PCGS Slab: Tampered with or Just Sloppy?

I recently got this 1972-S Silver Ike Dollar graded MS67 by PCGS from eBay. Upon opening the package that it was mailed in, I noticed that the slab has what appears to be excess glue coming from the slab’s seams. However, this is only noticeable when one looks at the back of the slab, and one side definitely has more “excess glue” than other.

Now I’ve heard of the grading companies occasionally doing a sloppy slab job, but my concern is that the slab may have been tampered with. From the same seller I bought a 1973-S Silver Ike Dollar and a 1974-S Silver Ike Dollar both graded MS67 by PCGS as well. These slabs, however, do not have any visible “excess glue” coming from the seams. Furthermore, the seller has over a thousand positive feedbacks, and according to their feedback record has not once received a negative or neutral feedback – going back all the way to the year 2000.

Thus, it seems like this seller is honest, but to the naked eye the 1972-S Silver Ike Dollar appears to be a lower grade when compared to the other two Ikes graded as MS67. Maybe I’m just being paranoid, but I figured I should ask for a second opinion before making a decision.

Taking all into consideration, I’m leaning more towards a sloppy slab job, but then again I’ve never seen a slab with so much “excess glue.” Please take a look, and tell me whether you think the slab has been tampered with or just the result of a sloppy slab job.

Thank you all in advance!


The side with the most “excess glue” which appears on the right:




Same side at an angle.



The side of the slab with the "excess glue".




The other side of the slab with less glue - found within the red circles.

 

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Nearly all of my NGC slabs are like that, and all of my ICG slabs are, but none of my PCGS ones, so I am not sure, it is possible that that they did a sloppy job.

 

Thank you for your quick reply…I really appreciate it. :yes:

 

I thought the only way to pry these things apart was with a band saw.

Not seein' nothing untoward......

 

I think more are like that than you suspect. Doesn't looked tampered with to me.

 

If there is really any glue on it, it is fake. They do not use glue to seal the slabs. They are ultrasonically sealed. However, that process does stress the variations in the plastic. It is not uncommon for the plastic to ooze out at the seam or to have small gaps there.

 

You slab has not been tampered with.

 

What is that GY GY AP marker on the hologram? Never noticed that before.

 

I think it has been "tampered". Maybe the sonic sealing didn't do it well at first, most likely it was dropped and sprung open a little, and someone tried to glue it back. Appears like CA ( superglue).

Ok, no one can be sure either way from photos, but I don't think it would have got out of QC like that. Send the photo above to PCGS by email and ask their opinion.

Jim

 

Green18, Usc96, Rlm’s cents, and 19Lyds: Thank you all for your quick replies...I really do appreciate it. :yes:

Thank you, that gives me a lot of comfort. With all this talk of counterfeits and fake slabs I guess I got paranoid. :too-funny:

Thanks, I was wondering if it was a sloppy slab job, but I’ve never seen one this bad from PCGS. Well, guess I’m the new owner of one unique slab.

Thanks for the information. I went ahead and double checked the slab, and it does appear that the “excess glue” is in fact plastic that oozed out of the seam. I am relieved. :yes:

Thank you.

The GY GY AP marker is actually a sticker. I’m assuming one of the previous owners stuck it on there to denote their store name, or maybe as a reference for that particular piece of inventory...but that is just a guess. :yes:

 

I would have to ask a worker at PCGS how this happens!

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I went ahead and contacted PCGS to see what they say. One can never be too careful in matters like these. :yes:

 

This should help just put the Pcgs slab # in and it will tell you if Pcgs graded it.


http://www.pcgs.com/cert/

 

Thank you for your response. I guess it is kind of obvious that I don’t completely understand how the sonic sealing method works, and thus have a hard time telling whether a slab has been tampered with or not. That is why I posted this here, and thanks to all the replies I’ve learned a great deal. :yes: :thumb:

Thanks for posting that link, Jello. All the slab numbers checked out, so I guess I’m in good shape. :yes:

 

Good!

 

Looks OK to me. The coin looks OK too. If someone was going to go to all that trouble, they'd probably pick a coin that gave them more money, IMHO.

 

I once got a PCGS Multiholder that split open in the mail, so I could take out the coins if I wanted to. I returned it.

 

Yes, I am relieved.

Very true, that makes perfect sense. :yes:

That’s worrisome…at least you were able to return it though.

 

I was not aware that PCGS made multi-holders?

Anyway, that was a good question that easily resolved.

Happy Collecting