How to Get Your Coins Professionally Certified and Graded

Hobbies:  Coin Collectingthe Internet market for sale.  A reliable grade is
How to Get Your Coins Professionally Certifiedproduced by one of the top four professional
and Gradedgrading companies, and it adds value to your
By Robert L Taylor, JDcoin.  Reliability is in the mind of the buyer.  Your
1. See article entitled “5 Reasons to Buy andpersonal assessment is of little value to the
Collect Certified and Graded Coins,  which can bediscerning buyer.
found at: Dispite the cost and procedure ofConquering this reliability barrier is not difficult. 
getting your coin slabbed by a professionalTwo of the professional grading companies, PCGS
certification (authenticity) and grading company,(pcgs.com) and NGC (ngc.com), normally require a
which inhibits and prevents many people fromminimum fee to join, which is often coupled with
having it done, a professional grade is beneficialreimbursement and credit advantages to joining,
for many reasons, the primary of which is that itbut which usually only apply the first year.  For
helps you sell your coin when you want tolonger term submissions, desired by most
upgrade or liquidate.  Upgrading one’scollectors, arrangements for non-fee
collection is a constant process, and thereforememberships are available with ANACS and ICG. 
involves selling a coin to buy another similar one inJust submit your order with no fee required. 
a higher grade.  Collectors are constantlyOrder forms are available on line, by telephone,
upgrading their collections, and this involves sellingand email.  These two companies seem to enjoy
one coin in order to buy another of higher valuethe most popular choices among buyers.
and grade.  Selling a coin is enhanced by havingThe most intriguing professional grader is NGC,
that coin professionally certified and graded, orwhich provides for membership privileges for
commonly called “slabbed”.  It is theexisting members of the ANA (American
reliability and certainity of this determination thatNumismatist Association,(money.org).  If you are
“makes the sale” in most cases. a member of the ANA (money.org), then you are
Dwindling are the days when raw coins are senteligible to use the grading services of the NGC
through the mail on approval, only to have thewith out having to join NGC first.  The fee to join
coin returned as being unacceptable.  Savvythe ANA is less than the fee to join NGC, but the
buyers of high grade coin collections, look first forsubmission privileges are the same.  One may
certainty and assurance of grade, preferably arequest a “Submission Kit/Package” from
professional grade.  Collectors of street coins areNGC, or just go on line for an Order Form, which
rarely as concerned.can be used, and filled out (also on line) and
Another important reason for having your coinssubmitted after printing, with your coins.  It is a
professionally certified and graded is ansimple and easy process.  The only thing needed
assessment of the value of your collection.  It isis the ANA member number, and clicking on the
always important to place a value on one’sright box.
coin collection.  If this valuation is solely based1. A professionally certified and graded coin is
upon one’s personal assessment, then thealways worth more, in the market place, than the
valuation is based on uncertainty and question. same coin raw.
Raw coins have always been the stalwart of coinRegardless of when and how you get your coins
collections.  However with the addition of thecertified and graded, it is well worth the cost and
highly attractive internet sales venue, andeffort that it brings in personal relief, more
desirability for certainty on grade, selling your coincertainty of the value of your collection, and in
has increased a hundred fold.  One needs onlyhigher sales prices for coins you sell to upgrade
provide a coin with a reliable grade, and put it onand liquidate - on line or in person.