Applying the logic that putting "First Year of Issue" on a slab is wrong, than the only thing that should be put on a slab is the grade. People can simply look at a coin to get the date and mint mark. And the denomination should be commonsense. Speaking as myself again, for coin collectors "first year of issue" for a 1986 Silver Eagle is commonsense. Just like the denomination of the coin on the slab is commonsense. I am not necessarily for putting "first year of issue" on a slab, but I dont see why it is wrong or a marketing ploy. LouieLot And BTW, First Strike or Early Release is an entirely different argument. You cannot simply look at a coin and tell it is a first strike. I am not saying that there should be a premium, but First Strike just tells you a little more about a particular coin.
The way I see it is they are making something out of nothing to make money. So will the people that sell them. It's not upsetting me, nor am I making it a big deal. But it's a tad annoying in my opinion.
I quite agree, but, if it is what a person wants (that is to say, that they want this designation) then who are we to quibble?
Dude, you should get out more. I would call it marketing. Calling it a scam is libelous, and your choice of words should be reconsidered. PS I just noticed it today for the first time with an 1850 $20 Lib.
It sounds like you believe that the PCGS First Strike designation refers to the coin being struck early in the life of a die.
That sounds like a bunch of bull to me!!! First year of issue are you Kidding!! I happen to collect Presidential dollars PCGS First Strike In 69 D.C and those have a very limited release date but it sure The heck isnt a full year:bigeyes:
First Day of issue....hmmmm....acceptable. Early Releases....hmmmm....acceptable. First Strike....hmmmm...not acceptable. First Year of Issue....hmmmm....not only not acceptable, but laughable.
Yeah like CSN/CoinVault tv auction!! They're the ones who started the "first strike" krapus interruptis!!
agreed rlm, (and even bodybag) maybe scam isn't the proper choice of words. I think it's another "facing" as the call it in marketing and just another way to offer their product. There is nothing malicious in their endeavor, however I think that it is exactly this type of "slab hyping" that will be part of the undoing of the TPGs. I hope that this makes people more critical of the whole idea of TPG'ed coins and what they are really getting. (Here's a marketing lesson for bodybag.) The motivations of NGC are clear, they want more submissions and as a company this is part of their growth strategy, but you never sacrifice the brand to do so. This has been the oversight of many companies who have been successful long term and eventually failed. They water down the brand until it carries no value. bodybag: Nothing that I said was libelous as I am a consumer and therefore entitled to any opinion about a product or it's producers that I have.
Or maybe the extra money they earn will enable them to improve the regular grading service. BTW, I doubt that introducing Geo in any way sacrificed the brand Cadilac.
that's because Cadillac is their own brand, but if you remember a very forgettable Cadillac called the Cimmarron (sp?). That is a better example of the watering down of that specific brand. It was yet another offering to an as yet unclaimed market. Trying to be "all things to all people" is another term for it. Sometimes you just have to dance with the guy that brought you. What Geo did was to water down the Chevrolet brand and the impact can be seen by the later absorption of the Geo product line into the Chevrolet line without any fanfare.