If you collect American Silver Eagles, you'll see two names on almost every slab: PCGS and NGC. Collectors argue about them the way sports fans argue about teams. This guide skips the argument and covers what actually differs (label wording, designations, guarantees and how to verify a coin), so you can choose based on facts and your own preferences.
Choice Custom Collections sells coins graded by both services. We don't grade coins ourselves, and we don't get paid by either company.
Who they are
- PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service) began grading on February 3, 1986, the same year the American Silver Eagle program started.
- NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Company) followed in 1987.
Both are independent third-party graders. You send a coin in, specialists examine it, assign a grade, and seal it in a tamper-evident plastic holder (the "slab") with a label and a unique certification number. Both grade Silver Eagles in huge numbers, and both are widely accepted by dealers and auction houses.
Same scale, slightly different words
Both services use the 70-point Sheldon scale. "MS" means Mint State (an uncirculated, business-strike or bullion-style coin) and the number is the grade. At the top, NGC describes a 70 as a coin with "no post-production imperfections at 5x magnification" (NGC grading scale). PCGS uses the same idea of a flawless coin under magnification.
The label wording differs in a few places that confuse new collectors:
| What it describes | PCGS label | NGC label |
|---|---|---|
| Mint State (uncirculated) | MS | MS |
| Proof | PR (e.g., PR70) | PF (e.g., PF70) |
| Strongest frosted-design contrast on a proof | DCAM (Deep Cameo) | Ultra Cameo |
| Early-release timing designation | First Strike® | Early Releases or First Releases |
NGC's own CrossOver guide treats PCGS "DCAM" and NGC "Ultra Cameo" as equivalent designations (NGC). So a PCGS PR70 DCAM and an NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo describe the same top grade and contrast level, just in each company's vocabulary.
Early-release designations work differently
This is where the two services really differ, and it's worth reading the fine print.
- PCGS First Strike®: PCGS gives this designation to coins submitted within the first 30 days after the U.S. Mint's release. The package must be postmarked by PCGS's cutoff date, and coins generally must come in the original, unopened Mint box (PCGS First Strike).
- NGC Early Releases / First Releases: NGC uses these for coins it receives within 30 days of release, documented by its own records. NGC's designations page notes that regular submissions of Mint State Silver Eagles aren't eligible and that Silver Eagles get these labels through bulk submitters (NGC designations).
Both designations describe when a coin was sent to the grader, not the order in which the Mint struck it. We cover this in detail in First Strike vs. First Day of Issue.
Guarantees
Both companies back their grades with a written guarantee. If a coin in their holder is later found to be overgraded or not genuine, the guarantee describes what they'll do, usually buying the coin back or paying the difference under set conditions. The terms aren't identical and they change over time, so read the current versions yourself:
A common condition in both: the holder must be intact. Once a slab is cracked open, the guarantee for that grade ends.
Verifying a coin takes 30 seconds with either
Every PCGS and NGC slab has a certification number on the label. Before you buy from anyone, us included:
- Look the number up on the grader's site: PCGS Cert Verification (website or app) or NGC Verify.
- Check that the date, denomination, grade and designation in the database match the label.
- Where the database has images, compare them with the coin in front of you or in the seller's photos.
If anything doesn't match, ask questions before you pay. Counterfeit holders exist for both brands, and a cert lookup is the fastest first check.
A note on signature labels. Some Silver Eagles are on labels hand-signed by a designer or a Mint official. Those labels exist for both graders, but they're a label variety, not a grade. Choice will only describe a coin as having a signed label when the cert lookup confirms it. John Mercanti designed the heraldic eagle reverse used from 1986 to 2021, so "Mercanti-designed reverse" is a design fact. "Mercanti signed" is a specific label claim that should always be verifiable.
Can a coin move from one to the other?
Yes. Both services offer crossover grading: you submit a coin still in the other company's holder, and the new grader decides whether to re-holder it at the grade you request. Some fine print from PCGS's submission guide: PCGS evaluates First Strike or equivalent designations from another grader at the time of submission, and First Day of Issue or equivalent designations aren't recognized on crossovers (PCGS submission guide). If a designation matters to you, check before crossing a coin over.
So which is "better"?
Neither, in any absolute sense. Both are leading graders with long histories, public cert databases and written guarantees. Collectors often choose based on:
- Consistency. Many people prefer to keep a date run (every year from 1986 forward) in one company's holders so the set looks uniform.
- Registry sets. Each company runs its own online set registry. If you want to compete in one, you'll want that company's slabs.
- Label preferences. Some collectors love a particular label design or signature series.
- Market prices for the exact coin. Prices for the same date and grade can differ between PCGS and NGC holders, and the gap varies by coin and changes over time. If price matters to you, compare recent sold listings for the exact date, grade, designation and grader, not asking prices.
What matters more than the brand on the slab: the exact coin, the grade, the designation, the eye appeal and whether the cert checks out.
How we handle it at Choice
- We list the grader, grade, designation and cert number for every graded coin.
- We describe what the label says. We don't add "first strike" or "rare" language the label doesn't support.
- We don't make investment claims. Collectibles can lose value, and grading fees are a real cost.
Not sure whether a coin should be graded at all? Start with our guide to raw vs. graded coins. For proof Silver Eagles specifically, see the American Silver Eagle proof guide.
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FAQ
Is PCGS or NGC better for Silver Eagles?
Neither is better in an absolute sense. Both use the 70-point scale, publish cert lookups and offer written guarantees. Collectors usually choose based on set consistency, registry sets, label preferences and recent sold prices for the exact coin.
Is PR70 the same as PF70?
Yes, in meaning. PCGS labels proofs "PR" and NGC labels them "PF". Both refer to a proof coin at the 70 grade.
Is PCGS DCAM the same as NGC Ultra Cameo?
NGC's CrossOver guide treats them as equivalent designations for the strongest cameo contrast on proof coins.
Does First Strike mean the coin was struck first?
No. PCGS First Strike and NGC Early Releases describe when a coin was submitted to the grader (within about 30 days of release under each program's rules), not the order the Mint struck it.
How do I check if a PCGS or NGC slab is real?
Look up the certification number on the grader's own site (PCGS Cert Verification or NGC Verify) and confirm the date, grade and designation match the label and photos.
Sources
- NGC, "NGC Coin Grading Scale": https://www.ngccoin.com/coin-grading/grading-scale/
- NGC, "NGC CrossOver" (designation equivalents), article 1335: https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/1335/
- NGC, "Designations": https://www.ngccoin.com/coin-grading/designations/
- NGC, "NGC Guarantee": https://www.ngccoin.com/coin-grading/ngc-guarantee/
- NGC, "Verify NGC Certification": https://www.ngccoin.com/verify/
- PCGS, "FirstStrike®": https://www.pcgs.com/firststrike
- PCGS, "Guarantee": https://www.pcgs.com/guarantee
- PCGS, "Submission Guidelines" (crossover designations): https://www.pcgs.com/submissionguide
- U.S. Mint, "American Eagle Silver Bullion Coins": https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-programs/american-eagle/silver-bullion
- Founding dates: PCGS (Feb 3, 1986) and NGC (1987) per each company's "about" pages. Verify both before publishing.
Collectibles, not investments. Any prices mentioned are historical and dated. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Not investment advice. Choice Custom Collections is not affiliated with PCGS, NGC or the U.S. Mint.
Have a coin you're curious about? Use our What's my coin worth? form to send a few photos and request an offer or a rough sense of value.