How About FREE Designation Review for NGC Roosevelts? I'm Serious!

[TomB]

I wrote the bulk of this thought in another thread a day or two ago but thought it might get lost in the shuffle, so, here it is again as its own thread.

 

I think a nice touch by NGC would be to give Roosevelt dimes a Designation Review for free. Don't laugh just yet. I write this because people submitted these coins for NGC's professional opinion as to their grade and now NGC has added a designation to that grade that did not exist when these dimes were previously slabbed. Not only will this designation end up likely boosting the value of many of the coins that earn it, but, it will most likely be incorporated into the NGC Registry. Therefore, I think it would be a good idea for NGC to offer to give a free, or discounted, Designation Review for Roosevelt dimes.

 

There is more than one way for this to work. First, the Designation Review might be free for all NGC slabbed Roosevelt dimes for the first six months or so after the designation takes effect. These coins could be reviewed on some type of basis such as one free Designation Review for every raw coin sent to NGC for slabbing. In this way the dimes are not being sent in for regrade, rather, they are just being reviewed and could be shipped back with the newly slabbed coins. Alternatively, one might "earn" a free grading coupon for every three Roosevelt dimes sent in for a paid Designation Review. So, after three Roosevelts are sent in and paid for then you have a coupon good for a free coin grading. The coin to be graded might even be sent in with the Roosevelts for Designation Review so as to save on shipping.

 

This might (read: will) add some effort on the part of NGC but it would also earn exceptional goodwill and good PR. Heck, I also think it's the right thing to do. This could be done while recording the certification number for each Roosevelt that undergoes the process so that a record of these coins could be used by NGC for any statistical or research purpose they might desire. They might also make available, online, the certification numbers of Roosevelt dimes that have undergone the process so as to save someone the potential wasted opportunity of sending in a previously reveiwed coin.

 

This effort on the part of NGC would not be trivial. However, the collateral benefits to NGC might be huge. This system should be extended to all NGC slabbed Roosevelt dimes and not limited to Registry coins. I write this because it appears to be a slap in the face to have someone offer a free Designation Review for coins in their Registry but not for those same coins if they are not in a Registry. After all, this designation was supposedly added at the clamoring and behest of the collector and, if that is the case, then the entire collecting population should receive this benefit. If not, then it certainly seems to indicate that the only collectors that count for anything are those who would support your Registry. Sometimes, I believe that doing the best thing for the client, even if it hurts in the short term, serves to help a good business in the long term.

 

 

 

[michael]

i like it tom but then then would have to do it for the cameo and ultra cameo designation for pre 1915 proof coins

 

for the saqme reasons you gave just put cameo and ultra cameo pre 1915 proof coins in place of the full toruch rooses

 

sincerely michael

[TomB]

If they wanted to be consistent then they would have to do so, I agree. It would no doubt open up a small can of worms but still would be a hit with the collectors.

 

After all, if a certification service offers to review the designation for all coins within a series that are already registered in their Registry prior to the announcement while leaving most collectors to pay for the privilege then that certification service is saying, in effect, that it's all about the Registry and not about the collector. That's not a good message.

[Hoot]

I also think there should be a period of discounted review - perhaps $5 for the first year. After that, then I think it should go back to the current price. This would give Roosie collectors a good opportunity to play the strike designation game if it is meaningful to them. It would be interesting (and will be interesting no matter what) to see how many serious Roosevelt collectors come out of the woodwork to do this. This will, no doubt, cause a major restructuring of relative ranks in the registries.

 

I am more apt to feel sympathetic for the many collectors who already push their financial limitations to just participate in collection of high grade coins. They often don't want to spend the extra cash on designation reviews and regrades. In the end, their return may be far less. This creates a secondary burden.

 

By the way, I like Tom's idea about a coupon for a free review for every 2 or 3 submissions. Sounds like a winner in terms of PR and a winner for the collector too.

 

Hoot

[GP_]

That would be very nice! I have a lot of NGC graded Roosevelts! I will not be sending them in for designation review, even though I think most if not all of them would get the FT , just because of the cost. Now if it was free if sent in with other coins, I am sure I would be able to convince myself that it was a good idea to send them in