Guide
PCGS vs NGC vs CGS UK: Coin Grading Compared
Three professional coin grading services dominate the British market: PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service, US), NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Company, US, with a UK office), and CGS UK (Coin Grading Services, UK-based). All three encapsulate coins in tamper-evident plastic slabs, guarantee authenticity, and assign a verified grade. The differences are in fees, turnaround, and how the slab is received in different markets.
Reviewed by Connor Jones, Editor
Last updated:
In brief. CGS UK is the default for British collectors: cheapest
(£18-45), fastest (2-4 weeks), recognised by every UK auction house and BNTA dealer, supports both
Sheldon (1-70) and UK descriptive grades. NGC is the right choice for coins you may sell
internationally or that are worth £1,000+. PCGS is the global premium service with the
strongest international auction recognition; small slab premium when reselling. For coins under £200 in
raw value, none of the three is cost-effective, sell raw with good photos.
Side-by-side: PCGS vs NGC vs CGS UK
| CGS UK | NGC | PCGS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2008 (UK) | 1987 (US) | 1986 (US) |
| Standard fee per coin | £18-45 | £25-100 | £45-100+ |
| Express tier fee | £75 | £150+ | £250+ |
| Standard turnaround | 2-4 weeks | 4-6 weeks | 4-8 weeks (UK to US) |
| Grading scale | Sheldon & UK descriptive | Sheldon | Sheldon |
| UK auction house recognition | Universal | Universal | Universal |
| International recognition | UK-strong | Global | Global, premium |
| Slab premium on resale | Standard | Standard | +5-10% over peers |
| Authenticity guarantee | Lifetime, up to declared value | Lifetime, up to declared value | Lifetime, up to declared value |
| Best for | British coins under £1,000 | British & world coins, mid-tier value | Premium-tier coins, international resale |
CGS UK in detail
Coin Grading Services UK is the British grading specialist, founded by London Coins in 2008 specifically to address the gap of a UK-domiciled grading service. Submissions are by post to their facility in Bracknell; payment by bank transfer or card; coins are graded by a team that includes specialists in pre-decimal, modern Royal Mint, hammered and ancient British coinage.
- Strongest for: British circulation coins, Royal Mint commemoratives, Victorian-and-later decimal-era milled silver and bronze, modern collector packs.
- Weakest for: US, world or ancient coins (other services have deeper expertise outside Britain).
- Slab features: Standard rectangular case, label includes Sheldon and UK descriptive grades (e.g. "MS-65 / FDC"), unique cert number for online verification.
- UK turnaround advantage: No international shipping. Typical Bracknell drop-off to return shipment: 14-21 days standard. Express returns are available within a week.
- Online verification: cgsuk.co.uk/check-coin
NGC in detail
NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Company) is one of the two largest grading services globally and operates a UK office in London for British submissions. Coins from the UK office are graded in the US (Sarasota, Florida) and returned via insured international post. NGC was the first major service to introduce per-coin photographic archives, which add value for resale (buyers can compare any slabbed coin against its archived photos).
- Strongest for: world coins, Commonwealth issues (Australian, Canadian, South African sovereigns), modern Royal Mint proofs targeted at international resale, US coins.
- Slab features: Distinctive "scallop edge" slab, blue or black label depending on coin category; per-coin photographs accessible via cert lookup.
- "Star" designation (Sheldon grade plus a five-pointed star) marks coins of exceptional eye appeal beyond the numeric grade, commands a 10-30% premium on resale.
- Online verification: ngccoin.com/certlookup
PCGS in detail
Professional Coin Grading Service is the largest grading company globally by volume and revenue. UK submissions go via international post to Newport Beach, California. PCGS slabs trade at a slight premium internationally because the brand carries the strongest auction-room recognition in the US, where the bulk of the world's high-end numismatic capital is concentrated.
- Strongest for: top-tier rarities (1933 penny, 1839 Una and the Lion, 1817 sovereigns), modern proofs targeting international resale, any coin you may consign to a Heritage / Stack's Bowers US auction.
- Slab features: Iconic blue-bottomed slab with prominent PCGS branding; CoinFacts database linkage (each cert number resolves to detailed pricing history and photo archive).
- Premium PCGS tiers: "Plus" grades (e.g. MS-65+) and the "Secure Plus" service add layers of authentication including high-resolution scans for forgery deterrence.
