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Who is/was NCI? There's an ebay auction with a NCI slab...

deviousdevious Posts: 1,690 ✭
in U.S. Coin Forum
... and it doesn't look like a cheap slab so to speak. Who were they, or are they? Any clue? Were they conservative in their grading? Right on? Or too generous?

Thanks!

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    123cents123cents Posts: 7,178 ✭✭✭
    Numismatic Certification Institute was founded in 1984. They were a decent grading service but were more liberal in their grading than ANACS at the time.
    image
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    deviousdevious Posts: 1,690 ✭


    << <i>Numismatic Certification Institute was founded in 1984. They were a decent grading service but were more liberal in their grading than ANACS at the time. >>



    Precisely what I wanted to know. Thank you for your rapid reply, 123! image
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    krankykranky Posts: 8,709 ✭✭✭
    NCI was the Numismatic Certification Institute, and operated from 1984-1990. Initially they had "certificates" like ANACS did early on - a document with a photo of the coin along with a grade, but the coin was in a flip (no slab). Near the end of their run they used sealed slabs along with the certificates. It was run by Jim Halperin from Heritage, and NCI was located in the same building as Heritage I believe.

    New collectors, please educate yourself before spending money on coins; there are people who believe that using numismatic knowledge to rip the naïve is what this hobby is all about.

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    rickoricko Posts: 98,721 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have seen their slabs at a few coin shows... now defunct. And yes, they were a tad 'easy' on the grades. Cheers, RickO
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    PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 47,854 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Treat coins in third world slabs as being raw. Nuff said.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

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    stevereecystevereecy Posts: 205 ✭✭✭


    << <i>NCI was the Numismatic Certification Institute, and operated from 1984-1990. Initially they had "certificates" like ANACS did early on - a document with a photo of the coin along with a grade, but the coin was in a flip (no slab). Near the end of their run they used sealed slabs along with the certificates. It was run by Jim Halperin from Heritage, and NCI was located in the same building as Heritage I believe. >>



    I have the book he published the same era about grading coins. Lotsa neat photos.
    Really enjoying collecting coins and currency again

    My currency "Box of Ten" Thread: https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1045579/my-likely-slow-to-develop-box-of-ten#latest
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    coinman23885coinman23885 Posts: 1,126
    I think NCI was Jim Halperin's start up grading service in the 1980s. My understanding is that they are generally a point or so more liberal than PCGS. Even though they didn't gain popularity; I wouldn't call them a third world slab. I believe that are listed on the blue sheet CDN indicator (check out greysheet.com).
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    sellitstoresellitstore Posts: 3,102 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Heritage Auctions were the main selling venue for NCI coins. NCI would pregrade the coins, and if you bought it raw out of the Heritage auction, submitting it directly for certification, NCI would gaurantee the stated grade. Telemarketers would abuse their liberal grading standards, offering NCI certified "MS65" gold at substantial discounts from greysheet bid. This was pre-PCGS, and an NCI certificate was quite convincing, especially to those who did not know how to grade coins.
    Collector and dealer in obsolete currency. Always buying all obsolete bank notes and scrip.
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    RampageRampage Posts: 9,703 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Treat coins in third world slabs as being raw. Nuff said. >>



    I don't know if I would call NCI a third world slab considering the era they started in.




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    RampageRampage Posts: 9,703 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Rather I should say, one should view the coin in each holder and judge the coin based on its own merits, rather than the grade on the slab. I don't care what service holdered the coin. There are dogs everywhere and there are gems everywhere.




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    BaleyBaley Posts: 22,663 ✭✭✭✭✭
    image

    image

    Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry

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    123cents123cents Posts: 7,178 ✭✭✭


    << <i>image

    image >>




    Nice overdate!
    image
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    FrankcoinsFrankcoins Posts: 4,575 ✭✭✭
    The slabs traded on the Bluesheet should not be considered 3rd world...PCI, SEGS and NCI. NCI was considered graded perhaps a point higher than PCGS
    coins at the time for MS63 and higher, but most will cross under today's standards.
    Frank Provasek - PCGS Authorized Dealer, Life Member ANA, Member TNA. www.frankcoins.com
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    BigAlBigAl Posts: 1,293 ✭✭✭
    They assigned grades to the Obv and Rev; I remember when grading each side was popular, I think mainly so dealers could use as a sales point "the Obv is a 20 but the Rev looks 40, so I'm averaging and selling for 30 money". Dealers!
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    CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 34,317 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>They assigned grades to the Obv and Rev; I remember when grading each side was popular, I think mainly so dealers could use as a sales point "the Obv is a 20 but the Rev looks 40, so I'm averaging and selling for 30 money". Dealers! >>



    I invented two-sided grading, at ANACS, in 1979. Was simply trying to give the best possible description to each coin. Many coins ARE different on one side vs. the other.

    TD
    Professional Numismatist, Retired. 55 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and ANA Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner of the PNG's 2026 Robert Friedberg Award for "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," Available now from Whitman or Amazon.
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    robkoolrobkool Posts: 5,934 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I like the two sided grading scale myself... I think it's more accurate in determining the coin's overall appearance.
    Ebay items for sale Current BIN's / The Kingdom Collection
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    leothelyonleothelyon Posts: 8,582 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>image

    image >>




    Nice overdate! >>



    Is there a connection between NCI and Air-tites?


    Leo

    The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!

    My Jefferson Nickel Collection

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