NGC Grading

Discussion in 'Modern Chinese Coins & Medallions' started by smokymcpot, Nov 15, 2012.

  1. smokymcpot

    smokymcpot New Member

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    Hi there, panda lovers!

    Just got a question to ask...

    a) Do most of you avoid MS68 and only go for MS69 and MS70?

    b) OMP or MS68?
     
  2. silverbulldog

    silverbulldog New Member

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    i am a panda lover but no expert on what is best to buy.

    I do buy MS-68 on coins that i do not want to spend for on 69's and 70's.

    for example if i buy something that is semi-rare and i do not have the funds on hand for a 69 i go for a 68 just so i can have one in the collection. Once i have more Panda funds i will pick up OPM's or a 69.

    i like to buy OPM with the chance of getting a 69 or 70.

    when i go to coin shows i only buy OPM and i hand select like a lot of others seem to do.

    At the last coin show i went to i bought several pandas. I found a 1993 in solid condition out of the packaging for $70- i would expect to get a MS-68 when i send it in but this was a chance to pick up a 1993 that i would not normally buy if it was 69 or 70.

    I also picked up 2 1990's out of a group of about 7-8 coins. I got the most prooflike examples i could find with no rub on the heads which you see on a lot of the 1989's and 1990's...btw i paid $75/each

    how about the rest of you Pandacollectors?

    Silverbulldog
     
  3. smokymcpot

    smokymcpot New Member

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    Oh cool.

    I'm from Malaysia and the exchange rate to US is times 3. For me to pay another USD30 or so is RM100 plus already. So that change from MS68 to MS69 might be little in USD but it's alot in RM.

    I normally myself buy OMP's too but I've had bad experience before. A MS68 is supposedly price around the same or a little more than an OMP so I was thinking it'll be better to get a MS68 compared to an OMP.

    Thoughts guys? :)

    P.S Just won my first bid on my first slabbed coin. A MS68 1995 1/2oz SD Ag Panda. One of the rarest 1/2oz Ag pandas.
     
  4. heyimderrick

    heyimderrick Active Member

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    If you cannot examine an OMP coin in person, and aren't buying from someone you trust, it is likely better to buy the coin already graded.

    OMP condition can vary significantly. Some of the older capsules are prone to degrading coins through rubbing, air leaks, etc. An OMP on eBay may look terrific and then you get it just to find rubs/spots that don't show up in the photos and weren't disclosed. If my only choice was to buy an OMP or MS68 and prices were pretty similar, I would probably go for the MS68, because then I know what I am getting.

    Grading coins is a gamble, you can never be sure of what you're going to get.

    My suggestion when buying OMP is to ask for a description of any flaws if there is no disclosure about condition given.

    Without being able to examine in person, or buy from a trusted source, I would assume most OMPs floating around are MS67.

    This is just my opinion. I've had around 100+ coins graded by NGC.
     
  5. silverbulldog

    silverbulldog New Member

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    congrats on picking up the 1995 1/2oz SD Ag Panda.

    I am a bit of a stacker as well as collector so i find myself leaning toward the 1oz and 5oz Panda's however i bought 4- 1/4oz Pandas from the 2007 Set and got them in today. Smaller pandas are so cool. i wish i had the loot to go and complete a half oz set which i will get to later on.

    From my experience my MS-68's are all really nice coins and i believe in a few years they will continue going up. They might not go up at quickly as 69's and 70's but they will go up.

    Silverbulldog
     
  6. low

    low New Member

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    Just saying, if you are very picky type of collector, you might still find fault with the very nice 68 or even 69 coin, under strong light, and a good loupe.

    Sometimes it could just be some tiny hairline that is very difficult to detect under normal lighting that prevent the coin from grading higher.

    Very nice under normal lighting could means very ugly under strong lighting. The bigger size the coin is, the easier to detect the flaw. It all really depends on what you want to get.
     
  7. smokymcpot

    smokymcpot New Member

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    Hmm, I'm not sure whether I'm picky or not. Haha.

    I'm quite happy with a decent looking panda without marks (head rubs), spots or tones.I don't expect my OMP's to be of MS70 quaity.
     
  8. smokymcpot

    smokymcpot New Member

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    Hmm, oh how I wish I could afford MS69's and 70's. So the question now is, get a rarer coin at a lower grade (MS68) or a more common coin at a higher grade (MS69 & 70) ;)
     
  9. heyimderrick

    heyimderrick Active Member

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    Don't buy coins willy nilly. Make a plan and allocate your money to that plan. Older pandas are definitely going to offer better long-term gains because they are rare and the quality of the OMP coins available on the market seems to be decreasing. New pandas are a bullion play, they have a small premium but every time the mintage increases you should expect lower and slower price appreciation. I'd rather have lower grade key date pandas than MS70 2010, 11, 12, 13 + pandas. You're working on your 1/2 oz. silver panda set right now... finish that off with the nicest coins you can afford and move on to your next target acquisition. The 1/2 oz. silver pandas are going to be a great collection piece in the long run I think.
     
  10. fishball

    fishball New Member Silver Stacker

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    For a),

    Most of my coins are 69. I have more 70s than 68s (~2:1 ratio).

    I don't actively avoid 68s but I buy 69s as they are mostly cheap and affordable enough (ie. not pagodas or $5000 coins).

    For b),

    Imo OMP. Yes it is a 'gamble' as the coin may be a shitty MS66 but there are still many purist collectors who love OMP and would pay 69 prices for OMP coins. I try to balance it out by having both graded and OMPs somewhere to cater to both sides.

    There are some particular sets which warrant OMP, especially those with pretty display cases/boxes etc. I have kept wooden boxes and associated OMP MCC together because they are 'a set' and getting them slabbed detracts them from that slightly.

    Having said that I do have Munich graded Pandas which have a box/COA.

    Personally I like both graded and OMP but I can totally see where the purists come from (& likewise the graded preferred guys) and there are definitely collectors of all sorts throughout the world each with their own ideology.

    TL;DR: There is no 'correct' way to collecting Pandas or anything really. Make a judgement call & if the coin looks shit on eBay then it's probably not worth buying regardless of it being graded or OMP.
     
  11. smokymcpot

    smokymcpot New Member

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    Hmm, I don't know why but I think I have this inner OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) thing that it feels weird to have half of my 1/2oz collection in OMP while a few graded :p
     
  12. heyimderrick

    heyimderrick Active Member

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    Make a set of graded and a set of OMP and then you have the best of both worlds.
     
  13. smokymcpot

    smokymcpot New Member

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    Lol. Another question. Given the choice you can choose 2 x 1 oz NGC MS68 panda or 1 NGC MS69 panda, which will you get and why?
     
  14. tamo42

    tamo42 New Member

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    I'd go with the 69. If you are buying for investment purposes, grades matter. 70s will outperform 69s, and 69s will outperform 68s.

    If you are buying for personal enjoyment and never plan to sell, get whatever you like :).
     
  15. smokymcpot

    smokymcpot New Member

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    Oh cool, my purpose is collecting come investing :)
    Sadly can't really afford MS69, only MS68 or OMP so I opted for MS68. Only a few coins which are cheap I have in MS69. The rest mostly OMPs.
     
  16. low

    low New Member

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    Buy the panda book from Mr. Peter Anthony and subscribe to his pricepedia before your buy your next coin!

    You will learn many, many things from his pricepedia before people start to talk about them.
     

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