- Online verification: pcgs.com/cert
When to slab and when not to
The break-even calculation: slab fee £25-50, slab premium on resale 10-25% of the coin's raw price.
| Coin raw value | Slabbing decision | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Under £100 | Don't slab | Slab fee > expected premium uplift |
| £100-500 | Optional, CGS UK only | Premium covers fee but margin tight |
| £500-2,000 | Slab, CGS UK or NGC | Premium clearly exceeds fee, plus authentication |
| £2,000-10,000 | Slab, NGC or PCGS | International recognition matters at this tier |
| £10,000+ | Slab, PCGS preferred | Auction realisations 5-15% higher in PCGS slabs at top tier |
| Sealed Royal Mint set | Don't slab | Cracking the seal loses original presentation premium |
Featured British coins on MyCoinage
2 Pounds - William IV
up to £29,945
2 Sovereigns - Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee
up to £1,800
¼ Sovereign - Elizabeth II 4th portrait; Diamond Jubilee
up to £365
5 Sovereigns - Elizabeth II 4th portrait; Diamond Jubilee
up to £4,820
5 Sovereigns - Elizabeth II Sapphire Coronation
up to £3,548
1 Sovereign - Elizabeth II 5th portrait; Sapphire Coronation
up to £625
Browse slabbed coins on eBay
The links below open eBay UK searches; if you buy through them, MyCoinage earns a small commission at no cost to you.
Filtered to slabbed-only listings from each service so you can compare like-for-like:
PCGS-slabbed (sold) ↗ NGC-slabbed (sold) ↗ CGS-slabbed (sold) ↗ PCGS sovereigns ↗ NGC Star designation ↗ Victorian slabbed (sold) ↗
Related guides
- Coin grading guide, the Sheldon and UK descriptive scales explained with photographs
- UK coin grading services compared, fees, turnaround and grade scale conversion for CGS, PCGS and NGC
- How to grade a coin, self-grading framework before slabbing
- How to spot fake British coins
- Where to sell rare coins UK
- Inherited a coin collection UK
External references
- CGS UK, official site, fee schedule, online cert verification.
- NGC UK, UK submission portal.
- PCGS, international submission, CoinFacts price archive.
- British Numismatic Trade Association, member dealers who accept all three grading services on consignment.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best coin grading service for British coins?
For UK collectors, CGS UK is the standard for everyday raw-coin submissions: lower fees (£15-30 per coin), faster turnaround (2-4 weeks domestic), and full recognition by every major UK auction house and BNTA dealer. NGC and PCGS are the two American services and carry more weight for any coin you intend to sell internationally; PCGS slabs in particular trade at a slight premium globally. The right choice depends on the coin's value: under £500 use CGS UK; £500-2,000 either CGS or NGC; £2,000+ pre-1950 British or any modern proof, PCGS or NGC for international resale.
Are slabbed coins worth more than raw coins?
Yes, usually 10-25% more. The slab provides three things buyers pay for: authenticity guarantee (the grading service refunds the purchase price if the coin proves fake, up to a stated maximum), verified grade (eliminates seller / buyer disagreement on condition), and tamper-evident encapsulation (the slab can't be opened without visible damage, so the coin can't be swapped). For coins worth £200+, the £25-50 slabbing fee is recovered and exceeded by the slab premium. For coins worth less than £100, the slabbing fee is more than the premium, sell raw with good photos.
How much does each grading service cost?
Approximate UK prices in 2026, including return postage with insurance. CGS UK: £18 (Standard, declared value £500), £28 (declared £1,000), £45 (declared £5,000+), £75 (Express). NGC UK: £25 (Economy, £300), £45 (Standard, £1,500), £100 (Modern). PCGS: $40-100 USD plus international postage; typical UK landed cost £45-100 per coin. Bulk submissions (10+ coins) usually attract small per-coin discounts. Prices change yearly, check each service's current rate card before submitting.
How long does grading take?
Typical turnaround in 2026, from receipt at the grading service to return shipment back to you. CGS UK: 2-4 weeks Standard, 5-7 days Express. NGC UK: 4-6 weeks Economy, 2-4 weeks Standard, 3-5 days Express. PCGS: 4-8 weeks via international shipping. Add 5-10 days each way for posting. The "express" tiers approximately double the cost; only worthwhile if you have an active sale or auction consignment deadline.
