PCGS vs NGC

[ausproofs]

Is there any "Hard" evidence that NGC is an inferior grading Company to PCGS or is it all "anecdotal " ?
The only gripe I have with NGC is its return packaging is Crappy and the blue boxes PCGS use are outstanding.
As far as the imaging departments go NGC beats PCGS hands down.

Of course there's never been a peer reviewed scientific study about who grades tougher.  Note I didn't say a "better company".  But regardless, you've got most of the coin collecting world telling you PCGS are harder graders than NGC and you're still looking for more evidence?  I have had THOUSANDS of coins graded by PCGS and seen HUNDREDS of NGC slabs and the MAJORITY of NGC slabs are graded slightly easier than PCGS.  My guess (and that of most other people) is that 1 point is good discount to apply to an NGC graded coin when comparing it with PCGS.

Now you can sit there and look at pictures on the internet and look at your single PCGS graded shilling and compare it with your single NGC graded shilling of the same year and make sweeping statements about how YOU think NGC grades just as tough as PCGS but I am sorry you are going to be a voice in the wilderness.  If you don't want to accept the body of evidence go ahead and get your coins graded by NGC and sell them in Australia and see how you go.

I agree with Mark, resale value for PCGS coins are higher, it is not a statement from me.. It's proven in Australia for Australian coins... However if you do decide to go ahead with NGC it is better to stay with them so you can participate in the registry set schemes etc with NGC. Most of the collectors in Australia uses PCGS registry set( I am one of them) system. So it makes sense to get the coins graded with PCGS. It is also important to note I have seen many more PCGS coins on sale when it come to pre decimal coins. Hence it is better for me to collect PCGS graded coins...

On the other side I look for better quality NGC coins. Since people are not that interested (perception of all NGC coins are graded 1 or so points higher than a similar quality PCGS coin) in NGC slabs, I try to take a punt and buy them.. If they cross over it is a bonus...  I have done just that with the 8 coins with PCGS at the moment... When the results are out I will see how good my judgement is ...

[drakesterling]

I have only had 121 coins graded by PCGS and 30 graded by NGC.
I see No difference in the grading between the 2 companies.
I am of the opinion that it is a perception and not a fact that PCGS is better.

hi trout, I reckon you've only sent over lower to mid grade coins (say circulated coins and MS coins up to MS63 or 64)?

If you're looking for evidence that PCGS grades harder than NGC, look at their population reports. You'll find amongst the higher grades, for most series of coins, there are far more NGC-graded coins than PCGS-graded coins. If you have a statistical background, you can see that PCGS grades fewer higher grade coins than NGC with a certain level of confidence.

Anyway, it really is beside the point whether a company grades "harder" or "easier". The most important thing is consistency. In my view, NGC is less consistent than PCGS.

[trout]

hi trout, I reckon you've only sent over lower to mid grade coins (say circulated coins and MS coins up to MS63 or 64)?

This would be the case with my NGC submissions.
The highest graded NGC coin I have is MS66
With my PCGS submissions  Most of which are decimal coins, these tend to come back as MS/PR 68-69

If you're looking for evidence that PCGS grades harder than NGC, look at their population reports. You'll find amongst the higher grades, for most series of coins, there are far more NGC-graded coins than PCGS-graded coins. If you have a statistical background, you can see that PCGS grades fewer higher grade coins than NGC with a certain level of confidence.

I had a look at the pop reports on both sites and yes with the pre decimal coins the grades seem higher on the NGC site.
I also noticed that PCGS has graded far more Australian coins both pre decimal and decimal than NGC.

Anyway, it really is beside the point whether a company grades "harder" or "easier". The most important thing is consistency. In my view, NGC is less consistent than PCGS.

I know you send many many coins away to be graded , What percentage of these coins did you send to NGC to form this view?

This IS and interesting discussion and it is not like we are trying to compare PGCS with APCGS, That would be ridicules .
I just find it interesting that NGC coins are "Blanket" downgraded my one  grading point across the board  by collectors because of a perceived idea that they are graded "Softer" or less consistently than PCGS.

