Certification Companies

RATING COIN GRADING SERVICES


The certification companies listed on this site are not being authenticated by us. More research on several different websites, books, and forums would help make a cautious decision on the legitimacy of a certification company. Some may have been discontinued and there are surely some new ones out as well that need to be revued.


ACG - ASA-Accugrade:  "The founding of ACCUGRADE goes back to 1984 when Alan Hager, noted silver dollar expert, invented slab certification for coins. ACCUGRADE paved the way for the industry of coin grading. Today, over 7 million coins have been certified, generating over $140 million in fees to the coin grading services since Mr. Hager's invention in 1985. PCGS has paid Mr. Hager $100,000 for his expertise, patents, and inventions".


 ACGS - American Coin Grading Service: "The American Coin Grading Service (ACGS) is an Arizona Corporation based in Tucson, AZ.  ACGS specializes in and will only grade American coins minted by one of the United States mints, past or present, for domestic use. This includes all American coins minted by one of the United States Mints (still under operation or no longer operating) for the purpose of, but not limited to coins: for general circulation in the United States or for display (proofs, commemoratives, etc.)".


 ANACS - American Numismatic Association Certification Service: "ANACS graders have encyclopedic knowledge of coins, backed by more than 50 years of combined grading experience.  Their graders have attributed more die varieties, by more reference books, for a longer period of time than all other certification companies combined. Their graders understand coin collectors' needs, particularly the need for accuracy.   Auction results consistently demonstrate that ANACS certified coins realize fair market value in the open market environment.  What's more, collectors can submit coins directly to ANACS".

*the ANA operated ANACS from its inception in 1972 until the ANA sold ANACS to Amos Press in 1990.


AGS - American Grading Service


CCGS - Capitol Coin Grading Service


 DCGS* - Digital Coin Grading Service: "The DCGS coin holder provides the ability to clearly see all three sides of every coin (obverse, reverse, and edge).  Most grading services use old fashioned coin holders that are not designed to display the edge of a coin.  DCGS provides this unique coin holder to meet the real needs of collectors around the world. And, not only does the DCGS coin holder show all three sides of the coin, it is also the only coin holder that is designed to stand up and allow the collector to beautifully display each coin for true enjoyment".

*This company may no longer exist.


FSC - Fiducial Select Capitol

 This may not be a third party grading service, but more of a coin dealers own holder.


GCS - Global Certification Service: "Global has patented a truly attractive holder which gives you more than a just a grade!  Yes, we do give you a grade, but the INFOSLAB also features a quality, state-of-the-art, digital color photograph and an informative paragraph describing each coin along with its grade.  These descriptive paragraphs are written by Jeff Garrett, Tom Mulvaney and other numismatic professionals.  And, most importantly, the INFOSLAB truly protects your coins in an attractive holder like no other in the industry! Our insert materials include inert materials which retard any discoloration of your coins".


 ICG - Independent Coin Grading : "ICG's attractive, tamper-evident holder is sonically sealed and features ICG's SECUREGRAMTM hologram system. They also offer a Intercept Shield. Intercept was developed by Lucent Technologies Bell Labs. It helps prevent your coins from spotting, discoloring or tarnishing for years. It is used by more the four hundred of the Fortune 500 companies. The Intercept Shield gasket and box system is available exclusively from ICG".


MCCS - Millennium Coin Certification Services: "With MCCS certified coins, you get all of the value at a fraction of the cost.  MCCS has no hidden costs, and certification prices are affordably fixed.  MCCS coins are placed in non-PVC scratch resistant polycarbonate plastics and are sonically sealed.  MCCS's uniquely designed plastics also provide for attractive presentation and convenient storage.  When preserving your numismatic items in MCCS holders, you have the peace of mind in knowing that your items are secure". 


NCS - Numismatic Conservation Service: "Founded in February 2001, Numismatic Conservation Services, LLC (NCS) is devoted to the growth and preservation of numismatics.  As a leading authority in numismatic conservation, NCS experts are uniquely qualified to provide professional conservation services for dealers and collectors alike. With a pledge of integrity, impartiality and responsibility, NCS provides a service that serves to expand and enrich the hobby. The selection of NCS as the official conservation service of the American Numismatic Association is further assurance of the integrity and quality of NCS services. In addition to its world-class Professional Conservation Service, NCS offers two certification options: Authentication and Encapsulation & Details Grading for Problem coins"

NCS is part of the collectibles group©.


