They were also tough on Seated coins. About 10 years back, I cracked a lot of Seated coins in the green holders. Almost all of them came back graded higher with PCGS. I'm a big fan of the early PCI.
Yes that's an unlisted PCI sample slab. After the second edition of Sample Slabs launched August 2016, one sold on eBay 10/25/16 for a strong $51. I would guess that a second appearance would earn less, but auctions are unpredictable. As for what type of slab, I call it a sample slab because it is an advertisement for the grading service. A promotional slab is an advertisement for a business other than the grading service, usually a coin dealer or auction house. Two similar PCI samples with JT Stanton signatures are in Sample Slabs, both valued at $35. They are catalog number PCI-001-9-1 with a 1960 D/D cent (repunched mintmark 13 worth about $5, not the $200+ Small Date over Large Date) and PCI-001-9-2 with a 1963/3-D cent. Keep those new samples coming. We are a long way from cataloging everything and new varieties turn up all the time. One of the appealing things about sample collecting is that every collector will discover unlisted varieties.
I received this in the mail today as a surprise gift!!! Thought I should share it. BTW, PCI bought the "Hallmark" product. It was the smaller slab and had a green banknote label. A sample of that slab is to die for!
Burton Strauss III, posted: "These are not that rare." Perhaps not, as I have several. Unfortunately, this is the only "Sample" I've ever seen. I should think that a "start-up" TPGS would giveaway hundreds. Hopefully, a member will post several of these common PCI sample slabs.
I had been wanting to add one of these old photo slabs 2 my collection for quite some time. I finally found one worthy and while not a sample, it IS a PL Morgan which is the ONLY prooflike specimen ive ever seen for this generation holder
Aren't they all technically samples when someone uses that service or do they actually give a grade to some of the counterfeits?
The micro "O" counterfeits are graded as well as (?) some others. The only "Samples" are labeled as such.
Interesting, I do like the idea of that service especially with the more collectable contemporary ones.
My two cents is that the "Educational slab" is a separate category of production slab. The only argument I could see is calling it a novelty because only one company does it. But in my not-so-humble opinion that walks you over the cliff of collecting every stupid garbage first- this and first- that and unrelated (facsimile) signature and novel (modern marketing) label and I'm not interested in going there. Over the years you've always been able to request special text on the label if you were doing a big enough submission - I don't consider those sample slabs and I don't really even think of them as novelties... marketing this & marketing that, sure: the "great left side sock drawer horde". Even special grading ... one of the local North Texas dealers has been unloading a "collection" of Jefferson nickels with 4FS 4.5FS 5FS 5.5FS and 5.5+FS designations ...
Your PCI is the 2nd version (or “0.2”). See here: http://www.sampleslabs.com/pci.html They are not rare, but they are not common. I have owned two of them and lost bids on another two. The value is between $50-$85 (based on the sold prices I have seen on eBay).
There are at least two varieties of PCI photoslab samples, I listed one back in 2003 in the slabbook. (What Cameron called PCI 0.1 on the sampleslabs website) It was probably earlier than the one Insider has because it doesn't have a serial number on it as his does.
I find this interesting, in all my years of collecting and looking at slabs on ebay I have never seen a signature series slab for PCI.