Question about impact of fingerprint on PCGS coin's grade and submitting for regrade

Chalk this story up to my being really stupid and careless. I went to a local coin show two weekends ago, and I bought a PCGS MS-66 Albany half dollar. I examined the coin under lamplight using a 5X magnifier, and I thought that it looked great. Later, after I bought it, I looked at it (again) and was horrified to find a very prominent thumbprint/fingerprint that covers a large part of the reverse side with whitish-colored lines. I'm puzzled as to how I missed it. I don't know if the bright light from the lamp washed out the color? At any rate, I am negligent for not examining the coin more carefully before buying

My first question is whether there any applicable rules of thumb (no pun intended) regarding fingerprint blemishes? Are they treated similarly to bag marks (location, severity and impact upon eye-appeal are all factored in)? Is there a maximum grade that a coin can receive if it has a light/medium/heavy fingerprint? I thought I recall reading in some reference book (it might be the 6th Edition ANA Grading Standards) that a lightly fingerprinted coin can still receive a grade of MS-65, but I don't know if PCGS adheres to the same grading standards.

In looking at the coin, common sense dictates to me that there is no way that this coin can legitimately be graded MS-66 (not with its prominence and large impact upon eye appeal). My theory as to what happened is that a careless/ignorant person fingerprinted the coin when slipping it into the plastic flip for grading at PCGS. I understand that one can resubmit a coin to PCGS for a regrade, and if it comes back with a lower grade, they will either buy the coin back or pay the difference between the market values of the two grades. Do you think this coin would be a good candidate for such a regrade? Incidentally, even if this were a legitimate, problem-free MS-66 Albany, I would have overpaid a bit (I paid $580.00 for it). Thanks for your opinions

-Richard

 

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Thanks for the information/opinion, Doug. I guess what I am hearing from you is that PCGS only buys back the most egregious problem coins and that fingerprints just don't meet that standard?

 

Thats ashame about that print. But besides that, that coin looks very nice.

 

I'm not seeing the fingerprint. FWIW - My camera images pick up surface blemishes much better than I can see in hand. I haven't learned yet why this occurs. I can guess it has to do with the way light is reflected off the coin and into the lens and the magnification.

In other words I often find fingerprints after imaging all the time that I hadn't noticed . before.

Ha! that gave me a dumb idea.

 

It's also worth considering that the fingerprint was likely not visible when the coin itself was slabbed. I saw a pic of the coin, it is in an older PCGS holder (No newer than 2004 if I am correct) as it mentions that they were the official grading service of the PNG, I believe NGC outbid them on that in '04.

 

'It's also worth considering that the fingerprint was likely not visible when the coin itself was slabbed. I saw a pic of the coin, it is in an older PCGS holder (No newer than 2004 if I am correct) as it mentions that they were the official grading service of the PNG, I believe NGC outbid them on that in '04.'

Read more: http://www.cointalk.com/showthread.php?t=155848&pagenumber=#ixzz1DptP4V00

That's my guess as to what happened, too. I wonder how long it typically takes for such fingerprints to become visible (days, months, years)? I guess that all things being equal, buying the coin in a PCGS 'rattler' or old green holder is better, because you know that problems like fingerprinting and unsightly toning spots are (probably) more likely to have already manifested themselves. Regardless, there is no substitute for careful examination of the coin. Obviously, I failed to do that with this coin.

 

I'm also not seeing the fingerprint in the picture. This may be a foolish question, but are you certain that the fingerprint is not on the slab itself?

Uh-oh. Now I'm worried...

 

you don't see a fingerprint at 5 o'clock ?

 

BTW, It's a nice Albany .

 

I would contact PCGS anyway. Not asking the question , will only leave you with an un-answerd question. It's a shame you have that problem on this coin. Call PCGS anyway . Good luck.

 

Thanks for sharing this one

:thumb:I agree nice Albany!!!
I was born there in the ice age:devil:

 

It is the Ice age here , right now.

 

Sure feels like it!

 

I'm convinced the TPG's sometimes introduce fingerprints during the grading process. They don't appear to years later. I've seen some pretty badly printed coins in holders. IMO the last step before encapsulation should be an acetone rinse to be sure all handling oils or other contamination are removed.

 

That's a very plausible origin.

 

Thanks for the valuable information and insights, folks. I learn so much from fellow posters. After soaking all of it up, it occurred to me that it might be helpful for me to show a picture of the obverse side of the coin, so you can make an accurate assessment of the eye appeal (or lack thereof of the coin in question). Here it is (sorry that I haven't figured out how to keep the shadows off part of the coin

 

Lovely Coin .