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Why do we have to use the PCGS price guide for crossovers?

pcgs69pcgs69 Posts: 4,361 ✭✭✭✭

I sent in a crossover submission last year to PCGS. It was graded by NGC and crossed over at PCGS same grade. However as part of the crossover process, you have to pay a 1% fee based on the PCGS price guide for the grade. This is described as the "Guarantee Premium".

GUARANTEE PREMIUM*: Equal to 1% of the value of the coin in its final grade. The
value of the coin is determined by the PCGS Price Guide value for that grade or the
Declared Value of the coin, if the Price Guide value is not available. The minimum
amount for the Guarantee Premium is $10. PCGS reserves the right to make the final
determination of the coin’s value.

My question is, why are we forced to use this as the determining factor? Their price guide had the coin valued at $4,000, but there was 0% chance the coin would sell for that. I ended up selling it for around $3k.

PCGS has incentive to overvalue coins so they can get more revenue from crossovers. Yes, I know you're going to say, "it's only $10 more." I get that, but you're paying extra money for nothing. If PCGS would guarantee they would buy the coin from me for say 80% or the price guide, then I'd have no problem but you're held hostage by these prices. I'd love if they could guarantee I can get a certain price for it through their network based on the price guide. What is the "guranatee" then?

If I recall, Greysheet bid at that time was around $2,900 and retail was in the low $3s but I forget exactly what it was.

Comments

  • coinbufcoinbuf Posts: 11,854 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It's PCGS's sandbox so they make the rules, don't like it go elsewhere.

    My Lincoln Registry
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    Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
  • ELVIS1ELVIS1 Posts: 237 ✭✭✭

    The same reason any art is insured for a third over actual price.

  • johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 29,276 ✭✭✭✭✭

    There rules, fwiw

  • U1chicagoU1chicago Posts: 6,555 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Unfortunately many of these cases are built to be in the company’s favor. They will use their guide for crossovers but something lower for guarantee payouts. They do it because they can (not enough people have complained or stopped doing business because of the policy, so there is no incentive to change it).

  • TwoSides2aCoinTwoSides2aCoin Posts: 44,621 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 18, 2025 12:20PM

    Not only that, if it’s already an error and variety, you gotta repay the attribution fee of $20. Plus the 1%.
    I call it the “shut up and pay up” policy. Probably cheaper to crack out before submitting (than to crossover) .

  • MetroDMetroD Posts: 2,401 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @TwoSides2aCoin said:
    Not only that, if it’s already an error and variety, you gotta repay the attribution fee of $20. Plus the 1%.
    I call it the “shut up and pay up” policy. Probably cheaper to crack out before submitting (than to crossover) .

    Flame Retardant Suit: ON

    I am NOT defending the GP policy.

    That said, I sort of understand having to pay an attribution fee for 'errors/varieties' on a crossover. Before PCGS adds either designation to their label, and presumably covers it with their guarantee, they need to confirm it. This involves an extra processing 'step', which takes additional time, and time is money.

  • skier07skier07 Posts: 4,387 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @PerryHall said:

    @coinbuf said:
    It's PCGS's sandbox so they make the rules, don't like it go elsewhere.

    .....or just crack the coin out and send it in raw.
    If it were my coin, I would have just left it in the NGC slab and saved myself the crossover fee and the two-way insured shipping costs.

    If the OP crossed the coin with the intention of selling it he probably felt he would get more money in a PCGS holder and cover all of his fees plus more.

  • coinbufcoinbuf Posts: 11,854 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @PerryHall said:

    @coinbuf said:
    It's PCGS's sandbox so they make the rules, don't like it go elsewhere.

    .....or just crack the coin out and send it in raw.
    If it were my coin, I would have just left it in the NGC slab and saved myself the crossover fee and the two-way insured shipping costs.

    I agree 100%, but I'm not a kool-aid guy.

    My Lincoln Registry
    My Collection of Old Holders

    Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
  • Old_CollectorOld_Collector Posts: 387 ✭✭✭✭

    You crossover to PCGS you pay the vig, or they break your legs. :D

  • gumby1234gumby1234 Posts: 5,762 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Old_Collector said:
    You crossover to PCGS you pay the vig, or they break your legs. :D

    Just ask the poor cricket.

