don't need years of experience.
- turnaround times on their website are ESTIMATES. The ESTIMATES are updated on a fairly rigid schedule every week. An ESTIMATE is not the same as a guarantee. They are one of the most open companies I can think of. Who else tells you every day how many coins they graded and breaks it out into many categories? If Apple did that figuring out their revenue and profits would be a piece of cake.
- It's summer time. The graders have had a grueling first 7 months of the year. Coin submissions are up 40%. The previous record quarter saw under 600K coins graded. They did over 800K in the March quarter and probably 750K last quarter. Even with shows and vacations they still did 194K last month alone. People need vacations. Give em a break.
- PCGS is going after the Modern market and is taking market share from NGC at a rapid pace. Prior to this year, NGC had 70% share in Moderns. With new pricing models, it is now 50/50 (see pop reports to convince yourself). Considering that PCGS has a 70/30 market share lead in Vintage coins, they are now the clear leader. If NGC was a stock, it would be down 40%. Coincidently, CLCT is up 40% and rising. If you want to send your coins to NGC, ask yourself if they will be around in a few years.
I understand your frustration. The VP already said he was sorry and they were working on it. Daily grade rates are back to 10K/day which is where they were at the peak earlier this year. What else do you want them to do?
What I want them to do is bang out serious overtime, and hire new graders. Maybe that sounds harsh? But the bottom line is that for them to continue to get the massive piles of cash from dealer submissions then they have to provide service within reasonable time frames. NGC gets more attractive by the day.
"Know that we are grading as many coins as we can, as quickly as we can responsibly do so, and still deliver products that meet our standards. We think it is better that we take our time and do the best job we can instead of hurry up the process and sacrifice quality."
Mark. These two sentences sum up the situation perfectly. Take as much time as you need.
What collectors on this thread do not appreciate is that it is a fairly common (advanced) strategy to bombard the grading service (at shows and events mainly) in the hope of a couple percent of the coins getting overgraded by accident and a couple percent of the coins getting undergraded by accident. The undergraded ones simply get cracked out and resubmitted again (and again) while the overgraded ones ... well they may result in the "gradeflation" so often spoken about and loathed by collectors.
Please continue to marshall your resources to ensure the coins with super fast turnaround times are graded as accurately as possible. If I need a coin back in a day or two (or five) I will pay the added fee to get it back.
As always, just my two cents.
Wondercoin.
Edited to add... Congratulations on the current 52 week high on the stock!
Please visit my website at www.wondercoins.com and my ebay auctions under my user name www.wondercoin.com.
Wondercoin, I think that your observations are very relevant but I think the frustration is that the expectations for a level of service are inconsistent with the reality of the service being provided which is a function of accuracy and time, which in a way is the definition of "Quality".
No one wants PCGS to compromise on the level of diligence or the standards that go into the grading operation. Folks simply want it to be done in the time in which they have been conditioned to expect. So what needs to change, either standards need to change (NO) or agility needs to change in response to demand fluctuations (YES). Being agile is a key factor in delivering consistent quality and that is what the mob is reflecting frustration with. If neither change, customer satisfaction drops and that is what this thread is expressing.
Completely agree on service being "unacceptable." PCGS is unable to fulfill its obligations to its loyal customers. Although it was helpful to hear from the VP it would be more helpful if we had a more concrete statement on what was being done to fix it, and when it might be fixed. They should have this front and center on their home page. Today I hit 55 business days on my 5/13 ECO lot. That is just absolutely ridiculous and should be regarded as a complete embarrassment on the part of PCGS. I have worked in several different industry's throughout my life and I would never / and have never, treated my customers which such a complete lack of disregard is PCGS is currently doing. It's not just the screeching halt on the grades, but it is also the pitiful customer service they provide over the phone. Every time I call, I get the same robotic answers, with not the slightest concern for the issues I raise. I get the sense their customer service reps are also overwhelmed with the situation, which is understandable. But where is the support for them?
For me as a dealer, time is money. Having such a huge backlog destroys my cash flow and makes it so I can't provide my customers with the product they want. My feeling is that if PCGS wants to be the industry standard as they are regarded as far as values on US coins, then they should provide the customer service to back that up.
They already have a fix for the issue; it's called Express Service.
Pick 2:
Fast
Accurate
Cheap
Sorry. Just couldn't stay silent on this issue any more. And thank you to all the collectors out there.
That's not the point. Advertisers at 22 days only to have it change to near double time 43 days plus and received back with trueviews lagging 2 weeks behind is simply not cool.
And it's important to understand that for some coins the margins are tight and not all coins can get graded at the express tier as they'd be underwater.
So a few things.
- You guys want them to hire more graders. Where exactly do you find graders with 20 years experience? You want some newbie grading your coin? Doubt it. Even if they could find experienced folks they cost money. That means fees go up... a lot....for everyone. They probably have hired graders to handle the influx of Modern coins (up 100% over last year due to new pricing). Modern graders don't need years of experience.
- turnaround times on their website are ESTIMATES. The ESTIMATES are updated on a fairly rigid schedule every week. An ESTIMATE is not the same as a guarantee. They are one of the most open companies I can think of. Who else tells you every day how many coins they graded and breaks it out into many categories? If Apple did that figuring out their revenue and profits would be a piece of cake.
- It's summer time. The graders have had a grueling first 7 months of the year. Coin submissions are up 40%. The previous record quarter saw under 600K coins graded. They did over 800K in the March quarter and probably 750K last quarter. Even with shows and vacations they still did 194K last month alone. People need vacations. Give em a break.
