Grading companies other than PCGS

[jhcons]

Last week on ebay I won some auctions for some high grade wheats in the 40's. I wanted to see what they looked like compared to my PCGS Lincolns I have. I was curious as I am building Lincoln collection all PCGS. So I have (2) MS68 and (2) MS67. Thought maybe I could get a 68 coin somwhere else and bust it open and send it to PCGS and come back wih a 66 or something. I just opened mail and this 1949-d MS68 and well it is crap!! Big ole black spot on forehead and just not appealing at all. The strike is OK at best. Reverse has another black spot to. Then the 45-d MS68 from a different company is probabaly a MS63. I would not even sell that coin unless I told buyer it was pooh!! And to top it off the DAMN coin in holder is a 1944-d with a huge class VI DD.
So my little study that cost about a hundred bucks is what I needed to find out before I start getting the higher grade early wheats. PCGS is the way to go in my opinion!

[GrumpyEd]

They're all different.
Were those from a self slabber?

I don't mind NGC or ANACs for some stuff but I don't expect they'll all cross to PCGS.

If looking for say a 66 from PCGS it's probably best just to buy it already in the slab.
You just explained exactly why LOL.... because for the $100 you spent it would have bought one or 2 already in slabs and the bargain slabs turn out to be 25 cent coins.

[wojod68]

I only go with PCGS for graded coins. I can't let myself go with any other company. Call it a quirk on me. :|

[GrumpyEd]

There are many many nice varieties that PCGS won't label.

It's ok if you you only want high grade normal non varieties or only want to slab varieties that are listed in the CPG.

[jhcons]

They're all different.
Were those from a self slabber?

I don't mind NGC or ANACs for some stuff but I don't expect they'll all cross to PCGS.

If looking for say a 66 from PCGS it's probably best just to buy it already in the slab.
You just explained exactly why LOL.... because for the $100 you spent it would have bought one or 2 already in slabs and the bargain slabs turn out to be 25 cent coins.
Yes all my SLABED coins for personal collection are PCGS and you are correct about the $100.00 but I just wanted to see. :D I guess I could have waited for the show we are having on mothers day weekend. Oh well. Since I decided to do this pcgs collection thing I have been going over all my coins that I have or had graded 66 or 67 and am trying to figure out if I should try and send them in. I spent all last week working on a plan for how I want it to look and which grades. I figure all the earlier years 1909-1929 will be brown most will be Ms63 brwn and the super expensive ones will be the price I have set for them. Even though I could readily get red in some of those years fairly cheap. I do not want to mix and match. The one I have now does that and its not that pretty. Like every other coin is. lol

[coppercoins]

First thing to say is that ANY company will put a coin in a holder in which it does not belong on occasion. Additionally, coins - especially copper based coins - WILL turn colors and develop spots AFTER they go in the holder, no matter whose holder it is. That being said, I have found the following with Lincoln cents graded MS66 or higher:

PCGS - Tends to be rather consistent, but for larger dealers. When I submit coins that perfectly match other 66 holdered coins, they come back 64 or 65. For collectors they are highly inconsistent in the conservative direction. You have to have the money and time to resubmit coins multiple times to get them in a correctly graded holder. Remember also that they are the most expensive game in town, and they really shouldn't be "trusted" any more than others with consistency in grading. In other words, there's no reason for their holders to cost more or be worth more. They are only like that because of market rumor.

NGC - Pretty consistent across the board, but ALL the cents you will get will be one grade point higher for the coin than PCGS. If the coin you want would be a PCGS 66, get an NGC 67. It is what it is. Anyhow, their pricing is lower, and their grading is much more consistent for the small fry collectors. They are a collector friendly company.

ANACS - They are good for die varieties - their grading tends to be off sometimes, but they can tend to undergrade coins, especially back in the day of the small holders.

Other companies or now defunct companies:

NTC - If you want a 66 quality coin, you'll have to buy their 70 holder and hope for the best. I don't know the nature of this company or its history, but what I can tell you is that they consistently way overgrade coins.

PCI - I look at PCI holders EVERY time I encounter them. I have found some true gems hiding in PCI holders. They are way inconsistent, and sometimes this definitely benefits the collector. I bought an EDS (scarce) 1995 DDO in a PCI 67 holder that came back from PCGS as MS68. Enough said.

ICG - Back in the earlier years they consistently undergraded Lincolns. That was a good thing. I would buy ICG holdered coins regularly that were a grade point or two higher than the label said. Lately (past 10 years) I haven't bought a single ICG coin. Not sure what happened, but their grading is opposite what it used to be. They tend to overgrade about everything - like NGC, only far more inconsistent.

