PCGS Questionable Color: What should I do?

Did you ever buy something on a whim and then immediately regret it?

I recently bought a PCGS Genuine Barber Quarter with what appears to be MS details because it was cheap.

It looks like a mint state underneath the color,
but I wonder if the articial color might be hiding hairlines from an improper cleaning
(or would PCGS have detected that and assigned improperly cleaned)

Still, someone thought enough of this coin to submit to PCGS for grading.

Should I crack it out of the slab and then give it a quick dip to remove the color?
I wonder if I did that, if I would get a coin that would grade?

Or should I just stick it out on ebay in the PCGS Genuine holder and get what I can for it?

This is what the beast looks like in direct sunlight ...

I would like to dump it and I am looking for suggestions.
Moral: Dont ever buy anything on whim because it's cheap!

 

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Out of curiosity, what did you pay for it?

 

Rather than just thinking "details" as whether MS or not, before you crack and dip, consider if you have indications of lustre under the tone. If so, then it is an option, if not, keep as is or sell( as it was cheap), it might bring you some profit that it wouldn't if it wasn't slabbed as genuine. If no remaining lustre, it will probably just look as over dipped and more people will draw attention to it. In a slab it is what PCGS says it is.

Jim

 

Get rid of it and forget it. No matter what you do with it you will always remember this coin as you bought it.

 

Coin Doctors work, attempting to put lipstick on a pig.

Sell as-is.

Lesson learned.

Thanks for posting pictures...learn from this experience people.

 

I've got to agree with Jim on this one.

 

Good suggestions everyone Thanks!
ebay it is then!

 

I was asking because I was going to offer to buy it, but hey, send me a link to the ebay auction...

 

That is a perfect dansco coin. Hard to tell if there is any luster from your pics. It does not look "heavily" toned and if there are hairlines hiding under there you should be able to tell with a loupe viewing it in quadrants under a strong incandescent bulb. I would say give it a quick dip, even without much luster it's going to look better than it will with all that spotty toning on the obverse. BTW IMO the only reason it bagged is because of the "spots" on the obverse. Your pics dont really show the true color in hand but this looks like typical match head AT job to me. If you decide to ebay it please post a link in our auction listings section with slightly better pics i might be interested as well.

 

Crack it out of the slab and put it on ebay, call it "Monster Toned". It will sell for much more.

 

Since 2 people said they might be interested in buying this, just PM me an offer.
I appologize in advance to the CT powers that be if this is the wrong place to post this.
I didnt actually start this thread as a way to sell this, I just wanted some feedback on the best route to take.

Here is a better view of what the coin looks like in more normal (room) lighting conditions under a dim table lamp.
Sort of a dark blue-tinged bronze color but does appear to have some luster/shine.
It has a nice solid strike and nice detail.



And here is another view using light table under a 100W GE Reveal bulb

 

Letes see the other side in a new pic!

 

This cracked me up.

Sadly this is 100% true.

 

Here is the reverse on a light table under a 100W GE Reveal Light Bulb.


And 1 more view of the obverse ...

 

Let me ask you this to the OP. Do you not like this coin because of PCGS opinion, or because of the way the coin looks in hand? Just because they holdered it as a .91 (questionable color) does not mean the coin is def. AT. Furthermore the line between AT and NT is a very fine one with many arguments from both camps. What it comes down to is rather or not you like the coin. I really like the reverse, and i think it is probably a 58 with very slight wear on the obverse high points. It also looks to have some luster from the last pics you posted. If you like it, give it a quick and proper dip and enjoy it. Just my two cents.

 

In my opinion, PCGS is an absolutely fraudulent company sending coins back with the "questionable color" rating for no other reason than to stop ordinary people from holding valuable coins. Recently we sent them a penny, over a 100 years old, it was within an old plastic holder in a garage for over 80 years and the Corrupt Company sends it back in a junk holder without a grade. This type of fraud in the coin industry is the reason people refuse to use grading services! Every coin and for that matter, every penny, from a cash register or from even being handled can have discoloration. Grading a 100 year old penny with a questionable color rating is outrageous corruption! PCGS has only graded approximately 32 million coins? With over 300 million people in America alone, this bleak number says it all about the fraudulent grading company! I'm furious! How dare PCGS Slander me or my family by sending us our coin back essentially saying the 100 year old uncirculated penny was altered by you. Dirty Company! STAY AWAY!

 

Everyone is definitely refusing to use them as demonstrated by their consistent 20-30 day turnarounds for submissions...

I'm fine with them being a little strict at times with their Questionable Color designations it's much better than the alternative of being too loose. Sorry your penny got details graded, send it to a different company if you think PCGS wronged you.

 

You don't know what you are talking about.

 

Who are you talking to? This thread is 6 years old.

 

Why don't you post a photo of the coin here, a good photo, obv. and rev.
and let the members of the forum decide if they think it is questionable color or not.