I received an American Gold Eagle 1 oz proof. Looks great to the naked eye. I have a magnifying glass with a small section for further magnification. Probably at least 3 times if not more. Looking at it I can see a line in the mirrored background. At one angle it can be seen at another angle it can't so I don't think it's a scratch but something in the finish of the surface. I looked at my American Silver Eagle Proof and noticed some small specks on the surface. Kind of like small drops of tree sap on a car window. Less than 5 under magnification. My question is what is the expectation of the finish in terms of returns. Is the mirrored section expected to have ANY imperfections under magnification. Especially since thousands of these go out the door. Am I being too particular and should the naked eye be the test? I know I can make the return but I worry it will be a never ending loop where each one has something minor under magnification and the next one will have bigger issues.
Return it and see what you get. If you don't like the next one, stop the madness, return it and instead buy a TPG graded PR70 with a cameo designation from a dealer and see if that meets your criteria for the finish you expect on your coins.
If I found any imperfections, including scratches/lines in the mirrored fields, I'd return it. Before returning it, be sure that what you see is not in the capsule.
5x-10x should be enough to see a lot of small detail. I use an 8x aspheric loupe. It seems that once you've seen what you've seen, you will not be happy with the coin in the future if you didn't like it on day one. Remember the Mint only offers a 7-day return policy from the time you receive the coin.
How do you return something like this. USPS? I have heard issues with insurance if ever needed to collect. UPS/Fed declared values only go to $1000 plus it really stinks to spend $15 or 20 to return it. Can I trust the postal service with a priority signature required with insurance?
I haven't returned many coins to the mint, but USPS hasn't failed me yet with any merchandise mailing. The mint will reimburse your return postage and insurance. Keep copies of the receipts because you will have to fax them to the mint for reimbursement. Call the mint for instructions and fax number.
So I paid the original $4.95 to ship the item. I return the item at my expense with reimbursement from the mint. If I elect to get a new item sent then I start over and pay $4.95? Seems pretty fair. In the end I pay 5 bucks because I am picky.
You get refunded only your return postage. You will not pay another $4.95 for the replacement. The only shipping you will pay for the whole deal is the original $4.95.
