What is the problem with ICG we shall tell them

[midwest]

It seems from my first post icg is believe to be the worst grading service of the big four.Now my question is why could we get some feelings on icg positive or negative. Please go into opinions on grading etc.List any gripe you have about ICG.I'll see to it that I get them all to ICG.

[Hoot]

I buy ICG graded coins when I see a great coin in their holder! Same as any.

 

Consistency with standards and over time is always the key.

 

Hoot

[spy88]

I'm with Hoot on this as well. I'll buy any slabbed coin if I think the coin merits the grade. One should never restrict themselves to not buying the coin simply because of the slab it is in....except if it's a NTC!!!

 

 

JK!! I've found a few good ones there too.

[James_OldeTowne]

I can tell you this. I sold an 1861 three-cent silver in an ICG PF-65 holder Saturday - at $700 ABOVE sheet.

 

James

[Scarsdale Coin]

there is no problem with ICG.....I know that they continue to have many submissions and that the holders do sell....like any coin you buy the coin not the holder....

[pawnee101]

I think the grading companys think that the everyday collector or normal person, is a fool on grades, any number of us have had our coins severly undergraded by both big time services, this may be the wrong thing to say on this forum but, I have always thought that the MAJOR services catered to the big time dealers, the ones that submit a hundred coins to my one, I own several hundred slabs marked ICG, the only reason I use this Florida service is marketability, I do not or will not use the service in California, main reason being! hateful and deliberate unsocialable relations with customers!! Its like we are god and don't you forget it! I guess what I am basicly stating if you don't like the slab, its just plastic and a ball ping will do the trick just fine!

[midwest]

I definetly agree with the above about buying the coin not the holder.However just to clarify on my intentions my last post had a poll asking wich grading service was the worst.ICG is getting the majority.Of those who actually have concerns about ICG im trying to get them to post with there concerns.I'm just wondering wther people chose ICG because there is only four choices or because they have an opinion on them.Also just to mention so it doesnt seem self serving I am an authorized ICG dealer.

[JamminJ]

I'm just wondering wther people chose ICG because there is only four choices or because they have an opinion on them.Also just to mention so it doesnt seem self serving I am an authorized ICG dealer.

 

When submitting coins I generally worry about four things (in no specific order): saleability, cost, turnaround, accuracy/consistency. Note that I submit and collect foreign coins exclusively and submit mostly to World Economy service tiers.

 

Here are the respective grades I give the services where I have enough information to form an opinion:

NGC: A, B, A, B

PCGS: A, D, F, B

ANACS: C, A, ?, B

ICG: F, D, ?, ?

 

Looking at the above is there any doubt as to why NGC receives almost all of my coins? Because ICG coins die a horrid death when selling and cost is $20/coin why would I even want to find out how the grading is and how long it takes? If they were to offer an introductory special at, say, $8/coin I might send 20 or so over just to see how they do. Otherwise NGC keeps me happily satisfierd (unti lthey raise the fees again).

 

The only time I would consider using ICG currently would be for ancient or medieval coins where the are a monopoly provider of service.

 

When buying suight seen I do not care about the holder. When buying sight unseen I care only about acuracy and consistency of the grading and here's how I rank the big 4:

NGC: B

PCGS: B+

ANACS: C

ICG: ?

If I ever see a coin I want in an ICG holder I will pay weakly as they are an unknown entitiy to me.

 

When buying sight seen I don't care what holder the coins are in.

 

Hope you found this helpful.

 

-JamminJ

[midwest]

jamminj you are correct about the world coins.I find the world coin submission prices ludicrious too.reading your comment I have come up with an idea.anyone post your gripes with ICG.If i get enough of them here I will print them and send them to ICG in one big Bunch.Call it constructive criticism.

[jom]

Jammin's post just goes to show you how many people follow the "buy the slab and not the coin" ideal. Just the opposite of what people are saying in this thread. Interesting.

 

I'd buy an ICG graded coin if it was something I like and it was a good price. At least if the price is commensurate with the grade "I" give it.

 

ICG, I'm fairly certain, is a victim of the crack out game. Let's face it. When a correctly graded nice coin is found in an ICG holder how long will it take a dealer (or another expert) to buy it, crack it and send it to PCGS? About 10 microseconds I'd guess. This makes sense given Jammin's experience (which I'm sure holds for US coins too). What is left in ICG holders? Probably the the ugly coins they graded and the over-grades. This I call the "snow ball" effect as it gives ICG a bad rep even though they could be grading just as well and consistantly as the other TPG's. This probably also effects ANACS and NGC to a certain extent....in the latter case probably not as much as it used to.

 

jom

[Elcontador]

I don't look at ICG coins anymore. I collect 19th Century type, and I have yet to find an ICG slabbed coin that in my opinion was properly graded. The ones I've seem IMO were overgraded, typically by 2 points. In what I collect, there's a huge spread between an MS 63 & MS 65 coin, so I stay away.

 

Usually these coins have nice eye appeal for the assigned grade, but IMO, far too many contact marks or other surface problems to merit the assigned grade.

 

Edited: You can say "buy the coin, not the holder" all day long, but we just have so much time, and can look at so many coins. Why should I look at yet another ICG coin, when everyone I've viewed (see above) has been IMO a problem coin.

[midwest]

jom you have said something I have never even thought of.I guess that would be a problem.although sometimes your stuck in a buy the slab not the coin situation.Think of ebay you have to kind of rely on the grading servicr untill you get the coin.By the way thinking of ebay did you see coin world this week lets play a find waldo thing.try to guess wich ebay letter was mine.

[jom]

By the way thinking of ebay did you see coin world this week lets play a find waldo thing.try to guess wich ebay letter was mine.

 

I don't get CW anymore. PM me with the details!

 

jom