Post your Under-Graded Slabs (Official Thread)

Always thought this deserved better than an MS64BN. Needle sharp and interesting color. Amazing proof-like detail in Lincoln's hair and beard.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

My first (and perhaps last) CAC Gold sticker. Funny, without the sticker, I could not give this coin away at the bargain price of $1400 -- a few people were mildly interested, but no takers. After the sticker, it sold in an hour (after being listed at HJB), at $2200. (PCGS Guide at AU58 is 2050, at MS62 Guide is 2900).

 

That's a huge price jump for a sticker.

 

right...i dont know, id rather look at and assess the coin based on its quality....vs what a sticker says (or lack thereof) the qualiy should be

 

Well there are many beautiful coins without the sticker. That 14-D was definitely a beautiful coin before it was stickered, but what you see in hand is not necessarily how people see it though a picture. Some spending big bucks just trust the sticker. For me it would be additional confirmation.

Everyone has their own opinion of CAC. Regardless of what anyone thinks in the general marketplace CAC clearly does more good then harm. For me I think they do a good job in general. CAC'd coins are almost always really nice. I just won't pay an extremely large premium based solely on the sticker or avoid one solely because it is lacking one.

I will also say. I have never seen a gold stickered coin where I was like "how did this coin get a gold bean?" Typically the quality of a gold stickered coin speaks for itself and they are usually better quality then the "premium quality for the next highest grade" minimum standard.

 

No I didn't not at all, I made out like a bandit, I got lucky as I traded a error coin that cost me less than $35. So I'm a happy camper.....as I now own a beautiful buffalo that is so under graded it is pathetic .
I did extremely well and would I prefer seeing a 66+ on the coin yes. But had it been graded as to what it is.....it would of never ended up in my paws . And that my friend is how you turn a sows ear into a silk purse.

 

Such exploits are that much more satisfying. I had a high end dealer one time try to rip me off big time on a 1917 D AU58FH Standing Liberty Quarter. I gladly let him....Then I sent it to PCGS to have the unattributed (and unknown to the dealer) FS-801 DDR attributed and sold it for a nice 4 figure profit. To date it is still the sole graded FH example of the '17 D FS-801 at PCGS.

 

I've always wondered what exactly a gold CAC sticker on an AU58 coin meant. I mean, yeah, by the definition, it means they think it's UNC, but there's a big difference between MS60 and 63 or 65.

 

I've always wondered what any any color sticker means?
Other than someone who invests time and money into a hobby that they don't understand ,or lacks knowledge ?
Is it a confidences issue ? Is it about being a dealer vs a collector ? Because there is a difference .
A collector sees a treasure to add to their collection , a dealer see only profits to treasure.
The ability to look at a specimen and determine its value be it a treasure, or a profit to pocket ,should never be left to those whom tell us so. It should be for us to know way before we open our wallets .
To me this sort of reminds me of a car salesman who tells you .....you need to purchase an extended warranty .
Why.....because you are told that it will protect you!
You just purchased a new car with a warranty .
That said you are betting against yourself! Think about it ....if you win ...you actually loose.
Be a winner research,read,and ask questions , and in the end.... make a choice based on what you know. You are human and can make mistakes or you can hit a home run!
However after the crowd stops cheering ......that home run never leaves you with the knowledge of a lesson learned!

 

Perfect example of people buying the slab and not the coin.

But, from a seller's standpoint...

 

I guess I'll find out if I was right or not lol

 

Well, never judge the dealer too harshly. A dealer or profiteer taking advantage of capitalism is the very thing that brings remarkable coins to market and aids in preserving them for future generations. Capitalism led to saving some of the greatest rarities like the 1804 Dollar or 1933 Double Eagles that were saved from the melting pot. It has also led to the discovery and preservation of many hoards of coins that may have otherwise been melted down or lost to history.

Such stores by past dealers, mint employees, and others ignite passion in the eyes of collectors. This builds value with collectors make them aspire to stand out with the best collection their respective budget allows. If coins had no value to dealers many would not have been saved or available for the buyer to purchase or even learn about. It is very hard to fall in love with a hobby that you are oblivious to.

Even the greatest modern sets like the Epic D. Brent Pogue collection came from some sort of dealers. The days of finding great rarities in circulation are mostly behind us, and so we rely on dealers to keep nice coins available for us.

