Which one is best

News: Welcome to the Canadian Paper Money Forum.

So, new here and not sure if this has been answered before but if I have a note I want to get graded which company is the most accurate in your opinion?

So, new here and not sure if this has been answered before but if I have a note I want to get graded which company is the most accurate in your opinion?

It depends on what your reason for getting the note graded is
If you plan to sell it to profit PMG might be your best bet
There appears to be a tendency to get higher grades and the market for these notes is strong from what I have heard because
this grader is known world wide
If you want a more conservative grading, and more realistic grade BCS is probably the way to go
The other thing is that if you are selling the note some collectors as myself will not buy slabbed notes and will only buy raw notes
so getting a note graded adds addition costs to you and may not want to be picked up by a buyer
Hope that helps

I have seen many notes graded by so-called third parties and urge all collectors to buy or sell the note, not the holder. All third-party services have inconsistencies on both sides of the ledger. I have seen all services under-grade notes and over-grade notes. I have yet to be able to smell a note that is in a holder, however. I prefer non third party-graded notes I can see, feel, hear and smell unimpeded by plastic and others' opinions.

The reason I am asking is that I have the opportunity to purchase a high value note (high value for me anyway), the guy says its UNC and I have seen a picture, but once I get it I would like to know for sure the grading. Not to sell it, more so I know and also for insurance purposes.

Or should I get my own holder and get someone local to grade it??

 

The reason I am asking is that I have the opportunity to purchase a high value note (high value for me anyway), the guy says its UNC and I have seen a picture, but once I get it I would like to know for sure the grading. Not to sell it, more so I know and also for insurance purposes.

Or should I get my own holder and get someone local to grade it??

 

Is the person you are buying the note from a reputable dealer or just someone you have no idea who he is?

Some people will accept returns others won't so this is something you should mention to him if you can return it if you are not happy with his grading opion
The other thing is that you should pick up a CGPM cat to see the grading descriptions and if you plan to continue to collect it is a great reference guide
The other thing is that you can post a picture on the site and ask other members their opinion on the note
it can't hurt

The reason I am asking is that I have the opportunity to purchase a high value note (high value for me anyway), the guy says its UNC and I have seen a picture, but once I get it I would like to know for sure the grading. Not to sell it, more so I know and also for insurance purposes.

You know what I would do if I were you?  I would try to set up a meeting with the guy who's selling you the note so you can inspect it yourself.  Hold the note up to a light and inspect it for imperfections.  If you have absolutely no idea what to look for (or how to grade) then get someone to go with you who does.

Otherwise (unless it is TPG or from a reputable dealer) I would avoid this purchase altogether.  Unfortunately, I was very sloppy with a very poor undisciplined approach to buying notes in the past and I can honestly state I've paid for these "sins" if being taken advantage of is considered a sin. 

The good news is I've learned from my mistakes (trusting others know how to grade) and learned to grade myself (something I would suggest you do if you want to buy more high grade valuable notes in the future).  Sometimes, when a purchase isn't "a biggy" expense wise- it is ok to buy online or by viewing a picture so long as you're aware that there is a good deal of stock out there that is over graded.  I've never felt comfortable with paying at least one grade less if the note appears perfect simply because most photos look better than the real note.  In today's weak market you could even pay less than that.  Good luck!

Take a look around the site and use the search tab when looking up specific graders. You can get a reasonable sense of people’s onions. I know that some I just will not touch regardless of what the holder says and unfortunately pictures mean just about nothing. I saw one recently graded C.Unc 64 with a special note on the holder stating a piece of the note was missing which was about the same size of you taking a bit out of it. If you haven’t already, take the time to sharpen your own grading skills based on your preferences.. Depends on what you mean by expensive note which varies for everyone but do your homework or else you just might end up being the greater fool for buying and expensive note holder.

MG

You can get a reasonable sense of people’s onions

This is exactly why we need a MODIFY tab... :-D

This is exactly why we need a MODIFY tab... :-D

Well Mortgage Guy did have the right idea...an expert banknote grader should really "know his onions", right? 

I saw one recently graded C.Unc 64 with a special note on the holder stating a piece of the note was missing which was about the same size of you taking a bit out of it.

I certainly agree with the general sentiments expressed here, but I think I can explain the baffling contradiction of a horribly damaged note being graded CU64.  As I understand it the protocols for grading that were set by the IBNS were adopted by the CPMS, and then by the Charlton paper money catalogues.  I refer to page xxi at the front of the 25th edition:  "A note with portions missing should be graded as if it were a whole note, then the amount missing should be fully described."  It seems to me that is exactly what the grader has done.  There is no attempt to fool somebody into paying UNC64 money for an obviously damaged note, but to describe completely the state of the note.  If somebody decided, perhaps arbitrarily, that the note was worth as much as a Fine 15, and graded it F15 Net, that would tell us nothing whatever about the state of the paper (where it exists) or the nature of the impairment.  The prospective buyer must decide for himself if it's worth the price of a F15 or an AG3 and not take the word of a TPG.
I'm not trying to pick a fight with anybody here, just trying to shed a little light on an easily misunderstood area of grading.

This is exactly why we need a MODIFY tab... :-D

I'm sure if someone would send onion peels to PMG, the peels would be slabbed and graded.

I bought it off the internet from a guy in the states, risky I know, but we'll see when it gets here what it is really like. Then I'll post a pic and get some onions from you guys. 

So, I posted a pic in the what's it worth section.