Yet another PCGS vs NGC grading comparison

bushmaster8 · May 23, 2005 2:09AM

After hearing many times on these boards just how tight PCGS is; or just how tight NGC is now, and that

they are trying to be even more conservative than PCGS, I decided to devise my own experiment to

compare the two grading services. I have always felt that PCGS grading was a tad bit stricter than NGC.

But, have not even submitted anything to NGC in many years, I felt that perhaps the pendulum had

swung the other way. So...., I cracked out 16 PCGS slabs that I felt were "liners". They were coins that

were (IMO) at the very top of the assigned grade. Here are my results. This was not motivated by profit,

(If a PCGS MS64 78-D IKE goes NGC MS65, you still lose money!), but rather was an experiment

designed to settle in my mind the issue of PCGS vs NGC grading.

....................... PCGS Grade................NGC Grade
1956-D..10c...... MS66......................... MS66
1963.....10c ...... MS66.......................... Art toning

1952.....25c.......PR67...........................PR67 Superbird

1949-S..50c......MS65...........................MS65
1951.....50c......MS64...........................MS65
1954-S..50c......MS65...........................MS66
1957.....50c......MS65...........................MS65
1957.....50c......MS65...........................MS66
1958.....50c......MS65...........................MS65
1970-D..50c.....MS64...........................MS65

1971-S..$1.......MS65...........................MS65
1973-D..$1.......MS64...........................MS64
1974-S..$1.......MS67...........................MS67
1974-S..$1.......MS67...........................MS67
1976-S..$1.......MS67...........................MS67
1978-D..$1.......MS64...........................MS65
1978-D..$1.......MS64...........................MS65

That's 6/16 upgrades, proving in my mind, at least, that PCGS still is the most conservative grading service.

A few notes:

The 1963 dime is REAL toning. I know this for fact.

The 1952 25c was sent for the Superbird designation, not really an upgrade candidate.

The 49-S 50c has been tried 3 or 4 times for MS66 upgrade at PCGS.

The two 1957's and 1958 Frank's were 100% white. Very hard to get 66 grades on any white Franks with possible exception of 53-s and 54-s.

The 73-D IKE surprises me. I showed Segoja a box of 20 PCGS MS64 IKES and this is the one he picked as the best upgrade candidate out of twenty.

dbldie55 · May 23, 2005 2:18AM

My only test was PCGS MS64, NGC MS63, PCGS MS64. Same coin graded three times in that order.

coynclecter · May 23, 2005 2:21AM

My definition of the "best" service is not the one that grades the tightest but the one that grades the most consistant. Not sure which that would be.

Spooly · May 23, 2005 2:22AM

I love when people post these! Thanks!

IrishMike · May 23, 2005 2:47AM

Don't know what your experiment proved, when were the coins graded by PCGS...years ago, recently, etc.?

aficionado · May 23, 2005 2:53AM

How old are the PCGS grades. If they are a few years old, you might have to re-submit to be fair.

Just a thought.

dbldie55 · May 23, 2005 3:04AM

<< <i>That's 6/16 upgrades, proving in my mind, at least, that PCGS still is the most conservative grading service. >>

I have had better results than that just sending them back to PCGS.

SUPERCARCOINS · May 23, 2005 3:18AM

yessssss........................... a bushwhacker in my day jumped out the weeds, robbed the coach and then drug the women off in'an trees !
derned,bush wacker ; don't you just love those fellows with the tiny dinks - minds so feeble they want to know what your post "proves".
PCGS is the meat and potatoes ----- and the proof is in the pudding pumpkin heads

K6AZ · May 23, 2005 3:26AM

A couple of interesting things to note here. First, in the cases where NGC upgraded the coins, they were one point upgrades. I think this is very consistent, since I know of coins that have been cracked out of PCGS holders and resubmitted that resulted in one point upgrades.

Second, I've received a lot of one point upgrades by cracking out NGC coins and sending them to PCGS.

In conclusion, it's my opinion that PCGS and NGC are neck and neck in their grading. The only difference for me is that I prefer the PCGS holder.

Shamika · May 23, 2005 4:02AM

<< <i>The 1963 dime is REAL toning. I know this for fact. >>

While you may know the toning is REAL (NT), the question to ask is "what would somebody else think?" Even if the toning is NT, if I think it looks AT, then it may as well be AT if you want me to buy it.

Another question to ask is "which TPG is the most accurate"? While it does seem to appear that PCGS is more conservative, it does not mean they are more accurate. What is your opinion in this regard?

And thanks for the thread. Always interesting.

TomB · May 23, 2005 7:05AM

Spooly!!!!!

Here's a nice grading comparison for a 1947-S Washington quarter that I actually lived through-

Original grade; NGC MS67
First PCGS grade; PCGS MS66
Second PCGS grade; PCGS MS67
Third PCGS grade; PCGS MS68

Heck, perhaps it should have been submitted again for a PCGS MS69! By the way, these grades were all within 12-18 months.

airplanenut · May 23, 2005 7:09AM

Now send the coins back again and again. If the coins are liners as you say, then it's likely both services will go up or down, depending on who grades them. Plus, if PCGS graded them a while ago, how does this help determine the current states of both companies?

goose3 · May 23, 2005 7:14AM

<< <i>How old are the PCGS grades. If they are a few years old, you might have to re-submit to be fair.

Just a thought. >>

WHY? I thought their "Standards" do not waver.

Simple fact.....you can submit anything to anyone and you have no clue whether it will get upgraded, downgraded, BB'd, on any given day.

Yet another PCGS vs NGC grading comparison

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