The quality of work of NGC experts become terrible!

MedveD · January 30, 2024 2:22AM

I understand that grading and numismatics are different things. Grading is simply a business and the provision of services. But when we receive a service for our money, we want to receive a quality service performed by professionals. But not a fault made by an amateur. I won’t talk about the numbers given to coins - these are all subjective things. Although, I just can’t understand how MS65 can be given to the coin with green oxide stains on it. (Latvia 1 santims 1922 MS65RB 5790621-006)

I want to talk about something else. I will not describe all the examples (believe me there are many), I will only touch on some of them. We will talk about the coins of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. I understand that these are small countries, and many people do not even know about their existence, nevertheless, coins from these countries are also sent to NGC for grading.

Estonia
3 marka 1926. Unfortunately, the photo of the slabbed coin is not available (my SSD broke, and a lot of data was lost), but the photos of the coin before grading are still available.

The coin was sent to NGC between 2011 and 2016. The coin was counterfeit, but was graded by NGC as "XF Details". The counterfeit coin differed from the original by weight, color and edge shape.

Edge of original coin

Edge of counterfeit coin

Moreover, there were traces on the rim of the coin after the edge was forming. It's hard to see the traces on the rim of the coin in these old photos. But I have a photo of another similar counterfeit coin, and these marks are very clearly visible, they go along the entire rim, and are especially clearly visible in the upper part of the coin. This type of counterfeit was made in Lithuania.

So, how could such a coin be sealed in a slab, if only one edge shows that it is a counterfeit coin?

OK next Latvia, a few examples of slab descriptions.
The first example is my favorite. 1 santims 1928 with the inscription on the coin "Name below ribbon" (MS65RB 2760076-006).

Let's look at the "names" on the bronze coins.

There are two types of "names", the first is the designer's name "R. ZARRINS" found on the reverse of the coin. Please note that there are no ribbons on the reverse! Another "name" HUGUENIN is on the obverse of the coins under the coat of arms ribbon. But only on bronze coins dated 1922-1924! Why? Because only these Latvian coins were minted in Switzerland at the Huguenin Freres & Co mint and were marked by mint with the mint's name! All other silver coins and bronze coins from 1926-1935 were minted in the UK at three different mints, none of which marked the coins with their name!

Question. How can a 1928 coin minted in the UK have the “name” of the Swiss mint on it? Moreover, how did the NGC find the “name” of the Swiss mint on a 1928 coin and write it on the slab? What kind of super-mega-vision did they use for this?

OK, the next modern coin, dated 1996, hope it will be easier for NGC, but….

There are four types, which we know now and which are easy to identify. All four types have differences on the obverse and reverse, but the easiest way to determine them is by obverse and edge.
The first two types – Large Letters and Small Letters. Easily identified by the letter “E” (both coins have a lettered edge).

Normally all coins have lettered edges, but some of them have ribbed edges – this is type #3

And the last type – coins dated 1995

The obverse was minted using one of the dies from the previous 10 latu 1995 “Gaff-sail schooner Julia Maria”. Which was minted at the same mint.

So, you can see 4 types (varieties) which very simply can be identified, isn’t it?

The story begins with a coin with a ribbed edge. A description of the coin was made for the NGC, in which an explanation was given with images that there is an edge with an inscription and a ribbed edge, and a request was made to indicate on the slab variety (that this coin has a ribbed edge). All information was printed and submitted with the NGC form, where "variety" was noted. The result is that they took money for the variety but did not write anything on the slab.

OK, I tried to send it one more time and made a huge description that explained the all differences between coins. All possible varieties, a lot of images etc. And ask please write “Reeded edge”. The result this:

“RE - Griffin with tail”. What is it? Is it a problem to write just “Ribbed Edge”?

OK, third take. I send a few coins and write again a new, huge letter. Moreover, I found the coin with the correct normal description (see image below)

added the number of this coin to my letter and asked NGC a third time - Is it possible to mention on the slabs “Reeded Edge”? Pay money for variety third time of course. I also explained in my letter that mentioning “Griffin with tale” is not correct regarding this “Corncrake” coin, because ALL these coins have “Griffin with tail” and no coins exist with “Griffin without tale”. I explained that “with or without tale” varieties exist, but regarding another coin, not “Corncrake”, but 10 latu 1995 “Gaff-sail schooner Julia Maria”. “Julia Maria” has 5 different varieties of obverse – one of them - ”Griffin without tale”. But “Corncrake” – don’t have!

So please write on the slabs: “Lettered Edge” and “Reeded Edge” – That’s all I asking. Again everything was printed and sent together with the form. The result:

Three times asked, three times paid money for that, an example of a coin with the correct inscription was shown, three times sending printed explanation letters with images of varieties. I cannot understand what kind of idiot is working there, I give up, I'm very tired of trying to explain to the dumb people elementary things.

And the last story about Latvian coins will be about 2 santimi 1937. There are two slabs 3352292-010 and 3212458-001.

And both of them are counterfeit! These coins were made in Lithuania.
First, both of them do have not correct weights. The correct weight of these coins must be 1.99 – 2.00 g. The counterfeit coins are usually 2.3 – 2.6 g, sometimes 1.90 g. And the second thing which every amateur collector of Latvian coin knows – it is a mark on the leaf under the coat of arms. The stripe on the leaf. If you see this stripe, you know – this is a 100% counterfeit coin.

No comments.

And now let’s talk about Lithuania. The last straw of the dilettantism of the NGC into my cup of patience. After that, I decided to write this article.
We will talk about 5 litai 1999 coins. Some of them with striking errors which can be called “die chip”

This piece of metal looks like a bird or rooster, that’s why some people sometimes call these coins “5 litai with bird”. Some of the amateurs think – this is the mint mark, but we know that these coins were minted on the Lithuanian mint and the mint mark of this mint looks different.

But the Lithuanian mint never used mint marks on these coins. Moreover, a request was made to the Lithuanian Bank regarding this error. An answer was received.

It is saying: “In response to your letter, we inform you that the speck you indicated on the surface of the coin, located on the left side of the reverse, is not an element of design, but a small technological defect, within the acceptable limits of the approved technical requirements for the circulating 5 litas of the Republic of Lithuania.”

So, you can see – the usual die error. But what NGC said?

Rooster Mint Mark – Checkmate!

Dear NGC if you don’t have enough experts who can recognize coins of Baltic States – maybe I can help? For free! I'm very tired of seeing what you're doing with these coins. Totally zero professionalism.