Buying Slabbed COINS on Ebay???  BEWARE!!!!!!!!!!!

I am revising, again, my ratings of graders for old Silver Commemoratives.  These are the rare and intriguing coins minted from 1892 to 1955.  Commemoratives would not, again, be minted until 1982.  Although the new commemoratives were produced to considerably higher quality standards, they have been consistently minted in huge volumes.   This has lead to coins that often sell for less than what one paid for them.  Back to the subject....This guide's ratings are Only for the old commemoratives.  My revised ratings are below. 

Warning you are not protected by buying a slabbed coin.  There are grading companies who share their address (if not more) with the companies that sell the graded coins.  Do a little surfing and see if they don't have the same owners or share the same management.  This is a major conflict of interest!!!!  These companies are here on Ebay!!!!

How do you know which slabs  to avoid when on Ebay?  Do a search using the name of the grading company.  If there seems to be only one or 2 companies using this grading company, beware, investigate, be wise.

Acceptable companies can be found by searching the web.  A quick look at the "greysheet" might be helpful. 

Also...Note that ICG is quite respected, although I have seen many Ebay guides saying to beware of this company.  Please let me know of any bad experiences with ICG slabs.  I have some bad experiences with PCGS, but the difference is only (1) grade....nothing like what else is out there!

Now... my list of best graders by personal experience.  Check each companies guarantee, but remember... if they graded wrong the 1st time, a regrade may be no better.  IMPORTANT- this is based ONLY on buying US silver commemoratives (the old stuff) and looking at thousands of scans on Ebay.  All companies listed were also part of a independent survey (IS) of coin dealers.  These are the non-unacceptable companies according to the survey.  Although a couple were graded poor, they were NOT unacceptable.  If they are not on my list, they were graded UNACCEPTABLE or were excluded altogether from the survey: 

#1.  ANACS - less consistent, but by experience undergrades!, especially in high grades!  This is a buyer's delight!!!! (my favorite, but rated only acceptable by Independent Survey (IS))

#2  NGC - most consistent grading.  (Rated Superior by IS)

#3  SEGS - (Do not, and I mean DO NOT confuse this company with SGS) I hope I am not premature with this rating.  The scans and coins I have bought, have truly delighted and surprised me.  Another underrated ANACS? (rated only poor by IS)

#4  PCGS - Usually dead on, but sometimes overgrades (1 grade) and saw one scan that looked like 3-4.  I think this is why dealers rank them so high (Rated Superior by those dealers in the IS)!   Buyers be cautious with PCGS for old commems.  The old rattler slabs are an exception.  I understand you can often resubmit these to PCGS for a higher grade.  Maybe this is why... I rate them POOR for commems, but that is still superior compared to the garbage that is out there on Ebay!!!!!!!!!

#6 PCI - After a string of good luck with PCI, the string broke.  Of the last 3 mint state coins purchased in a PCI slab 2 have been cleaned, and one was overgraded by 1 grade.  The cleaned coins should lose several grades.  I recommend caution with PCI.  Ask a lot of questions, if you are not viewing the coin in person. (rated only poor by IS - now I see why)

ICG - Supposed to be a very competent grader, but I have seen only a handful of commem scans.  My first ICG slabbed coins was dead on. (rated acceptable by IS) 

ALL OTHERS IN THE SURVEY WERE RATED UNACCEPTABLE  - REMEMBER THIS.....AND IF THEY WEREN"T IN THE SURVEY, THERE MIGHT BE A REASON?????????????????

Please let me know of any errors....good luck bidding!!!!!!!