I got this email from Don Willis at PCGS: "I'm super-excited and just had to share this with you. I just left FUN and what a show! Heritage sold the Duckor collection at auction (all in PCGS Secure+ holders of course), and 33 of the 52 coins set all-time price records for their date and grade. "Check out our press release about the auction: http://www.pcgs.com/articles/detail/7086." Can anyone give specific criteria for submitting coins to "secure plus" to make it worth the extra expense?
First, I would like to point out, that, while there were apparently many price records set, some collectors and dealers have commented that a number of the rarer/more valuable coins brought less than anticipated. I am sorry to have heard that, because Dr. Duckor is a true gentleman and a collector among collectors. Regarding the "Secure Plus" tier, here is a link to a PCGS page which discusses it: http://www.pcgs.com/secureplus.html My guess is that in a number of cases, the service inspires greater confidence on the part of some bidders/buyers. And that in other cases, bidders/buyers wont care, either way. It is a nice additional option for those who want it. What can't be known, is how the identical coins would have performed in the identical sale, if they had not been in Secure Plus holders.
You can read the link Mark posted. But just as an example to answer your question about what the benefits are of Secure Plus. Say you have a nice St. Gaudens, or nice Indian eagle. You submit them to PCGS under the regular tier. And just suppose that some coin doctor has used putty on these coins to fill in hits, hairlines, and/or light scratches. Under the regular tier the graders might easily miss the putty - not even see it. And then grade the coins as 65, 66 or whatever. But - if you had used the Secure Plus tier, that putty that the coin doctor used would have been discovered and the coins returned to you un-slabbed. Then you could return those coins to whoever you bought them from. With the first method you're stuck with over-graded and puttied coins. And in time, but it may be years, that putty will show up. Of course at that time you can re-submit the coins to PCGS under their guarantee and PCGS will honor the guarantee. But the price difference at that time may not be what it was when you first submitted the coins. Of course it might be more too. You just don't know. With the second method, the doctoring is discovered right off the batt, you return the coins and get your money back. And can then look for other coins. That's a pretty big advantage.