- PCGS is going after the Modern market and is taking market share from NGC at a rapid pace. Prior to this year, NGC had 70% share in Moderns. With new pricing models, it is now 50/50 (see pop reports to convince yourself). Considering that PCGS has a 70/30 market share lead in Vintage coins, they are now the clear leader. If NGC was a stock, it would be down 40%. Coincidently, CLCT is up 40% and rising. If you want to send your coins to NGC, ask yourself if they will be around in a few years.
I understand your frustration. The VP already said he was sorry and they were working on it. Daily grade rates are back to 10K/day which is where they were at the peak earlier this year. What else do you want them to do?
What a new alt for DBcoin here? Thought you sold your stock a while back? Bought back in and don't like to hear from angry customers cause it might have an impact on the stock price? Sure sounds like it to me. We don't care about market share or stock price or volume. We want our dam coins in a timely matter near to the turnaround times we viewed before sending them to Newport Beach!! Simple concept of expecting an advertised service at a fair price!!!!!!!!!! Nobody likes complaining!!! We are trying to run small businesses with very tight margins. Save the stock hyping for the stock message boards. Carry on.
What a new alt for DBcoin here? Thought you sold your stock a while back? Bought back in and don't like to hear from angry customers cause it might have an impact on the stock price? Sure sounds like it to me. We don't care about market share or stock price or volume. We want our dam coins in a timely matter near to the turnaround times we viewed before sending them to Newport Beach!! Simple concept of expecting an advertised service at a fair price!!!!!!!!!! Nobody likes complaining!!! We are trying to run small businesses with very tight margins. Save the stock hyping for the stock message boards. Carry on.
I don't think that way. I actually bought more when this thread surfaced as it says even though throughput is at record levels, backlog is even higher. In fact the stock is up 10% since this thread started and made a new yearly high today.
I don't think that way. I actually bought more when this thread surfaced as it says even though throughput is at record levels, backlog is even higher. In fact the stock is up 10% since this thread started and made a new yearly high today.
But if the customer complaints and concerns are not addressed properly, it could end up only being a short term bump. There is no doubt they should hire more graders, if the number of submissions is so great that it is effecting turnaround times this significantly. Think of it as an investment in future growth.
With the turnaround time and TrueView issues, it appears management did not properly prepare for growth.
I don't think that way. I actually bought more when this thread surfaced as it says even though throughput is at record levels, backlog is even higher. In fact the stock is up 10% since this thread started and made a new yearly high today.
But if the customer complaints and concerns are not addressed properly, it could end up only being a short term bump. There is no doubt they should hire more graders, if the number of submissions is so great that it is effecting turnaround times this significantly. Think of it as an investment in future growth.
With the turnaround time and TrueView issues, it appears management did not properly prepare for growth.
You say that without knowing their business model and cyclicality. This is the "slow" season. From July though end of the year submissions are always down. They successfully scaled during the "busy" season even with 40% more coins in queue. They need a break, not more graders. The "slow" season will "fix" the slow turnaround times. As I already said, they are back to 10K coins/day. Graders with 20 years of experience aren't posting their resumes on Monster so hiring at this point isn't going to help.
These threads pop up from time to time and the company always gets through the "crisis".
Thanks for your business and have fun with your coins. It's supposed to be fun guys.
BTW - the card business (they utilize a different set of graders) is on fire. Submissions at record levels and prices of cards are up like 500% in the last few years. Check your attic and basement for your old set.
I gotta add that adding more graders does not necessarily mean grading fees would have to go up. If you have more graders, you can grade more coins per day, which means more income. They pay for themselves essentially.
If it took a week to get grades and multiple subs were returned in the same shipment, I would probably be sending in twice the coins I do now..and more often.
a lot more than 2% of regraded coins are getting upgraded and its not by accident ! only a few select people get the highest grades , and i have determined the ms67 and higher grades have been reserved for the pcgs insiders. if you submit enough coins for pcgs grading and sell them and see them upgraded within two months at full grade or grade+ higher you come to realize that this grading game is not a fair playing field for everyone !
Originally posted by: IndyCoppers Completely agree on service being "unacceptable." PCGS is unable to fulfill its obligations to its loyal customers. Although it was helpful to hear from the VP it would be more helpful if we had a more concrete statement on what was being done to fix it, and when it might be fixed. They should have this front and center on their home page. Today I hit 55 business days on my 5/13 ECO lot. That is just absolutely ridiculous and should be regarded as a complete embarrassment on the part of PCGS. I have worked in several different industry's throughout my life and I would never / and have never, treated my customers which such a complete lack of disregard is PCGS is currently doing. It's not just the screeching halt on the grades, but it is also the pitiful customer service they provide over the phone. Every time I call, I get the same robotic answers, with not the slightest concern for the issues I raise. I get the sense their customer service reps are also overwhelmed with the situation, which is understandable. But where is the support for them?
For me as a dealer, time is money. Having such a huge backlog destroys my cash flow and makes it so I can't provide my customers with the product they want. My feeling is that if PCGS wants to be the industry standard as they are regarded as far as values on US coins, then they should provide the customer service to back that up.
They already have a fix for the issue; it's called Express Service.
Pick 2: Fast Accurate Cheap
Sorry. Just couldn't stay silent on this issue any more. And thank you to all the collectors out there.
That's not the point. Advertisers at 22 days only to have it change to near double time 43 days plus and received back with trueviews lagging 2 weeks behind is simply not cool.
And it's important to understand that for some coins the margins are tight and not all coins can get graded at the express tier as they'd be underwater.
So a few things.
