PCGS vs NGC: a side-by-side look at the two coin graders

Published Oct 23, 2026

By GoldGuy. Updated Oct 25, 2026.

PCGS (founded 1986) and NGC (founded 1987) both grade coins on the 1-70 Sheldon scale, seal them in tamper-evident holders and back their grades with a guarantee. They differ in fee tiers, membership rules, holder security features and add-on services. Neither is objectively better; compare current fees and verify every cert number.

Bullion Price Check compares publicly listed bullion prices. It doesn't grade, submit, buy or sell coins and has no affiliate or business relationship with any grading service. PCGS and NGC are trademarks of their respective owners. Bullion Price Check is not affiliated with or endorsed by either. We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this site. How we earn money. Fees and turnaround times below were read from each grader's pages on Oct 23, 2026; check them before you submit.

PCGS vs NGC at a glance

Published facts, not a ranking; links go to each grader's own pages, checked Oct 23, 2026.

What are PCGS and NGC?

Both are third-party graders: they authenticate a coin, grade it and seal it in a labeled plastic holder (a “slab”) with a unique certification number.

What does PCGS stand for?

Professional Coin Grading Service. PCGS says it began serving the coin-buying public on February 3, 1986, with a grading guarantee and tamper-evident holders (PCGS story, checked Oct 23, 2026).

What does NGC stand for?

Numismatic Guaranty Company. That is the name NGC uses on its current site (About NGC, checked Oct 23, 2026), and its guarantee names the U.S. entity as Provenance NGC LLC d/b/a Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC Guarantee, checked Oct 23, 2026). Older NGC pages, such as a 2016 archived copy, used “Numismatic Guaranty Corporation” (archived NGC page, 2016). NGC says it was established in 1987 (NGC coin buying guide, checked Oct 23, 2026).

Is PCGS legit? Is NGC legit?

Both are long-established graders that publish their standards and guarantee terms and run public cert lookups. NGC states that it and its full-time graders do not buy and sell coins commercially (NGC, checked Oct 23, 2026), and PCGS says it does not buy, sell, value or appraise coins (PCGS FAQ, checked Oct 23, 2026). A legitimate grader doesn't make every slab genuine: counterfeit holders exist for both.

How do their grading standards compare?

Both use the 70-point Sheldon scale, which PCGS notes Dr. William Sheldon developed in 1948 (PCGS, checked Oct 23, 2026); NGC says it adopted the scale when it began operations in 1987 (NGC grading scale, checked Oct 23, 2026). In short, 70 is the top grade and 60 and above means uncirculated.

Plus and Star. PCGS added Plus (+) grades to its standard services in 2010 (PCGS news, Aug 2, 2010, checked Oct 23, 2026); only XF-45 through MS/PR-68 are eligible (PCGS grades, checked Oct 23, 2026). NGC uses a Plus (+) for coins at the high end of their grade, available from XF 45 to MS 68 and PF 45 to PF 68, and a Star (★) for exceptional eye appeal (NGC grading scale, checked Oct 23, 2026).

Problem coins. Cleaned, scratched or damaged coins usually can't get a numeric grade. NGC gives them an NGC Details grade: a wear grade plus a description of the problem on the label (NGC Details grading, checked Oct 23, 2026). PCGS says it encapsulates some problem coins as “Genuine” without grading them (PCGS, checked Oct 23, 2026).

Grading is an expert opinion, and the same coin can receive different grades. If you think a grade is wrong, each guarantee describes your recourse.

How much do PCGS and NGC charge?

Both charge a per-coin fee by declared value and tier, plus handling per submission, shipping and, where required, a membership. For the full walkthrough, see our step-by-step coin submission guide.

We don't list PCGS's per-coin fees. Its full price list at pcgs.com/services matches its fee schedule dated Aug 1, 2026; the summary on /services/fees shows different figures.

Sources, checked Oct 23, 2026: PCGS fee schedule dated Aug 1, 2026 (PDF), PCGS How to Submit, NGC Services and Fees, Join NGC. Shipping is extra at both.

Is PCGS or NGC cheaper?

At the time of writing (Oct 23, 2026), NGC's Economy tier was $25 per coin and its Modern tier $20. For PCGS, see its full price list. Tier definitions differ (value caps, eligible coins, included extras), and so do membership prices, so the total depends on how many coins you send and what they are worth.

