The pros and cons of the NGC Registry

RYK · September 27, 2005 12:47AM

I have been playing around in the NGC Registry, since a lot of my coins happen to sit in the "wrong" plastic. There are some things I like about it and others I do not. I would like to read the comments of others who have experience with it

Pros:
1. Includes both PCGS and NGC coins (probably the most important pro)
2. NGC management is very responsive to collector requests
3. Wide variety of registries including quite a few that PCGS does not offer
4. Consolidated ranking of one's entire collection

Cons:
1. Web software is somewhat cumbersome (for me, at least)
2. Point values assigned to coins often make no sense, especially when you compare between different series
3. Circulated numerical grades within the adjectival grade are not differentiated (ie. you get the same number of points for an AU-50 as you do for an AU-58)

Longacre · September 27, 2005 1:06AM

I don't have any experience with the NGC registry, or any registry for that matter. If used for good rather than evil, I don't have a problem with the registries. What I don't like is when people bid up the plastic just to get a "number" for their registry set, rather than focusing on the coins themselves. Some of the high grade examples of coins are going for wild money because of all of this registry competition. It is great for the dealers and the grading services, but it hurts the hobby overall. The marketing person who came up with this idea is a genius.

bullseye · September 27, 2005 1:10AM

I love it because I can build a complete set even when I can't get a key or two in the "right" plastic.

FatMan · September 27, 2005 1:12AM

You forgot the big plus for allowing both obverse and reverse images.

MORGANHUNTER2 · September 27, 2005 1:17AM

I think it could be better if they added Anacs graded coins to the registry.

TomB · September 27, 2005 1:28AM

I like the NGC Registry very much and think it owes quite a bit to the PCGS Registry. The NGC Registry is the only one I participate in and that has quite a bit to do with the fact that I will not try to cross a coin just to have it in a listed set. I also don't participate to compete, rather I participate to share.

When the NGC Registry started I did an anlysis of the points awarded coins and came up with a formula that any coin was awarded points based upon additive fractions of the published Greysheet, Bluesheet and Numismedia values of that issue. In this way I was able to tell people how many points, within a percentage or two of being correct, that any coin they added to their set would generate. Please note that this was before NGC published the coin weightings online. Shortly after I wrote that I was willing to share the formula with others, NGC changed their formula and then later published their results.

The only registry that I have a set in is the Complete US Type Set and the points earned in that set can be whacky. Overall, however, I think it is a much better way to run a registry.

Gandyjai · September 27, 2005 1:33AM

I didn't like the fact that they would not allow error coins (NGC ones) in the sets.
But, they did make up for it a little by doing the "Signature Set" thing. That allows you to put
together error sets or just about any kind of set you can come up with.

Happy Hunting!
Brian

I LOVE

IKES!

Julien · September 27, 2005 1:42AM

<< <i>You forgot the big plus for allowing both obverse and reverse images. >>

I put obverse and reverse images in my PCGS regestry set.

57cameonut · September 27, 2005 1:45AM

Biggest con for me is allowing PCGS coins in there.

when a high ranked proof set is all PCGS i just dont think its fair.

jcping · September 27, 2005 1:51AM

PROs: minor

CONs: for the same coin, you can get one more grade if it is in an NGC holder and thus you score big time. Buy the NGC plastic not the coin

IrishMike · September 27, 2005 2:17AM

<< <i>I think it could be better if they added Anacs graded coins to the registry. >>

This comment is made quite often, to answer it, they can't. ANACS had no online verification system. There is no way for NGC to verify the coins, grades, color etc. You'd have to ship them the coin every time you wanted to enter it.

One of the pros of their registry is there are no dealers over their hyping PF 70's etc.

Posted with a

RYK · September 27, 2005 2:19AM

Biggest con for me is allowing PCGS coins in there.

when a high ranked proof set is all PCGS i just dont think its fair.

I am not sure I completely understand. Is the point that an all PCGS set should be qualitatively better than a mixed set or an all-NGC set?

The NGC Registry seems less competitive, which to me is a big pro.

mgoodm3 · September 27, 2005 2:24AM

i just started up an NGC registry for my proof indian cents. Works well, except I have a coin that is claimed by someone else and they are supposedly "working on it", but nothing has happened for two weeks.

57cameonut · September 27, 2005 2:31AM

Ryk,

for the most part,PGCS coins are graded stricter than NGC,so grade for grade they may slightly nicer.

My rant is,"Collector A" has a high grade PCGS proof set and its registered on both sides of the street.

"Collector B" has a high grade NGC proof set,yet he cant compete on this side of the street.

Collector A gets a twofur,2 registry sets,5 coins

Collector B has 2 choices, stay on the other side o the street or build another set to compete here,2 sets 10 coins nearly double the investment !.

My chosen year aint exactly cheap to compete on both sides,yet thats the road ive taken.

jabba · September 27, 2005 2:48AM

The only thing I dont like is the points given to lower grade Key date coins! I dont have deep pockets so I might only get a G-VG of a certan Keydate and they may only give 3 points for G-XF but then they jump for AU coins?