- You guys want them to hire more graders. Where exactly do you find graders with 20 years experience? You want some newbie grading your coin? Doubt it. Even if they could find experienced folks they cost money. That means fees go up... a lot....for everyone. They probably have hired graders to handle the influx of Modern coins (up 100% over last year due to new pricing). Modern graders don't need years of experience.
- turnaround times on their website are ESTIMATES. The ESTIMATES are updated on a fairly rigid schedule every week. An ESTIMATE is not the same as a guarantee. They are one of the most open companies I can think of. Who else tells you every day how many coins they graded and breaks it out into many categories? If Apple did that figuring out their revenue and profits would be a piece of cake.
- It's summer time. The graders have had a grueling first 7 months of the year. Coin submissions are up 40%. The previous record quarter saw under 600K coins graded. They did over 800K in the March quarter and probably 750K last quarter. Even with shows and vacations they still did 194K last month alone. People need vacations. Give em a break.
- PCGS is going after the Modern market and is taking market share from NGC at a rapid pace. Prior to this year, NGC had 70% share in Moderns. With new pricing models, it is now 50/50 (see pop reports to convince yourself). Considering that PCGS has a 70/30 market share lead in Vintage coins, they are now the clear leader. If NGC was a stock, it would be down 40%. Coincidently, CLCT is up 40% and rising. If you want to send your coins to NGC, ask yourself if they will be around in a few years.
I understand your frustration. The VP already said he was sorry and they were working on it. Daily grade rates are back to 10K/day which is where they were at the peak earlier this year. What else do you want them to do?
What you do you Want PCGS to do ???? Now if PCGS would say Sorry.. throw in a couple of discounted chits, your argument would have merit..
Now if PCGS would say Sorry.. throw in a couple of discounted chits, your argument would have merit..
No matter what they do you guys wouldn't be happy. Case in point when they made CoinFacts free and all the complaint threads on that. If they gave out a discounted or free chit here and there and word got out, you guys would complain that you didn't get one or deserved more than what you got. Then there would be threads that only "PCGS insiders" got the free deals.
I don't understand why you guys all seem so miserable. Lots of people can't afford their rent let alone a coin. Life is good. Enjoy it and have fun with your coins.
dbtunr just doesn't understand. PCGS offers 2 services essentially, grading and encapsulation. Everything else they do is a spin off of these 2 tasks. But make no mistake, these are the primary tasks. If, as an example the plastic providers PCGS uses to make the slabs suddenly weren't able to ship any plastic for an extended period of time, I'm pretty sure Newport Beach would be an excited place.
Now, if adding graders is necessary, they should have been in "the farm system" for some period of time already. If the people in the corner offices are just getting around to hiring graders now, they're late to the party. They should have been able to predict the need and acted upon the need a long time ago. As was indicated, graders with years of experience don't grow on trees. They need to be brought through the system.
Collectors Society Members already pay a fee to access grading services. After joining there are various grading submission levels, each with it's own specific cost and a promise of expected delivery. It is not acceptable to have an industry norm of xx days and then exceed that commitment by more than 10 to 20% without raising ire. At 43 days for Economy (as my example) that's well beyond the pail and will upset even the most loyal customers. While the language indicates these turn around times are simply estimates, that's to protect PCGS from dishing out refunds for a failure to meet expectations as much as it is a CYA move.
The bottom line here is that customers are unhappy through no fault of their own. Allowing the situation to continue has zero upside. While we appreciate Mark's comments many pages back, what's still missing is the specifics necessary to assure collectors who anticipate making submissions that their coins won't be in house for months. Further, investors understand that frustrated customers is never a good thing.
If you do what you always did, you get what you always got.
Now if PCGS would say Sorry.. throw in a couple of discounted chits, your argument would have merit..
No matter what they do you guys wouldn't be happy. Case in point when they made CoinFacts free and all the complaint threads on that. If they gave out a discounted or free chit here and there and word got out, you guys would complain that you didn't get one or deserved more than what you got. Then there would be threads that only "PCGS insiders" got the free deals.
I don't understand why you guys all seem so miserable. Lots of people can't afford their rent let alone a coin. Life is good. Enjoy it and have fun with your coins.
Hey Db,
You're making this too easy! The Coinfacts issue was another perfect example of lack of communications and poor customer service. Nobody complained about the fact it was free! They complained because many, including myself just paid for a Yearly subscription and requested refunds or wondered when they would get their money back for a service that was now free. Many of us jumped thru hoops and were left with no answers. There was a thread created where someone from PCGS finally addressed the issue on an individual basis the issues were resolved. I had to make several phone calls before it was handled correctly. You can't just stick your head in the sand and hope no one asks the tough questions or expect customers to like it or lump it!! We all love PCGS. The service......well not so much these days.
What you do you Want PCGS to do ???? Now if PCGS would say Sorry.. throw in a couple of discounted chits, your argument would have merit..
No matter what they do you guys wouldn't be happy. Case in point when they made CoinFacts free and all the complaint threads on that. If they gave out a discounted or free chit here and there and word got out, you guys would complain that you didn't get one or deserved more than what you got. Then there would be threads that only "PCGS insiders" got the free deals.
I don't understand why you guys all seem so miserable. Lots of people can't afford their rent let alone a coin. Life is good. Enjoy it and have fun with your coins.
You are too new to be labeled a shill.... but more experience will lead you to ask to get what is offered ....and what you paid for ,as promised by a seller .....in this case PCGS
"wondercoin a lot more than 2% of regraded coins are getting upgraded and its not by accident ! only a few select people get the highest grades , and i have determined the ms67 and higher grades have been reserved for the pcgs insiders. if you submit enough coins for pcgs grading and sell them and see them upgraded within two months at full grade or grade+ higher you come to realize that this grading game is not a fair playing field for everyone ! your two cents is worthless to me!"
