Some good, some bad.

Some of my coins turn out surprisingly well, some are being turned around VERY quickly, some are just grading "average" or not too exciting.

Here's where the fun comes in:

Like many of you probably do, I submit multiple invoices to NGC in one box, to save shipping on the way there.

When using the online form, I select that I want invoices returned to me when they're all completed, so that I save money on return shipping and insurance.

Despite a thread on "Ask NGC" entitled " Hmm Ripping myself off and You letting me " from another member to which NGC replies that, basically, this SHOULD be happening:

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1525681&page=3#Post1525681

Like the member who posed the question, for me, all my invoices (since I have been submitting to NGC) have always been returned to me one at a time. I elect the option as is described, to no avail.

Now, if it happed SOMETIMES, I'd understand, but I have a 100% failure rate. You may remember recent posts that mention that I'm that guy who has the stormy rain cloud follow him around. I guess that included NGC service.

It gets better, or worse as the case may be.

I recently sent 4 invoices together. Three of them had imaging (clearly elected that on the invoice, it shows on my copy of the printed online invoice).

Of those THREE invoices with imaging, TWO of them were FINALIZED/ IMAGED/SHIPPED (I use the term loosely) without actually BEING imaged. So, for me (well, for NGC) that's a 66% failure rate. If we even average in the 4th invoice that didn't have imagine, that still only gets them up to a 50% success rate.

One of the invoices with imagine at 65 coins, so it would be more heavily weighted too, so if we did a "per coin" score, the success rate would decrease again.

This is not the first time NGC has forgotten to image my coins. Frankly, with ALL the quality controls they have in place, in perplexes the heck out of me how that is possible.

Further, they SAY it never happens (especially if you read their online information about how the coin grading process works), but when I was telling someone about this problem, the immediate question was "How many coins do they lose?" He had to ask me twice before the question sunk in, because it really never dawned on me, and I didn't even get the connection. But if one quality control breaks down, how reliable are the others?

I know this sounds like an NGC bashing entry, and I sincerely don't want to turn it into such a thing. I am fond of NGC, have used them a great deal, to the tune of, lets just say many thousands of dollars in grading services.

However, my concerns remain.

On the upside, I saw the grades online, and while not ALL of my coins graded as I had hoped, some of the ones I really hoped for came back as PERFECT 70s!

Some simple news:

2008-W Proof American Silver Eagles. I submitted 15 for Early Release. Of the 15, I believe it was 10 or 11 that were PF70UC, then only 4 or 5 were PF69UC.

My Dolley Madison First Spouse Coin was disappointing MS69 - while it's a nice .9999 half ounce of gold, the 70 graded coins seem to be the ones commanding the premium.

2003-W First Flight Proof $10 Gold Piece -- PF70UC -- considering there are only about 21k of these made, that grade THRILLS me!

I had similar good luck on my 2006-W Silver Eagles (Mint State), the ones that, despite ORDERING from the Mint the day they were issued, I didn't receive until sometimes around AUGUST of 2007!!!!!!!! Needless to say, I missed the Early Release cut-off! Remember, I AM that guy with the storm cloud!

Anyway, my order from the Mint consisted of 5 of those coins. THREE of them were graded as MS70, and 2 MS69. According to the PCGS price guide, even the MS69 are a substantial price, and the MS70 -- WOWZA!

I could continue, but for some reason, I can't get into "Order Status" tonight. (My storm cloud!)

You don't have to answer, though I do wonder:

Is it just me? Does NGC "forget" to image coins for anyone else?

I mean I've seen question after question posed to NGC where people ask "I've already submitted my coin, can't you please image it?" The answer is a resounding "NO. Unless you selected IMAGING on your invoice, it WILL NOT BE IMAGED."

Well, I'm here to say, even then, it's a shoot.