Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC), the world’s leading coin certification service, has announced that it will be offering comprehensive services for ancient coins beginning January 1, 2009.

The new division, NGC Ancients, will be led by David Vagi, author of Coinage and History of the Roman Empire and an ancient coin specialist since 1990. NGC Ancients will certify most coins struck in the Western World through circa A.D. 500, as well as coins of the Byzantine Empire. Later world coins eligible for NGC services will continue to be graded by NGC under its world coin program.

“For more than a decade, we’ve been laying the foundations for this important new service,” says Mark Salzberg, NGC Chairman. “A major part was finding the best person to guide the project. David’s expertise is perfectly balanced between academics and the marketplace, making him the ideal choice for this program, which demands both kinds of talent.”

“I’m thrilled to join NGC at a critical moment in the growth of the ancient coin market. The marketplace and third-party grading have both matured in such a way to make an ancients program not only possible, but necessary,” comments Vagi, Grading Finalizer and Director of NGC Ancients.

“NGC’s integrity, expertise and market leadership will be key ingredients in assuring the success of the third-party grading of ancient coins,” he says.

Comprehensive details will be reported on NGC’s Web site in the coming weeks, including terms and conditions, submission procedures and fees. Under this new program, coins will be fully attributed and graded using a system developed especially for NGC Ancients.

NGC Ancients will also introduce several innovative features that greatly improve the appeal of certified ancient coins. To assure that key diagnostics are not obscured by encapsulation, the weight of each coin to the hundredth of a gram will be included on the label. Additionally, NGC EdgeView® holders will be used whenever possible so most of the coin’s edge is plainly visible. Furthermore, double-thick holders have been developed to safely accommodate high-relief ancient coins.

The full range of products and services will be available by January 1, 2009. To request information updates please contact NGC at ancients@ngccoin.com.