NGC grader as a job? 0

[zboyle04]

just wondering what the qualifications would be and is the pay reasonable. I am pretty set on a career and will be done with school in 2.5 years but in case something happens would anyone recommend being a grader or other position?

[John Maben]

Hmmm.... being a grader, especially for a top tier service like NGC really isn't something you could do as a fall back option. Generally, you would need about ten years of full time hands on experience (minimum) and wide spread exposure to the marketplace at large. Most have either been a full time dealer and attended hundreds of conventions or have been life long students of numismatics. For qualified individuals, pay can range from decent to really decent. Outside of grading, there are many other positions within a TPG as they have numerous departments; IE accounting, shipping, marketing, etc. NGC is a great company to work at, I know this first hand.

 

John

[mumu]

Does NGC need someone around the office who just walks around telling jokes all day? Keeping the morale up and such. Something like a jester in old medieval times. Ive been in IT for 12 years so in a pinch i could help with that a little here and there. I can also lift heavy things in an emergency. But I would want no responsibilities other than to keep people laughing all day. Laughter is important for morale.

 

edit: also I would need 6 figures. It can be low 6 but has to be 6.

 

edit #2: actually since NGC is in Florida I can do it for 95k. But I would need first dibs at emailing customers who send in nice coins that I like asking if they are for sale.

Edited June 19, 2012 by mumu

[dimefreak]

I was told one time that the pay is in the 80K range. Thats for the real graders. I would imagine the bulk graders get paid substantially less

[jesbroken]

I wonder if graders have a forum where they wonder aloud what IT people, Rocket Scientists, Metallurgists or Diamond merchants make for a living. Just to name a few.

Jim

[MJ]

I was told one time that the pay is in the 80K range. Thats for the real graders. I would imagine the bulk graders get paid substantially less

 

Seasoned top flight graders make WAY WAY more then that. Multiples more. MJ

Edited June 19, 2012 by MJ

[jerseycat10]

Does NGC need someone around the office who just walks around telling jokes all day? Keeping the morale up and such. Something like a jester in old medieval times. Ive been in IT for 12 years so in a pinch i could help with that a little here and there. I can also lift heavy things in an emergency. But I would want no responsibilities other than to keep people laughing all day. Laughter is important for morale.

 

edit: also I would need 6 figures. It can be low 6 but has to be 6.

 

edit #2: actually since NGC is in Florida I can do it for 95k. But I would need first dibs at emailing customers who send in nice coins that I like asking if they are for sale.

 

[zboyle04]

eh, i would need 6 figures to make it worthwhile. I will graduate pharmacy school in 2.5 years and that will pay $120-$130K As much as i hate school, probably not worth jumping ship for

[jerseycat10]

I was told one time that the pay is in the 80K range. Thats for the real graders. I would imagine the bulk graders get paid substantially less

 

Wow, that's it? You would think someone who is world-class in their profession would make more.

[MarkFeld]

I was told one time that the pay is in the 80K range. Thats for the real graders. I would imagine the bulk graders get paid substantially less

 

Wow, that's it? You would think someone who is world-class in their profession would make more.

 

If he was told that, he was badly misinformed.

[James_OldeTowne]

just wondering what the qualifications would be and is the pay reasonable. I am pretty set on a career and will be done with school in 2.5 years but in case something happens would anyone recommend being a grader or other position?

Today, I graded eight rolls of AU/BU Mercury dimes, dated 1940 - 1945. That's about 400 coins. My job was to put all the AU/slider coins into one pile, put all the "Choice BU" coins into another pile, and select out only the best MS-65 FSB or better coins for pending certification.

 

I'll tell you what, after that, I was dizzy for the rest of the day. I literally ended up with fifteen coins, the BEST of the best, out of 400, and that's it!

 

Now.... imagine doing that 40 hours a week, 50 weeks a year!

 

Not for me , thanks!

[MarkFeld]

just wondering what the qualifications would be and is the pay reasonable. I am pretty set on a career and will be done with school in 2.5 years but in case something happens would anyone recommend being a grader or other position?

Today, I graded eight rolls of AU/BU Mercury dimes, dated 1940 - 1945. That's about 400 coins. My job was to put all the AU/slider coins into one pile, put all the "Choice BU" coins into another pile, and select out only the best MS-65 FSB or better coins for pending certification.

 

I'll tell you what, after that, I was dizzy for the rest of the day. I literally ended up with fifteen coins, the BEST of the best, out of 400, and that's it!

 

Now.... imagine doing that 40 hours a week, 50 weeks a year!

 

Not for me , thanks!

 

James, while some graders might do work similar to what you described, many do not.

[jom]

just wondering what the qualifications would be and is the pay reasonable. I am pretty set on a career and will be done with school in 2.5 years but in case something happens would anyone recommend being a grader or other position?

Today, I graded eight rolls of AU/BU Mercury dimes, dated 1940 - 1945. That's about 400 coins. My job was to put all the AU/slider coins into one pile, put all the "Choice BU" coins into another pile, and select out only the best MS-65 FSB or better coins for pending certification.