    Successful BST with ad4400, Kccoin, lablover, pointfivezero, koynekwest, jwitten, coin22lover, HalfDimeDude, erwindoc, jyzskowsi, COINS MAKE CENTS, AlanSki, BryceM

  • pcgs69pcgs69 Posts: 4,361 ✭✭✭✭

    @skier07 said:

    @PerryHall said:

    @coinbuf said:
    It's PCGS's sandbox so they make the rules, don't like it go elsewhere.

    .....or just crack the coin out and send it in raw.
    If it were my coin, I would have just left it in the NGC slab and saved myself the crossover fee and the two-way insured shipping costs.

    If the OP crossed the coin with the intention of selling it he probably felt he would get more money in a PCGS holder and cover all of his fees plus more.

    Seemed like a good option to send it in at the time, but looking back, keeping in the original slab would have been the best option.

  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,706 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Money, Money, Money, Money ...M..O..N..E..Y!

    All glory is fleeting.
  • logger7logger7 Posts: 9,069 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Does cac have a "guarantee premium" for coins that cross? I like companies that quickly honor their guarantees when there is a clear issue, not drag their feet.

  • MetroDMetroD Posts: 2,401 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @logger7 said:
    Does cac have a "guarantee premium" for coins that cross? I like companies that quickly honor their guarantees when there is a clear issue, not drag their feet.

    No. CACG just charges the applicable "grading fee" based on value.


    Source: https://www.cacgrading.com/doc/the-2025-crossover-special/

  • Dave99BDave99B Posts: 8,701 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I truly hate the GUARANTEE PREMIUM fee. It seems very odd to me, other than being a misc fee to make more money. But then again, they make the rules, and I choose to play.

    Dave

    Always looking for original, better date VF20-VF35 Barber quarters and halves, and a quality beer.
  • Old_CollectorOld_Collector Posts: 387 ✭✭✭✭
    edited August 19, 2025 1:57AM

    @Dave99B said:
    I truly hate the GUARANTEE PREMIUM fee. It seems very odd to me, other than being a misc fee to make more money. But then again, they make the rules, and I choose to play.

    Dave

    I have pondered that on occasion, while thinking of the grand things about life, existence, you know all the grand thoughts of the great pholosophers.

    My conclusion with PCGS is that they will earn more by crossing, so maybe a positive incentive. And I've had quite a few ANACS cross where I wasn't sure, but they were expensive coins, so there is that. ;)

  • winestevenwinesteven Posts: 4,962 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 19, 2025 3:38AM

    @pcgs69 said:

    My question is, why are we forced to use this as the determining factor? Their price guide had the coin valued at $4,000, but there was 0% chance the coin would sell for that. I ended up selling it for around $3k.

    Silly me! There are several coins in my collection where I paid more than the PCGS Price Guide value!

    I believe that Classic coins are not “commodities”, where every coin in a grade should be priced (and valued) the same as each other! There are coins where many of us feel, for one reason or another, have a much nicer eye appeal, yet are properly graded. For me, I like having some of my coins with a much nicer eye appeal than the typical coin in that grade. I find there are times one has to “Pay up” for those coins.

    Steve

    A day without fine wine and working on your coin collection is like a day without sunshine!!!

    My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
    https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996
  • PeakRaritiesPeakRarities Posts: 4,577 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @pcgs69 said:

    GUARANTEE PREMIUM*: Equal to 1% of the value of the coin in its final grade. The
    value of the coin is determined by the PCGS Price Guide value for that grade or the
    Declared Value of the coin, if the Price Guide value is not available. The minimum
    amount for the Guarantee Premium is $10. PCGS reserves the right to make the final
    determination of the coin’s value.

    My question is, why are we forced to use this as the determining factor? Their price guide had the coin valued at $4,000, but there was 0% chance the coin would sell for that. I ended up selling it for around $3k.

    PCGS has incentive to overvalue coins so they can get more revenue from crossovers. Yes, I know you're going to say, "it's only $10 more." I get that, but you're paying extra money for nothing. If PCGS would guarantee they would buy the coin from me for say 80% or the price guide, then I'd have no problem but you're held hostage by these prices. I'd love if they could guarantee I can get a certain price for it through their network based on the price guide. What is the "guranatee" then?

    Now here’s where it gets even trickier….YOU, (the person paying the premium) are not even eligible for a guarantee payout on that specific coin coin that you cross. Guarantees are not in effect for the original submitter, nor is any type environmental damage (which is already pretty broad)covered under that guarantee.

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