NGC Pricing Oddity of the 1834 CLASSIC $5 -script 8 CROSSLET 4 HM-9 0

[USAuPzlBxBob]

Was researching NGC’s Price Guide for this coin, AU 58, and nothing seemed unusual.  But then I clicked on All, and “all” credibility went out the window.

The coin currently is priced at $18,000 for AU 58 but look at how NGC priced it between September 8, 2008 and January 25, 2010:

Grade          Price
AU 58        $73,130
MS 61        $89,050
MS 62        $95,550

This then led me to investigate Auction Prices Realized in the NGC Coin Explorer.  There was no auction information available for this time period in AU 58, but there was a Heritage Auction for a PCGS MS 62 on January 6, 2010, showing the coin hammering at $25,000.

$95,550 (NGC Price Guide) vs. $25,000 (Heritage Auctions)  Hmmm.

Then, during a two week period — October 22, 2012 to November 5, 2012 — the price of the coin "falls off a cliff" for each grade, in two equal weekly drops:

Grade       October 22      October 29      Delta      November 5       Delta
AU 58          $69,380            $43,755       $25,625        $18,130        $25,625
MS 61          $82,550            $53,775       $28,775        $25,000        $28,775
MS 62          $87,750            $60,125       $27,625        $32,500        $27,625

Can anyone explain NGC’s Price Guide prices revealed here for this $5 Classic Head Crosslet 4?  The way they’re so exorbitant.

And what is the "falling off a cliff” in equal weekly amounts, on exactly the same days, all about?

[RWB]

Lots of "price guides" are imaginary as to both "Price" and "Guidance."

TPGs should NEVER be involved in buying, selling or pricing coins that they authenticate and grade. This is an obvious conflict of interest.