SEGS - Very wavy line of grading higher grade coins. Their holders are worth watching for hiding gems, but it's rather uncommon to see high grade Lincolns in a SEGS holder. They tend to grade a lot more 19th century Breen varieties in circulated grades than anything else.

ALL OTHERS: You'll find a nice coin in an odd holder once in a while (like DGS - Dominion Grading Service) but most are not even reputable in my opinion, and there are MANY of them.

[BadThad]

ALL OTHERS: None are even reputable in my opinion.

I disagree. I've seen some nice Lincolns in Dominion (DGS) holders.

[coppercoins]

And DGS was in business for all of what - six months? They bought PCIs equipment, slabbed a few thousand coins, and went out of business. I have never seen a Lincoln cent graded by them. And yes, I know who ran the service, and I even liked their website. They just didn't last. Because I included "all others" you disagree, so I will change my statement...

All others - A few hit and miss nice coins in holders, but MOST aren't even reputable enough to be considered 'grading' companies.

[simonm]

The worst one I ever saw (I think it was a home slab) was INB. Some guy at a flea market gave one to me for free in this cheap slab that said INB. Had a 2009-D PL cent slabbed as MS-70. The thing had dings and stains galore. Facepalmed all the way home.

[GrumpyEd]

Wasn't DGS really DLRC?

[jhcons]

QUOTE=jhcons;214152] I just opened mail and this 1949-d MS68 and well it is crap!! Big ole black spot on forehead and just not appealing at all.![/QUOTE]
I actually never looked at the company untill I just read these posts. The company who graded the above coin is NNC. I have never heard of them and the holder, upon further inspection is so light and flimsy its unreal. The other one that I got that says 1945-d on the outside but is really a 44d is PCI. I have heard of them.
I think I am expecting to much even from PCGS.I just opened a pcgs MS66 1946-S and it is not what I expected. Just about my entire collection from 35 up seems to be better than that. I have never really graded ms coins as I was afraid (we will say). If I liked it I would get it but mostly all my coins came from years of searching rolls. I would pull out the ones that looked pretty and make rolls. Took along time but I did and still have some real good rolls. I think I have ben undergrading my coins this last couple weeks. I got these to see how they all looked and everyome seems to be different. I even downloaded PCGS Iphone photo grade and it shows there ms65 with afew good dings. When I buy off the internet for real soon I will pay alot more attention Thanks for the input guys

[1jackel1]

I love this subject, i do believe that if you look at coins in holders from all the rep-ital grading companies, you can see the difference, Just get the same coin from like three or four different grading companies, just make sure the coins are the same grade and the same coin and then look for yourself as you will see the difference in them. I would say pcgs and icg are the best, icg's holders are the best in my opinion and hold up longer then most but as far as the over all grading goes pcgs is the toughest by far.

as for me i do not get any coins graded, i do not believe someone Else's opinion is better then mine, all coins are subjective when it comes to grading them and i just do not believe that someone setting in a chair can give an honest opinion on a coin that you own even tough they say they do. so i say no to getting my coins graded, just my opinion on the matter. coins that are raw are the best and you can make your own determination as to what grade they are and what they might be worth. but if you are getting coins graded i would use pcgs and icg as they are the best in opinion. pcgs for there tough grading scale but there holders are not the best, icg has the best holders on the market and they are very tough and there grading of coins are not as tough and i would say take away one point from the over grade from this company and you would be matched with pcgs.and there prices are cheaper for grading.

George

[jhcons]

coins that are raw are the best and you can make your own determination as to what grade they are and what they might be worth. but if you are getting coins graded i would use pcgs and icg as they are the best in opinion. pcgs for there tough grading scale but there holders are not the best, icg has the best holders on the market and they are very tough and there grading of coins are not as tough and i would say take away one point from the over grade from this company and you would be matched with pcgs.and there prices are cheaper for grading.

George

George, I do agree with you 100 percent on raw coins being the best. I like being able to look at a real nice Lincoln without having the big plastic in the way.
I have two reasons why I am wanting to build another collection of pcgs Lincolns. I guess they go together though. The value of the set when I get done(IF) and then then the storage of the coins. I have been working on the one I have now off and on for a long time and some of the coins have just turned to crap. Granted I know more now about handling coins than I did 15 years ago or 5 for that matter. I also just think it will be fun building a nice set.
Back to the raw coins. I have mabey 10 favorite coins in collection that are just beautifully toned and I like looking at them. I am purchasing a raw 1909 v.d.b. this week that is suppossed to be beautifully toned, and I know I should put that money towards one of the keys I am wanting but the hell with it.
Thanks for your input on this matter. JIM