Played the crack-out game with MPL and lost...

So I bought this from centsles on eBay for $233. Really wanted an MPL and got this for a great deal. Here's the coin in hand.




Got the grade back today and it's MS62.



To me, a numeric grade or color designation is one thing. No true collector should expect numeric grades to cross, or open a dispute because one service graded it BN instead of RB. But proof vs business or genuine vs altered MM etc seem like an entirely different thing.

If it were you, what would you do? It's long past the return policy and cracking out cancels their return policy. Although they do say they guarantee it to be genuine (PR Genuine?).
Thanks

 

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Send them a message and see what they say. Can't hurt to try

 

I would guess that the guarantee of genuine means it is a genuine US Mint product, though I do not know the wording. However, there are multiple books that describe and show the diagnostics for matte proof Lincoln cents; did you ever check the diagnostics? Using the PCGS images I gave a quick look and can find no match for any proof diagnostics.

 

Had some difficult personal experience with this seller as well. I bought a coin that was significantly over graded and cleaned, and I cordially asked for a return. At that point he stopped communicating for a month and the entire thing had to be solved by eBay.

I agree that you should at least try to get a refund for it, because it truly was not the item he said it was. But I wouldn't get your hopes up. I would also call eBay as well just to see if there is anything they can do. Also a long shot but they do tend to side more easily with buyers these days.

It's probably little comfort but at least you have provided a pretty blatant example of what can happen to everyone in the community tempted to buy from this scam artist. Really unfortunate that he does the amount of business he does but it's up to the buyers to see horror stories like this and not get tempted to gamble on his auctions.

 

I think PCGS got it wrong, Im not sure of all of the diagnostics, and there many others that would be more qualified, but I see nothing (from the images at least) that would make me think that this wasn't a proof strike. It does seem slightly impaired though, seems PR-58 to me. Good luck.

 

On a side note, I've had to return a coin with him before, and in my experience, he seems honest. He did make it right in the end. I've also had good experiences with him too.

 

Never trust a grade or attribution from a self-slabber.

 

NNC is NOT a real company

 

According to slabs centsles selling, centsles is NNC. I see his coins quite often on eBay, considered bidding on some, but it seems like a lot of buyers can't live without overpaying for meaningless slabs, ignoring the condition of coins inside.

 

From what I understand, the guy is an expert grader. I think he messed up but cracking it may kill any chance of a return.

 

I have only had one drink this morning. I'll be more clear.
I'm thinking centsles won the PCGS grading contest one year but he messed up on this one. In my opinion he knows better.
Cracking it and sending it to PCGS may have killed any chance for a return.

 

It does have the look of a proof especially the rims I'm not at an all expert on mpl or lincolns tho

 

A proof strike is done with selected and polished planchets using specially prepared and polished dies. Invariably the field is mirror like. The is nothing about this coin that suggests a proof strike! It is a well struck circulation grade coin. MS 62 v. MS 65 is a matter of subjective opinion given the elasticity of the scale and the latitude of market grading.

 

It's not supposed to have mirrored fields. Matte proof vs. typical modern proof.

 

Here's a 1916 PR58. But I don't want to get into the proof vs business debate. I just thought I was protected when I purchased it. If I bought an S-VDB and PCGS said the MM was altered, then I have a "genuine" VDB but not at all the item I was supposed to have. Grade is subjective. Proof or Business is not.

 

You need to study matte proofs a little more.

 

Just my humble opinion....after falling for generally the same scam once before....if its not NGC, PCGS, or ANACS just dont buy it...and always do cert verification, if I can open a slab and put it back together well, others can too. Sorry for your loss, but I would shocked if this landed in your favor..but good luck!

 

I don't think cracking it has anything to do with anything. It's self slabbed, so it's like taking a coin out of a cardboard 2x2.

If he said it's proof and it's not you have a case. If you're just going by what's on the piece of paper attached to the coin then you should learn to identify prf vs ms. Clearly the buyer thought it was prf after examining it in hand, after all he sent it to PCGS. So it's possible the seller or PCGS made a mistake too.