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NGC’s conservation service was established in 2001. Conservation removes harmful surface contaminants, stabilizes a coin for long-term preservation and can dramatically improve a coin's eye appeal. After conservation, coins can be seamlessly transferred to grading.

NGC Conservation removes harmful surface contaminants and stabilizes a coin's surfaces. Coins with PVC and other types of residue, haze, encrustations or unattractive or artificial toning are usually excellent candidates for NGC Conservation. To learn more and see examples, click here.

For current services and fees for NGC Conservation, please click the link below.

Conservation Services & Fees >

NGC does not provide grade protection or any type of grade guarantee for coins submitted for conservation. NGC evaluates every coin in order to determine whether that coin will benefit from conservation. If NGC believes that the coin will not benefit from conservation, the coin will not be conserved and will be transferred directly to grading. PCGS-graded coins submitted for CrossOver will not be graded in the event that they cannot be conserved. In rare instances, NGC Conservation may reveal additional issues that were previously hidden by residue or other surface contaminants. None of the techniques used by NGC will cause such issues. However, the submitter acknowledges that the conservation services provided by NGC may not prevent the coin from grading lower or receiving no grade by another coin grading company.

Submitting a coin for conservation does not mean that it will get a higher grade at NGC (i.e., be "upgraded"). Conservation will improve a coin's eye appeal and stabilize its surfaces. In some cases, coins may receive a higher grade at NGC after conservation, but this is not guaranteed.

A copper coin's color can change naturally over time from red (noted as "RD" on the NGC certification label) to red brown ("RB") to brown ("BN"). This is an irreversible process and conservation cannot change the BN, RB or RD designations assigned to copper coins.

You can contact NGC Conservation by calling or emailing NGC Customer Service. For our contact information, click here.

During the grading process, if a grader determines that conservation would benefit a coin, the coin is then flagged for conservation and an email is sent to the customer. The customer has 24 hours from the time the email is sent to reply to the email either approving conservation or declining conservation. If conservation is declined (or if no response is received within the 24-hour window), the submission continues with the NGC process and is then shipped. If the customer approves the coin for conservation, it will be conserved, and then the submission continues with the NGC process. For conservation fees, please see the Services and Fees page. For any additional questions regarding your submission, please contact NGC Customer Service.

NGC conservation can help coins with unattractive toning, copper spots and other surface issues. Customers may submit a coin already certified by NGC for a service that includes conservation and NGC Regrade. If NGC declines to conserve a particular coin under this service, the coin will be submitted to grading as a regrade and the grading fees will be charged as well as a $5 evaluation fee.