Here is an interesting coin that I ran across recently (did not win). It is in an old Hallmark slab and a much better date than one normally sees in a non top 5 (PCGS/NGC/Anacs/ICG/CACG) holder. Hallmark called it PQ and it has survived in the old holder. If you were trying to price this coin, what would you do? Based on the photo (that is all I have), would you consider it PQ for the grade, acceptable, or overgraded? And how would that impact your pricing? Here are some guide numbers from Heritage as a reference
Does “PQ” mean “Proof Quality”? An obsolete term for “Proof-like” (PL) maybe? Looks like it would walk the walk in a crossover, to me, it’s an excellent coin. MS63+PL.
I would reason that PQ means 'premium Quality,' an old Paul Sims trick at grading. Judging by the photog, I'd hazard the coin itself is undergraded.
well lets start with the coin itself.. from those pics (very good overall i think) I would give it as high a grade as 65, but that brown spot on the reverse I think held it back and would likely do similar with a top tpg... I do however think it would lose the "PQ" or "PL" If I were buying it I think i would offer MS61-62 money(no PL) but if he wouldn't take less I think straight ms63 would be my max offer.
PQ = Premium Quality Nice coin in a nice vintage holder. Hallmark slabs (which used the same parts as old PCI) are kind of rare. From what I've seen, they were pretty conservative, too. I'd be inclined to agree with the PQ on that one, and would imagine the coin has upgrade potential if it were submitted to a modern TPG. I wouldn't do that, though. I'd keep it in the rare plastic.
I would look at it as a normal (not PL) raw coin and from the pics would value it as MS63 if it were to be graded by the big 3. It doesn't look cleaned and if I were to make an offer to buy it I would give MS62 dollars.
