Do the TPGs actually use the term "market acceptable"...

[MikeInFL]

...or is this a term coined by collectors to rationalize the slabbing of known problem coins (cleaned and AT being two examples)?

 

To wit, while commonly understood, I cannot find any written or published document from either PCGS or NGC that talk about "market acceptability". To the contrary, in this month's inaugural issue of the PCGS Rare Coin Market Report on page 29, it is written (underlining added for emphasis):

 

Ungradeable Coins

PCGS does not grade coins that are counterfeit, have been artifically toned, have had their surfaces altered, have been environmentally damaged, have been abrasively cleaned, have extremely lage scratches, or have been repaired. Some allowances are made for ultra rarities, colonials, and territorial gold coins, in which there are some instances when "net grading" is used by PCGS as a service to the numismatic community.

 

How, in good conscience, can the author write such a statement when it is demonstratably untrue? If "market acceptability" is the judgement being made, why not just say that rather than lie?

 

Just wondering...Mike

[jesbroken]

They do not really present themselves any other way than they are. People make the distinctions that they are better and more valuable than others. Unfortunately, this is wherein lies the problem. They are NOT any better in actuality than perhaps ICG or ANACS or PCI or NGC(which I should have listed 2nd). Just the perception exists and drives the lie. Many help perpetuate this by articles praising various coins and users of the TPG's when in reality the top 4 or 5 are pretty much equal except some other than PCGS/NGC do grade/slab cleaned/scratched/AT coins but designate the weakness on the slab which is as they should all do. If you charge the fee perform the task. Simple!

[Zoins]

Some allowances are made for ultra rarities, colonials, and territorial gold coins, in which there are some instances when "net grading" is used by PCGS as a service to the numismatic community.

Do the TPGs use a phrase for the above? It seems like it would be useful for the TPGs to have a phrase to describe those coins even if they may not like using the term in public (a la widgets). Could it be a phrase they use internally among the graders at the TPG but not in print?

[James_OldeTowne]

Ungradeable Coins

PCGS does not grade coins that are counterfeit, have been artifically toned, have had their surfaces altered, have been environmentally damaged, have been abrasively cleaned, have extremely lage scratches, or have been repaired. Some allowances are made for ultra rarities, colonials, and territorial gold coins, in which there are some instances when "net grading" is used by PCGS as a service to the numismatic community.

 

Yep, I, as well as many others, have pointed this out MANY times in the past ten years as well. It is a false statement for PCGS or NGC to claim that they "reject" such coins, but it would be truthful to claim that they make an assessment of the market acceptabilty of such coins.

 

I'm glad that someone else has finally latched onto this!!!

[supertooth]

Mike--- I did a post awhile back on both boards asking for where the term came from? Did not really ever get a who invented it actual answer. What I did get was a feeling that it was the term used for "ANY" coin that was within some imaginary set of limits----therefore saleable.

 

I seem to first remember the term in the ANACS writings somewhere. That was what got me started on the idea of who invented the term? But, at the time of my asking the question---noone seemed to really know its definite origin. I thought maybe someone would say that so and so from PCGS or NGC or ANACS started it. But, didn't get that at all as an answer. Bob [supertooth]

[MarkFeld]

I have heard an NGC grader use the expression "market acceptable" with respect to an NGC graded coin. I cannot recall whether or not I've also heard a PCGS grader use it.

[michael]

"market acceptable"...

 

 

QUESTION... is this a term coined by COIN PEDDLERS/HAWKERS to rationalize HITTING the LOTTERY slabbing THEN SELLING FOR NUTTY MONEY of known AT problem coins.

 

ANSWER YES

[physics-fan3.14]

I think in actuality, TPGS *try* to weed out the fake, etc., coins, but they can't get them all. However, to project a certain image, they have to make definite assertions. Customer confidence is weakened if they include qualifiers in their mission statements like sometimes and most.

[carson city]

Only in your dreams---Alice in Wonderland

[PerryHall]

...or is this a term coined by collectors to rationalize the slabbing of known problem coins (cleaned and AT being two examples)?

 

No!!! Market acceptable means the market place (dealers, TPGS's, and collectors) feels a coin is NT and free of problems such as cleaning. It is impossible to know for sure that a coin is NT in many cases since the coin doctors a getting that good.

[Zoins]

NGC uses the phrase "market standards of desirability."