Deltadimeman: Unfortunately, you were a bit too quick to misread my post. I never said 2% of regraded coins are getting upgraded.
As far as your comment regarding high grades going to only "PCGS insiders" - that's nothing more than sour grapes in my opinion. In fact, if I am not mistaken (AND IF I AM MISTAKEN, MY APOLOGY IN ADVANCE), recently one of your former coins that you sold on eBay was upgraded a half a point by someone to a pop 2/0 (that knocked out my pop 1/0 coin into a pop 2). Not for a minute did I think your old coin was undeserving of the grade when I saw it became a top pop along side my former pop 1/0 coin (and probably cost me $5,000 - $7,500 in the process of knocking out my pop 1/0). I simply thought that if I had graded that coin myself, I would have never sold it until I upgraded it that half a point.
I have said this before over on the Registry Board - while the grading of coins is an "art" and not a science, in my opinion the submitting of coins is a science and there are professionals that simply make a (fabulous) living properly submitting coins (and getting grades you and I would not be capable of getting if we submitted our coin once or twice at the office or casually). There is a science to grading coins.
Finally, there is a subtle point often lost by collectors who simply later see their MS67 in an MS68 holder or even their MS67 in an MS68+ holder. And, that is, the coin may have been professionally conserved from the time the collector sold it to the time the coin rests in its final maxed out holder. The assumption that it is the "same coin", but in a different grade is something collectors often get wrong. The conservation can often be very subtle, but all that was needed to get the coin into a higher graded holder.
Just my two cents, as worthless as it is.
Wondercoin
Please visit my website at www.wondercoins.com and my ebay auctions under my user name www.wondercoin.com.
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Many places I have worked, when confronted with busy times or when operations fell behind, there would be Voluntary or even mandatory overtime requested....Perhaps now is the time for management at PCGS to call a quick meeting to address the huge backlog and offer or require a couple of weekend overtime shifts.
Been there...doing that...right now...overtime on a Saturday...cha-ching!
I hope there is someone working today in Newport Beach!
Yep, the Ice Cream vendors are working Newport Beach right now, serving ice cream to the PCGS graders strolling the beach......
Tom
Day 75 on Monday. The shared order page is not showing many orders shipped these days!
I notices that also. Is it possible that only 2% or so of coins graded are shared? That is what my informal calculation tells me over the last several days. That seems implausible, but maybe it is accurate.
Tom
Looking at the turn-around time updated today the Regular Submissions are now down to 18 days and the Regular submissions are up to 43 days. Our host is prioritizing the more expensive submission over the less expensive one- as it should be.
I would normally agree with that principle. However as stated numerous times when economy orders were submitted in freakin May the times were half that!! Come on PCGS, get on the ball and take care of your little peeps!
Latin American Collection
Day 75 on Monday. The shared order page is not showing many orders shipped these days!
Taking out the 2 holiday days, you are at 50 days today. What type of attribution did you request? I want to make sure I never ask for the same thing!
What's the last Economy submission date received to have received their order? It looks like some of the shared orders are probably around 6/15, does that sound right?
I have a US economy order still in the works that was dropped off at the Long Beach show on June 9... though not logged in until after the show on 6/14. Thought it was a very simple order, just 9 silver dollars...
Also have a World economy order still in that was submitted at the same time.
I'm a PCGS authorized dealer too... shows that we get no special treatment
Michael Kittle Rare Coins --- 1908-S Indian Head Cent Grading Set --- No. 1 1909 Mint Set --- Kittlecoins on Facebook --- Long Beach Table 448
What's the last Economy submission date received to have received their order? It looks like some of the shared orders are probably around 6/15, does that sound right?
I have a US economy order still in the works that was dropped off at the Long Beach show on June 9... though not logged in until after the show on 6/14. Thought it was a very simple order, just 9 silver dollars...
Also have a World economy order still in that was submitted at the same time.
I'm a PCGS authorized dealer too... shows that we get no special treatment
What's the last Economy submission date received to have received their order? It looks like some of the shared orders are probably around 6/15, does that sound right?
My June 1st received orders are done as of Friday.
Sometimes you gotta give the "system" a chance, sometimes you gotta go right to the source.
BST transactions: dbldie55, jayPem, 78saen, UltraHighRelief, nibanny, liefgold, FallGuy, lkeigwin, mbogoman, Sandman70gt, keets, joeykoins, ianrussell (@GC), EagleEye, ThePennyLady, GRANDAM, Ilikecolor, Gluggo, okiedude, Voyageur, LJenkins11, fastfreddie, ms70, pursuitofliberty, ZoidMeister,Coin Finder, GotTheBug, edwardjulio, Coinnmore, Nickpatton, Namvet69,...
If you were as big as Collector's Universe why would you not hire many new graders to keep up with demand? Is the overhead really that high? Seems sloppy to me. This is 2016. Speed things up. Get it done. Be state of the art. I really think it ridiculous how slow the service is for the price we members pay. Just my opinion.
You think it is as easy to hire graders (of the necessary caliber) as it is someone taking your order for fries? Or someone to cut your grass?
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
Check in Date = 4/14/2016
Shipped date = 7/14/2016
This was for 20 raw coins (modern stuff, not varieties)
PCGS Secure Plus ... Raw Grading ... Economy
It took 3 calendar months from check in to mailing back
A total of 64 Business Days.
The best way to handle this (IMHO) is simply to forget about stuff you submit.
Put it out of your mind for 3 months, by the end of that time it should be done.
