CGS Trial

[Peter 615]

I have this little bulllet that CGS said Verdigras...WHAT? that was at the Midland 8 years ago...

http://www.colincooke.com/coinpages/ccc_victcopperissue.html

messed up there it was the 1855 farthing

Just seen the date...BEWARE.

Edited March 15, 2013 by Peter

[Paulus 1,942]

I received the coins back yesterday (21st March). Overall I am happy with their service, although it took slightly longer from start to finish than I was hoping, if not expecting - a 43 day turn around - to be fair, one of the 8 coins were in the 30-90 day bracket, while the other 7 were in the 30 day bracket (this is based on the submitter's valuation of the coins, anything sub-£200 (price paid not Spink or other value) qualifying for the £11.99 fee but the 30-90 processing time, £200-£2000 is £19.99 and 30 days).

I have phoned their offices a couple of times and got straight through to speak with one of the graders on each occasion, who remembered me and my coins and was happy to chat - so that was a good experience and not one I would expect from a much bigger US TPG.

So the next stage is to see what I will realise from the coins I want to sell, for reasons of having upgraded and/or change of focus. I intended to sell 6 of the 8, and 3 have already been sold privately, a good result all round and better (for me) than I would have got on eBay, I'm sure, unless unbelievably patient!

So the remaining 3 will be offered to Forum members in the first instance, and I will then consider where to place any still unsold - please see the Items For Sale section soon if interested!

As usual, all and any comments welcome!

[azda 973]

Paul i think you'll find that CGS graded Coins will sell fairly quick (my experience anyway) I'm now worried though what my Nirthumberland shilling will grade as (bought as EF(

[TomGoodheart 373]

The recent debate on CGS on this thread (and the other thread) has been prompting a rethink by CGS itself that will become apparent in due course.

Sounds good Bill. Companies need to be responsive to their customers and potential customers and if that happens then this has been a very useful debate here. Not that it wasn't interesting already, but I suspect there are few other places than here where you can 'meet' as many experienced collectors of British coinage, possible BANS apart. And certainly being able to hear views over ... how long have these threads been going ... just under a month? The opportunity to see people's views develop (and in some cases change), where points are raised and discussed and coins looked at and compared, would be difficult to duplicate in any other format, so I just wanted to offer my thanks go to everyone who's contributed.

And if that sounded like me trying to wind up a thread, not so! Please do go on everyone! I'll be interested to hear more about CGS 'rethink' too, in due course.

[azda 973]

If CGS wish to improve then like any company they should Listen to constructive comments, it would be silly not to. My only critisism is why it takes so long to post bacj, Stuart mentioned it was another month before he got his back.

Surely they can post at least once week if the Coins are slabbed?

[Paulus 1,942]

If CGS wish to improve then like any company they should Listen to constructive comments, it would be silly not to. My only critisism is why it takes so long to post bacj, Stuart mentioned it was another month before he got his back.

Surely they can post at least once week if the Coins are slabbed?

I agree, I don't think it is acceptable to delay posting once the grading/slabbing process is completed, after all we prepay SD postage.

In my case I received them 2 days after they were marked as 'Completed', so that was good.

[azda 973]

If CGS wish to improve then like any company they should Listen to constructive comments, it would be silly not to. My only critisism is why it takes so long to post bacj, Stuart mentioned it was another month before he got his back.

Surely they can post at least once week if the Coins are slabbed?

I agree, I don't think it is acceptable to delay posting once the grading/slabbing process is completed, after all we prepay SD postage.

In my case I received them 2 days after they were marked as 'Completed', so that was good.

The one i sent was finalised last week and still waiting on it

[Nick 325]

This would be much better: have a range of numbers from - e.g. - 60 to 70 that is the EF grade, and assign the two or three numbers before it to AEF, i.e. 58 - 59. So VF would run from 50 - 57, AEF would be 58 and 59, "just EF but no more" would be 60, and so on. There is absolutely NO good reason why CGS shouldn't adopt something like this as they've now incorporated AUNC into their system.

Totally agree! It's impossible to not just read VF, the psychology of it is just too much...especially so if you've sent the raw coin off! It would make good business sense for CGS to make this change (maybe one for you to feed back, Bill?)! My point being, would Paulus use CGS again? Would I? CGS won't have compromised their tough standards in adopting the above suggestion!

I don't know why they bother with the grade prefixes at all. Why not just stick with the percentages as a measure. Then those who think that a 70 is an EF and those who think it is an AU can both be happy.

That's another excellent idea. Isn't that what the Sheldon scale does?

Looks like CGS were listening This is what they are going to do.

