Seller expectations (aka Seller fantasies)

I stumbled across this lovely the other day:
1984-S Olympic Silver Dollar graded MS69 by ICG for a mere $349.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=8348526936

I snickered and moved on. People often assume ICG slabs will fetch
prices similar to PCGS slabs of the same grade - but since the PCGS
price guide shows an MS69 for $40, this was clearly a bout of wishful
thinking.

He has since relisted the item with a more reasonable price:
Now, it's only about two or three times what it's worth!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=8353003403

He also claims he's never seen another one of these - even on eBay!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=8350942673
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=8350252914
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=8348503556
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=8347918545
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=8345844461
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=8350634117
(He must mean he's never seen one in an ICG slab)

--
Jim Seymour

That is apparently how it works for the ones I have seen. However, the
CDN (greysheet) has the prices for ICG higher than PCGS and
significantly higher than NGC, in that little market box on the front
of the sheet. I think that must represent the grades they list values
for though and not MS69 and MS70. Still, I think PCGS has a better
market and usually fetches higher prices in most grades for most coins.
My observations are not consistent with the greysheet though.

"Jim Seymour" wrote in message
...
I stumbled across this lovely the other day:
1984-S Olympic Silver Dollar graded MS69 by ICG for a mere $349.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=8348526936


Off-topic to the thrust of your post (sorry), but I've got to say that this
coin (generically) features a magnificent portrait of the eagle. Not at all
insipid or dull like so many of the others. Shame about the boring obverse,
though.

--
Jeff R.
(just my .02)

Still, I think PCGS has a better
market and usually fetches higher prices in most grades for most coins.

My observations are not consistent with the greysheet though.

There are lots of markets in coin collecting, and it's difficult for
anyone to survey them all. But it is inconceivable to me that ICG
slabs command better prices than PCGS slabs. All of my experience and
observations are that PCGS does much better. (The gap is even larger
in the MS69/MS70 area, where an ICG 70 gets approximately PCGS 69
money, even though this is not measured by CDN)..

Regards,
Tom

I am with you on that, Tom. Just cannot figure where the CDN derives
that market indicator. Most of the subset of coins ICG grades that are
represented in the CDN must be in grades/series I don't see often.
Their market indicator has ICG beating PCGS on all levels
(LOW/HIGH/AVG).

The 69 and 70 grades are an insane part of the slab market.You just
know that some of the ICG 70s have to be on par with PCGS 70s. They'll
probably never cross at PCGS in the ICG holders though. And to
differentiate the two grades is really getting to splitting hairs.
IMHO they should be priced close together instead of having such a jump
going to 70. Glad I mainly collect Morgans where that crap isn't even
an issue.

"jcsuperstar" wrote in message
oups.com...
....
The 69 and 70 grades are an insane part of the slab market.You just
know that some of the ICG 70s have to be on par with PCGS 70s. They'll
probably never cross at PCGS in the ICG holders though...

I have to throw in here that MS69 doesn't mean a lot for a PCGS modern coin.
PCGS rarely gives an MS70 because of problems involved, from what I've
heard. Many of the PCGS MS69 coins would crossover to NGC MS70, while others
would probably cross to NGC MS68. PCGS needs to work out the MS69 grade,
IMO, if it wants to compete for the nicer modern coins. We might scoff at
the grading of these coins, but for grading companies, it is big money.
Slab-worthy old coins are finite in number. The only way to stimulate
business is to grade new coins, make new holders so people will re-slab, add
services such as VAM and market grading, or change the grading system to a
100 point scale.

Is the PCGS parent company evaluating antiques and other collectibles yet
:-? It's a tough financial world out there for a growing corporation.

Anita