Reveal Your Coins’ True Beauty

Numismatic Conservation Services (NCS®) is the world’s first and foremost professional conservation service, with more than 1 million coins, tokens and medals conserved since its founding in 2001.

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A professional approach to numismatic conservation.

From within a state-of-the-art secure facility, NCS uses a variety of proprietary techniques to remove harmful surface contaminants, stabilize and protect a coin’s surfaces, and improve eye appeal. The American Numismatic Association (ANA), the only coin collecting organization chartered by US Congress, and the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) have named NCS their conservation service of choice. Read more >

Entrusted with the world’s most extraordinary coins

NCS has conserved and preserved many of the world’s most important numismatic rarities and collections, including pieces from the Smithsonian Institution. In addition to these rare and valuable vintage coins, NCS has handled coins recovered from four major shipwrecks along with countless modern coins.

What is numismatic conservation?

Collectible coins are susceptible to damage and changes of appearance as a result of improper storage and packaging, adverse environmental effects, mishandling, and natural changes over time. Surface contaminants such as PVC and other residues, soils, tarnish, spots and encrustation can diminish eye appeal and even permanently damage coins.

NCS pioneered a professional approach to numismatic conservation and can safely remove these harmful surface contaminants and often dramatically improve a coin’s eye appeal. Unlike improper cleaning, which will permanently impair a coin’s surfaces, professional conservation from NCS reveals a coin’s originality.

NCS will never perform repairs such as filling holes or smoothing scratches, or do any type of mechanical alteration. The techniques used by NCS are non-invasive and widely accepted by industry experts.

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What NCS conservation can do

Prolonged exposure to an unstable environment can cause coins of all types to develop haze, spots, encrustation, verdigris, corrosion and tarnish. NCS specializes in the removal of these harmful surface contaminants and the stabilization of a coin’s surfaces. Read more >

Conservation for vintage and modern coins alike

All coin types can be affected by surface contaminants and negative environmental reactions. In many cases, coins have been stored or sold in soft plastic flips or mint packaging that contains polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a chemical now known to slowly leach onto the surfaces of a coin. If not safely removed, PVC and other residues will eventually result in permanent damage.

Some of these issues will make a coin ineligible for grading by Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC), an independent affiliate of NCS, if not first addressed by professional conservation. After conservation by NCS, coins can be transferred to NGC for certification and, depending on the surface condition, will be numerically graded or NGC Details graded.

Important Note: Many coins are artificially toned or have had substances applied in attempt to hide other problems such as scratches or improper cleaning. These issues may become apparent after NCS removes the artificial toning or applied substances, but they are in no way caused by NCS’s conservation techniques. None of NCS’s techniques will cause scratches or an “Improperly Cleaned” notation at NGC, an independent affiliate of NCS.

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What NCS conservation cannot do

Though NCS conservation benefits many coins, there are certain problems that cannot be remedied, such as corrosion, wear, scratches, and white “milk” spots. NCS does not make repairs and, likewise, cannot undo mechanical alternations. Read more >

Important Note: Hairline scratches and other surface issues caused by improper cleaning are often disguised with artificial toning or applied substances. Artificial toning and applied substances can be removed by NCS conservation, which will then reveal the improper cleaning underneath. None of NCS’s techniques will cause an “Improperly Cleaned” notation at NGC.

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The NCS Process

  • NCS Evaluates your coin

    NCS first evaluates a coin to determine if it will benefit from conservation. If it will not benefit from conservation, NCS transfers the coin directly to NGC for certification.

  • NCS Conserves your coin

    If NCS determines that a coin will benefit from conservation, it performs the necessary conservation techniques. After conservation is complete, NCS transfers the coin to NGC for certification.

  • NGC Grades your coin

    After NCS conservation, coins are seamlessly transferred to NGC for authentication, grading and encapsulation. Once the coin has been graded and encapsulated by NGC, it is returned to NCS for shipment back to the submitter.

Frequently asked questions

What is NCS conservation?