[Peckris 579]

This would be much better: have a range of numbers from - e.g. - 60 to 70 that is the EF grade, and assign the two or three numbers before it to AEF, i.e. 58 - 59. So VF would run from 50 - 57, AEF would be 58 and 59, "just EF but no more" would be 60, and so on. There is absolutely NO good reason why CGS shouldn't adopt something like this as they've now incorporated AUNC into their system.

Totally agree! It's impossible to not just read VF, the psychology of it is just too much...especially so if you've sent the raw coin off! It would make good business sense for CGS to make this change (maybe one for you to feed back, Bill?)! My point being, would Paulus use CGS again? Would I? CGS won't have compromised their tough standards in adopting the above suggestion!

I don't know why they bother with the grade prefixes at all. Why not just stick with the percentages as a measure. Then those who think that a 70 is an EF and those who think it is an AU can both be happy.

That's another excellent idea. Isn't that what the Sheldon scale does?

Looks like CGS were listening This is what they are going to do.

YAY. CGS - "Customer Gratification Sought".

[Rob 3,002]

A couple of varieties to finish.

#7 CGS UIN 25581

Bought as a B/E Sixpence from the London Coin Fair, but CGS so far not attributing it as such.

I'm not convinced either so far. Putting it under the microscope produced this, which can be compared with an outlined B.

Edited April 3, 2013 by Rob

[Rob 3,002]

If an underlying E is present, I would think it ought to be in this position. The large raised loop on the bottom I think is a repair job. Thoughts please, particularly anyne who has a number of Exeter sixpences so that we can see if the punch is a single one or if the E is made up of 4 straight lines or L plus 2 straight etc.

Paul, I will delay getting it back to you in case someone wants an additional image or two.

Edited April 3, 2013 by Rob

[Rob 3,002]

That drew a lot of interest - not. In the post.

[Paulus 1,942]

That drew a lot of interest - not. In the post.

Thanks Rob!

[Coinery 926]

That drew a lot of interest - not. In the post.

It's really strange how different threads show on the forum. I always click 'view new content,' and generally read everything before clicking 'view new content' again (to check for posts added whilst I was reading), before finally marking all as read! You'd think that would have me seeing everything, however, even with this approach I still stumble upon significant threads - which have had endless responses, which I should have picked up on with my method - that have just passed me by! Very weird!

With your zoomed photography, I couldn't say underlying E. It looks more like a partially clogged B to me. Has the B/E every been clearly recorded?

[Peckris 579]

That drew a lot of interest - not. In the post.

It's really strange how different threads show on the forum. I always click 'view new content,' and generally read everything before clicking 'view new content' again (to check for posts added whilst I was reading), before finally marking all as read! You'd think that would have me seeing everything, however, even with this approach I still stumble upon significant threads - which have had endless responses, which I should have picked up on with my method - that have just passed me by! Very weird!

With your zoomed photography, I couldn't say underlying E. It looks more like a partially clogged B to me. Has the B/E every been clearly recorded?

Interesting approach. I dive into each forum that has the "New posts" dark folder. Then within that, I dive into each topic that has the gold "New posts" folder. That way I should be able to see everything. And if I leave a topic and someone has been adding a new post, it shows gold again, so I can look again.

[Coinery 926]

That drew a lot of interest - not. In the post.

It's really strange how different threads show on the forum. I always click 'view new content,' and generally read everything before clicking 'view new content' again (to check for posts added whilst I was reading), before finally marking all as read! You'd think that would have me seeing everything, however, even with this approach I still stumble upon significant threads - which have had endless responses, which I should have picked up on with my method - that have just passed me by! Very weird!

With your zoomed photography, I couldn't say underlying E. It looks more like a partially clogged B to me. Has the B/E every been clearly recorded?

Interesting approach. I dive into each forum that has the "New posts" dark folder. Then within that, I dive into each topic that has the gold "New posts" folder. That way I should be able to see everything. And if I leave a topic and someone has been adding a new post, it shows gold again, so I can look again.

So there really IS more than one way to skin a cat!

Will give your approach the once-over tomorrow!

[davidrj 194]

That drew a lot of interest - not. In the post.

It's really strange how different threads show on the forum. I always click 'view new content,' and generally read everything before clicking 'view new content' again (to check for posts added whilst I was reading), before finally marking all as read! You'd think that would have me seeing everything, however, even with this approach I still stumble upon significant threads - which have had endless responses, which I should have picked up on with my method - that have just passed me by! Very weird!

With your zoomed photography, I couldn't say underlying E. It looks more like a partially clogged B to me. Has the B/E every been clearly recorded?

Interesting approach. I dive into each forum that has the "New posts" dark folder. Then within that, I dive into each topic that has the gold "New posts" folder. That way I should be able to see everything. And if I leave a topic and someone has been adding a new post, it shows gold again, so I can look again.

So there really IS more than one way to skin a cat!

Will give your approach the once-over tomorrow!

