Both NGC and PCGS grade GSA Morgan dollars with their original GSA slabs. Some of these GSA Morgans are graded as PL or even DMPL. But, how do they control for the reflection of light and the mirroring effect of the plastic slabs? In person, I can see how a strong mirror through any plastic slab or sleeve is obvious, and it's generally easy to identify modern proofs' mirroring through slabs. But, when the coin is bordering between PL and DMPL, and between "no" mirroring (semi...) and PL, wouldn't the slab give off added mirroring and give more leeway to the coin's mirroring properties? Or, do they have a different method to test the mirroring levels of slabbed coins? By the way, if I try and test the reflection of the coin through an original government cellophane package, say on a 1965-1967 SMS set, it's difficult to tell if the coin itself reflects the text, or the plastics doing most or all of the reflecting. Thanks in advance!
Exactly as @Cascade said. They see enough of them, that they can see the difference between the plastic reflecting and the coins surface reflecting.
I had a dealer one time try to,(what is the right word?) steal a coin so to speak. It was an 1890p 62 DMPL Anacs hotel slab. He held the slab up to a piece of newspaper or something , and said- this isnt even PL, Anacs screwed the pooch. Ill give u $40. It was an across the room dmpl and numismedia had it valued at like $350+/- as its a tough dmpl date. I laughed sort of maniacally, and said no, YOU just screwed the pooch and walked away
Dealer's like that either don't know what the hell they are doing, or they do know what they are doing but have the ethics of a psycho. Either way, they should not be allowed to do what they are doing.
Like the jazz musician said when someone on the street in New York asked him how to get to Carnegie Hall..............."Practice, man, practice"
Darn I thought there would be a nifty method. That way, I can ask sellers on the 'Bay to perform said test on GSA Morgans. It's a bit difficult to decipher what many sellers mean by PL or DMPL, not to mention their photos often times don't really help - the camera lens seems to make another glare effect or distortion on top of the plastic's reflection.