 NGC - Numismatic Guaranty Corporation: "To ensure impartiality and accuracy, three numismatic experts, each with decades of successful professional experience in rare coins, evaluate each coin submitted for grading. A grading finalizer assigns a final grade and the coin is then sonically sealed in a protective, inert plastic holder. NGC's full-time grading experts are no longer active in the commercial coin marketplace, and are prohibited from buying or selling coins to ensure impartiality. Most have been with NGC for many years. The NGC grading team's only interest is in determining accurate grades for coins".

NGS is part of the collectibles group©.


NNC - National Numismatic Certification

Very minimal information on their website.


 NSCGS - New Standard Coin Grading Service: Grades both sides of a coin separately and provides various cameo designations for proof coins.

They had a website for a couple months at: www.nscgs.com/ but has since shut down.


 NTC - NumisTrust Corporation: "NTC is a fully insured coin grading service that prides itself on conservative grading. Their mission is to take the uncertainty out of third party grading by providing a safe and stable grading standard for the public to rely and trust in. NTC uses three graders, each grader specializes in a particular field of grading from modern coins to gold, silver, copper and varieties. NTC's graders have a total of 60 years of combined grading experience".


NGS - NuGrade Service: "NuGrade Service is your source for fair and competitive grading in the numismatic industry. They are committed to quality, professional service and prompt delivery. The NuGrade Service company is a family owned operation and prides itself in providing your keepsakes for families to treasure forever".


NGS - Numismatic Grading Service


NTS - Numismatic Grading Service

 


PCC - Premier Certified Coins

This may not be a third party grading service. Their website states: "Premier Certified Coins does not accept coins directly for grading.".... "Through distributors PCC offers coins to the average collector at affordable prices."

NOTE: Almost every coin in a PCC holder is either a PF70 or MS70.


 PCGA - Premier Coin Grading and Authentication

 


 PCGS - Professional Coin Grading Service:  "PCGS's staff of graders is selected from an elite group of world-class numismatic experts. Each grader is experienced not only in the PCGS standards, but also in the proper handling of all numismatic items. During grading, each coin is carefully and independently examined. PCGS utilizes a grading scale based on published standards and an extensive grading set of coins. Once the grading process is complete, the coin (with a certification tag indicating its individual identification number, denomination and grade), is sonically sealed inside a tamper-evident coin capsule. Finally, it is returned to the grading room for verification by another expert. Only after this final verification is the coin returned to the marketplace with its guaranteed PCGS grade".


 PCI - Photo-Certified Coin Institute: "PCI's new and innovative ideas and technologies are setting the pace for third party grading. They have come to rely upon business practices that you can consistently count on. Your coins will be accepted, authenticated and graded at the lowest rate and the fastest turn around time of any service .. Guaranteed" !


 PGS - Professional Grading Service: . "Professional Grading Service, Inc. (PGS) was founded on the principal to serve collecting enthusiasts with grading services which offer fair and reasonable pricing, a simple submittal process, a quality product, and much more helpful services above and beyond other companies in the industry." They also offer a free internet picture of each coin you certify in case you need a picture for you online auction.


SDGS - Silver Dollar Grading Service


SEGS - Sovereign Entities Grading Service: SEGS Inc. is the most recent service to enter the arena of "third party grading" services. "SEGS is a new corporation with revolutionary approaches and concepts, new creative ideas, commitments, policies, and designs that will enhance and surpass the expectations of the consumer. Although SEGS is new, the people at the heart of the corporation are seasoned veterans in all operational and technical aspects. You can expect to receive the highest degree in the application of numismatic grading, authentication, variety, error, and applicable designations".


 SGS - Star Grading Service: "A coin grading company specializing in Proof coins from 1950 and forwards. (Due to the tremendous success Star Grading Services is having, we have decided to expand our grading services to include some various uncirculated coins as well.  If you have a question about whether we grade a particular coin, please feel free to email us and ask.)"

NOTE: Almost every coin in a SGS holder is either a PF70 or MS69.


TCGS - Twenty-first Century Grading Service: "At Twenty-first Century Grading Service, Inc., we truly believe that we have molded together a diversified group of talented professionals who will lead the Coin Grading, Certification and Authentication process into the 21st Century. TCGS Guarantees of Grade and Authenticity is fundamental to our grading philosophy. Unlike the majority of the competition, TCGS does not take any direct submissions from other dealers- thereby eliminating the potential for any preferential grading treatment"...

  WARNING: This company is under investigation by the United States Postal Inspectors  for allegedly fraud. see Article in the May 25, 2004 Coin World magazine.


TGS - TruGrade Service: "Trugrade holders and inserts are made of non-PVC material. The capsules are molded of using the more durable and scratch resistant Poly-carb plastic. A lip allows for easy stacking. The holder is sonically sealed".



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