Has ICCS been doing a good job for Canadian coins?

General discussions about conservation and classification.
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The_One
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Joined: Thu Mar 07, 2019 7:51 am

Has ICCS been doing a good job for Canadian coins?

Post by The_One » Fri Mar 08, 2019 3:17 pm

I am new to this forum, but have been collecting coins and use this website as a guide for quite a while. I used to collect iccs graded Canadian coins until I find ICCS’s lack of promotion on Canadian coins, lack of care for coin eye appeal, lack of marketability outside Canada and its outdated business practice (no email, no websites to contact and check coin infos).

Perhaps it is my own personal point of view that blinds me from seeing the big pictures, but like the title stated, has ICCS been doing well compare with other reputable coin grading companies, or it is better to purchase other types of coins by other TPG if you are looking for greater return on investment?

Bill in Burl
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Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 7:41 am
Location: Golden Horseshoe, ONT

Re: Has ICCS been doing a good job for Canadian coins?

Post by Bill in Burl » Fri Mar 08, 2019 8:06 pm

Almost yearly, ICCS is losing market share to PCGS ... mostly from higher-end collectors. For coins that are generally going to stay in Canada or sold primarily to Canadian customers vis Ebay or coin shows, ICCS does very well .. .mostly because of price to grade. They have refused to enter the 21st century considering lack of website, soft flips, lack of guarantee and emphasis on technical grading, rather than taking surface, luster and failure to mention cleaning/dipping.
Bill in Burl

The_One
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Joined: Thu Mar 07, 2019 7:51 am

Re: Has ICCS been doing a good job for Canadian coins?

Post by The_One » Sun Mar 24, 2019 4:55 am

wow there's hardly any discussion here. Guess either this topic or I is not popular lol.

Anyway so far for Canadian coins, I am looking more into coins that are cross-graded by both ICCS and PCGS (or NGC). What do you guys think of cross-grade coins?

Bill in Burl
Posts: 1457
Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 7:41 am
Location: Golden Horseshoe, ONT

Re: Has ICCS been doing a good job for Canadian coins?

Post by Bill in Burl » Sun Mar 24, 2019 6:14 am

It depends upon the type of collector that you are. Are you into Registry sets? Collect only top end? What denominations. I think that, if a coin has been graded by PCGS, why have it sent to ICCS? My personal opinion is, that unless your collection is basically 64 and above, why spend the money to have it graded, especially if it's post WWII stuff? If you are in the coin BUSINESS, then that's another thing.
Bill in Burl

JNOD
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Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2019 6:53 pm

Re: Has ICCS been doing a good job for Canadian coins?

Post by JNOD » Sat Nov 09, 2019 5:12 pm

Interesting question. I've just started collecting fairly recently (restarted actually - used to do so when I was a kid as well). I have just sent a batch of around 15 coins to be graded at ICCS, partly to find out if my own estimates of grade (and cleaning and other abuse) are any good. To me this seems useful.

As for ICCS vs PCGS....could you or someone explain why they are losing ground?

troubadour
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Re: Has ICCS been doing a good job for Canadian coins?

Post by troubadour » Mon Nov 11, 2019 8:01 am

like Bill said, no website, no certification number verification or online pop report...
for some high end collectors, pcgs got the set registry

momomomo
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Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 4:59 pm

Re: Has ICCS been doing a good job for Canadian coins?

Post by momomomo » Mon Nov 11, 2019 8:21 pm

And no hard slab!

Jim J
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Re: Has ICCS been doing a good job for Canadian coins?

Post by Jim J » Thu Aug 20, 2020 2:51 pm

I agree ICCS is good for Canadians and their coins very feasible pricing and quick turn around service.

Like mentioned their faults at most points is no web site, no hard slab offered, no cert verification to check slip, the plastic slip the coins are in don't really protect the coin that well in my opinion.
Their grading can be all over the board on some coins no consistency on grades, very seldom mention cleanings, rim damage, environment damage unless very bad, no eye appeal involved in their grades.

I used to use ICCS faithfully back when but have switched to PCGS for my better coins and varieties if they recognise them with their number system. I like the hard slab gold seal and of coarse the registry sets but mainly for protections and their way of grading coins even a attractive brown cent can get a MS-63 or better something I've never seen with ICCS grading always MS-60 at best

Percy
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Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2017 8:19 am

Re: Has ICCS been doing a good job for Canadian coins?

Post by Percy » Tue May 11, 2021 7:03 am

Any coin graded by ICCS is suspect
I've had coins graded by ICCS Mint State
Sent them to NGC and the coins have come back cleaned
NGC is by far the best grading site
NGC has the best slabs
NGC is cheaper than PCGS

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