Buy the coin and not the slab is by far the best option regardless of what the slab states, Is the advice from most serious collectors and I tend to agree with that :ok:

[stevo1962]

This is my highest graded NGC coin and it would be an interesting exercise to send it to PCGS to see if the grade held up.Unfortunately if it came back a lower grade I would stand to lose $thousands so not worth the risk

[markn]

This is my highest graded NGC coin and it would be an interesting exercise to send it to PCGS to see if the grade held up.Unfortunately if it came back a lower grade I would stand to lose $thousands so not worth the risk

The number I see bandied about on the PCGS forums for NGC coins crossing at the same grade into PCGS slabs is 30%.  I wouldn't send that coin to PCGS either.

[trout]

This is my highest graded NGC coin and it would be an interesting exercise to send it to PCGS to see if the grade held up.Unfortunately if it came back a lower grade I would stand to lose $thousands so not worth the risk

You can send it in as a cross over, If it doesn't cross over at the same grade PCGS will send the coin back in the NGC slab.
BTW Bloody Nice coin Mate :good:

[stevo1962]

This is my highest graded NGC coin and it would be an interesting exercise to send it to PCGS to see if the grade held up.Unfortunately if it came back a lower grade I would stand to lose $thousands so not worth the risk

You can send it in as a cross over, If it doesn't cross over at the same grade PCGS will send the coin back in the NGC slab.
BTW Bloody Nice coin Mate :good:

I wasn't aware of that Jim .I will talk to Eric about it.I suspect that it will still cost me a grading fee if it doesn't cross over

[trout]

I wasn't aware of that Jim .I will talk to Eric about it.I suspect that it will still cost me a grading fee if it doesn't cross over

If it doesn't cross over you will be charged the standard grading fee .
If it does cross over  you will be charged the standard grading fee plus 1% of the coins value as well.

[drakesterling]

This is my highest graded NGC coin and it would be an interesting exercise to send it to PCGS to see if the grade held up.Unfortunately if it came back a lower grade I would stand to lose $thousands so not worth the risk

The number I see bandied about on the PCGS forums for NGC coins crossing at the same grade into PCGS slabs is 30%.  I wouldn't send that coin to PCGS either.

38%, at the moment.
http://www.pcgs.com/statistics/

This number, however, includes coins that "crossed", and "crossed" means that PCGS put the coin into a PCGS holder, not that it necessarily crossed to the same grade. This would also include other grading services.

[markn]

This is my highest graded NGC coin and it would be an interesting exercise to send it to PCGS to see if the grade held up.Unfortunately if it came back a lower grade I would stand to lose $thousands so not worth the risk

The number I see bandied about on the PCGS forums for NGC coins crossing at the same grade into PCGS slabs is 30%.  I wouldn't send that coin to PCGS either.

38%, at the moment.
http://www.pcgs.com/statistics/

This number, however, includes coins that "crossed", and "crossed" means that PCGS put the coin into a PCGS holder, not that it necessarily crossed to the same grade. This would also include other grading services.

The 30% number I've seen used is crossed at same grade or better rather than just holdered.  Now that I see the 38% I suspect that even the 30% estimate is probably too high.

[nealeffendi]

I saw a figure on the PCGS forum that 1 in 400 slabs cross over to PCGS at a higher grade than on the old (NGC, ANACS) slab.

[stevo1962]

I saw a figure on the PCGS forum that 1 in 400 slabs cross over to PCGS at a higher grade than on the old (NGC, ANACS) slab.

That 1 higher crossover sounds like an accident

[nealeffendi]

I saw a figure on the PCGS forum that 1 in 400 slabs cross over to PCGS at a higher grade than on the old (NGC, ANACS) slab.

That 1 higher crossover sounds like an accident

Maybe not. A coin might be on a knife-edge as to if it gets one grade or the next one up. It is like women, they can be 51% a sweetie and 49% a biatch  and only takes a tiny quibble to swap it around. The NGC grader could have been a tad hard and the PCGS grader could of seen that the coin had merits.

[ausjack]

:laugh2: just love the analogy Neal, pay that mate :good:

[robbiegal]

cough cough
nah, not all 49/51
I am one of those who is 99% sweetie  :give_rose:
then one tiny quibble and I'm 100% total b...... ha ha

my hubby used to be a red head but now he is a silverback ... gone grey young having survived a few total turn arounds with his sweetie over the years
ha ha