About Dan Moore Expertise My strong familiarity with all U.S. Mint coins, extensive reference library,
and close relationships with many other dealers allows me to identify just
about any coin made in the USA. I receive regular updates to all the current
price guides -- both wholesale & retail -- to provide accurate values. So,
with a good description or pictures, I should be able to identify and value
any U.S. coin you have.
Experience I've been a coin dealer since the 1980's and a coin collector since the 1960's. I specialize in U.S. Silver Coins and have an active online website -- The Working Man's Rare Coins -- http://www.workingmancoins.com -- offering information and inventory in U.S. coins.
Organizations I belong to :
American Numismatic Association Member #187770
Michigan State Numismatic Society Member #8255
Florida United Numismatics Member #19710
Monroe Coin Club Treasurer
Lincoln Coin Club Board Member
WINS Member #14
CoinMasters Member #1814
Frequently Asked Questions :
I have created a Frequently Asked Questions page on my website, where you may be able to get an immediate answer to your question. You can find the page here : http://www.workingmancoins.com/FAQ/index.htm
Question A reputable coin dealer is offering a 2009 $1 silver eagle,ms70,ICG, for $75. They also offer another 2009 $1 silver eagle,ms70,NGC brown tag, for $125. Why would there be such a price difference for 2 "perfect" coins? Also, what does brown tag mean, and would you recommend one as the better investment? Thanks very much.
Answer Bill,
There are 3 basic tiers for pricing these MS-70 and PR-70 coins :
PCGS = the highest value
NGC = second highest
and then there's everybody else's slabs.
When you go to resell these modern high-grade coins, you will see that the best money is paid for the PCGS slabs, then a bit less for the NGC slabs, then whatever for any other slab.
This is due to the reputation and conservative grading of PCGS (and to a lesser extent NGC) when compared to all the other coin grading services. It's MUCH more difficult to get a MS-70 grade from PCGS than it is from any other grading service. They are much more stringent in their grading standards, so it's more likely that you will actually have a MS-70 quality coin in a PCGS slab than any other company's slab.
There are many companies out there that will throw a MS-70 or PR-70 grade on a coin, it seems like sometimes without even looking at the coin. I've seen some really unbelievable stuff in 3rd tier slabs. And the prices charged for the different slabs reflect this.
I don't know what that "brown tag" means -- must be something new -- but I wouldn't put much value into it.
I cannot recommend either slab as an investment -- it's not something I would invest my money into. I think these high grade modern coins are over-rated and I cannot see them holding their value over the long term.
