Best Currency Grading Company ?

I am very new to currency collection ... does anyone have any advice on the best grading companies to use?

I have read on some sites that CGA, PCGS, and PMG are the top 3. Do people concur?

What about these issues:

Holder Quality: I love the holders that PMG uses as it's very stiff and seems high quality. The CGA holder is very flimsy and feels sort of cheap. I have never seen a PCGS holder. I have read some things that notes should be allowed to breath. Is that true? I think the PMG holder was sealed to air. Could that cause a problem?

Grading Accuracy: From what I have seen, of the top 3, CGA is the most strict (conservative) and PMG the most liberal (PCGS somewhere in between). Is it to ones advantage to get a PMG liberal grading, then one might get a better price when selling (esp on ebay)? Sometimes 1 grade level (64 to 65) can cause the bid to go up by $1000. I know this is sort of a stupid question because the note would be the same -- and selling a misgraded note is a bit like cheating. But on the other hand grading is more of an art than a science.

I would appreciate anyones thoughts or opinions on this.

 

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PMG and PCGS. I think CGA has some issues at the moment.

 

Over all quality and reliability you have to give PCGS the number one
Spot followed closely by PMG in the number two slot as far as CGA
Thay have had way two many internal problems to be reliable therefore
I would not consider buying anything from them!

 

Hey thank you both for posting comments on this. Your comments were helpful! (i didnt know about the problems at cga)

 

To give you a little more information on the problems there a previous
Employee was actually grading his own notes with there logo and
Grading them higher then they actually were, Hence making big
Profits

 

Anyone have any thoughts about RCGS. I own but one note of theirs, but it seems to be graded about right to me. However, my opinion won't count much when it's time to sell.

 

hello

I found this review of RCGS (not too good)

http://reviews.ebay.com/Buying-Graded-Currency-101_W0QQugidZ10000000007923153

however it's just someone's opinion

it is a confusing subject tho

 

Iam a little suspicious about there,s and here,s why Theres a dealer
On e-bay that deals only through that TPG (Third party grader)
Also i have seen several "69",S on the Mpc side that did not make
That grade, If anything these notes are over graded, Hence i would
Not purchase a slabbed note from them, Would only buy from the
Trusted two PCGS or PMG!!:hail:

 

CGA number one TPG!! Thats just funny:vanish:

 

Yes it is confusing, this reviewer did rate CGA number one. I had Googled RCGS and found various reports about them. Then I found some threads that indicated there was a feud going on between several posters, from different sites, and all objectivity seemed to go out the window. Since then I haven't pursued any new information.

 

Yes it does look confusing but your best bet always buy from the
Top two PCGS or PMG, You will get the best bang for your buck

 

I know this thread is a little old but I have another question regarding RCGS as a grading company-
Would you trust this company to tell if a bill is real/forgery?

I have the opportunity to buy a bill graded by this company. I am not even looking at the number on the holder, I can look at the picture and decide what I think the bill is worth. I just want to make sure it is a legitimate bill before offering money. Would you trust this company enough to bid on a bill if the price was right?

 

If your looking at consistent grading i would not recommend them, Also they do not have a registery
Or population report and to top it off the guy grades and sells his own notes talk about a conflict
Of interest!!! i bought two 68,s from this company and then sent them to PCGS both came back
As 66,s talk about overgrading!! I think it,s time to move on to another TPG

 

I understand that the grade they have put on the slab might not be a good indication of the condition of the bill. All I am concerned about is if RCGS is reliable to determine if the bill is real/forgery.

 

If i were you i would still stay clear! Just to many questions and no answers!

 

What type of note is it? If it is a common enough note, I would not be too concerned about authenticity. If it is something more out of the ordinary like a fractional, obsolete, etc. I would be hesitant.

 

For a lively (and sometimes personal) discussion on TPG, see the discussion by our colleagues at CU:

http://forums.collectors.com/messageview.cfm?catid=23&threadid=784041

 

1914 FRN $50 San Francisco

Current bid was quite a bit lower when I first saw it, at the time I thought the auction might end up at a good price. With two days to go I think it will easily go over what I will be willing to pay. I guess there are at least a few people who are comfortable with RCGS. I ended up buying another bill since posting so I don't have the disposable income for this one right now.

 

If the note means anything to your collection, for a few $$$ more, you could send it in to PCGS OR PMG and have your note re-graded. You would do your collection a huge favor. There's nothing wrong with notes graded by other company's, but when you get them, just send 'em in to have their grading done by a company that commands the respect.

 

CGA was purchased about two years ago and the new C.E.O is all about the "MONEY" and to "HECK" with fair and quality grading services for the collecting currency community. Personally I will "NOT" purchase any graded currency from this institution, however that's me. I've been collecting US paper money/ currency for well over 40 years. I would stick with PCGS or PMG, they are well established and trusted by the collecting community (comsat1)