As for the CAC sticker for those that said they didn't know what a gold sticker meant. A gold stickers minimum standard as set by CAC would be a coin that would receive a green sticker at the next highest grade. So for example:

If you have an MS60 1881 S Morgan that is an accurately graded average MS60 it will get no sticker.

If that Morgan was a good solid MS60, maybe even a shot at a 61 it would get a green sticker.

If that Morgan was in an MS60 holder but was a solid 61 maybe even on the verge of a 62 it would receive a gold sticker. The gold sticker standard though is a very conservative one. So chances are if you see a gold stickered coin it will not just have met the bare minimum of standards.

 

I think this should be a 70 or at least a 69

 

I don't want to offend so I probably wouldn't have replied. I do so only to help protect you.

This coin you posted if not cleaned, is probably not over a 63 on its best day. These days a PCGS PR69DCAM can probably purchased for under $10 bucks. I don't recommend buying a coin graded by anyone other then PCGS NGC ANACS or ICG.

The rest of the companies, even the ones that try to grade accurately like SEGS don't have the experience or knowledge to catch problems or repairs.

This being a $5 coin probably won't hurt much. In my time buying and selling coins I have seen millions for dollars spent on 1000's of coins that are improperly graded or attributed.

I mentioned SEGS earlier because they are among the most honest of so-called 3rd tier companies yet not long ago I came across a misattributed Isabella Quarter labeled as a proof. They may want to be honest, but their inexperience makes their coins a liability.

Don't take my word for it though. Look at the big auction companies. There is very definitely a reason why the top level experts in the field that run those companies reuse to sell those 3rd tier graded coins. It is also worth a note that many of those don't sell ICG coins either. ICG though does have actual expert numismatists running the place and their grading and attributions are usually on point or backed by a guarantee.

 

Oh my so you think this is over graded, I wonder if all my TRU Grade are.

 

That's a nice looking buffalo , much higher than a 62.

I am also going to add this option some may agree some may not...but it's something that just popped into my head.
And that is this...I find graders don't quite get the buffalo nickel.
Meaning that it's not the typical coin. The fields aren't really flat and shinny.
They are textured somewhat giving the coin a more rustic look as it was intended to be. The American Western look in tune with what the buffalo its self represents . I see grades in this series all over the map.
From nailed it... to missed by a country mile as proven by two specimens posted in this thread . The coin that generates this reply is surly a higher grade than a 62! As the 1915 I posted.

 

First of all ...not knocking dealers.....90% of the people that I know in this hobby are dealers! Not only in my home state but other surrounding states.
Next I'm 63 have been collecting since I was 7 years old! Other than my college days when I wasn't an active collector I think that I have a good understanding of how this hobby has progressed since the early 60's.
My statement of the different between dealers and collectors is 100% correct . As any merchant has a price for their inventory .
Yes in all the years I've been active in this hobby I have been both a collector and a dealer.
The difference is a collector doesn't sell his collection a dealer does. I'm sure there are members here that are of my generation who wouldn't sell any of their collection , some may but, that doesn't make you a dealer. That makes you a collector who adjust their collection to suit their needs.
Either by up grading a coin or going in another direction with their collection .
I also venture to say Most all from my generation could care less if the coin that tweeks their interests is raw, graded by what ever TPG , or has been covered by stupid stickers! They only care about the specimen in hand.
They will use sound knowledge that they have learned over years of collecting , reading,researching, to decide whether or not to pull the trigger.
Have we or do we make mistakes . ....yes we are human, but they are OUR mistakes not the advice of a TPG or a sticker.
The very basis of this thread is mistakes made by the TPG'S as well, as the people with their little stickers.
I have no issues taking ownership of my mistakes , but it's about time TPG take ownership of theirs!

 

Case in point

In hand this 1880/9 S looks totally different and would grade higher then the 62 on the slab. No worries as it was purchased not for the grade ,but purchased for the variety that was missed, as well as the grading standards that apply ed during the time period .

 

It is true you don't need a slab to judge the quality of a $40 morgan (unattributed as it was). If it is improperly graded what do you stand to lose? When you are buying a $10,000 coin sight unseen over the internet that slab and sticker become much more important and are not quite so stupid.

 

If you're buying a $10,000 coin on the Internet sight unseen no matter raw,slabbed, or stickered ,that only tells me one thing you got more money than Brains!