Patience!
My Coin Blog
My Toned Lincoln Registry Set
Tom
Day 75 on Monday. The shared order page is not showing many orders shipped these days!
Taking out the 2 holiday days, you are at 50 days today. What type of attribution did you request? I want to make sure I never ask for the same thing!
Simple Buffalo nickel DDO's and DDR's. Order rec'd May 17th and entered in system May 19th. I see some new additions to the thread! Glad other people are upset also. The service is unacceptable.
For me as a dealer, time is money. Having such a huge backlog destroys my cash flow and makes it so I can't provide my customers with the product they want. My feeling is that if PCGS wants to be the industry standard as they are regarded as far as values on US coins, then they should provide the customer service to back that up.
An economy order sent to our host won't ship back until October 1st or later at the earliest.
Completely agree on service being "unacceptable." PCGS is unable to fulfill its obligations to its loyal customers. Although it was helpful to hear from the VP it would be more helpful if we had a more concrete statement on what was being done to fix it, and when it might be fixed. They should have this front and center on their home page. Today I hit 55 business days on my 5/13 ECO lot. That is just absolutely ridiculous and should be regarded as a complete embarrassment on the part of PCGS. I have worked in several different industry's throughout my life and I would never / and have never, treated my customers which such a complete lack of disregard is PCGS is currently doing. It's not just the screeching halt on the grades, but it is also the pitiful customer service they provide over the phone. Every time I call, I get the same robotic answers, with not the slightest concern for the issues I raise. I get the sense their customer service reps are also overwhelmed with the situation, which is understandable. But where is the support for them?
For me as a dealer, time is money. Having such a huge backlog destroys my cash flow and makes it so I can't provide my customers with the product they want. My feeling is that if PCGS wants to be the industry standard as they are regarded as far as values on US coins, then they should provide the customer service to back that up.
They already have a fix for the issue; it's called Express Service.
Pick 2:
Fast
Accurate
Cheap
Sorry. Just couldn't stay silent on this issue any more. And thank you to all the collectors out there.
Completely agree on service being "unacceptable." PCGS is unable to fulfill its obligations to its loyal customers. Although it was helpful to hear from the VP it would be more helpful if we had a more concrete statement on what was being done to fix it, and when it might be fixed. They should have this front and center on their home page. Today I hit 55 business days on my 5/13 ECO lot. That is just absolutely ridiculous and should be regarded as a complete embarrassment on the part of PCGS. I have worked in several different industry's throughout my life and I would never / and have never, treated my customers which such a complete lack of disregard is PCGS is currently doing. It's not just the screeching halt on the grades, but it is also the pitiful customer service they provide over the phone. Every time I call, I get the same robotic answers, with not the slightest concern for the issues I raise. I get the sense their customer service reps are also overwhelmed with the situation, which is understandable. But where is the support for them?
For me as a dealer, time is money. Having such a huge backlog destroys my cash flow and makes it so I can't provide my customers with the product they want. My feeling is that if PCGS wants to be the industry standard as they are regarded as far as values on US coins, then they should provide the customer service to back that up.
They already have a fix for the issue; it's called Express Service.
Pick 2:
Fast
Accurate
Cheap
Sorry. Just couldn't stay silent on this issue any more. And thank you to all the collectors out there.
That's not the point. Advertisers at 22 days only to have it change to near double time 43 days plus and received back with trueviews lagging 2 weeks behind is simply not cool.
And it's important to understand that for some coins the margins are tight and not all coins can get graded at the express tier as they'd be underwater.
So a few things.
- You guys want them to hire more graders. Where exactly do you find graders with 20 years experience? You want some newbie grading your coin? Doubt it. Even if they could find experienced folks they cost money. That means fees go up... a lot....for everyone. They probably have hired graders to handle the influx of Modern coins (up 100% over last year due to new pricing). Modern graders don't need years of experience.
- turnaround times on their website are ESTIMATES. The ESTIMATES are updated on a fairly rigid schedule every week. An ESTIMATE is not the same as a guarantee. They are one of the most open companies I can think of. Who else tells you every day how many coins they graded and breaks it out into many categories? If Apple did that figuring out their revenue and profits would be a piece of cake.
- It's summer time. The graders have had a grueling first 7 months of the year. Coin submissions are up 40%. The previous record quarter saw under 600K coins graded. They did over 800K in the March quarter and probably 750K last quarter. Even with shows and vacations they still did 194K last month alone. People need vacations. Give em a break.
- PCGS is going after the Modern market and is taking market share from NGC at a rapid pace. Prior to this year, NGC had 70% share in Moderns. With new pricing models, it is now 50/50 (see pop reports to convince yourself). Considering that PCGS has a 70/30 market share lead in Vintage coins, they are now the clear leader. If NGC was a stock, it would be down 40%. Coincidently, CLCT is up 40% and rising. If you want to send your coins to NGC, ask yourself if they will be around in a few years.
I understand your frustration. The VP already said he was sorry and they were working on it. Daily grade rates are back to 10K/day which is where they were at the peak earlier this year. What else do you want them to do?
If the VP's post isn't going to calm the pitchfork wielding masses, what makes you think your 2 posts are?
Go back to staring at stock tickers.
Mark. These two sentences sum up the situation perfectly. Take as much time as you need.
What collectors on this thread do not appreciate is that it is a fairly common (advanced) strategy to bombard the grading service (at shows and events mainly) in the hope of a couple percent of the coins getting overgraded by accident and a couple percent of the coins getting undergraded by accident. The undergraded ones simply get cracked out and resubmitted again (and again) while the overgraded ones ... well they may result in the "gradeflation" so often spoken about and loathed by collectors.
