THE PROCESS

The NCS Receiving Department opens packages each morning and immediately verifies that the descriptions and number of items listed on the submission invoice correspond to the actual coins in the package. The information is entered into the NCS computer system so the coins can be tracked throughout the conservation process by invoice or submitter number. Once the submission has been processed the coins are bar coded and prepared for evaluation.  Submissions are evaluated and conserved in the order they are received unless the submitter has requested to "expedite" the submission for an additional fee. You can be confident that your submissions to NCS are maintained in a secure environment. Our sophisticated security system is designed to allow for constant surveillance of your coins from the moment they are received.

The conservation process begins with an evaluation. This is just as important as the actual conservation treatment, since choosing the appropriate treatment requires knowledge of the materials used to create coins and the contaminants that may affect them.  Evaluators examine each coin in detail to determine what, if any, conservation should be undertaken.

Using state of the art techniques, along with decades of knowledge and experience, NCS experts can conserve your coins professionally and responsibly.

When submitting coins, you may choose to have your coins, once conserved, forwarded to an approved grading service, Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC), for grading.  If this service option is selected, NCS will immediately transfer your coins to NGC and return the coins that were deemed not suitable for conservation directly to you.  If you did not opt to have your coins graded by NGC, or if you submitted coins that are non-eligible coin types, your submission will be delivered to the shipping department.

Before returning your coins to you, an NCS shipping department employee will verify the method of shipping you selected on the invoice and prepare the coins for delivery. As in all steps of the process, the descriptions and number of items listed on the submission invoice are checked against the actual coins in the package. The coins are shipped back in special, protective boxes and sealed to prevent accidental or unauthorized opening of the box while it is in transit. Unless otherwise indicated, all coins will be returned by Registered Mail, which is the most secure method for shipping items of value and will be fully insured. For information on rates, please review the schedule of Rates for Domestic US Registered Mail (pdf). If you wish to ship via Fedex, Express Mail or UPS, you must complete an NCS shipping information form.

If your submission contains coins that are conserved and graded as well as coins that are not conserved, you will receive the graded coins from NGC in one shipment and the other coins directly from NCS with a reason why conservation was not performed.