PCGS vs NGC vs ANACS vs ICG

[Jakeblue]

I have been collecting some coins mostly from online auctions from various sites like Heritage, Teletrade, ebay, etc.

 

Mostly, I have stuck to buying coins that were slabbed PCGS, NGC and the occassional ANACS. I have looked at ICG, but have not pulled the trigger to buy one yet. The main reason that I primarily stick to slabbed is because I simply am not confident enough yet with coins to purchase raw, although I did recently buy a raw 1890 and 1892 CC as my first attempts after MUCH studying and asking questions of the sellers, which is a lesson learned by buying a "bleached" $5 Silver Chief note. It reeked so bad that it made your eyes water.

 

Now, my questions are if there is general opinion on which service grades the most accurate? If I were to crossover one slab to another slab, which service most likely will respect the grade already assigned? Which service holds the best resale value?

(not selling anytime soon!)

 

From what I have learned, the only services to be considered for these questions would be the 4 I have listed.

 

Thanks.

[Treeman]

NGC and PCGS are the only ones I would consider. Both grade about the same, though I prefer NGC because of their more liberal view toward Registry sets (NGC allows PCGS or NGC coins, PCGS does NOT allow NGC coins). Having said that, the fact is: PCGS slabs bring higher dollars when dealing with Modern coins, the Classics are priced about the same for either service. Main thing to remember: Buy the COIN, not the PLASTIC!

[World Colonial]

I believe the answer you will get from most people is that it depends upon the issue, at least when it comes to NGC and PCGS. I do not collect any US coins and though I will buy PCGS (and possibly ANACS or ICG), most of my coins are in NGC holders because they are the leader in world coin grading.

[harvey8542]

You can find undergraded and overgraded coins in any companies holders. The key is to learn more about coins and grading and then and only then will you be able to spot the dog's from the winners.

[EZ_E]

One would thing that a "professional" coin grading company would remain bias but it has been demonstrated time and time again that PCGS will often not cross NGC coins. Why? Out of spite? Sure, there will be an occasional overgraded coin but not that often. Why then do they fail to cross more than they do? Spite? Who knows but it is something to be aware of. You're better off, for your purposes, to send the coins to NGC. They are actually the better grading service in many ways with fewer shortcomings.

[michael]

well first

 

if i see a coin ALREADY holdered by pcgs and ngc pre 1915 as this is what i collect

 

i look at the coin and see if it meets my approval

 

FOR GRADE AND EYE APPEAL

 

AND

 

if it does then i consider it for my collection

 

 

as pcgs and ngc seem from my limited experiences

 

 

 

is the most market acceptable

 

are there exceptions to the above rule?? i am sure there are......................

 

[James_OldeTowne]

From what I have learned, the only services to be considered for these questions would be the 4 I have listed.

Up until about a year ago, I would have agreed. Since you admit to being a beginner, however, I would tend to shy away from ANACS and ICG until the dust settles between them.

[ctrl-migration]

You could only buy coins with CAC stickers...

[Just Bob]

One important thing to remember is that each grading company assigns grades, accurately or not, according to its own standards. For years, the generally accepted standard for grading has been the ANA Grading Guide. While its pictures and descriptions of circulated coins allow for pretty consistant grading across the board (and even that seems to have changed a little over time), its descriptions for mint state and proof coins leave a lot of room for interpretation. One companies' interpretation of what is required to assign a particular grade to a coin may be quite different from another companies'. Also, bear in mind that standards can change over time. Therefore, it is important, in my opinion, to view as many coins as possible in hand, to get a feel for "accurate" grading.

 

 

BTW, before you EAC guys flame me, I know that you have your own standards for early copper, I was just trying to keep things simple.

[123cents]

If you are relatively new to the hobby stick with NGC & PCGS graded coins.

[MBA101]

If you are relatively new to the hobby stick with NGC & PCGS graded coins.

 

I agree with Carl!

[Oldtrader3]

I have purchased both ICG and the old ANACS slabbed coins several times, but I make it a rule to assume that I only buy the old ANACS and that the coin may grade one grade lower, possibly. Plus, IMHO don't buy ICG unless it is sight seen. I have had some coins upgrade from ICG, but only when I hand picked them.

