Browsing coins tonight, and as I do with all slabs, I check the cert for additional photos. Came across one tonight, and this is what I got: NGC Grade: DELETED So what are some reasons for this? I know that one would be that the number was used for counterfeit slabs, but what other reasons could there be? The coin is a Booker T Washington commem MS66, which is not a high dollar coin, so I doubt this particular coin or slab is counterfeit. I am in contact with the seller, and he had no clue, and says he'll be calling NGC tomorrow or Tuesday. Was hoping to just get some assorted ideas as to reasons this would be.
This is what an ngc worker said for a similar issue: "When a coin is marked as deleted in our system, it usually means that the coin was removed from the holder and the tag was returned to us for removal from the census report. However, sometimes it is simply a data error we can correct if we have a photo of the coin as proof that it is indeed still intact in the holder. Thanks in advance for your assistance." I'm assuming something like this is what happened. Most likely a data error.
I go to the linked NGC certification page and the grade is there and says MS66. Mist have fixed it in a hurry.
Also, I believe that if an NGC holdered coin is resubmitted for a re-grade and meets the minimum desired grade, then the former certification number will be deleted.
They also delete if that specific cert number has been found to be counterfeited ( the game now is for the counterfeit slab coin/mintmark/purported grade to match a genuine one so it passes cursory investigation). NGC is hoping the owner of the genuine article will return it to get a new cert number.
I have seen NGC change on-line cert descriptions of suspected counterfeit examples to "Contact NGC Customer Service", "Not Genuine" or "Questionable Authenticity". I own a couple in their slabs.