Please continue to marshall your resources to ensure the coins with super fast turnaround times are graded as accurately as possible. If I need a coin back in a day or two (or five) I will pay the added fee to get it back.
As always, just my two cents.
Wondercoin.
Edited to add... Congratulations on the current 52 week high on the stock!
No one wants PCGS to compromise on the level of diligence or the standards that go into the grading operation. Folks simply want it to be done in the time in which they have been conditioned to expect. So what needs to change, either standards need to change (NO) or agility needs to change in response to demand fluctuations (YES). Being agile is a key factor in delivering consistent quality and that is what the mob is reflecting frustration with. If neither change, customer satisfaction drops and that is what this thread is expressing.
Latin American Collection
Completely agree on service being "unacceptable." PCGS is unable to fulfill its obligations to its loyal customers. Although it was helpful to hear from the VP it would be more helpful if we had a more concrete statement on what was being done to fix it, and when it might be fixed. They should have this front and center on their home page. Today I hit 55 business days on my 5/13 ECO lot. That is just absolutely ridiculous and should be regarded as a complete embarrassment on the part of PCGS. I have worked in several different industry's throughout my life and I would never / and have never, treated my customers which such a complete lack of disregard is PCGS is currently doing. It's not just the screeching halt on the grades, but it is also the pitiful customer service they provide over the phone. Every time I call, I get the same robotic answers, with not the slightest concern for the issues I raise. I get the sense their customer service reps are also overwhelmed with the situation, which is understandable. But where is the support for them?
For me as a dealer, time is money. Having such a huge backlog destroys my cash flow and makes it so I can't provide my customers with the product they want. My feeling is that if PCGS wants to be the industry standard as they are regarded as far as values on US coins, then they should provide the customer service to back that up.
They already have a fix for the issue; it's called Express Service.
Pick 2:
Fast
Accurate
Cheap
Sorry. Just couldn't stay silent on this issue any more. And thank you to all the collectors out there.
That's not the point. Advertisers at 22 days only to have it change to near double time 43 days plus and received back with trueviews lagging 2 weeks behind is simply not cool.
And it's important to understand that for some coins the margins are tight and not all coins can get graded at the express tier as they'd be underwater.
So a few things.
- You guys want them to hire more graders. Where exactly do you find graders with 20 years experience? You want some newbie grading your coin? Doubt it. Even if they could find experienced folks they cost money. That means fees go up... a lot....for everyone. They probably have hired graders to handle the influx of Modern coins (up 100% over last year due to new pricing). Modern graders don't need years of experience.
- turnaround times on their website are ESTIMATES. The ESTIMATES are updated on a fairly rigid schedule every week. An ESTIMATE is not the same as a guarantee. They are one of the most open companies I can think of. Who else tells you every day how many coins they graded and breaks it out into many categories? If Apple did that figuring out their revenue and profits would be a piece of cake.
- It's summer time. The graders have had a grueling first 7 months of the year. Coin submissions are up 40%. The previous record quarter saw under 600K coins graded. They did over 800K in the March quarter and probably 750K last quarter. Even with shows and vacations they still did 194K last month alone. People need vacations. Give em a break.
- PCGS is going after the Modern market and is taking market share from NGC at a rapid pace. Prior to this year, NGC had 70% share in Moderns. With new pricing models, it is now 50/50 (see pop reports to convince yourself). Considering that PCGS has a 70/30 market share lead in Vintage coins, they are now the clear leader. If NGC was a stock, it would be down 40%. Coincidently, CLCT is up 40% and rising. If you want to send your coins to NGC, ask yourself if they will be around in a few years.
I understand your frustration. The VP already said he was sorry and they were working on it. Daily grade rates are back to 10K/day which is where they were at the peak earlier this year. What else do you want them to do?
What a new alt for DBcoin here? Thought you sold your stock a while back? Bought back in and don't like to hear from angry customers cause it might have an impact on the stock price? Sure sounds like it to me. We don't care about market share or stock price or volume. We want our dam coins in a timely matter near to the turnaround times we viewed before sending them to Newport Beach!! Simple concept of expecting an advertised service at a fair price!!!!!!!!!! Nobody likes complaining!!! We are trying to run small businesses with very tight margins. Save the stock hyping for the stock message boards. Carry on.
BST transactions: dbldie55, jayPem, 78saen, UltraHighRelief, nibanny, liefgold, FallGuy, lkeigwin, mbogoman, Sandman70gt, keets, joeykoins, ianrussell (@GC), EagleEye, ThePennyLady, GRANDAM, Ilikecolor, Gluggo, okiedude, Voyageur, LJenkins11, fastfreddie, ms70, pursuitofliberty, ZoidMeister,Coin Finder, GotTheBug, edwardjulio, Coinnmore, Nickpatton, Namvet69,...
I don't think that way. I actually bought more when this thread surfaced as it says even though throughput is at record levels, backlog is even higher. In fact the stock is up 10% since this thread started and made a new yearly high today.
I don't think that way. I actually bought more when this thread surfaced as it says even though throughput is at record levels, backlog is even higher. In fact the stock is up 10% since this thread started and made a new yearly high today.
But if the customer complaints and concerns are not addressed properly, it could end up only being a short term bump. There is no doubt they should hire more graders, if the number of submissions is so great that it is effecting turnaround times this significantly. Think of it as an investment in future growth.
With the turnaround time and TrueView issues, it appears management did not properly prepare for growth.
Is it coincidental that these Limited Edition "signature" medals are going out to customers at this time of angst?