I just click on the "show new content" when I log in; and click "mark all items as read" before I log out

[Rob 3,002]

I just look and see which entries have appeared since I was last on. I just tried view new content for the first time and it included a post of mine - so clearly not that new as it is reasonable to assume I read my post at the time.

[Peckris 579]

I just look and see which entries have appeared since I was last on. I just tried view new content for the first time and it included a post of mine - so clearly not that new as it is reasonable to assume I read my post at the time.

That sounds like my approach - you use the "darker coloured folders" method, i.e. the ones that show new content?

[Rob 3,002]

I just look and see which entries have appeared since I was last on. I just tried view new content for the first time and it included a post of mine - so clearly not that new as it is reasonable to assume I read my post at the time.

That sounds like my approach - you use the "darker coloured folders" method, i.e. the ones that show new content?

No, I just look at the dates as I did with this one. I've never stopped to work out what all the various symbols and colours mean.

[Gary1000 41]

I just look and see which entries have appeared since I was last on. I just tried view new content for the first time and it included a post of mine - so clearly not that new as it is reasonable to assume I read my post at the time.

That sounds like my approach - you use the "darker coloured folders" method, i.e. the ones that show new content?

No, I just look at the dates as I did with this one. I've never stopped to work out what all the various symbols and colours mean.

Same ere, wot colors

[Peckris 579]

I just look and see which entries have appeared since I was last on. I just tried view new content for the first time and it included a post of mine - so clearly not that new as it is reasonable to assume I read my post at the time.

That sounds like my approach - you use the "darker coloured folders" method, i.e. the ones that show new content?

No, I just look at the dates as I did with this one. I've never stopped to work out what all the various symbols and colours mean.

Same ere, wot colors

A forum with no new posts has a pale blue folder, which goes dark blue when there's new posts. Within a forum, topics which have new posts are dark gold in colour. I just click on the dark folders/topics.

[azda 973]

I never thought to ask this question, and it's directed to Paulus. When you went to view CGS at work, how many coins were they assesing in a day? I'm asking because of 2 things, 1 is their new turnaround times from May for the 23.99 for 30-90 day turnaround (previously 30 day) I'm assuming this is because of comments from this forum and maybe other forums about their 30 day turnaround which by the looks of things NEVER happens, so upping the turnaround times to 30-90 days will cover their asses, but i think it will also piss off a majority of people who want their coins returned in a maximum of 30 days.

The 2nd reason i ask is because my 2 coins have been sitting on level II grading for 10 days now, one from the 20th March and the other since 26th March, so in theory the 1st coin has 10 days left to get back to me, but they must finialise the grade and slab the coin. The last time a coin of mine was in the "finalise grade stage" it took 10 days and a phonecall to get past that stage, so i doubt i'll see my coins in the 30 day turnaround which is f*****g annoying considering you pay for a service and you're not quite getting that service.

[Coinery 926]

I never thought to ask this question, and it's directed to Paulus. When you went to view CGS at work, how many coins were they assesing in a day? I'm asking because of 2 things, 1 is their new turnaround times from May for the 23.99 for 30-90 day turnaround (previously 30 day) I'm assuming this is because of comments from this forum and maybe other forums about their 30 day turnaround which by the looks of things NEVER happens, so upping the turnaround times to 30-90 days will cover their asses, but i think it will also piss off a majority of people who want their coins returned in a maximum of 30 days.

The 2nd reason i ask is because my 2 coins have been sitting on level II grading for 10 days now, one from the 20th March and the other since 26th March, so in theory the 1st coin has 10 days left to get back to me, but they must finialise the grade and slab the coin. The last time a coin of mine was in the "finalise grade stage" it took 10 days and a phonecall to get past that stage, so i doubt i'll see my coins in the 30 day turnaround which is f*****g annoying considering you pay for a service and you're not quite getting that service.

Even with the slightest possibility that a coin could have a 90 day turnaround is curtains for any further submissions from me!

Even if there is a slight advantage in sale-price, it'll be less than the profit made from turning the cash over twice in that 90 days!

Rubbish performance, and a shame given the slight improvement in credibility that Bill has just given them.

Edited April 9, 2013 by Coinery

[TomGoodheart 373]

Interesting point Dave. See, if I was submitting a coin for grading, it would be irritating if it wasn't back promptly (because I'd probably be doing it to sell) but in the end it would be no big loss.

But for someone that deals in coins, well stock that is unavailable is losing potential revenue, isn't it? So I can't imagine dealers being very keen to submit much stock for grading at a time, to avoid it all being in some limbo where it can't be sold at the same time.

But part of the turnaround problem seems to be that they need staff, which costs, which requires people to request gradings. So if they could shorten the turnaround, maybe they would get more business and ....

.. in other words, apparently increasing the wait time seems like a fairly poor business strategy to me.