Numismatics

If you own numismatic (collector’s) coins and they have not yet be grade-certified and authenticated by a grading service, you probably ought to have them certified now. 

Why certify?  Because it makes them much easier to sell.  Of course, if the coin is worth less than $30 (for example), it’s not worth certifying because it costs $30 to certify, plus shipping.  You just have to look at your coins and ask whether certification will pay for itself.  Bear in mind that raw (uncertified) coins will be somewhat harder to sell, and the dealer who buys them will probably argue about their grade.

By publishing this information I am not recommending that you buy or hold numismatic coins, nor am I recommending either of these grading services.  However, if you have numismatic coins worth more than $400 and intend to hold them, you will probably gain by certifying them.  “Gain” means you will probably realize a higher price and find selling much easier. I have no financial interest in any of these recommendations.

PROFESSIONAL COIN GRADING SERVICE

PCGS was the first certification service and is still the most widely accepted, if only by a small margin.  In some (but not all) grades the PCGS coins will bring a marginally higher price than NGC certified coins, but that changes over time.  In the higher grades dealers usually prefer PCGS coins, in my limited experience.

If you want to submit coins to Professional Coin Grading Service and are not a dealer, you will have to join their Collector’s Club first.  Here’s how to join the club for free, and submit your coins for certification.  Then you’ll have to pay $30 per coin to have them certified, send them in to PCGS, Box 9458, Newport Beach, CA 92658 (800/447-8848), and wait thirty days.

·         Go to their web-site, www.pcgs.com

·         Select “Collectors Club” from the home page

·         On the Collectors Club page, click on JOIN under “Silver Level Membership”

·         That takes you to the Collectors Club membership form, where you pick the “Free” membership, then at “2. New Members” click on “CLICK HERE.”

·         That brings up the New Member form, which you have to fill out.

·         Now you’re a member.  Go back to the home page and click on “SUBMISSION CENTER.”

·         Scroll down to “Submit a Collectors Club Member Submission Form” and click on that.  Sign in with your e-mail address and secret password (wow.).

·         The submission form comes up, with your name and address already filled out.  You can print this out and must send it in with your coins. Be sure to include payment with your form at $30 per coin submitted.

NUMISMATIC GUARANTY CORPORATION

Numismatic Guaranty Corporation is the other well known grading service:  www.ngccoin.com or (800) NGC-COIN (642-2646).  You can submit coins to them one of four ways: 

(1)     Go through a member dealer (list on the web site),

(2)     Join their collector’s club for $99,

(3)     Submit through e-Bay (go to coins – High end authenticated coins – NGC, or

(4)     Submit through Amazon.com (I don’t know how and frankly, I don’t have enough patience left to go there and find out). 

NGC’s certification charges vary according to value and quantity.  You’ll find their charges by clicking on “Services & Submissions”  at the top of their home page.

PHOTO COIN INSTITUTE

PCI or Photo Coin Institute offers very cheap certification.  I do not recommend your using PCI under any circumstances.

-- F. Sanders

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