NCS Grading and Encapsulation Services Discontinued Concurrent with Launch of NGC Details Grading

An NGC Details Graded coin. click to enlarge

Starting September 1, 2009, NCS will no longer offer grading and encapsulation for coins with detrimental surface conditions. This service has been replaced by NGC Details Grading.

Since NCS encapsulation services originated in 2001, the marketplace and collectability of coins with irreversible surface conditions has grown significantly, in part due to the widespread acceptance of the NCS encapsulation. The popularity of this service, along with customer requests for a more fully integrated submission framework, ultimately prompted NGC to assume this role.

NGC will encapsulate coins with detrimental surface conditions using Details Grades and descriptions of their impairments. Under this service, NGC performs the service of encapsulation for all coins that previously were eligible for NCS holders.

This service will be provided automatically for all NGC grading tier submissions at no additional service charge. The authenticity of Details Graded coins will be covered by the updated NGC Coin Grading Guarantee, and coins graded under this program will be encapsulated with a distinctive purple NGC Details Grading label.

Coins that previously would have been returned ungraded by NGC, as so-called "No Grades," will now be assigned a Details Grade that accords with their level of surface wear, such as VG DETAILS or XF DETAILS, when submitted for grading. Coins that have no wear but still display a problem surface condition will be labeled as UNC DETAILS or, in the case of Proof coins, simply PROOF. Following the Details Grade will be a description of the noteworthy surface condition, including, for example, Improperly Cleaned, Artificial Color, Environmental Damage and Tooled. A detailed guidebook available in hard copy and on NGC's Web site, called Understanding NGC Details Grading, will define all the terms used by NGC to describe these surface conditions.

"NGC Details Grading allows us to provide the best experience possible for our submitters. Now as many coins as possible will be returned certified and encapsulated, meaning that they are covered by the NGC Guarantee. NGC Details Grading also provides comprehensive descriptive information for coins with surface problems, making them easier to buy and sell," comments Rick Montgomery, President of NGC.

The primary advantage of NCS encapsulation was that it helped us increase the scope of our efforts as a conservation service by providing industry-leading safe storage options. This function is now also performed by the NGC holder, which provides the best long-term storage option for certified coins. The innovative materials used in NGC’s holder were selected jointly by NGC and NCS for their archival properties. They were also independently tested by the Smithsonian Institution and are now used in the holder that houses the Smithsonian’s most valuable coins — a holder developed by NGC and NCS.

As always, all coins requiring conservation must be sent to NCS with an NCS Submission Form. After conservation, coins can be seamlessly transported to NGC for certification. It is not necessary to send coins with surface impairments to NCS for encapsulation only. Instead, they can be submitted to NGC directly. Coins will then automatically be graded either numerically (if they have acceptable surfaces) or with Details Grading, at the discretion of NGC's grading team.

NCS will continue to provide support and guarantee on existing NCS encapsulations, and these coins will remain eligible for the NGC Registry.

Additionally, NGC offers a CrossOver service whereby coins already encapsulated by NCS can be NGC Details Graded for a charge of just $5 per coin.

Information on NGC Details Grading can be found on NGC’s website at www.NGCcoin.com/details. You are also invited to contact us directly at 1-866-NCS-COIN (627-2646) or by e-mail at service@NCScoin.com