The Costs Associated with Having a Coin Graded
You’ve just found a 1921 Peace Dollar, which looks like it’s in perfect condition. Is it rare? What grade is it? Do you keep it in a sock drawer and forget about it, or do you get it graded? Once you know its grade, do you plan to pass it along to your children or sell it for a profit?
Coin grading, also known as slabbing, encapsulating, and holdering, gives us an idea of what condition it is in on a scale from 1 to 70. Grading is performed by a third party, and while there are more than a few coin-grading organizations in the United States, PCGS and NGC are two of the most trusted authorities.
The cost to grade your coin depends on many factors. For our purposes, we will focus on the top two grading services, NGC and PCGS. Let’s break these down by grading service since their pricing is not identical.
For all intents and purposes, we will be listing the price for services offered in the United States. Please be aware that if you live outside of the U.S., there may be an additional cost for services and longer turnaround times. It’s also important to note that APMEX does not provide these services, nor are we able to influence PCGS and NGC’s grading services or their prices. The information below is accurate at the time of writing, but is subject to change as all things are.
Costs Associated with an NGC Grade for Your Coin
Coin grading is available to NGC Members only. There are free membership plans available, but for grading submissions, an Associate account is required for $25 per year.
If you are already an American Numismatic Association member, your NGC membership is free. Membership for coin grading is offered on three tiers. The Associate tier benefits include 10% off select add-on services, and the other two tiers come with a $150 credit and other discounts and benefits.
NGC has a fee of $10 for all submissions. The standard grading cost for U.S. or world coins up to $3,000 in value is $40 per coin and has a 16-day turnaround. Express grading for the same coin is $80 with a 5-day turnaround.
If you are not in a hurry, there is an Economy tier for coins valued at $300 or less. In the Economy tier, non-Gold coins struck before 1990 can be graded for $23 with a turnaround of 35 days. NGC also offers a multitude of other services, including an array of holder options, re-grading services, metallurgic analysis, and more.
It is worth noting that these costs do not include return shipping, which is available from FedEx at a cost between $28-$150, depending on the service you select and the value of your coin(s).
The Bottom Line – Costs for NGC to Grade Your Coin
If you select all available economy options and your coin is worth less than $300, you can get a grade from NGC for a minimum of $86. Not all coins will be eligible for this costprice, and you may want to take advantage of some of the other services NGC offers, which they charge a reasonable fee for.
Costs Associated with a PCGS Grade for Your Coin
PCGS has a handling fee of $10 for each submission. Like NGC, PCGS offers grading services to members of the Collectors Club. The price of a PCGS membership at the Silver level is $69 and includes no grading vouchers.
Two other tiers of membership, Gold and Platinum, are available from PCGS, and both membership costs include several grading vouchers.
PCGS grading is likewise structured into tiers. Regular grading, available for coins worth $2,500 and less, costs $38 and has a turnaround estimate of about 50 business days. Express grading for coins worth less than $10,000 costs $65 and has an estimated turnaround time of 15 business days.
PCGS also offers an economy tier for coin grading, with a $22 price on coins valued at $300 or less, and an estimated turnaround time of 70 business days. As with NGC, PCGS costs do not include return shipping, which can range from $22 to $150, depending on the value of your coin(s).
The Bottom Line – Costs for PCGS to Grade Your Coin
The total cost for grading from PCGS can be as low as $123 for one coin worth less than $300. Not all coins will be eligible for this lowest cost, and PCGS offers many other services you may want to take advantage of.
Important things to keep in mind
A higher grade, like an MS-68, does not always mean your coin is worth more. The value is determined by some of the factors discussed here, like the grade, in addition to the scarcity or availability of the coin, the metal content of the coin, and how much a dealer or buyer is willing to pay for your coin.
