SGS grading service

basestealer · February 9, 2007 11:46PM

Yeah, they're third tier and garbage. But, I have a question I'd like to throw at you anyway.

I'm completing my kennedy halve set (with proofs), and I need about 30 more coins to finish it. There is a lot of kennedy half PR70 (SGS graded) on ebay for less than I could buy proof sets to bust them out of. These coins are going into a dansco album so I'm going to crack them out of the SGS slab anyway. My question is, should I go ahead and buy the SGS PR70 coins for cheap, or would the coins actually be better quality if I cracked them out of mint or proof sets?

Cameonut · February 9, 2007 11:52PM

In my experience you would do better to find nice coins in proof sets or raw.

I have looked at many SGS coins and only bought one - for my third tier grading service collection. The coin I bought is a 1971s Washington in PR70 Dcam - it wouldn't make cam at PCGS.

NowhereMan · February 10, 2007 12:09AM

Also, think about this. If you pay a little bit more and go with complete sets and bust them yourself, you'll still have all of the other coins. If filling DANSCO's is something you enjoy, you're likely going to admire that complete Kennedy book, and then decide to do the Roosevelt Dimes, Ikes, etc. If you've bought full sets for your Halves, you'll have a huge headstart on any other modern set you want to do next.

Besides, most of these sets are still dirt cheap, and if you go to a show, you can go through them and pick the nicest.

One final thought is that the best way to make overgraded junk third world product go away is to NOT support it!

Just some thoughts...

Rex

razzle · February 10, 2007 12:14AM

basestealer,

I bought 1 or 2 Sacs in SGS holders, not realizing what a scam they are. Helen Keller could've done as well. The wording of your question implies that you may already know that. I agree with Cameo and Nowhere.

raz

basestealer · February 10, 2007 12:19AM

I see your points. However, I don't really have any desire to make the third world junk "go away", just as long as it doesn't make its way into my collection I'm fine. I haven't really put that much effort into the kennedy album and frankly aside from the 30 coins I need and the accented hair, I'm done with it and just want to get it filled and put on the shelf. The kennedy's are the only coins I've collected that have a dead president on the obverse so I doubt I'll be collecting the roosies or the washingtons or the lincolns anytime soon. I loathe clad coins. But some of the kennedy's are silver and they have a place here in my home unless I get another kitten but that is another story. It's the cost that's got me considering this SGS method... At $10 a set (on ebay with shipping) for proof and mint sets, that would be about $300 just to fill the 30 spaces I have left in my album. But these SGS coins I can have for about $3-$5 a piece. If a PR70 SGS kennedy is on par with an MS66 or so kennedy straight from a proof set I'd be happy and saving money at the same time. If, however, an SGS PR70 is more like AU58 or MS60, I'd be pissed. I'm not really expecting cameos on pre 1980 stuff although that would be nice and these do have that designation.

I'm conflicted. Maybe I'll put the album aside for a few weeks and give it some more thought.

NowhereMan · February 10, 2007 12:27AM

If you do decide to buy and crack the SGS slabs, try to buy them all from the same dealer and make a cheap deal on combined shipping.

Also, if they have a return policy, you can check the coin yourself before you decide to keep it.

Finally -- maybe you hadn't heard, but some of those quarters, dimes and dollars are silver too!

Rex

derryb · February 10, 2007 12:33AM

on crossing over to pcgs i have found SGS to be graded 3-4 MS point higher than pcgs. I have gotten the occasional 1-2 MS points higher. If i like the coin i don't hesitate to buy SGS knowing it is overgraded 3-4 points on average. I have built a nice state quarter set doing this. They are all SGS MS 70 (probably pcgs 65-67 in reality). For the price i bought the SGSs at i'm happy.

BRdude · February 10, 2007 12:36AM

<< I'm completing my kennedy halve set (with proofs), and I need about 30 more coins to finish it. There is a lot of kennedy half PR70 (SGS graded) on ebay for less than I could buy proof sets to bust them out of. These coins are going into a dansco album so I'm going to crack them out of the SGS slab anyway. My question is, should I go ahead and buy the SGS PR70 coins for cheap, or would the coins actually be better quality if I cracked them out of mint or proof sets? >>

You would have to just check out the coin. maybe you can tell if it's close, maybe not. I wouldn't do it myself. Sets aren't that expensive, and what have you got but time?? Impatience can hurt you in this hobby

<< I see your points. However, I don't really have any desire to make the third world junk "go away", just as long as it doesn't make its way into my collection I'm fine. >>

Your either part of the solution, or part of the problem. I would NEVER buy one of these 20th tier grading services coins The "won't happen to me, screw the other guy" attitude is just wrong....