 

I'll tell you what, after that, I was dizzy for the rest of the day. I literally ended up with fifteen coins, the BEST of the best, out of 400, and that's it!

 

Now.... imagine doing that 40 hours a week, 50 weeks a year!

 

Not for me , thanks!

 

I knew a guy around here who worked for PCGS for awhile and all he did was grade modern proofs. Can you imagine doing that all day? Looking into those sharp mirrors while the light is burning your retina to dust. I'd have daily migraine headaches for sure...

 

jom

[truthteller]

Top tier graders can make $250K. But those are the elite. However, these graders see amazing coins.

 

Lower level graders make $100k+. But they view hundreds of "stuff" everyday.

 

 

 

TRUTH

[mkman123]

Wow that's big money

[halfpint]

 

...i would think those responsible for keeping debris out of the slabs should bring a pretty penny.

[BillJones]

Although I think I have skills to be a professional grader, I probably would not make beacuse I could do it fast enough. For that job I spend too much time looking at the coins when I'm considering a purchase at a show.

[mvc-migration]

I would think that this is one of those jobs what would be fun and really cool for about 2 days max, and then it would be time to move on

[mumu]

I would think that this is one of those jobs what would be fun and really cool for about 2 days max, and then it would be time to move on

 

But what if there was a guy who would come around every few hours as things go stale and gave you a few good laughs to keep it all going? Think about it.

[RWB]

I'm sure the graders get plenty of laughs from some of the stuff collectors submit.

[HCumberdale]

eh, i would need 6 figures to make it worthwhile. I will graduate pharmacy school in 2.5 years and that will pay $120-$130K As much as i hate school, probably not worth jumping ship for

 

While looking at expected pay is important when choosing a career the most important thing is whether you will enjoy going to work or not. My wife makes 6 figures and I would HATE doing what she does (she loves it.) I would continue to do what I do if they cut my pay in half (in fact I think I am overpayed.) If you offered my wife 7 figures to do my job she would run away as fast as possible.

 

I have seen many unhappy people over relatively few years in a professional career who are miserable at their high paying jobs. I have also met people who were happy with a low paying job, because going to work was enjoyable. Money may necessarily be a consideration when choosing a career, but it is FAR better to happy and poor than rich and miserable.

[MJ]

I'm sure the graders get plenty of laughs from some of the stuff collectors submit.

 

[BillJones]

just wondering what the qualifications would be and is the pay reasonable. I am pretty set on a career and will be done with school in 2.5 years but in case something happens would anyone recommend being a grader or other position?

Today, I graded eight rolls of AU/BU Mercury dimes, dated 1940 - 1945. That's about 400 coins. My job was to put all the AU/slider coins into one pile, put all the "Choice BU" coins into another pile, and select out only the best MS-65 FSB or better coins for pending certification.

 

I'll tell you what, after that, I was dizzy for the rest of the day. I literally ended up with fifteen coins, the BEST of the best, out of 400, and that's it!

 

Now.... imagine doing that 40 hours a week, 50 weeks a year!

 

Not for me , thanks!

 

I know what you mean James. Many. many years ago I went over my grandmother's hoard of cents, and after four hours of that I was dizzy too ... and I was only 17 at the time.

[Prethen]

just wondering what the qualifications would be and is the pay reasonable. I am pretty set on a career and will be done with school in 2.5 years but in case something happens would anyone recommend being a grader or other position?

Today, I graded eight rolls of AU/BU Mercury dimes, dated 1940 - 1945. That's about 400 coins. My job was to put all the AU/slider coins into one pile, put all the "Choice BU" coins into another pile, and select out only the best MS-65 FSB or better coins for pending certification.

 

I'll tell you what, after that, I was dizzy for the rest of the day. I literally ended up with fifteen coins, the BEST of the best, out of 400, and that's it!

 

Now.... imagine doing that 40 hours a week, 50 weeks a year!

 

Not for me , thanks!

 

James, while some graders might do work similar to what you described, many do not.

Ahhh, c'mon Mark, we all know graders make minimum of $250K/year!

 

[halfpint]

I'm sure the graders get plenty of laughs from some of the stuff collectors submit.

 

...

[robec1347]

I'm sure the graders get plenty of laughs from some of the stuff collectors submit.

 

[L1ncolnF4n]

Honestly I thought about grading as a career entrance path, and then realized that it just seems like such a boring job after a while. That's why I decided to go elsewhere in the industry.

 

I would love to go through whatever rigorous training program they put their employees and actually suffer through the job for about a month just to help hone my eyes, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

[RWB]

In the photos Charmey Harker posted a couple of months ago --- did anyone notice the chains around the graders' ankles?

[Prethen]

I could imagine the tedium of going through hundreds or thousands of the same coins "fresh" from the Mint. How does a grader maintain their sanity?

[jackson64]

I might take the job for $200K but only on the condition that they hire Mumu also to break the tedium..

 

PS: Mumu, do you juggle and do balloon animals and shadow puppets also?

Edited June 20, 2012 by jackson64