[DC Dawg]

If you are buying errors, coins submitted through CONECA for error attribution are then slabbed by ICG. Even though ICG's slab is my least favorite, I have picked up some nice errors in ICG's slabs.

 

I used to use ANACS for their VAM service. But since the recent dust up and some conversations I have had with former ANACS employees (not graders), I am not sure I want to give them my business. NGC does only designates the Top 100 VAMs and I cannot figure out PCGS's policies in this area.

 

I still like the ANACS new slab over all others!

 

A friend just picked up two Morgan Dollars in a DGS (formerly PCI) holders. Both were graded MS64 but thinks that they are UNDERgraded! He'll bring them to Baltimore in two weeks to see what others say.

 

I'm just another point of view...

 

Scott

[TomB]

They each adhere to their own, internal grading standards, which means that they could all be equally accurate.

[silvermonger-migration]

I like ANACS and ICG because I have found so many under priced coins in their slabs. They are underpriced due to the follow the leader attitudes of most buyers.

I also have some nice PCGS and NGC slabbed coins that I saw good value in.

Im too damn cheap to pay "popular" prices.

[coinman1794]

I like ANACS and ICG because I have found so many under priced coins in their slabs. They are underpriced due to the follow the leader attitudes of most buyers.

I also have some nice PCGS and NGC slabbed coins that I saw good value in.

Im too damn cheap to pay "popular" prices.

 

There are also a lot of improperly graded coins in ICG and ANACS slabs that would grade much higher at NGC and PCGS. Lots of deals to be had!

[DirtyGoldMan]

You're better off, for your purposes, to send the coins to NGC. They are actually the better grading service in many ways with fewer shortcomings.

 

I am glad to see that there are also some Kool-Aid drinkers on this side of the street.

 

[RI AL]

Confessions of an uneducated slab collector: Tales of woe...

 

Back in the days before slabs (you know, "coins" were made of stone and shells...I remember them clearly), I was pretty darned fussy when I bought a coin for my collection as a kid (slabs had not been invented). I had essentially no money and since I was hooked at age 7, I didn't get too many good U.S. coins...until...a friend in 7th grade started selling his dad's coin collection. I always looked forward to chorus class because that is when he would whip out the goods. I ASSUME his father knew. At that point I was making big bucks mowing lawns and babysitting for 75 cents an hour. (Damn...I'm as old as dirt!) Anyway, several of these coins are still in my collection and have more recently been certified by PCGS or NGC. I was darned lucky in my 7th grade purchases.

 

When slabs first hit the market, I jumped in with both feet, as I was now a school teracher and making even "bigger" bucks teaching in Peru and what used to be Yugoslavia. My motto (I guess)..slab=good. Well, let me tell ya, I consider myself to be pretty lucky in that I only have about 20 mongrel slabs. I seem to recall that PCGS became the 'standard' way back when...with near equal acceptance of NGC. ANACS was in there somewhere too. But...for a brief period in my uneducated bliss...I thought that, "gee...if it's in plastic..it must be pretty good".

W R O N G! but fortunately...no real expensive mistakes were made.

 

More recently, I have made some good purchases...as well a some real clunkers in the "off brand" slabs. Now I stick to PCGS and NGC exclusively with a rare exception for an ANACS piece or ICG. the mongrels will eventually all get cracked out and resubmitted. I anticipate some disappointment when they come back. If you saw my 1795 dollar post, THAT was priced so that I couldn't resist, knowing that I would never be able to buy a better one. SEGS slabbed it, but as soon as I work up the courage to "crack out" and figure out how to do it, there is going to be a bunch of plastic shrapnel on my garage floor. (The only problem is that the 3 tons of pellet stove pellets are blocking access to my vice!)

 

The advice you received from others to your question is very sound. Trust me on this...avoid the mongrels and stick to the top 2.

 

RI AL

[PCcoins]

I agree with stick to the top 2, but some real deals can be made in the older small ANACS slabs. Plus I like the look of them

[SkyMan]

Until you learn to grade, in other words, your eyes becomes accustomed to what a coin will grade, buy only NGC or PCGS. Once your eyes become accustomed then you can branch out to ANACS and ICG.

 

Be aware that FOR THE SAME GRADE ON THE SLAB an NGC coin will likely cost less to buy and, when you eventually sell it, will likely sell for less, than a PCGS coin.