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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Vess1, post: 21345464, member: 13650&quot;]<b>Ok, long post, be warned!</b></p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; I can&#039;t speak for PCGS because I don&#039;t know either way but if you send a coin to NGC now, they do photograph both sides for their photographic database after encapsulation, even if you don&#039;t select to pay for high quality photos.&nbsp;&nbsp; The photos they take are decent enough, when enlarged, to make out specifics to at least verify that it is the coin that went through there.&nbsp;&nbsp; I don&#039;t know what year they started doing this but sometime around when they began edgeview slabs because they all seem to be in there.&nbsp;&nbsp; Non-edge view slabs and before are not on there, at least as far as I can tell.&nbsp; Just the number, what it was and grade.&nbsp; (Which is better info than nothing.)</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; As to the original post, the concerns brought up are valid.&nbsp; It sounds a bit panicked though, possibly unnecessarily.&nbsp;&nbsp; For sure counterfeits, counterfeit slabs are a problem.&nbsp; &nbsp; The larger the purchase, the more research I do.&nbsp;&nbsp; I do use the TPG databases to ensure they match what I&#039;m buying at a minimum.&nbsp; &nbsp; I trust the TPGs to get it right.&nbsp; If they grade a coin that turns out to be a fake they will purchase it back.&nbsp;&nbsp; The vast majority of what&#039;s out there is real with fakes sprinkled in.&nbsp; That&#039;s the key.</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp; I don&#039;t buy raw coins much but still do occasionally in an attempt to beat the system and get a better coin submitted to NGC to add to my registry.&nbsp; &nbsp; I actually just sent some in today after about a two year break.&nbsp;&nbsp; My biggest headache is trying to find an attractive piece I can submit that has not been cleaned or messed with.&nbsp; Which almost every loose coin available has in many series out there.&nbsp;&nbsp; Why a lot of them aren&#039;t in slabs and why this seems nearly impossible to do.&nbsp; Even if you have a good hunch you just send it off and cross your fingers.&nbsp;&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp; It may not be much consolation but there are MANY options out there for you to collect that are never going to be capable of being counterfeited.&nbsp; &nbsp; It really depends on what you collect.&nbsp; &nbsp; The details factor plays a role and you often have to pay attention to it anyway to know what you&#039;re getting.&nbsp;&nbsp; Look at all the coins out there that experts have figured out known die marriages for.&nbsp;&nbsp; Every coin is like a finger print.&nbsp;&nbsp; There&#039;s base details and diagnostics to look for from when it was made.&nbsp;&nbsp; </p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; There&#039;s color, toning, spotting, stains, nicks, dings, scuffs, die cracks, letter/number arrangements, that individualize them to identify them in a TPG data base.&nbsp; Or online or in books.&nbsp;&nbsp; I may be wrong but there are many overdates and doubled dies that I really don&#039;t think would be attempted to be replicated and if they were, they wouldn&#039;t look authentic.&nbsp; I don&#039;t think any fakes are replicating die cracks.&nbsp; Most of these will have mulitple diagnostics beyond the die cracks. </p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The first coin I bought as an adult was a CBH with an overdate in a 2x2.&nbsp;&nbsp; In VG condition with scratches.&nbsp;&nbsp; I think I gave $85 for it.&nbsp; It&#039;s still interesting.&nbsp; Could it be a fake?&nbsp; I highly doubt it.&nbsp;&nbsp; I still have it and finally sent it in since I&#039;ll probably save it forever anyway and it will be in a spot in my type set.&nbsp;&nbsp; I bring it up because I think this would be an example of one that may never have a fake.&nbsp; I could be wrong, but would it be worth the trouble to try to get right when there&#039;s so many easier more valuable options?&nbsp; &nbsp; Could they get a 42/1 Merc right?&nbsp; &nbsp; Would they do an 1882-O/S Morgan?&nbsp;&nbsp; I know they will fake cheap coins too like modern quarters and have seen them.&nbsp; So I suppose anythings possible.&nbsp;&nbsp; The ones with very specific diagnostics will be much harder if not impossible. </p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; Changing gears here to the US Mint....&nbsp; I&#039;ve found a way to enjoy what they provide,&nbsp; when they deserve it.&nbsp; &nbsp; In no way is the US Mint a collecting priority to me.&nbsp;&nbsp; There are years I buy nothing from them.&nbsp; &nbsp; There are years I&#039;ve purchased a lot from them.&nbsp; &nbsp; Some years I might only get one thing that interested me.&nbsp; With so much product, you can&#039;t worry about it all.&nbsp; Just skim the product list and see if anything grabs you.&nbsp; &nbsp; Then if it&#039;s too expensive just skip it.&nbsp;&nbsp; I think people who were used to the old days feel obligated to try to get everything they offer and there&#039;s just no point in that at all. </p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; They offer a huge variety of things and most of it I will never care about.&nbsp; Sometimes they come out with something I do like.&nbsp;&nbsp; Given that these are the places that all of the classics originated from it does have a place and it&#039;s a year in your life you are experiencing.&nbsp; Somebody down the line may appreciate what you bought.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The mint has over-used this appreciation people have for them but it is what it is.&nbsp;&nbsp; The propensity for their modern proofs to spot has me shying away from them.&nbsp; Reverse proofs while simply less risk of spotting becaue of less mirror finish avaiable to spot, are a little safer, but not immune.&nbsp; But that&#039;s a different topic for another day...&nbsp;&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; I can look at a coin and it makes me remember a period of time in my life around when I purchased it.&nbsp; Some more than others of course.&nbsp; That&#039;s kind of neat to me.&nbsp;&nbsp; I like photographing coins as well so it serves as an almost secondary hobby to me.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Theres a ton of risks in life.&nbsp;&nbsp; Do you still drive a car despite the risk of accident?&nbsp; &nbsp; Do people not get married because they might get divorced?&nbsp; Do you not take a job because you might get fired?&nbsp; Do you never buy a coin because it might be a fake?&nbsp; Where does that rank in the aforementioned list?&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; After careful consideration will you accidentally buy ten fakes in your life?&nbsp; Two?&nbsp; One?&nbsp;&nbsp; If you bought one that was $2k, and couldn&#039;t get your money back does that ruin the rest of your collection?&nbsp; Does it ruin your life?&nbsp;&nbsp; It would suck but you could still move on.&nbsp;&nbsp; It seems most people aren&#039;t very worried about it.&nbsp;&nbsp; People that know much less than you.&nbsp;&nbsp; If it&#039;s really too worrisome, set a new ceiling you&#039;re more comfortable with and have less risk.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp; I go through life with the perspective that it&#039;s pretty short.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Do what you enjoy and what matters to you.&nbsp;&nbsp; I&#039;m with you on the frustration though.&nbsp; It shouldn&#039;t be this hard.&nbsp;&nbsp; Human nature has a way of creeping into everything and ruining it.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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