China coins: PCGS vs NGC

Zoins · November 16, 2006 2:56PM

I've been looking at Chinese coins on eBay and elsewhere. It seems like the pre-WWII coins are typically graded by PCGS and the modern PRC coins are typically graded by NGC. I've seen some older NGC graded coins but no modern PCGS graded coins. Is there a reason for this?

OnlyBuffalos · November 17, 2006 3:46AM

Some possible reasons

1. Grading time for moderns $300 or less in value
NGC - 10 working days
PCGS - 25 to 35 working days

2. In my opinion PCGS grades to a stricter standard than NGC on all PRC coins and especially on Panda gold/silver and some collectors prefer an NGC69 to a PCGS68 even though it is the same coin.

3 NGC has a registry for China Panda coins.

I think NGC has graded quite a few more PRC coins than PCGS for both pre-WWII and modern material. Now that PCGS has a pop report for world coins, it may be possible to confirm or refute that.

Zoins · November 17, 2006 10:12AM

Thanks OnlyBuffalos. That's very helpful.

bobking · November 18, 2006 11:12AM

Most sellers of graded old Chinese silver dollars are from ROC(Taiwan) while most sellers of graded morden Chinese silver dollars are Us residents. Sellers from Taiwan are usually not professional sellers but professional collectors. So, I prefer PCGS to NGC.

MR168 · May 27, 2007 6:04PM

For the imperial chinese cois, who is the better grader? PCGS or NGC?

OnlyBuffalos · May 27, 2007 11:32PM

Right now, I don't think there is much difference on non-modern uncirculated (MS62 through MS66) China coin grading between PCGS and NGC. The last batches of crosses to PCGS have resulted in the same grades over 80% of the time with an about equal number of upgrades and downgrades. PCGS still sells better than NGC which is the motivation for the crosses. NGC AU58s do not cross as successfully with only about 25% keeping that grade. Other NGC AU grades cross well.

MR168 · May 28, 2007 4:42AM

Thank you OnlyBuffalos, I think I will pick PCGS then.

China coins: PCGS vs NGC

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