What is the UK equivalent to the US PCGS MS70 silver coins?

[gavin15]

Been researching a lot and I cannot find this information anywhere. I have mainly been buying from American exchanges which sell MS70's. I would love to add some Britannia's  to my collection with some seeing as I am from the UK.

Thanks for you help and sorry if I have been naïve in my question.  I am very new to this precious metal game.

 

Thanks

 

Gavin

[Clockpuncher]

12 minutes ago, gavin15 said:

Been researching a lot and I cannot find this information anywhere. I have mainly been buying from American exchanges which sell MS70's. I would love to add some Britannia's  to my collection with some seeing as I am from the UK.

Thanks for you help and sorry if I have been naïve in my question.  I am very new to this precious metal game.

 

Thanks

 

Gavin

PCGS and NGC are the two main grading companies. They are independent from the various mints and grade coins according to their own scale.

Proof coins are given a ‘PR/PF’ prefix and a numerical grade with 70 being the top.

Uncirculated/bullion coins are given a ‘mint state’ ie MS grade with 70 being the top.

It’s perfectly possible to get MS70 Britannias (either buying second hand or grading your own) - they are just Royal Mint Britannias which have been graded and encapsulated by one of the two major firms. Expect to pay up though…!

 

p.s. there are other minor grading firms. Typically best avoided as they are nowhere near as widely recognised.

Edited August 5, 2021 by Clockpuncher

[ChrisSilver]

PCGS and NGC are the two largest grading companies and the two most well respected / well known. There are other smaller grading companies but many collectors prefer just these two brands.

PCGS and NGC coins sell in U.K. & Europe also, just that dealers do not stock them as heavily as they do in the US (e.g. https://www.moderncoinmart.com has a huge selection of graded coins and their own exclusive labels) though grading is becoming more popular in the U.K. & Europe. I think it’s only a matter of time before more dealers also start stocking more graded coins in the U.K.

You could always grade coins yourself, either directly with NGC or PCGS, or via TSF’s official grading partner @CoinsOfTheRealmAuctions. NGC have their own office in UK, coins are however forwarded from their U.K. office to the US for grading. Unless you are grading a large amount in one go, it’s likely cheaper to go through COR.

Would likely be a better option to choose NGC or PCGS, in my opinion, rather than a smaller grading company as should hopefully help resale as there should be more demand for coins graded by these brands. 

I don’t recall any of the smaller grading brand’s names. But other members may be able to comment about some they have heard of. 

Hopefully this helps  

[gavin15]

2 minutes ago, Clockpuncher said:

PCGS and NGC are the two main grading companies. They are independent from the various mints and grade coins according to their own scale.

Proof coins are given a ‘PR/PF’ prefix and a numerical grade with 70 being the top.

Uncirculated/bullion coins are given a ‘mint state’ ie MS grade with 70 being the top.

It’s perfectly possible to get MS70 Britannias (either buying second hand or grading your own) - they are just Royal Mint Britannias which have been graded and encapsulated by one of the two major firms. Expect to pay up though…!

 

p.s. there are other minor grading firms. Typically best avoided as they are nowhere near as widely recognised.

So buying any silver bullion coins and then getting them graded is how to do it? I always see "Best Seller" on the Royal Mint website and for some reason always puts me off buying them.

[gavin15]

2 minutes ago, ChrisSilver said:

PCGS and NGC are the two largest grading companies and the two most well respected / well known. There are other smaller grading companies but many collectors prefer just these two brands.

PCGS and NGC coins sell in U.K. & Europe also, just that dealers do not stock them as heavily as they do in the US (e.g. https://www.moderncoinmart.com has a huge selection of graded coins and their own exclusive labels) though grading is becoming more popular in the U.K. & Europe. I think it’s only a matter of time before more dealers also start stocking more graded coins in the U.K.

You could always grade coins yourself, either directly with NGC or PCGS, or via TSF’s official grading partner @CoinsOfTheRealmAuctions. NGC have their own office in UK, coins are however forwarded from their U.K. office to the US for grading. Unless you are grading a large amount in one go, it’s likely cheaper to go through COR.

Would likely be a better option to choose NGC or PCGS, in my opinion, rather than a smaller grading company as should hopefully help resale as there should be more demand for coins graded by these brands. 

I don’t recall any of the smaller grading brand’s names. But other members may be able to comment about some they have heard of. 

Hopefully this helps  

Awesome thanks for the information. Is there any other dealers i can look on other than the one you have mentioned above?

 

[Clockpuncher]

2 minutes ago, gavin15 said:

So buying any silver bullion coins and then getting them graded is how to do it? I always see "Best Seller" on the Royal Mint website and for some reason always puts me off buying them.

Buying and grading yourself is the cheaper route, but you need to selective in what you send as it has to be essentially perfect to get a 70 - the tiniest scratch, hairline or imperfection will knock it down a grade at least. High grade bullion can actually be fairly rare as it comes flying off a machine at the mint, gets stored in tubes and isn’t struck to the best standards in general.

Many people who want to go down the graded route will collect proofs but grade what you want and what you enjoy!

[Norskgeld]

Comparison chart of UK v US grading levels.

CGS UK - Coin Grading (weightoncoin.co.uk)

[silenceissilver]

Here is another international grade comparison with more detail and more countries:

https://www.chards.co.uk/blog/coin-grading-uk-cgs-pcgs-ngc-uk-and-us/79

Go down to:

Comparing Grades: UK vs. CGS vs. Sheldon

and expand it.

However, as others have said, you'll find British coins graded according to NGC and PCGS, in the UK as well (possibly even mostly so?)

[TeaTime]

Prior to the advent of grading companies the coin would simply be graded in the UK as uncirculated. Numismatically a coin with a scratch or ding could still be advertised as uncirculated - with a caveat. Often dealers would expand on the uncirculated definition using prefixes such as brilliant, gem or choice to denote the condition of the field - most dealers would emphasise the relief with 'strong strike' or other descriptions. Similarly a coin can be descibed as proof even if it has been hit multiple times with a hammer !

The best numismatic equivalent would be 'fleur de coin' or FDC generally accepted as meaning flawless.  Technically a MS70 coin could have damage as part of the production process and still retain that grade - NGC's description of a MS70 includes the words 'a coin with no post-production imperfections....'

If nothing else, 'professional' coin grading services have cut out a lot of the waffle from dealers trying to up-sell their wares.

 

 

 

 

[Wampum]

1 hour ago, TeaTime said:

If nothing else, 'professional' coin grading services have cut out a lot of the waffle from dealers trying to up-sell their wares.

 

 

 

 

Can remember before  professional grading came along,

 What grade do you think that Crown is ," I dunno are you buying it, or selling it" 

I have used CGS or LCGS now (the older slabs where CGS,and better quality material) ,and have had a few crossed over, to sell through HA in America.

I think a few where marked down with two marked as cleaned, most crossed over as exact grades ie CGS 80  to NGC MS63.

I always think if I want to keep a coin for my own collection will look for a PCGS, however to sell on more than likely look to buy NGC, however that's just my preference. 

One thing I think is that American graders can be Harsh on UK numismatic coinage.

     

Edited August 5, 2021 by Wampum