PCGS

Professional Coin Grading Service

The Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) was the first third-party coin grading service. They began serving the coin-buying public in 1986. Their super-informative website has many features including coin census/population and pricing information plus a schedule of upcoming coin shows. Website: www.pcgs.com

PCGS offers a comprehensive coverage. Here is their story in their own words:

"Guarantee of Grade and Authenticity

PCGS guarantees that all coins submitted to it shall be graded by a minimum of three PCGS grading experts in accordance with PCGS grading standards and under the procedures of PCGS. In the event the purchaser of a PCGS graded coin believes that the coin has been over graded with respect to such standards and procedures, he may submit such a coin to PCGS for regrading under a procedure which insures that graders are unaware of the grade originally assigned. The fee for such regrading shall be $20. If the grade determined under such regrading procedure is lower than that originally assigned to the coin, PCGS shall pay the difference between the highest then-current bid by any PCGS dealer for the coin in question at the newly established grade and the highest such bid for the coin at the grade originally assigned. PCGS will also refund the $20 regrading fee and postage and insurance costs incurred by the coin owner in sending the coin to PCGS. This guarantee shall not apply to any coin as to which an obvious clerical error has been made with respect to the description or grade of the coin.

GUARANTEE RESUBMISSION $ 25

Available when you purchase a PCGS coin which you feel has been over-graded. Fee is refunded if grade is lowered. PCGS offers this service to assure consumers of the proper grading of PCGS coins as stated in the PCGS Guarantee of Grade & Authenticity.

FAIR MARKET PRICES.

The customer can call PCGS at 1-800-447-8848 to report any instance in which an authorized dealer, in offering to buy a PCGS coin from the customer, attempts to justify a lower than market purchase or bid price for the PCGS coin on the basis of allegedly improper grading by PCGS, or provides the customer with an unreasonably low purchase or bid price for the PCGS coin (with or without any allegation relating to PCGS's grading of the coin)."