Coin grading is how a collector determines the value of a coin. Many companies grade them based on a number of different factors, such as rarity, condition, and where they were minted. Collectors rely on these grading services to find out how much they should be able to sell them for or how much they should pay for one from somewhere else. Collectors looking to sell a coin will get a grade from one of these services and will usually receive a headline verifying the grade of the coin for potential buyers. The International Numismatic Bureau claims to be one of these rating services, but in reality it is probably a scam.
Collectors who have been using grading services for a long time have not even heard of INB in most cases and there is very little information about this company. They are doing appraisals on common coins by “verifying” them as rarer than they are. Additionally, they are flagging inappropriate ratings on those that are not in good condition and even rating fakes, something no reputable rating service would do. Most collectors see through the scam, but for those just starting out in the collecting business, they usually don’t know any better and can end up losing a lot of money because of it.
There are three grading services that are regularly used by collectors that typically provide similar grades for the same coins. The rating is not an exact science, as the value really depends on the person reviewing it and what they consider acceptable. These three companies have roughly the same standards and have earned a reputation for being good companies among the collecting community. These companies are the Professional Coin Grading Service, the Numismatic Guarantee Corporation, and the Independent Coin Grading Company. All of these companies have been in business for over ten years and although they have made mistakes in the past, they have all been honest with their customers about their failures and have adapted to be better and not make the same mistakes again. INB cannot make the same claim.
