Beginning today,Tuesday, May 25, 2010, all eligible coins submitted to NGC for grading will be reviewed for the Plus Designation (+). NGC assigns a to coins at the high end of their assigned grade, approaching the quality requirements for the next grade. In addition to their superior technical merit, coins receiving a must have above-average eye appeal.

NGC assigns the + only to United States coins issued from 1792 to 1964, and the is available in combination with all grades from XF45 to MS68, inclusive. Coins submitted to NGC under applicable grading tiers including Economy, EarlyBird, Gold Rush, Specialty Gold, Express and WalkThrough tiers are automatically examined for + during grading, and there is no additional fee or special service request.

All coins submitted for on-site grading at tradeshows and other events are also considered for + at time of grading. The first on-site event where NGC will evaluate all coins during grading for the Plus Designation is the Long Beach Coin & Collectibles Expo, where on-site grading will be offered June 2 through June 4, 2010.

Coins already certified by NGC must be submitted for regrade using one of the above mentioned grading tiers to be evaluated for + . Crossover submissions at applicable grading tier levels are also reviewed for + during grading. More detailed information concerning submission requirements and answers to frequently asked questions can be found on NGC’s website at www.ngccoin.com/plus.

“We have been overwhelmed by the flood of support and enthusiasm for the launch of the NGC plus designation. For a number of years, collectors and dealers have wanted NGC to recognize premium quality-grade coins because our unique capabilities allow us to distinguish these differences with accuracy and consistency – providing credibility and consumer confidence to this segment of the market,” comments Mark Salzberg, NGC chairman and grading finalizer. (more…)

Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC), the most-preferred certification and grading company in numismatics, announced today it has reached an unprecedented industry milestone – 20 million coins graded. NGC is the first coin grading company to arrive at this historic number and it underscores NGC’s position as the industry leader and guardian of numismatic interests around the world.

Mark Salzberg, Chairman of NGC, is excited about the 20 million mark but says the company is more thrilled about what the milestone represents. “We would not be here without the support and trust of the numismatic community,” said Salzberg. “We are so grateful to the collectors and dealers who have entrusted their passions and livelihoods with us.”

NGC has played a major role in the rapidly expanding coin industry from the perspective of both collectors and dealers. As an objective third-party coin grading source, NGC has been instrumental in establishing standards for authenticity and condition that contribute to consistent, accurate methods of valuation. This has added a level of confidence and protection to the industry and added liquidity to the collectible coin market. According to Salzberg, the absence of subjective opinion is a key component in the global growth of the coin collecting industry.

Despite a challenging economy, the company’s growth is evident. NGC has received coin submission from 43 different countries. Submissions span 2,600 years in history, including ancient coins from as early as 600 B.C.

NGC certified the single most valuable graded coin ever sold, the finest known USA 1804 $10 gold coin. (pictured above)

Within just the last year, NGC certified the South Africa 1898 Single 9 Pond, the China 1910 Yunnan Dollar, the Russia 1755 Pattern 20 Roubles and the Ecuador 1862 Quito GJ 50 Francos, each among the most important and valuable African, Asian, European and South American coins, respectively.

In addition, auctions of certified coins around the world continue to achieve results at or above expectation, even as other auction genres suffer.

“While 20 million graded coins is a huge accomplishment and we celebrate it, we really are focused on the future,” said Salzberg. “We look forward to continuing to push the industry envelope to develop and implement innovations that benefit not only our loyal customers, but the hobby as a whole.”

For more information on NGC and the benefits of coin grading, visit www.NGCcoin.com

NGC is introducing a new service line to perform metal composition testing at the submitter’s request. Metallurgic analysis is available for pattern, essay, trial and mint error coins, as well as tokens and medals. The cost of this service is $75 in addition to the NGC grading fee. Coins already certified and encapsulated by NGC can be re-submitted to NGC for metal testing and re-encapsulation for the flat fee of $75.

NGC performs composite surface scans of coins using x-ray fluorescence. While the tests are entirely non-invasive, they do allow NGC to peer beneath surface plating and any contaminants. Methods used by NGC are so gentle, however, that they can even be performed on coins that are still encapsulated. After testing, the results of analysis will appear on the NGC certification label along with the weight of the tested coin. NGC lists the three most abundant non-trace metals present on the coin’s surface.

Metallurgic analysis is performed at NGC’s facility by trained technicians. The turnaround time required for this service is approximately three-days in addition to the standard turnaround time for the accompanying service request. After certification is completed, tested coins are encapsulated in the Scratch-Resistant EdgeView® holder.

“NGC has used metal composition analysis for authentication purposes routinely, but we always believed that there was also a role for it to play in more precise attribution. Certainly this service will be a boon to collectors of pattern coins,” comments Rick Montgomery, NGC President.

NGC CEO, Steve Eichenbaum states that, “This service launch was really predicated on the availability of highly advanced and new technology. At NGC, we take innovation very seriously, and we continue to implement new services whenever we believe that they will meet the needs of collectors and numismatic professionals.”

While the next version of the NGC submission form, coming this summer, will include this service option, NGC is accepting coins for metallurgic analysis immediately. To submit coins for this service, prominently write “METAL COMPOSITION TEST” on the submission form, and include the additional $75 per coin service charge in the fee calculation at the bottom of the form. Coins to be tested should be listed on a separate submission form from coins not being tested. You can always request that multiple submission forms be shipped backed to you together.

Any questions about submission procedures or this new offering can be directed to NGC customer service at service@ngccoin.com or by phone toll-free at 1-800-NGC-COIN (642-2646).