I think you found the reason for the backup; the signiture medals must have stopped the show.
I don't think that way. I actually bought more when this thread surfaced as it says even though throughput is at record levels, backlog is even higher. In fact the stock is up 10% since this thread started and made a new yearly high today.
But if the customer complaints and concerns are not addressed properly, it could end up only being a short term bump. There is no doubt they should hire more graders, if the number of submissions is so great that it is effecting turnaround times this significantly. Think of it as an investment in future growth.
With the turnaround time and TrueView issues, it appears management did not properly prepare for growth.
You say that without knowing their business model and cyclicality. This is the "slow" season. From July though end of the year submissions are always down. They successfully scaled during the "busy" season even with 40% more coins in queue. They need a break, not more graders. The "slow" season will "fix" the slow turnaround times. As I already said, they are back to 10K coins/day. Graders with 20 years of experience aren't posting their resumes on Monster so hiring at this point isn't going to help.
These threads pop up from time to time and the company always gets through the "crisis".
Thanks for your business and have fun with your coins. It's supposed to be fun guys.
BTW - the card business (they utilize a different set of graders) is on fire. Submissions at record levels and prices of cards are up like 500% in the last few years. Check your attic and basement for your old set.
Check out my iPhone app SlabReader!
I wonder how October 2016 looks like for a "back on track" turnaround?
BST transactions: dbldie55, jayPem, 78saen, UltraHighRelief, nibanny, liefgold, FallGuy, lkeigwin, mbogoman, Sandman70gt, keets, joeykoins, ianrussell (@GC), EagleEye, ThePennyLady, GRANDAM, Ilikecolor, Gluggo, okiedude, Voyageur, LJenkins11, fastfreddie, ms70, pursuitofliberty, ZoidMeister,Coin Finder, GotTheBug, edwardjulio, Coinnmore, Nickpatton, Namvet69,...
I am holding off from sending in my next batch for a while due to the aforementioned 250-something (and counting) comments.
I wonder how October 2016 looks like for a "back on track" turnaround?
I have held off on a number of submissions, particularly regardes/reholders for imaging. Likely going to send them to Lance for imaging instead.
a lot more than 2% of regraded coins are getting upgraded and its not by accident ! only a few select people get the highest grades , and i have determined the ms67 and higher grades have been reserved for the pcgs insiders. if you submit enough coins for pcgs grading and sell them and see them upgraded within two months at full grade or grade+ higher you come to realize that this grading game is not a fair playing field for everyone !
your two cents is worthless to me!
BST transactions: dbldie55, jayPem, 78saen, UltraHighRelief, nibanny, liefgold, FallGuy, lkeigwin, mbogoman, Sandman70gt, keets, joeykoins, ianrussell (@GC), EagleEye, ThePennyLady, GRANDAM, Ilikecolor, Gluggo, okiedude, Voyageur, LJenkins11, fastfreddie, ms70, pursuitofliberty, ZoidMeister,Coin Finder, GotTheBug, edwardjulio, Coinnmore, Nickpatton, Namvet69,...
Completely agree on service being "unacceptable." PCGS is unable to fulfill its obligations to its loyal customers. Although it was helpful to hear from the VP it would be more helpful if we had a more concrete statement on what was being done to fix it, and when it might be fixed. They should have this front and center on their home page. Today I hit 55 business days on my 5/13 ECO lot. That is just absolutely ridiculous and should be regarded as a complete embarrassment on the part of PCGS. I have worked in several different industry's throughout my life and I would never / and have never, treated my customers which such a complete lack of disregard is PCGS is currently doing. It's not just the screeching halt on the grades, but it is also the pitiful customer service they provide over the phone. Every time I call, I get the same robotic answers, with not the slightest concern for the issues I raise. I get the sense their customer service reps are also overwhelmed with the situation, which is understandable. But where is the support for them?
For me as a dealer, time is money. Having such a huge backlog destroys my cash flow and makes it so I can't provide my customers with the product they want. My feeling is that if PCGS wants to be the industry standard as they are regarded as far as values on US coins, then they should provide the customer service to back that up.
They already have a fix for the issue; it's called Express Service.
Pick 2:
Fast
Accurate
Cheap
Sorry. Just couldn't stay silent on this issue any more. And thank you to all the collectors out there.
That's not the point. Advertisers at 22 days only to have it change to near double time 43 days plus and received back with trueviews lagging 2 weeks behind is simply not cool.
And it's important to understand that for some coins the margins are tight and not all coins can get graded at the express tier as they'd be underwater.
So a few things.
- You guys want them to hire more graders. Where exactly do you find graders with 20 years experience? You want some newbie grading your coin? Doubt it. Even if they could find experienced folks they cost money. That means fees go up... a lot....for everyone. They probably have hired graders to handle the influx of Modern coins (up 100% over last year due to new pricing). Modern graders don't need years of experience.
- turnaround times on their website are ESTIMATES. The ESTIMATES are updated on a fairly rigid schedule every week. An ESTIMATE is not the same as a guarantee. They are one of the most open companies I can think of. Who else tells you every day how many coins they graded and breaks it out into many categories? If Apple did that figuring out their revenue and profits would be a piece of cake.
- It's summer time. The graders have had a grueling first 7 months of the year. Coin submissions are up 40%. The previous record quarter saw under 600K coins graded. They did over 800K in the March quarter and probably 750K last quarter. Even with shows and vacations they still did 194K last month alone. People need vacations. Give em a break.
