I thought PCGS wouldn't slab a coin with verdigris or perhaps only into a details holder. Is that verdigris on the reverse on the stars? (You have to zoom in to see it better. Small coin.) http://coins.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=1161&lotNo=7332 Thanks, Cameron
A lot of folks seem to think that. But it is NOT true. There are many, many, coins in PCGS slabs, and NGC slabs, that have verdigris on them. Now some will say something like - but the verdigris could have occurred after the coin was slabbed. Well, yes it could have. And no doubt in some cases it did exactly that. But I have seen literally hundreds of coins that had verdigris on them when people sent them in and NGC and PCGS still slabbed them. As with many things, it is a matter of degree. If the coin is just covered with verdigris then the TPG probably won't slab it. But if it has a little here, or a little there - the TPGs don't care. They will slab the coin.
If I happened to like this coin the way it is, is it safe to buy? AKA, is the verdigris stable or will it get worse? I don't see any point in buying if I have to de-slab and give it an acetone bath to neutralize progression. Thanks, Cameron
As long as you store the coin properly, you should be fine, just as it is. The thing that would make the verdigris grow is moisture. Proper storage would prevent moisture from getting to the coin. And by moisture I don't mean liquid water. I mean humidity in the air. Nope. It is found on nickel, silver, and gold coins too. Just not as commonly as it is found on copper.
hamster and Doug are both correct. The best way to essentially halt the progression of verdigris is to dehydrate it (acetone) and protect it well from air/moisture. It cannot progress without feed materials. As long as this slab is stored properly the verdigris should not be a problem.
If you have light verdigris on a PCGS-slabbed coin it can be sent to PCGS and will be conserved free-of-charge. Note "spot review" on the form and describe it. You pay shipping both ways. Older verdigris, such as that sometimes found on large cents, is usually impossible to remove and the damage is lasting. Lance.
If it can be conserved....verdigris is a tricky beast. In this case, that verdigris would be easily removed. I could do it in under one minute.
OK, I believe ya. But you'd have to crack it out. Then pay for slabbing again. And the grade won't improve, may even down-grade. So is it worth it in this case ? Not IMO.
