First PCGS Grading...sigh

First I did send in a few questionable coins and I knew it - I sent 15 coins. They were 1882 shield nickel and then 1860, 1891 and 1903 IHC's. I had questions about these and had several opinions both good and bad. The 1882 and 1860 came back cleaned, 1891 and 1903 came back questionable color. I am not sure what that means other than they are not sure so "no grade". I can live with that knowing PCGS, but then two others also got questionable colors 1895 and 1909 - the 1909 came from a dealer who has hit on the head about 10 other coins PCGS has graded for my father. You can see 1909 IHC here. So in total 3 cleaned (only 1 of these would I question) and 4 questionable colors. So that is the bad news. You can see some of these coins below on the board:
Coin My Grade PCGS Grade
Draped Bust Half 1806 pointed 6 no stem - VF30 VF30 posted on board
Draped Bust Half 1806 pointed 6 stem - F12 F15
Large Cent 1818 VF30 VF30 posted on board
Shield Nickel 1879/8 PF63 PF64 posted on board
IHC 1861 AU50 AU58
IHC 1867 VF30 VF35
IHC 1868 XF40 XF45
IHC 1869 VF30 XF40

As you can see I was off on several and I believe as a buyer I would question two of the grades 1879/8 and the 1869(maybe that was semi-key grading). So I am "okay" with how it turned out, but two of those questionable colors I think I disagree with also, but I am not upset with PCGS. In total I disagree with 1 cleaned, 2 questionable colors and two that graded out. More work I need to do! Well at least I am having fun doing it.

 

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how man y dollars did you waster in getting this opinion i would do more homework before sending coins. its not worth to send coins and get them body bagged IMHO.

 

I don't think I wasted any - I paid for their opinion whether I agree with it or disagree with it. The only place you get free opinions is here. As I said I would certainly question them on 3 of the bagged coins. As it turns out on the 1879/8 if you go by realized prices I doubled my money which covers most of the grading costs.

 

Ultimately what you think about the coins is what matters we can just give our opinions. I would try selling the coins that pcgs has body bagged and see if you make a profit. if you make profit your stand will be vindicated otherwise you will learn a valuable lesson. but thats just my opinion.

 

TPGs are a waste for all but 1% of coins learn to grade. There are better places to get holders

I would not send a coin to a TPG unless it was some high four digit and up coin, or a slightly less expensive coin that was rampantly counterfeited.

 

yeah i know my poor indian coins i have spent more on grading then on coins butthey are heavily counterfeited so it was worth it

 

Well I had two reasons for getting the coins graded - (1) compare my grades against what a professional grader has and (2) make sure if something happens to me that my family has some basis for determining what the coins are worth. I am not worried about my modern mint produced coins, but everything else I need to make sure they understand what it grades and what they should get for it. Personally I like my coins raw, but I probably will from time to time get some of them graded(and maybe attributed). Just my own personal preference.

 

I'm a little disappointed in the tone of the messages.

If you don't like TPG's then avoid this thread.

I agree 100% with the OP. Certification of what you have is a big factor. Heck. There are dozens and dozens of threads on CT where everyone is going on and on about a coin being MS-65 and then someone notices something funny about the coin and then everyone is saying it's whizzed or counterfeit.

Sending something into PCGS or ANACS can give you a piece of mind.

 

A poster after my Own Heart...:thumb::thumb::thumb:KissKissKiss:thumb::thumb::thumb:

 

Here's another thought on the grading results. I think when you send in a bunch of coins and the grader ( PCGS OR any other) sees 1 or 2 that are problems they tend to lean towards all the coins having the same issues or other isuues , knowing that the same person submittted them together. I think the mindset is that " if you fiddled with 1 " you may have fiddled with them all , or as least several others.

 

I have a dozen or so high end Lincolns going to Professional Cash Grabbing Scoundrels early next month.....will post results. The 22-D I won last week is one of them.

 

That is possible and I do not know how PCGS works in this regard - do they send certain coins to certain graders? Not sure, but still 4 IHC graded and 6 didn't. To me the important ones graded. The 1860's and the 1895 will be replaced in my collection and the others were extra's that I got along the way. I know three of them will go in my dansco album and make those coins look better.

 

I am sure you will do better - you have a knack of getting nice coins! Good luck and yes please post the results.

 

Graders are not able to determine who has submitted each coin, and therefore don't know where one submission ends and another begins. And to mark_h, do you have any pictures that you could post of cents that PCGS deemed 'questionable colors'?

 

who in their right minds gives money to scoundrels unless they want to join in and cash in?

 

other scoundrels?

actually, it's my " pet " name for them since they started charging $20 for an opinion that you already paid $30 for. 5 coin minimum per tier, $24 shipping per tier, very collector friendly !!!!! So tell me how many YN's or those on a lower budget can submit? You have to join the club to get them to take your money. PCGS does not care about or show any interest in YN's, the future of this hobby.

I have said in other posts I would send my " good" coins to PCGS, however I a little more $$$ then the average YN.....

 

Oh i dont know i have hardly if ever submitted less than 20 to them you know how heavy it can get transporting coins also there are so many space issues. its a drag i am going to slow down coz i cant do all that lifting anymore

 

Spock,
I joined PCGS a long time ago, I have a bunch of PCGS slabs, I have low/mid/high grade coins, they serve a purpose absolutly in this industry, don't get me wrong at all.

I'll use Cody as an example, or Phoenix, or Dj, or any of the YN's here. They get a nice Morgan , common date, nice clean 64, 1st of all, they cannot submit it unless they PAY to join, or go to a PCGS dealer.

It will cost them as much or more to slab the coin as it's worth. That IF they send in 5 of them. It's mostly just a YN gripe of mine, I , you, others can afford it, most youngsters cannot and they get left out because of greed, pure and simple greed. That, in my opinion is not the best way to nurture the hobby.

PCGS could lead the way with a YN program, affordable and no minimums, heck, even a FREE opinion to help learn the kids.....I would change my opinion of them 180 degrees in 1 second if they did that for YN's.

Ok, my rant for Janurary is now over.

 

The 1909 is here.