- PCGS is going after the Modern market and is taking market share from NGC at a rapid pace. Prior to this year, NGC had 70% share in Moderns. With new pricing models, it is now 50/50 (see pop reports to convince yourself). Considering that PCGS has a 70/30 market share lead in Vintage coins, they are now the clear leader. If NGC was a stock, it would be down 40%. Coincidently, CLCT is up 40% and rising. If you want to send your coins to NGC, ask yourself if they will be around in a few years.
I understand your frustration. The VP already said he was sorry and they were working on it. Daily grade rates are back to 10K/day which is where they were at the peak earlier this year. What else do you want them to do?
What you do you Want PCGS to do ????
Now if PCGS would say Sorry.. throw in a couple of discounted chits, your argument would have merit..
What you do you Want PCGS to do ????
Now if PCGS would say Sorry.. throw in a couple of discounted chits, your argument would have merit..
No matter what they do you guys wouldn't be happy. Case in point when they made CoinFacts free and all the complaint threads on that. If they gave out a discounted or free chit here and there and word got out, you guys would complain that you didn't get one or deserved more than what you got. Then there would be threads that only "PCGS insiders" got the free deals.
I don't understand why you guys all seem so miserable. Lots of people can't afford their rent let alone a coin. Life is good. Enjoy it and have fun with your coins.
Now, if adding graders is necessary, they should have been in "the farm system" for some period of time already. If the people in the corner offices are just getting around to hiring graders now, they're late to the party. They should have been able to predict the need and acted upon the need a long time ago. As was indicated, graders with years of experience don't grow on trees. They need to be brought through the system.
Collectors Society Members already pay a fee to access grading services. After joining there are various grading submission levels, each with it's own specific cost and a promise of expected delivery. It is not acceptable to have an industry norm of xx days and then exceed that commitment by more than 10 to 20% without raising ire. At 43 days for Economy (as my example) that's well beyond the pail and will upset even the most loyal customers. While the language indicates these turn around times are simply estimates, that's to protect PCGS from dishing out refunds for a failure to meet expectations as much as it is a CYA move.
The bottom line here is that customers are unhappy through no fault of their own. Allowing the situation to continue has zero upside. While we appreciate Mark's comments many pages back, what's still missing is the specifics necessary to assure collectors who anticipate making submissions that their coins won't be in house for months. Further, investors understand that frustrated customers is never a good thing.
What you do you Want PCGS to do ????
Now if PCGS would say Sorry.. throw in a couple of discounted chits, your argument would have merit..
No matter what they do you guys wouldn't be happy. Case in point when they made CoinFacts free and all the complaint threads on that. If they gave out a discounted or free chit here and there and word got out, you guys would complain that you didn't get one or deserved more than what you got. Then there would be threads that only "PCGS insiders" got the free deals.
I don't understand why you guys all seem so miserable. Lots of people can't afford their rent let alone a coin. Life is good. Enjoy it and have fun with your coins.
Hey Db,
You're making this too easy! The Coinfacts issue was another perfect example of lack of communications and poor customer service. Nobody complained about the fact it was free! They complained because many, including myself just paid for a Yearly subscription and requested refunds or wondered when they would get their money back for a service that was now free. Many of us jumped thru hoops and were left with no answers. There was a thread created where someone from PCGS finally addressed the issue on an individual basis the issues were resolved. I had to make several phone calls before it was handled correctly. You can't just stick your head in the sand and hope no one asks the tough questions or expect customers to like it or lump it!! We all love PCGS. The service......well not so much these days.
What you do you Want PCGS to do ????
Now if PCGS would say Sorry.. throw in a couple of discounted chits, your argument would have merit..
No matter what they do you guys wouldn't be happy. Case in point when they made CoinFacts free and all the complaint threads on that. If they gave out a discounted or free chit here and there and word got out, you guys would complain that you didn't get one or deserved more than what you got. Then there would be threads that only "PCGS insiders" got the free deals.
I don't understand why you guys all seem so miserable. Lots of people can't afford their rent let alone a coin. Life is good. Enjoy it and have fun with your coins.
You are too new to be labeled a shill.... but more experience will lead you to ask to get what is offered ....and what you paid for ,as promised by a seller .....in this case PCGS
Deltadimeman: Unfortunately, you were a bit too quick to misread my post. I never said 2% of regraded coins are getting upgraded.
As far as your comment regarding high grades going to only "PCGS insiders" - that's nothing more than sour grapes in my opinion. In fact, if I am not mistaken (AND IF I AM MISTAKEN, MY APOLOGY IN ADVANCE), recently one of your former coins that you sold on eBay was upgraded a half a point by someone to a pop 2/0 (that knocked out my pop 1/0 coin into a pop 2). Not for a minute did I think your old coin was undeserving of the grade when I saw it became a top pop along side my former pop 1/0 coin (and probably cost me $5,000 - $7,500 in the process of knocking out my pop 1/0). I simply thought that if I had graded that coin myself, I would have never sold it until I upgraded it that half a point.
I have said this before over on the Registry Board - while the grading of coins is an "art" and not a science, in my opinion the submitting of coins is a science and there are professionals that simply make a (fabulous) living properly submitting coins (and getting grades you and I would not be capable of getting if we submitted our coin once or twice at the office or casually). There is a science to grading coins.
Finally, there is a subtle point often lost by collectors who simply later see their MS67 in an MS68 holder or even their MS67 in an MS68+ holder. And, that is, the coin may have been professionally conserved from the time the collector sold it to the time the coin rests in its final maxed out holder. The assumption that it is the "same coin", but in a different grade is something collectors often get wrong. The conservation can often be very subtle, but all that was needed to get the coin into a higher graded holder.
Just my two cents, as worthless as it is.
Wondercoin