Should I crack out a slab to resell raw?
Almost never. Cracking out (removing the coin from the slab) loses the £25-50 grading fee, the authenticity guarantee, the verified grade, and 10-25% of the resale price. The only reasons to crack out are: (1) you're consigning to a UK auction house that requires raw coins (most don't), (2) the slab is damaged in a way that's reducing visual presentation (rare), or (3) you're upgrading the slab from one service to another (e.g. CGS to PCGS for international resale). The third case is the most common; even then, cross-grading via NGC's "tier transfer" service is cheaper than cracking out and re-submitting.
What grades do these services use?
All three use the Sheldon scale (numeric 1-70) for circulation strikes (MS-60 to MS-70 for mint state) and proof grades (PR-60 to PR-70 for proof issues). UK collectors are also familiar with the descriptive scale (Poor, Fair, AG, G, VG, F, VF, EF, aUNC, UNC, BU, FDC) which CGS UK supports natively alongside Sheldon. The crossover: PR/MS-60 ≈ aUNC, PR/MS-65 ≈ BU, PR/MS-70 ≈ FDC. Any grade with a "+" suffix (e.g. MS-65+) indicates a coin scoring above the median for that grade tier; a "Star" designation marks exceptional eye appeal. See our coin grading guide for the full crossover table.
What does a "details" grade mean?
A details grade (e.g. "MS-62 Details" or "AU-50 Details, Cleaned") confirms the coin is genuine but disqualifies it from a numeric grade due to a problem: cleaning, scratches, environmental damage, alteration, or surface tooling. Details-graded coins typically realise 30-60% less than equivalent un-cleaned examples in the same numeric grade. The most common qualifier is "Cleaned", usually applied silver dip to brighten the coin, leaving microscopic etching detectable under 10x magnification. The slab is still authentic, the coin is still real; just no longer eligible for top-tier price.
Can I get a coin re-graded if I disagree with the grade?
All three services offer re-grading, with two flavours. Reconsideration, the same service re-examines the coin (typically £10-20 fee). About 30-40% of reconsidered coins move up one tier; a smaller fraction move down (rare; usually a different grader spots a flaw the first one missed). Crossover, submit your slabbed coin to a different service for re-grading at the new service's standard fee. PCGS and NGC both run "crossover" programs where you can specify a minimum acceptable grade and the new slab is only minted if the coin meets it. UK collectors most commonly cross from CGS to PCGS for international resale.
Is bulk grading worth it?
For dealer-scale submissions (50+ coins) yes; for end-collector submissions almost never. The per-coin cost saving on bulk is around £3-8 per coin, but bulk turnaround is slower (8-12 weeks at most services) and any individual high-value coin in your bulk lot is treated with less attention. For 10-20 coins, take the standard rate; for 50-200 coins, ask the service for a "dealer" or "modern proof" bulk submission rate.
Can I trust pre-2000 PCGS slabs?
Yes, with a small caveat. PCGS has run since 1986 and the early "rattler" or "OGH" (Old Green Holder) slabs from the late 1980s and early 1990s are now collectable in their own right; many command a small premium because grading was famously stricter in that era. The slab construction is durable but earlier slabs have weaker tamper-evidence than current ones; PCGS guarantees the coin matches the label regardless of slab generation. The small caveat: NGC slabs from before about 2000 are sometimes counterfeited (the slab cases, not the coins). If buying older slabs, photograph and look up the certification number on the issuer's online verification tool before paying.
Where can I look up a slab certification number?
Free verification tools from each service: PCGS Cert Verification, NGC Cert Lookup, CGS UK Check Coin. Type in the cert number on the slab label and you get back the exact coin description, grade and photos the service has on file. If the cert lookup returns a different coin, or returns nothing, the slab is counterfeit (this is rare but does happen on premium-tier slabs in the £5,000+ category).
Should I slab a Royal Mint sealed proof set?
Generally no. Royal Mint sealed proof sets in their original card box with the Certificate of Authenticity already trade at a clean price; slabbing each coin individually loses the original presentation and rarely lifts total value above the boxed-set price. The exception: if a single coin in the set is a key date or has notable error / variety potential (e.g. a 2009 Kew Gardens 50p in a year set), it may be worth removing that one coin and slabbing it while leaving the rest in the original box. Document the set carefully before breaking it; once opened, the "sealed" presentation premium is gone.
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