Will a fingerprint on a coin (in my case gold) affect an NGC or PCGS grade? Assume the coin is in Mint State otherwise.
Affect the grade - yes. Will it cause the coin to be body bagged - no. There are plenty of coins out there slabbed by both with fingerprints on them.
The value will be affected. If the coin is not U.S.A., but a foreign coin and normally the coin would be MS63 the slab will read "MS63 finger print on obverse/reverse." Clinker
Perhaps ANACS may label a coin as such, but I have never seen a slab with such a description on the slab.
Yes, a fingerprint will affect a PCGS or NGC grade. Either they will bodybag the coin, or net grade it down. You can dip the coin to remove fingerprint.
It means that coin is returned to you ungraded and unslabbed because it is considered to be ungradeable. The body bag comes from the small plastic flip they return the coin in.