IrishMike · September 27, 2005 2:51AM

Seriously for a moment (that's more and more difficult for me to be) the biggest pro for me was and I say was because I deleted my set (still own the coins) was the coin itself. I refuse to try to cross IHC's not because I care if they cross at the same grade or not, just because its a needless exercise and cost for me. I own some gorgeous cents that I purchased in NGC holders and there they shall remain, so the pro is I saved money and time by not sending them to PCGS. Yes most of my cents that are slabbed are in PCGS holders but not intentional, simply because I liked the coins.

Darin · September 27, 2005 11:49AM

I think NGC should award bonus points for having pictures of your coins in your registry set, maybe 200 bonus points per picture. I collect Morgans, and in the basic Morgan set category, only 2 sets in the top 20 have pictures, 1 in the top ten(Coxe Morgans, a beautiful set).

DickyBetz · September 27, 2005 11:51AM

Dont you have to pay for the NGC registry?

RYK · September 27, 2005 11:54AM

Dont you have to pay for the NGC registry?

No, it's free.

ColonialCoinUnion · September 27, 2005 11:56AM

Putting coins in the NGC Registry is a little like playing in the NIT Tournament, isn't it?

DickyBetz · September 27, 2005 11:57AM

<< <i> Dont you have to pay for the NGC registry?

No, it's free. >>

Thats good. I do like the fact that you can use NGC or PCGS coins in it.

RYK · September 27, 2005 11:58AM

Putting coins in the NGC Registry is a little like playing in the NIT Tournament, isn't it?

Not quite. TDN, Cardinal, Monsterman, Richard Jewell, and quite a few of the other heavy hitters have their coins in the NGC registry. I would say that it is more like playing for the NFC Championship.

coinbuf · September 27, 2005 12:58PM

<<Putting coins in the NGC Registry is a little like playing in the NIT Tournament, isn't it? >>

Hitting the kool-aid hard tonight ah? I love the NGC registry, yes the software is'nt the best and as mentioned the points system could be reworked a bit. But the pros far outweight the cons and I for one like to buy the coin not the plastic.

Chris

100proof1957 · September 27, 2005 12:58PM

Ryk,

You never responded to my reply ?

57 cameonut/Proof

bgrice · September 27, 2005 1:12PM

I like the NGC Registry.

BAJJERFAN · September 27, 2005 1:23PM

I would think that without the inclusion of PCGS holdered coins the NGC Registry would be fairly small.

Artist · September 27, 2005 2:15PM

I like the NGC Registry as well. As the saying goes, buy the coin not the plastic - for the money I could spend getting everything into PCGS plastic just to partake in their registry program, I would rather buy more coins. I like buying slabs for the relative security they provide, and I like sharing my collection - that's why I like the NGC Registry.

I like the PCGS forum better though...

darktone · September 27, 2005 9:08PM

the thing I like about the NGC registry is they keep sending me best of catagory awards each year

.

LeeG · September 27, 2005 11:39PM

I'm with 57cameonut on this one. NGC should dump the PCGS coins. They'd take a hit initially but then rebound. People like to show their coins and the NGC Registry, and their coins, are a nice way to do this. ANACS if your listening: I want to list the coins I own of your's somewhere. Help us out on this one!

If you want to stay in the top three, it's a necessity.

ColonialCoinUnion · September 28, 2005 7:55PM

<< <i>I would think that without the inclusion of PCGS holdered coins the NGC Registry would be fairly small. >>

Bingo.

GOLDSAINT · September 28, 2005 8:47PM

For two hundred years in the United States the hobby of numismatics was a lonely hobby, many times froth with manipulations of pricing and grading. The advent of the Net, this great forum, the registries, and many other changes over the last few years have been of tremendous benefit to all collectors who have a true desire to learn, have a real selection of coins to add to their collections, and to share their coins with collectors all over the planet. Even as little as one decade ago this hobby was closeted in darkness. Collectors very rarely had anyone to discuss their collections with exception of a local dealer who in many cases was uneducated in the multiple series of coins available. Not only was it impossible for most dealers to effectively grade the thousands of coins that past through their shops, but there was NO real competitive pricing.

All of that has changed and this is no longer a hobby for just the introverted person.
I will only speak to the Bust Half registry I have at NGC, but most of the derogatory comments I here on this board concerning registries is just garbage. First in my category I never pay more than the going price to buy a coin certified that would not bring that price in a RAW coin of the same grade. I keep very close track of mail bid auctions, and RAW coin prices in every venue, and in fact there is little difference in grades from XF to MS coins for RAW or certified. It may appear that way at times but generally this is due to the fact that a large percent of Bust halves are damaged.

We coin collectors of today live in an age of great advantage over the collectors of the past. We have a nearly liquid market, great forums to discuss our collections and ask questions, places like the Registries to be competitive and to show our collections, buying venues that are Worldwide, and comradeship that is unheard of in all of history.

The great numismatists of the past would have paid dearly just to have the access we enjoy for free. Those that don’t like the registries are missing a great benefit of our hobby, and those that don’t care to even visit them are also missing out.

If the advantage we enjoy was available decades ago I am sure there would be those here that would say, “ I have no real interest in that Garrett registry, or why does that Al Overton want to put all those coins in plastic in a registry?

PerryHall · September 28, 2005 9:09PM

I buy coins for my own personal enjoyment and have no use for the registry.

The pros and cons of the NGC Registry

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