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Flash · October 22, 2012 5:48AM

"A coin collector who invented an "eye appeal" grading method can sue companies that he says broke their deal not to use his ideas as their own, a federal judge ruled."
Full Article

TomB · October 22, 2012 5:53AM

The article seems to indicate that the + from the suit is for eye appeal, yet NGC and PCGS use the + for high end of the grade.

PQueue · October 22, 2012 6:03AM

Duane Blake used to post here if I recall correctly.

AUandAG · October 22, 2012 6:14AM

What makes a coin a plus if it's not eye appeal? High end for the grade would indicate
that eye appeal comes into play, right?

bob

robec · October 22, 2012 6:41AM

I know Duane Blake very well as a collector of matte proof Lincolns. He and Kevin Flynn wrote the Matte Proof Lincoln book together, and I think they are doing a MP Buffalo book now. He's a good guy. I think Duane's patent application covers the use of labeling a slab with a "+" for high end/eye appeal, but in conjunction with the use of a scanner for storing and comparing coin images. I think that this lawsuit has been pending for over a year. But according to that article, the lawsuit is for the theft of confidential market plans by NGC too.

Bochiman · October 22, 2012 6:57AM

<< <i>Duane Blake used to post here if I recall correctly. >>

Good memory as he stopped visiting, much less posting, very shortly after you joined.
Last Visited On: December 16th, 2011 8:04 PM

Harry779 · October 22, 2012 7:22AM

The + means-----
"Very minor marks/hairlines though none in focal areas, above average strike and EYE APPEAL"

tradedollarnut · October 22, 2012 8:22AM

After all, no dealer ever marked their coins as +++ before he came up with the plan.

cladking · October 22, 2012 8:31AM

I rarely post in threads that will get the boot but it's hard to believe he can prevail with a case that hinges on definitions or the concept of "+".

robec · October 23, 2012 5:24AM

I don't think the case is that simple.
I spoke with Duane, and he said his patent application is to multiple elements.

Element 'a' (the "+" signed for high end, and 'b' (created an image that can be compared), and 'c' (indicating on the slab that the coin has been processed by the system, like PCGS gold shield).

In this case, he filed a patent application on this method and a year before PCGS came out with their Secure Plus service and filed their own patent application.
As I understand it, he also had a marketing plan to promote his invention, and that is what they are litigating over.

This is all of public record, he said.

TwoSides2aCoin · October 23, 2012 5:46AM

I'd like to take an EYE APPEAL course in trade school.
Hiccup,

... after I pass the BAR

Zoins · October 23, 2012 6:03AM

Here's a link to Duane's patent which has the following claims:

<< <i>1. Determining and labeling the eye appeal of a coin comprising:

a) providing: i) one or more appropriately knowledgeable graders; and ii) a manner by which to determine the axial ultimate refractory angle of the coin;

b) using said graders in a manner such that said axial ultimate refractory angle of said coin is properly determined; and

c) labeling on a holder of such coin in a manner such that said axial ultimate refractory angle rating of said coin is displayed to a viewer of said holder.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said labeling of said coin is performed by including a QWERTY symbol label inside of said appropriate holder which indicates the axial ultimate refractory angle of said coin.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the QWERTY symbol label inside of said appropriate holder indicates that the axial ultimate refractory angle of said coin is above average, average or below average.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said QWERTY symbol labeling of said coin increases that market value of that coin.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the eye appeal of said coin is re-determined after an interval of time and said holder of the coin is re-labeled with the re-determined axial ultimate refractory angle.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the re-determined axial ultimate refractory angle shows whether a coin has been doctored.

7. A coin preservation safeguard system and the product produced thereof. >>

The lawsuit admits that NGC was already using * to indicate eye appeal before the invention of the AURA system.

<< <i>Before Blake developed the AURA System, Numismatic already used a star (*) symbol next to the numerical grade on the plastic holder to designate a coin that had exceedingly beautiful
eye appeal within its assigned grade. >>

renomedphys · October 23, 2012 6:23AM

Smoe light reading...

For what it's worth, I count Duane as a friend of mine. That's more than I can say about 98 percent of the people on this forum.

robec · October 23, 2012 7:10AM

Here’s a GPO link to the PDF opinion of what a federal judge in Boston had to say about Duane lawsuit.

Link

Duane told me that trial was scheduled for January 7, 2012.

mingot · October 23, 2012 7:23AM

i remember back in the day when i was in kindergarten and did extra good on a pichur the teacher would give me a D+

the + seemed to indicate the pichur had a lot of "eye appeal" or something.

also i really doubt a thread about pending litigation against the very people who run this message board is gonna last.

so +1

shoot. i used a plus again.

don't sue me pl0x

robec · October 23, 2012 2:09PM

<< <i>Duane Blake used to post here if I recall correctly. >>

In reply to the member PQueue in this thread, the reason I stopped posting was due to this lawsuit, which was filed on August 31, 2011. I tried to respond to your post directly tonight, but was not able to log in and told that my "login credentials were invalid." So I asked Bob Campbell to post this message for me.

I am still collecting coins, and love numismatics as much as ever. I also appreciate the kind words shared by my friends on this post. To those who ridicule and think this situation is amusing, fair enough. But you may want to stop and ask yourself what you would do if the acts alleged in my complaint had happened to you. The Court made a lot of good points in the Order that was posted by both Matt Chapman and Bob Campbell. Those are not my words, or those of my attorneys (David Ganz being one). Those are the words of a federal judge with 30 years experience. Obviously, the Judge’s opinion carries more weight then either my opinion or the opinions of the people who have been sued.

If anyone wants to contact either me or David Ganz directly, in private and off the record, my email is duane.blake@comcast.net, and David is at DavidLGanz@aol.com.

-Duane Blake

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