I want to send a nice looking 1921-S walking liberty half dollar to PCGS to be holdered and authenticated as genuine and perhaps even where PCGS provides a details condition (e.g., VF or XF) opinion. I'm certain they will not give a straight grade, due to damage on the obverse of the coin (see photos below, specifically on the left breast of Lady Liberty and downwards to the skirt -- looks as if the coin has been "shaved" or scraped in those areas). My concern is whether they will refuse to holder the coin and return it to me in a body bag. Based on what I can find, I believe PCGS will holder "damaged" (Code 98) coins. Does anyone have any info that would indicate that PCGS would not holder a coin with the damage shown below, assuming of course that the coin is not counterfeit and doesn't have verdigris or peeling lamination? Thank you in advance for your inputs.
Why not try ANACS, they are best at this type of coin. It's the coin that counts not the slab, in my opinion. Good luck.
I think they’ll value grade this coin as being worth something south of $250 retail . . . Therefore, I think they’ll be hard on it and call it Fine Details.
The obverse has the sharpness of a high end VF. The reverse is better, but that doesn’t grade the coin. It’s a shame that an amateur coin doctor ruined it.
I'm worried by what looks like a lot of luster in protected areas of the fields, coupled with what looks like significant wear on the devices (disregarding the bulk damage where metal was shoved from right to left across Liberty's breast, and the likelihood that this was somewhat weakly struck). It doesn't scream "fake" to me, but it seems to be muttering. I assume you've checked the weight and thickness? (I got one not-awful fake that was spot on for weight, but about 10% thicker than a legit coin.)
Weight is 12.38 grams. Thickness is same as my other Walkers. In hand, it doesn't look fake (to me). May be cleaned -- too shiny, though I can't see abrasions or cleaning marks. The coin looks like it went through some contraption that scraped the obverse across Lady Liberty's left breast (shown in the photo) and a scrape on the reverse at about the 5 o'clock along the edge, right where Adolph Weinman's initials are -- essentially same angle as the scrape on the obverse.
