APPLES AND ORANGES.

WE ALL KNOW THAT IN RECENT YEARS PCSG HAS LOOSENED UP ON THEIR GRADING STANDARDS. NGC ON THE OTHER HAND, HAS MAINTAINED FAIRLY TIGHT STANDARDS. ALL ONE NEEDS TO DO, IS COMPARE THE CENSUS, FOR THE U.S. PRESIDENT SMS OR SATIN FINISH SERIES, TO SEE THE DISCREPANCY. I ONCE SENT SIX PCGS MS 69 SLABBED PRESIDENTS TO NGC, TO BE RE-SLABBED INTO NGC HOLDERS. YES, YOU GUESSED IT. ONLY ONE MADE THE CUT.

I'M SURE THAT IT WASN'T NGC'S INTENTION, TO DRIVE US TO GET OUR COINS GRADED AT PCGS, SO THAT WE COULD COMPETE IN NGC'S REGISTRY COMPETITION. HOWEVER, IT IS VERY DISHEARTENING TO SEE SOME OF THE TOP COMPETITORS IN MANY OF OUR NGC CATEGORIES, WITHOUT A SINGLE NGC GRADED COIN.

USING THE SMS PRESIDENT SET AGAIN, AS AN EXAMPLE. THERE ARE FOUR COINS WHERE NGC'S TOP POP IS 68, AND NUMEROUS OTHERS WITH ONLY ONE OR TWO NGC MS 69'S AS TOP POP. AT THE SAME TIME THERE IS A FLOOD OF PCGS MS 69'S IN ALL THE PRESIDENT COINS.

YES, EVEN I, WHO WISHED TO BE A NGC PUREST, HAVE SUCCUMBED TO THE EVIL TEMPTATION. I HAVE EVEN REPLACED SOME OF MY NGC MS68 COINS WITH PCGS MS 69'S, IN ORDER TO BASK IN THE GLORY OF BEING NEARER TO THE TOP. HOWEVER, MY POINT IS WE SHOULD NOT BE TEMPTED BY SUCH TOUGH MORAL CHOICES. ALL NGC NEEDS TO DO IS SEPARATE THE APPLES FROM THE ORANGES. LET ALL OF US PARTAKE OF WHICHEVER FRUIT WE DESIRE. ALL ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.

TO QUOTE A FAMOUS AMERICAN, "AND THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT TO SAY ABOUT THAT"