I don't buy many slabbed 70s, but have recently been trying to collect some silver Eagles. But I am having a heck of a time. I bought a 2015 and 2016, and both had big milk spots. So I returned them. I bought a 2017 off of ebay and it just arrived but there is a small hair/fiber on the obverse that is very noticable in hand (much less so in the pic). I think the root of these issues is people who sell these use stock images and you never know what you are going to get. So, does this hair effect the value? Should I return it? Also, how the heck does this happen at PCGS??? Don't they use some kinda air hose or clean room to protect against this. Sorry, just very frustrated because I want my 70s to be perfect.
I would definitely return it....you paid for a perfect coin that's what you're entitled to. On the quality assurance part PCGS should be ashamed of an item hitting the market like this. This goes to show you that their product isn't about quality it's about quantity . More so the almighty buck..... $ ! Having worked in a field for over 50 years where quality is job one, I can assure you that yes mistakes are and can be made. I can also a sure you these mistakes are made due to taking short cuts....that is 9 times out of 10. The short cuts always fall back on profits or production over customer satisfaction .
This happened to me with a 1909 Indian head cent submitted to ANACS. It came back with a hair trapped inside the slab. First i thought, ok, I'll just flip it the way it is. But then I thought, no, the graders deserve to see what they did and fix it. Lucky for me a rep is at most shows I attend. I gave it to him and he sent it to Colorado. It cost me nothing. Within a week I got it back hairless in a new slab. If I were you I'd return it.
It happens at every TPG from time to time. The coins have to be hand slabbed by humans so every now and then you will find that. I believe they all reholder it for free if you contact them
If you Google for "waiter there's a hair in my slab" you'll see one I posted ATS from a basement slabber...
Was the hair straight or...? Have it DNA tested, they can find out which employee it was and make them wear a hair net maybe... Sorry, it's been a long week, Bill
I know from experience that PCGS will reslab it at no cost but it's best to call them first to get them to pay the shipping costs.
I have several slabs that have fibers in them and it really irks me. I have a nice toned Morgan in a prong-style NGC holder and one of the four prongs is bent over and smashed by the coin. Looks terrible and how it got out of the door is beyond me. Totally agree. Craftsmanship and care always seem to suffer when profits are involved. (And I realize it's a balancing act in any industry.)
