ICG and Ancient Coin Grading: Need advice
 

I have purchased several inexpense bronze Roman coins in ICG holders
because I like the idea of buying "old" coins which have some third
party unbiased opinion on grade,authenticity and attribution.

I would like folks to give me their opinions on ICG's ability to
grade,authentic, and attribute ancients. I have read that the ancient
collecting community has generally turned their nose up at "slabbing".
I have also noticed that most ancient coin dealers at shows rarely, if
ever, have ICG slabs.

Does ICG keep an ancient grading on their payroll or do they farm out
the work.

So, to sum up, what's the latest opinion on ICG and ancients?

Willy P wrote:
I have purchased several inexpense bronze Roman coins in ICG holders
because I like the idea of buying "old" coins which have some third
party unbiased opinion on grade,authenticity and attribution.

So, to sum up, what's the latest opinion on ICG and ancients?

Here's my opinion, worth exactly what you paid for it. Grading ancients
by the Sheldon scale is a joke to begin with. That said, ICG's grade is
probably no less jokeworthy than anyone else's. I think ICG does a good
job authenticating ancients, and I would definitely trust that an
ancient purchased in an ICG slab is either genuine; or if it is fake,
ICG will make good by it. As far as attribution, I have no idea.

--
Bob

ICG has no experts on ancient coins on the payroll; they are in
Colorado Springs, and use local people as consultants. I've never
noticed a fake in one of their holders, or a really badly misattributed
coin either (can't say the same for PCGS or NGC). The problem is that
it is not possible to grade hand-struck coins by a single number (may
not be possible to grade machine-struck coins that way either, but that
is another discussion); you have to consider inscription clarity,
portrait, centering, artistry of dies, metal qualty, etc.

Bob Leonard

Useful not for the numerical grade, but for authentication and (important to
me) protection of the coin.

--Keith

"Willy P" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have purchased several inexpense bronze Roman coins in ICG holders
because I like the idea of buying "old" coins which have some third
party unbiased opinion on grade,authenticity and attribution.

I would like folks to give me their opinions on ICG's ability to
grade,authentic, and attribute ancients. I have read that the ancient
collecting community has generally turned their nose up at "slabbing".
I have also noticed that most ancient coin dealers at shows rarely, if
ever, have ICG slabs.

Does ICG keep an ancient grading on their payroll or do they farm out
the work.

So, to sum up, what's the latest opinion on ICG and ancients?

REALLY!?! Yikes! I assumed they had some experts on the payroll. I guess
I better hope their consultants stick around -- I am going to send them a
few coins this month.

--K


"Bob" wrote in message
oups.com...
ICG has no experts on ancient coins on the payroll; they are in
Colorado Springs, and use local people as consultants. I've never
noticed a fake in one of their holders, or a really badly misattributed
coin either (can't say the same for PCGS or NGC). The problem is that
it is not possible to grade hand-struck coins by a single number (may
not be possible to grade machine-struck coins that way either, but that
is another discussion); you have to consider inscription clarity,
portrait, centering, artistry of dies, metal qualty, etc.

Bob Leonard

Fletch wrote:
"Bob" wrote in message
oups.com...
ICG has no experts on ancient coins on the payroll; they are in
Colorado Springs, and use local people as consultants.

REALLY!?! Yikes! I assumed they had some experts on the payroll. I
guess I better hope their consultants stick around -- I am going to
send them a few coins this month.

It's not that big of an issue. Presumably, they don't get that many
ancients to grade. Also, given that the ANA is in CS also, there should
be a ready supply of experts to bring in for a few hours of grading and
authentication.

I would imagine that if ancient submissions took off, they would need to
hire an expert. But if it's only a ten hour a week or so gig,
consultants are the way to go.

--
Bob

Fletch wrote:
Useful not for the numerical grade, but for authentication and
(important to
me) protection of the coin.

--Keith


I dunno, Keith. My oldest ancient dates from 450 B.C. or thereabouts.
With a little TLC, your ancients could last a few more millennia. I
just bristle at the thought of a 2,000 year old coin in a plastic
coffin. But that's just me.



Anka

"Anka" wrote in message
oups.com...

Fletch wrote:
Useful not for the numerical grade, but for authentication and
(important to
me) protection of the coin.

--Keith


I dunno, Keith. My oldest ancient dates from 450 B.C. or thereabouts.
With a little TLC, your ancients could last a few more millennia. I
just bristle at the thought of a 2,000 year old coin in a plastic
coffin. But that's just me.



Anka


And me. I want to feel history in my hand and think of all the hands it was
in before mine and of the empires it has seen rise and fall. Tough to do if
its locked up in plastic.

"Anka" wrote in message
I dunno, Keith. My oldest ancient dates from 450 B.C. or thereabouts.
With a little TLC, your ancients could last a few more millennia. I
just bristle at the thought of a 2,000 year old coin in a plastic
coffin. But that's just me.

Anka


My thoughts exactly, I have some coins that are bit older, almost 600 BC,
and they have managed to exist without a plastic coffin for 2.5 millenia,
which is quite a bit longer than slabs will last. Nobody knows what their
slabbed coins are going to look like 30 years from now, I think they maybe
be in for a rude surprise.

Definately not slabbed:

http://www.geocities.com/scottishmon...usaartemis.jpg

Scottishmoney wrote:

"Anka" wrote in message
I dunno, Keith. My oldest ancient dates from 450 B.C. or thereabouts.
With a little TLC, your ancients could last a few more millennia. I
just bristle at the thought of a 2,000 year old coin in a plastic
coffin. But that's just me.

Anka


My thoughts exactly, I have some coins that are bit older, almost 600 BC,
and they have managed to exist without a plastic coffin for 2.5 millenia,
which is quite a bit longer than slabs will last. Nobody knows what their
slabbed coins are going to look like 30 years from now, I think they maybe
be in for a rude surprise.

Definately not slabbed:

http://www.geocities.com/scottishmon...usaartemis.jpg

That's just stunning. Thanks for providing the pointer!

Alan
'not expecting that in a roll'