What is your opinion on Professional Coin Grading?

[SPECOPS]

As the title says... What is your opinion on Professional Coin Grading? Have you ever sent any of your coins off to be graded? Is buying pre-graded coins good for an investment perspective? 

 

Can anyone recommend the best coin graders in the UK that have used them?

[Dave]

Have found very little market in Europe , more USA and Chinese market, fake holders coming through as well

[Danny-boy]

Yeah, slabs never really took off over here.

I cracked some eagles out of NGC slabs the other day, great fun.

It would need to be a very special coin for me to have it graded!!

[ChrisSilver]

I just looked at the NGC website, it is $17 per coin to grade a non-us minted coin with a value under $2500. So that would be most 1oz coins, as long as they aren't considered oversized. 

I was thinking about possibly getting some of my coins graded in the future, but now I don't really think it's worth it. Probably a lot nicer to just get a nice display box and put some coins in there. I buy mostly Perth Mint coins and they are capsuled, so putting them in a display box would probably be a nicer idea.

In terms of investment, I think it will depend on how high a grade the coins turn out to be, if they are all 70 then might make a nice little profit on them. But if they are less than perfect then probably not as I don't understand why anyone buying slabbed coins would buy anything apart of the highest graded ones.

Plus slabbed coins will be less liquid IMO, a collector who buys slabbed coins will still probably buy your coin and get it graded himself if he really needs that coin for his collection. But less people would be willing to pay the premium for slabbed coins just to break them out of the slab and put in a box. Though I see Danny already has

[Danny-boy]

That's the point, slabbed coins don't have a premium over here so you can buy 69's for the same price as a non-slabbed.

I did enjoy cracking them out though.

[DogSoldier1973]

I think the only two graders i would use are PCGS and NGC in that order, as they are recognised and respected worldwide for their accurate grading...PCGS more so.

I have never sent any coins for grading myself but have bought a couple of graded coins. Grading is perfect for when you are looking to buy a rare coin that also has fakes floating around....if you know nothing about the coin you are buying, and how to spot the fake...then buying the coin graded is the perfect option for you.

 

Also i've found that some much older coins for sale, graded and raw sell for the same price...so i think in that case, it is worth buying the graded coin as it will be easier to sell down the road as it sets the buyer at ease that it is not a fake.

 

I would like to hear from anybody that has used PCGS in Paris and how the experience was, time taken etc etc...I have a few coins that i would consider getting graded in the future.

[Dave]

Beware of slabbed pandas, lots of fakes coming from china, now faking the slabs as well and the numbers from the grading sites

[Danny-boy]

Beware of slabbed pandas, lots of fakes coming from china, now faking the slabs as well and the numbers from the grading sites

As Dave said, and unfortunately it's not just pandas. Fake eagles are rife, as are Morgans.