JMHO of course

Boothill40 · February 10, 2007 1:04AM

You don't need to "crack out" SGS coins, just cut the taped seal and they open right up

shmort6552 · February 10, 2007 1:10AM

I have finished off a couple of sets with inexpensive SGS coins. They are SOOOOOOOOOO MUCH FUN TO CRACK OUT!!!

ricko · February 10, 2007 1:15AM

Once again... the plastic is the discussion... and the coin is the objective. hmmmmm what is wrong with this picture?? I know, buy the coin, not the plastic.

Cheers, RickO

BobaFett72 · February 10, 2007 1:23AM

"If a PR70 SGS kennedy is on par with an MS66 or so kennedy straight from a proof set I'd be happy"

more like and MS-63,

basestealer · February 10, 2007 2:33AM

<< 

<< I'm completing my kennedy halve set (with proofs), and I need about 30 more coins to finish it. There is a lot of kennedy half PR70 (SGS graded) on ebay for less than I could buy proof sets to bust them out of. These coins are going into a dansco album so I'm going to crack them out of the SGS slab anyway. My question is, should I go ahead and buy the SGS PR70 coins for cheap, or would the coins actually be better quality if I cracked them out of mint or proof sets? >>

You would have to just check out the coin. maybe you can tell if it's close, maybe not. I wouldn't do it myself. Sets aren't that expensive, and what have you got but time?? Impatience can hurt you in this hobby

<< I see your points. However, I don't really have any desire to make the third world junk "go away", just as long as it doesn't make its way into my collection I'm fine. >>

Your either part of the solution, or part of the problem. I would NEVER buy one of these 20th tier grading services coins The "won't happen to me, screw the other guy" attitude is just wrong....

JMHO of course

>>

No, it has nothing to do with screwing the "other guy" whoever he is. My buying or not buying an SGS coin has no effect on anyone else, and certainly doesn't cause them to be scammed! If someone wants to sit in their garage and overgrade and slab coins for a living, coins that have little if any resale value--more power to him. That's the American way. Coin grading is an objective opinion, and the consensus is in--SGS and other third tiers stink. The market shows this. I mean Dairy Queen charges 50 cents for extra sprinkles and some thing that's a ripoff too, but I don't think that my refusing to pay extra for sprinkles is encouring others to do so? lol. Everyone has to make their own choices. And I think those that refuse to educate themselves (and really it is a refusal if you think about it--how many coin clubs, books, magazines, and information is out there waiting to be absorbed?) then they run the risk of getting burned, and there's always going to be a gaggle of people waiting to burn them. We can't do away with the scammers but we can do away with the victims if they educate themselves--they have to take that first step, unless we make numismatics part of the public education system which I attempted to bring up at one city council meeting before I was thrown out right after suggesting children also be taught gun safety. In any event, thank you for your advice. I think I'll skip the SGS and pick up a few more mint sets when the opportunity arises. Better pick up 4 more danscos too. Now I'm in it deep.

Russ · February 10, 2007 2:46AM

Russ, NCNE

TWODOGS · February 10, 2007 2:55AM

If you decide to build a set of polished AU coins, I would suggest buying WCG MS-67 coins.

claychaser · February 10, 2007 3:03PM

The only SeGS coin I ever purchased was an 1878 8TF Morgan, SEGS graded it 63. I paid 60 "ask" money for it, and put it into a crossover submission to pcgs to cross at any grade. The coin looked pretty nice to me. The PCGS result? - MS63. Of course, I have seen oodles of segs coins that I did not want to buy.......

GoldenEyeNumismatics · February 10, 2007 3:09PM

if you were buying them as you would raw coins then you can't go wrong

Coxe · February 10, 2007 3:11PM

The coin is the coin. The guy who sells these is the same as SGS. I know the grades are a bit high for some classics. Moderns? I dunno. I would assume he just cracks out the sets and slabs them as it is easy. Might all be 70 on the tags but how off they are is for you to determine. My guess is his moderns are statistically aligned with set crack out statistics and I would value it as such, like a sight unseen mail order of that date as a proof.

BlindedByEgo · February 10, 2007 3:43PM

Since everything is MS70 he does save a lot of money on printing...

Why not just post a WTB list of common, nice raw Kennedy halves on the BST. There are probably enough of us around with some raw coins, not really submission grade, that would help you out.

With all of the sets that Russ has cracked, he must have a ton

Just a thought.

SGS grading service

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