Question about sending a coin out to be graded?

[Dr Plugs]

Hi all, about a month ago or so I posted a 1804 draped bust dime I was lucky enough to swing the detector over.

Given how scarce this coin is I want to send it away to be graded, but not sure how to go about doing this. For any of you that have sent coins away to be graded, where is the best place? How do you package the coin for mailing? I really want to send it away but am just scared something mite happen to it in the mail.

I'm guessing the addresses are discrete, I don't know how it would work to put a coin graders name on it then insure it for whatever I feel is fair, then hand it to someone at the post office, it would obviously be known what's inside and general value. Maybe I'm thinking too much into it, but this may be my best coin ever and I just want this process to be safe and secure, thanks.

 

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[ToddsPoint]

Your coin looks very nice for a detector find. By sending it in, you run the risk of it coming back ungraded, but in a holder that says “genuine, environmental damage”. It still might be worth doing due to the rarity. I only buy graded coins, but yours is nice enough and rare enough I think it would sell in a holder ungraded. As far as shipping coins, I have bought several thousand dollars worth of coins. All shipped through USPS. I’ve never lost one or had a problem. You can always send it registered if you’re worried. No one dares mess with registered mail.

 

[Rich in Central PA]

Hi all, about a month ago or so I posted a 1804 draped bust dime I was lucky enough to swing the detector over.

Given how scarce this coin is I want to send it away to be graded, but not sure how to go about doing this. For any of you that have sent coins away to be graded, where is the best place? How do you package the coin for mailing? I really want to send it away but am just scared something mite happen to it in the mail.

I'm guessing the addresses are discrete, I don't know how it would work to put a coin graders name on it then insure it for whatever I feel is fair, then hand it to someone at the post office, it would obviously be known what's inside and general value. Maybe I'm thinking too much into it, but this may be my best coin ever and I just want this process to be safe and secure, thanks.

First of all I was in the same position as you are, so based from personal experience, here is what to do AND what I did. First of all, in a nutshell, it will be safe to ship it thru the post office. I sent my first coins in for grading & certification to ANACS. It is very easy to do. Just click on the link and all you need to know about doing this is on their website. It is one of the most reputable coin graders around and anybody to send a coin in. Nothing to join, just do it. I used ANACS and ICG and was completely satisfied.

Home - ANACS

ANACS was created in 1972 by the American Numismatic Association (ANA), a non-profit educational association established in 1891 and chartered by the U.S. Congress.

anacs.com

https://www.icgcoin.com/

 

[Dr Plugs]

Your coin looks very nice for a detector find. By sending it in, you run the risk of it coming back ungraded, but in a holder that says “genuine, environmental damage”. It still might be worth doing due to the rarity. I only buy graded coins, but yours is nice enough and rare enough I think it would sell in a holder ungraded. As far as shipping coins, I have bought several thousand dollars worth of coins. All shipped through USPS. I’ve never lost one or had a problem. You can always send it registered if you’re worried. No one dares mess with registered mail.

I'm definitely new to all of this, why would they not grade it?

 

[l.cutler]

I'm definitely new to all of this, why would they not grade it?

If the grading company determines that the coin has been damaged, cleaned, altered, something like that, they will slab it but not give it a numerical grade. They may something like genuine G details cleaned.

 

[srcdco]

Another way of sending it in is if you have a friendly dealer that you use frequently, they may let you send it with their next shipment and you just pay them the fee, which will likely be lower than if you sent it in yourself.
I agree that it will likely come back as "not gradable" due to environmental damage. It depends on if there are any light (or not) scratches that indicated it has been buried. You should still get a details grade (G, VG, etc. without a number) and a genuine indicator, which still means a lot.

Scott

 

[Dr Plugs]

Another way of sending it in is if you have a friendly dealer that you use frequently, they may let you send it with their next shipment and you just pay them the fee, which will likely be lower than if you sent it in yourself.
I agree that it will likely come back as "not gradable" due to environmental damage. It depends on if there are any light (or not) scratches that indicated it has been buried. You should still get a details grade (G, VG, etc. without a number) and a genuine indicator, which still means a lot.

Scott

Oh, ok. It did come out very nice for being in the ground for so long. I never cleaned it, I keep a spray bottle of water with me to spray silvers with so no unnecessary scratching. Thanks to all for the advice.

 

[cudamark]

IMO, PCGS is the #1 grading service with NGC being 2nd and ANACS 3rd. Most of the others I've seen produce way overgraded coins. PCGS just seems to be the most accurate.

 

[ToddsPoint]

C

IMO, PCGS is the #1 grading service with NGC being 2nd and ANACS 3rd. Most of the others I've seen produce way overgraded coins. PCGS just seems to be the most accurate.

CAC is another grading service. Previously, they just looked at PCGS and NGC slabs and put their green bean sticker on them. Now, they are actually grading and putting coins in their own slabs. If you think PCGS is picky, these guys are even more so.