So PCGS is trying to desperately steal more money from us by offering a restoration service similar to NGC. Apparently, you pay $25 per coin (raw or already certified) to have them just look at it. Then they decide if they can remove the spot or verdigris without stripping the surface off the coin. Whether they can or not, you still pay $25 (plus $18.95 to ship it there, plus $8 service fee, plus $24.95 return shipping, plus 4% of the value of the coin according to PCGS price guide). What a deal!!!!
Actually, I should share this story too. My friends at a coin shop in FL had a really dark 1893-S Morgan that they sent NGC. It came back bodybagged with a letter saying that the coin would be a good candidate for their restoration service. So they paid the fees again and sent it in. NGC brightened it (I assume with acetone) then slabbed it problem free AU58! I had always assumed when NGC did that they would stick it in one of their AU DETAILS NCS holders!?
Bad assumption on your part. Whether the coin goes into a regular slab or a details slab is determined by the condition of the coin after it has gone through the restoration process. It is not uncommon for the situation you describe to occur. But it is worth noting that the exact opposite can also occur. For example, a coin can be in a regular NGC slab, but the owner wants to see if the coin can possibly upgrade. So he sends it in to NCS to have them work on the coin. They do, but as a result of them working on it damage that was previously hidden is exposed and the coin then goes into a details slab. Or, is downgraded instead of being upgraded. As for PCGS they have obviously decided to compete with NGC for the restoration business. I'm just surprised it took them this long to do that. Nothing wrong with it though. It is kind of funny however that before they did this they used to work on some coins (usually by dipping them in one product or another) without even asking the owner of the coin for permission to do that. And they did it for free.
Clearly. So let me ask this... How do you know that PCGS worked on coins without permission? I never gave them permission with my submissions, and I've never noticed any work on them. Also, my understanding of the PCGS service is that if a coin is already graded and slabbed, they won't "restore" it unless it will still grade. In other words, they won't take a graded coin and send it back to you in a "genuine" holder. Is that right? Thanks.
its very easy to know just look at before and after pictures. no one can be right all the time. I am sure their fine print will state that your graded coin can come back in a details holder.
Because they have publicly admitted doing so. So has NGC. I never said they do it to all coins, only that they have done it. Since they just started offering this service I have no idea. Time will tell. What I do know is this, it is not unusual for toning and or dirt & grime to cover up and hide the fact that a coin has been harshly cleaned. Or that it has some other kind of underlying damage. And neither PCGS nor NGC will put a harshly cleaned or damaged coin in a regular slab. They will instead put it into a genuine or details slab. So if they can't see this evidence of harsh cleaning or damage before they work on the coin, then that statement has to be inaccurate.
