ANACS & ICG A Year later

[TJ'S Coins]

It has been eleven months since ANACS and ICG went through major changes, virtually switching graders. How has this panned out? Have either "improved"? Do they still have a niche in the marketplace? What have you seen or experienced?

[physics-fan3.14]

Has it been that long? Wow, I didn't realize it.

[coinman1794]

It seems liek I've been seeing fewer and fewer of both slabs ont he market, at least new ones.

[DC Dawg]

Not only have I seen fewer ANACS and ICG slabs on the market, but it has been more difficult to sell coins in ANACS and ICG slabs--even if they were slabbed before the brouhaha. I sold a set of NGC Jefferson Nickel proofs easier and for a fair price than a similar set in ICG slabs. And my only success with ANACS slabs are selling Morgan Dollars with their VAM attributes.

 

I have heard from three different people who has worked for either company and left because of the tension created after this happened. I was told it was not a pretty scene.

 

IMHO, James Taylor destroyed both companies. The good news is that they may have left the door open for DGS to take their place as a credible "second tier" TPG. That's second tier in the short-term... I have a feeling that they may make a run at NGC and PCGS!

 

Scott

[James_OldeTowne]

IMHO, James Taylor destroyed both companies.

Nothing personal, but I agree. Both companies have gone drastically downhill since last year.

 

ICG's slabs were horrible to begin with, but somehow, ANACS dreamed up an even more horrible slab, further worsened and made doubly horrible by the ridiculous bright yellow label. No improvement there! And to make matters worse, grading at both companies has become erratic, unpredictable and untrustworthy. Have you tried to sell a Morgan dollar in either slab lately? Good luck.

 

The only thing keeping these companies in business is slabbing problem coins, and that is liable to go away too, now that PCGS has stepped into that arena.

 

If ANACS ever wakes up and reverts back to the original small capsule slabs, that will inject some life into their business. But both companies had better learn how to grade.

[Houston Investor]

Both ANACS and ICG offer a quality product and I have had success retailing these. Gold coins look really attractive in the newer ANACS slabs what with the pretty blue holders. I like the way the ICG slabs stack which allows for easy storage. I would like ANACS better if their old slabs could consistently stack with the newer ones. I hate it when a grading company changes slab design and their slabs no longer stack easily.

 

While I inventory slabs from all 4 major TPG's, my submission money goes to NGC as their deal is the best match for my business concept.

 

 

[leeg]

The good news is that they may have left the door open for DGS to take their place as a credible "second tier" TPG. That's second tier in the short-term... I have a feeling that they may make a run at NGC and PCGS!

 

Scott

 

 

[cpm9ball]

And my only success with ANACS slabs are selling Morgan Dollars with their VAM attributes.

Scott

 

The impression I've gotten from comments on the VAMWorld discussion site is that the "new" ANACS can be "hit-or-miss" on their VAM attributions.

 

Chris

[DirtyGoldMan]

I remember liking one a little more than the other, but with all of the coming and going at both, I have little use for either.

[k-dog-migration]

And my only success with ANACS slabs are selling Morgan Dollars with their VAM attributes.

Scott

 

The impression I've gotten from comments on the VAMWorld discussion site is that the "new" ANACS can be "hit-or-miss" on their VAM attributions.

 

Chris

 

John Roberts is still attributing Vams for ANACS...there are no hit-or-miss issues with him. I am 110% comfortable with ANACS in that department, though I can't speak for any other varieties or series. And from what I have seen, they are grading a lot tighter than they were a year ago on Morgans.

 

Shawn

 

[Conder101]

I thought John had left ANACS?

[k-dog-migration]

I thought John had left ANACS?

 

As of the end of August he was still there...but you know how quickly things can change. He may not be now.

[RGT]

I have never owned a coin in an ICG slab so I can't comment on them. Also, it's been two years or more since I have sent any to ANACS. I do own two coins in their new sturdy clearview holder with the blue label and they both seem accurately graded, if not conservative. That's not much of a sample size to really mean anything though.

 

I won two more of their coins on eBay, both in the new holder with the gold/yellow label. They haven't arrived yet but I am interested is seeing how they look. I did notice that on their web site they state that if you send in coins for reholder they will put them in the new yellow labeled holder if they were graded after the new ownership but they get a blue label if they were graded before the buyout. It would seem that they are trying to imply that their grading standards have gotten tighter. It remains to be seen if they really have or not and if that will actually help them in the marketplace.

[KIEFERSCOINS]

Here are my thoughts on both companies. I left ICG in March and am glad I did!

 

ICG: They are in the process of moving to Tampa, a few doors down from their owner National Gold. Tim Hargis and Casey Blaeslack have quit and wont be moving. Only Randy Campbell and Andy Vickery are going to Tampa making ICG have two graders at the present moment. ICG is struggling in my opinion and I have sent thousands of coins in the last 8 months but at the present time I wont be submitting anything for a while untill I see how it goes.

 

ANACS: They are still in Denver and submissions are keeping them busy. Its a catch 22 because JP is not able to do ancients as much as he did at ICG. In steps NGC and in my opinion will steal the whole ancient grading market JP has made over the years. I have only submitted a few times to ANACS and wont be submitting much in the future because I dont want to give James Taylor my money. James acts like he is your best friend and then will lie striaght to your face. I can't stand a businessman like that and my buisness is now 90% NGC.

 

Cameron Kiefer

[TJ'S Coins]

Thanks for the update Cameron, I'm sorry that ICG has gone down so much. I hope you are prospering in your new endeavor!