Expert: Jim Lawniczak - 2/26/2008

Question
Hi,I have been collecting the Lincoln pennies and I started to put together a pretty nice collection.They are all slabbed and are from the name above.Is this a respectable grading company?? And how do I find them on the web? I came up empty.I hope you can help me.Thanks,Brian in Seattle.

Answer
Brian, there is great different among the grading services.  The key players are PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service), out of California and NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Corp.) out of New Jersey.  Other known grading services are ANACS and ICG (Independent Coin Grading) out of Denver, as well as PCI out of Tennessee and SEGS out of Ohio.

Here is a cite with a list of many certification services, including the one you mention:  

http://www.allcertifiedcoins.com/coins_slabcompanies.html

Caution should be exercised in dealing with new companies who do not have much information about them and companies that do not give any guaranty.  Hope this helped, Jim Lawniczak