Featured An examination of the counterfeit slab epidemic. Scope and advice.

I think it contributes greatly by having the conversation of the issues and the views. I don't see it as a hit job on PCGS. I see it more as a plea to the TPGs to do more and provide better service. One way to do that is add a decent picture of the coin in the slab for all levels of submissions going forward. They can have the extra nice pictures at the Gold Shield level or its equivalent at other TPGs. But really with a decent inexpensive set up it could be done and adds an extra layer of quality control for the company AND security for the company and the customer.

 

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Not trying to help you and your negative vibe here! Certainly have tried to add to the discussion and threat by answering some of the questions on the topic and adding images highlighting the issue for anyone reading trying to glean some useful information through the cluster.
And you continue to speak to this being a negative slant on PCGS when in truth part of the issue with verifying "certified" bad slabs/ coins lies with the many PCGS certs without images posted in the on-line certs for proper comparisons; this is a fact, not a rub in my opinion.
And your suggestion "If someone really is concerned about fake slabs, buying only PCGS Gold Shield is the absolute safest method on the market. Spend a little more, be more secure" seems a negative slant towards PCGS and their existing "millions" of pre-gold shield slabs in the marketplace!

 

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that aerosols in the air block sunlight. Causing cooling, but that the greenhouse gases release cause a more permanent damage to our ozone and ultimately cause warming... your ability to implement cognitive dissonance is impressive. It sounded like you just tried to argue that pollution helps lower global temperatures. My goodness. I just can't with you.
https://www.newscientist.com/articl...-after-1940-shows-co2-does-not-cause-warming/

 

This proves the point I was making. Someone was pounding your argument for not having enough data to prove your points. I was saying no matter how much data you have someone is going to disagree with your position.

To your point, the industrial revolution did not begin until 1760 so there could be a lag from the effects of the pollution on the Earth's atmosphere that did not override nature's normal cyclical temperature variation for 250 years. Hmmmm....

 

Hmm, indeed.


I can't imagine why previous increases might have had less impact than more recent increases. Except, you know, the fact that these recent increases are one or two orders of magnitude greater.

The opinion piece you linked tries to point to examples in the geologic past where CO2 levels rose and global temperatures fell at the same time. I guess that should be reassuring, as long as you can also count on massive continental-scale volcanic eruptions or asteroid impacts to help "restore balance", as they did then. (To be fair, either of those events probably would take care of our counterfeiting problems, too...)

 

Not to mention it wasn't until recently the the rainforests in Brazil have been burning on a large scale, contributing to the cause while at the same time removing the very trees that uptake carbon dioxide from the atmosphere while emitting oxygen...a real double whammy.

 

Discussing the issues is important. I agree there. Adding photos would certainly help combat counterfeiting, but it will not solve the problem. No argument there either. What I don't agree with is that having a photo somehow makes the coin "safe" to blindly purchase.The OP offered no new information to the discussion, made significant assumptions, downplayed the security of things like RFID chips, and created a conclusion that is so narrow in scope it is meaningless.It's not like any of us would tell anyone to blindly trust any coin or slab placed in front of them, so why PCGS is the only one the OP decided to cast shade at is beyond me. Are we really going to pretend that counterfeiters aren't going to perfect their ability to produce the photographed coin to fool people? Cheap photos may improve things in the short run, but certainly don't solve the problem.

I agree that not having photos makes it harder to verify the coin and slab as genuine. Stating this does not necessarily mean you're attacking a TPG. But let's look at the OP's track record of attacking PCGS, look at the evidence he downplayed (the value of an RFID tag), and the way he underestimates counterfeiter abilities to copy specific, photographed coins. This article lacks substance and does not support its conclusion.

The OP implies he would tell new collectors, who lack knowledge in numismatics, who purchase from shady/unknown dealers, who find a deal too good to be true, should blindly trust an NGC slab. This is ridiculous and I don't believe for a second that any of us would give such advice, because it's terrible advice.

Stating that someone should be able to blindly trust any slab at all would be a huge compliment. I believe that in our current market, the safest slab is PCGS gold shield. If you find that to be an insult, your glass must be half empty.

 

I am truly impressed with how you manipulate words and meanings in your responses! You talk of only using "facts" and then state the Op "implies" someone should "blindly trust an NGC slab"- I am positive the OP doesn't believe that but he can prolong this and answer for himself. He knows I have 8 struck counterfeits in NGC slabs and counting, and they were the target of the counterfeiters when we got involved back in late 2015. And I just bought another on the Bay 2-weeks ago (again, bad coin, genuine slab).
I find no "insult" in recommending PCGS Gold Shields- at least these have images for comparison to the fakes. But again you diverted- I find insult in the "implied" negative slant on pre-Gold Shield coins and ask if they are less safe due to the lack of images on line? And my glass is half empty only with beer...

 

I want to say what i see in this graph that is never ever mentioned in the global warming debate. When we as Americans push the price of our tangible goods up in an effort to curb or reduce carbon emissions throughout the world, what we in fact do is push the manufacturing to third world countries where production is much cheaper because they have no regulations. It kills our local economies by pushing manufacturing jobs overseas and increases carbon emissions in the process. I won't go into tariffs and how they can actually lower carbon emissions.

 

Slabbing has certainly come a long way since the 80s, but my understanding was that this was exactly the reason for the company's beginning. To authenticate and grade so that coins could be bought and sold sight unseen. Obviously times have changed and counterfeiters are much more advanced and will continue to do new things to try to stay up with new anti counterfeiting methods.

 

The OP specifically stated the following:

Notice how he explicitly stated that PCGS slabs are no longer safe to blindly trust and buy. I see no mention whatsoever of NGC, which he discussed thoroughly in the post. Omission of NGC in this phrase implies exactly what I said it does. Otherwise he would have said "NGC and PCGS slabs are no longer safe to blindly trust and buy". I want to hear the OP state that he does not believe that it is safe to blindly trust and buy NGC slabs. I'll wait.

 

So you are defending your "conclusion" by omission? Seems a great departure from how you present yourself. I'll not prolong this agony any more going forward and just hope folks understand there is a growing threat to the Hobby in both the counterfeit coins and slabs...

 

The moment @TypeCoin971793 states that he doesnt think it safe to blindly trust and buy NGC slabs, I will apologize. Go ahead Thomas, I'll wait.

 

I was upset that the article never tried to correlate geological or astrological effects to the climate swings because they certainly have a significant effect

 

Bill Nye says that cyclic climate change is a complete fact, but the modern RATE of temperature change has never before been seen. I believe that to be the case

 

Still waiting on @TypeCoin971793 to state that he doesn't think it safe to blindly trust and buy NGC slabs. Why do you think he won't say it @Jack D. Young ??

 

I suspect you got "the iggy."

 

This is an amazing report. thankyou for your research in posting this. It's too bad, but counterfeiting of coins & now slabs may be the death blow to many coin collectors. Especially us older ones.

 

The hoax is the idea that we can "fix it" by spending trillions, not the fact that it's happening

 

Well, that's certainly one thing that some people think.