The Numismatic Guaranty Corporation
History of the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation
In 1987, the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation opened its doors as one of the leading 3rd party coin grading agencies. In its 30 year history, the NGC has graded over 35 million coins, offering investors and collectors the expert knowledge of 30 graders with prolific industry knowledge.
If you are considering purchasing an NGC graded coin or round, or you want to have one of your own personal collection pieces graded, you might have a few questions about the process and why it is a valuable service. Below are answers to a few commonly asked inquiries about the NGC and its services.
The sprawling 60,000 sq ft facility employs numerous security techniques to protect the coins entrusted to the NGC graders.
The NGC eliminates grader bias with its company policy prohibiting the commercial buying and selling of coins by graders. Additionally, coins are not labeled with owner identification information, preventing any influence during the grading process.
NGC grading and certification adds value to coins and rounds by identifying and verifying condition and quality. Shop our selection of NGC certified gold and silver bullion to diversify your retirement portfolio with confidence.
Who is the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation, and what credentials do they hold?
The NGC is the largest independent grader and certifier of coins, rounds, tokens, and medals. The team of professional graders helps ensure each product is accurately assessed and verified for authenticity, quality, and consistency in grading. Each coin or round is graded by a minimum of two individuals from the NGC. Graders are prohibited from participating in the coin market, ensuring no conflict of interest occurs.
How does the NGC grade coins?
The Numismatic Guaranty Corporation has developed an extensive process by which coins and rounds are evaluated and certified with “numerical” and “details” grading.
Numerical Grading
In the late 1940s, the United States utilized the Sheldon scale- a 1-70 scale by which coins are rated for quality and appearance. A 70 is a perfect coin, free of defects. Buyers looking to purchase pristine quality coins can use the Sheldon scale to confidently bid on NGC items.
Details Grading
Some coins display surface defects or cleaning errors which do not allow for numerical grading. These coins are assigned a “details grading”, which provides collectors and buyers a way to describe the condition of coins. Details grading uses a scale from “poor” to “uncirculated” to indicate condition. Using details grading, buyers can gain understanding of the value of a coin or round.
Value of Buying NGC Graded and Certified Bullion
What value does an NGC grade or certification give my collection or investment piece?
Having your coin graded and certified by the NGC provides additional value to your investment because potential buyers can confidently bid on your bullion knowing its true market value.
NGC certified coins and rounds provide a standardization by which buyers can evaluate the value of a product with ease. Building buyer confidence in your bullion not only increases the value of your product, but it also increases the number of potential buyers.
Which Coins does the NGC Certify?
The NGC will certify nearly all sovereign minted circulation and bullion coins. Among the more popular rounds are the American Silver Eagle, and Canadian Silver coins.
With very few exceptions, the NGC does not grade privately minted rounds. Provident Metals, however, is pleased to be one of those exceptions. Because the quality of our Provident Original rounds exceeds the expectations of the NGC, our Zombucks Proof Rounds, Egyptian Gods, and Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse silver rounds qualify to be graded by the NGC.