An independent affiliate of NGC, Numismatic Conservation Services (NCS) was established in 2001 as the world's first professional coin conservation service. NCS conservation removes harmful surface contaminants, stabilizes a coin for long-term preservation and can dramatically improve a coin's eye appeal. After conservation by NCS, coins can be seamlessly transferred to NGC for grading.

Learn more about Numismatic Conservation Services >

What coins can benefit from NCS conservation?

NCS conservation removes harmful surface contaminants and stabilizes a coin's surfaces. Coins with PVC and other types of residue, haze, encrustations, or unattractive or artificial toning are usually excellent candidates for NCS conservation. To learn more and see examples, click here.

How much does NCS conservation cost?

For current NCS services and fees, please click the link below.

NCS Services & Fees >

Does NCS offer any type of guarantee?

NCS does not provide grade protection or any type of grade guarantee for coins submitted to NCS. NCS evaluates every coin in order to determine whether that coin will benefit from conservation. If NCS believes that the coin will not benefit from conservation, the coin will not be conserved and will be transferred directly to NGC for grading. PCGS-graded coins submitted for CrossOver will not be transferred to NGC in the event that they cannot be conserved.

In rare instances, NCS conservation may reveal additional issues that were previously hidden by residue or other surface contaminants. None of the techniques used by NCS will cause such issues. However, the submitter acknowledges that the conservation services provided by NCS may not prevent the coin from grading lower or receiving no grade by a coin -grading company.

What happens when NCS evaluates a coin?

NCS evaluates every coin submitted for NCS conservation services to determine whether it believes the coin will benefit from conservation. Special handling, detailed below, applies to submissions of NGC and PCGS-certified coins.

  • If NCS believes that a coin will benefit from conservation, the coin will be conserved and then transferred to NGC for grading. Both the NCS conservation fees and NGC grading fees will apply.
  • If NCS believes that a coin will not benefit from conservation, the coin will not be conserved. In this case, raw (not holdered) coins will be transferred to NGC for grading. There will be a $5 per coin NCS evaluation fee and the NGC grading fees will apply.
  • If NCS believes that an NGC-certified coin will not benefit from conservation, the coin will not be conserved and will be left in its original holder and returned to the submitter. The NGC grading fees will be refunded less a $5 processing fee. There will be a $5 per coin NCS evaluation fee.
  • If NCS believes that a PCGS-certified coin will not benefit from conservation, the coin will not be conserved. It will be transferred to NGC for CrossOver in its original holder. The full NGC grading fees will apply regardless of whether the coin is crossed or certified by NGC. There will be a $5 per coin NCS evaluation fee.
  • *Please note that while NCS will attempt to accommodate special requests from submitters it can’t be responsible if any special requests are not fulfilled.

Does submitting to NCS mean that I will get a higher grade at NGC?

Submitting a coin to NCS for conservation does not mean that it will get a higher grade at NGC (i.e., be "upgraded"). NCS conservation will improve a coin's eye appeal and stabilize its surfaces. In some cases, coins may receive a higher grade at NGC after NCS conservation, but this is not guaranteed.

Can NCS add "red" to copper coins?

A copper coin's color can change naturally over time from red (noted as "RD" on the NGC certification label) to red brown ("RB") to brown ("BN"). This is an irreversible process and NCS conservation cannot change the BN, RB or RD designations assigned to copper coins.

How do I contact NCS?

You can contact NCS by calling or emailing NGC Customer Service. For our contact information, click here.

What if I submit a coin for both NCS conservation and an NGC ReGrade, but NCS declines to conserve the coin?

NCS conservation can help coins with unattractive toning, copper spots and other surface issues. Customers may submit a coin already certified by NGC for a service that includes NCS conservation and an NGC ReGrade (NCS+ReGrade). If NCS declines to conserve a particular coin under this combined service, then NGC will not perform the ReGrade. If the customer wants the NGC ReGrade regardless of the NCS determination, then the customer should write on their submission form: REGRADE REGARDLESS OF NCS DECISION.

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