Turnaround times

Both publish estimates and neither guarantees them. PCGS: Turnaround times vary by service tier; see PCGS's services page for current estimates. NGC: NGC listed 7 (Express, WalkThrough) to 60 (Modern, Economy) working days for U.S. coins (NGC, checked Oct 23, 2026).

Holder security: how to tell each slab is genuine

PCGS. PCGS says that as of October 2020 NFC technology is included in all its coin and banknote holders. Tapping a phone to the holder opens PCGS Cert Verification. The plastic also contains an inert additive that readers given to select PCGS Authorized Dealers can detect (PCGS Security, checked Oct 23, 2026).

NGC. In July 2023 NGC introduced a hologram, fused to the back of the holder, with a QR code and an eight-digit security code unique to the coin, starting with select bulk submissions to its Sarasota office; NGC said it would expand it to all submissions at its Sarasota, London, Munich, Shanghai and Hong Kong offices. Scanning the QR code opens that coin in NGC's verification tool (NGC, Jul 25, 2023, checked Oct 23, 2026). NGC says it has imaged nearly every coin it has graded since October 2008 (NGC Security Center, checked Oct 23, 2026).

For the full checklist, read how to check a slab is genuine.

Can you cross a coin from PCGS to NGC (or back)?

Yes, in both directions. NGC's CrossOver service reviews PCGS-holdered coins. By default NGC only reholders a coin if it would get the same or a higher grade than PCGS gave it; you can write ANY to accept a lower numeric grade, or DETAILS to accept an NGC Details grade. You can't ask for a minimum above the PCGS grade, and fees aren't refunded if NGC doesn't encapsulate the coin (NGC fees: CrossOver, checked Oct 23, 2026). PCGS lists Crossover among its submission types for coins graded by other companies (PCGS services, checked Oct 23, 2026). Nobody can promise a crossover result.

What about ANACS, CAC and ICG?

ANACS began in 1972 as the American Numismatic Association Certification Service (About ANACS, checked Oct 23, 2026).

CAC Grading (CACG), set up in 2022 alongside CAC's stickering service, grades on the 1-70 Sheldon scale (CAC Grading, checked Oct 23, 2026).

ICG (Independent Coin Graders) says it has graded coins since 1998 and doesn't require a membership (ICG, checked Oct 23, 2026).

PMG (Paper Money Guaranty) grades paper money, not coins. NGC lists it as an independent affiliate in the same Certified Collectibles Group (NGC terms, checked Oct 23, 2026); see pmgnotes.com.

Does grading matter for bullion coins?

Random-year Silver and Gold Eagles, Maple Leafs and Krugerrands mostly trade on metal value plus a dealer premium (premium over spot, explained). Grading adds a fee per coin, so it tends to pay off only when the grade adds more than the fee.

For silver dollars, start with Morgan dollar melt value today before deciding a coin is worth grading.

So which should you choose?

1. Fees for your coin's value tier. Compare the tier your declared value falls in, plus handling and membership.
2. Turnaround. Check the current estimates, and remember they aren't guaranteed.
3. Services you need: varieties, special labels, imaging, crossover rules.
4. Where you plan to sell. Ask the dealer or auction house you expect to use which holders their buyers prefer. If a dealer quotes you against a price guide, read what dealer wholesale bids mean.
5. Verification. Whatever you choose, check every cert number on the grader's own site.

All grader and third-party pages linked above were checked on Oct 23, 2026. Spotted an error? Email hello@bullionpricecheck.com.

FAQ

Is PCGS or NGC better?

Neither is objectively better. Both grade on the 1-70 Sheldon scale and guarantee their grades. Compare current fees, turnaround and services for your coin, and ask where you plan to sell which holder buyers there prefer.

What does PCGS stand for?

PCGS stands for Professional Coin Grading Service. It began grading coins in 1986.

What does NGC stand for?

NGC stands for Numismatic Guaranty Company. It was founded in 1987.

Is PCGS or NGC cheaper?

It depends on the coin's value tier and the services you add. Both publish per-coin fees plus a handling fee per submission; check each grader's current fee page before you submit.

How does a PCGS to NGC crossover work?

You send the PCGS-holdered coin to NGC's CrossOver service. By default NGC only reholders it at the same or a higher grade; you can accept a lower grade instead. Fees are not refunded if NGC does not reholder the coin, so check NGC's current rules first.

How can I tell if a PCGS or NGC slab is real?

Enter the certification number on the grader's own website and compare the photos, grade and description with the coin. PCGS has included an NFC chip in all its holders since October 2020, and NGC began adding a hologram with a QR code in July 2023, so older holders may have neither.