PCGS PSA: "Why Didn’t My Coin Get a Grade?"

Goldbully

Always good to review the grading rules with our host...........

---

PCGS News....Why Didn’t My Coin Get a Grade?

By PCGS - July 29, 2024

---

Have you ever submitted a coin for grading at PCGS only for it to be returned raw with no grade? Or maybe it came back in a holder that said “Details” instead of a numerical grade. Why didn’t your coin get a grade? Unfortunately, not every coin is eligible for a grade or encapsulation by PCGS. Here are some of the common reasons for a coin to No-Grade at PCGS.

---

Filed Rims

These coins had some rim dents or bumps that were filed down to give the coin an even appearance. Rims were often filed down for bullion theft or to remove evidence of jewelry mounts. Coins with filed rims will be encapsulated in a PCGS holder and given a Details grade.

Peeling Lamination

These coins have planchet flaws caused by impurities in the metal alloy that lead to the flaking or peeling of metal on the coin’s surface. These coins will not be placed into a PCGS holder because they are too damaged to survive the encapsulation process.

Holed and Plugged

These coins have holes drilled into them. If you do not see a hole but the coin was returned to you with this designation, that means the hole was plugged, or filled with metal, in an attempt to hide it. These coins will be encapsulated by PCGS and given a Details grade.

Authenticity Unverifiable

This means that the grading team could not conclusively determine whether your coin was genuine. This includes coins where the surface is too worn or the original surfaces have been destroyed. These coins will not be placed into a PCGS holder because PCGS only encapsulates genuine coins.

Counterfeit

These coins are not genuine. They are either well-known counterfeit examples or exhibit counterfeit characteristics and are highly suspect. These coins will not be placed into a PCGS holder because PCGS only encapsulates genuine coins.

Questionable Color

These coins have been given artificial toning to try to enhance value or cover up problems on the surface. Toning is questionable when the colors are glaringly unnatural or they seem purposely placed to distract you from issues on the coin. These coins will be encapsulated by PCGS and given a Details grade.

Cleaned

These coins have surface damage due to abrasive cleaning. The coin might have an overly polished look or faint hairlines on the surface. These coins will be encapsulated by PCGS and given a Details grade.

Planchet Flaw

These coins have a metal impurity or defect in the planchet. Small, non-disruptive flaws might be acceptable, but large, distracting ones are not. These coins will be encapsulated by PCGS and given a Details grade.

Altered Surface

These coins have been covered in substances like putty that are meant to fill in scratches and “improve” their appearance. Since it is impossible to determine the quality of the surface underneath the coating, these coins can not be graded. These coins will be encapsulated by PCGS and given a Details grade.

Scratch

These coins have deep distracting scratches on their surface. If the scratch is light, not distracting, and toned over, it might be acceptable. However, bright, obvious, deep scratches are not. These coins will be encapsulated by PCGS and given a Details grade.

Refund - No Service

These are submitted coins that PCGS does not certify. These include medals, coins that don’t fit into a PCGS holder, etc. These coins will not be encapsulated by PCGS.

Environmental Damage

These are coins that were damaged by natural factors. Coins found underground, in the ocean, or in humid environments often have corrosion. This looks like dark toning that has burned into the coin’s surface. These coins will be encapsulated by PCGS and given a Details grade.

Damage

These are coins that have any type of metal movement, intentional or accidental. This No Grade classification covers everything from excessive rim dings to graffiti. These coins will be encapsulated by PCGS and given a Details grade.

PVC

These coins have been damaged by PVC, a plasticizer used to make vinyl coin holders. Overtime, PVC seeps out of the holder and onto the coin, damaging the surface. It appears as slimy green spots on the surface of the coin. Because it worsens over time, further destroying the coin, PCGS will not encapsulate these coins.

---

PCGS Link

DocBenjamin

Questionable Color

These coins have been given artificial toning to try to enhance value or cover up problems on the surface. Toning is questionable when the colors are glaringly unnatural or they seem purposely placed to distract you from issues on the coin. These coins will be encapsulated by PCGS and given a Details grade.

PerryHall

I'm surprised that PCGS will slab puttied coins even with a details grade. The putty can change within the slab over time.

jmlanzaf

@PerryHall said:
I'm surprised that PCGS will slab puttied coins even with a details grade. The putty can change within the slab over time.

Yes, but it doesn't damage the coin and, more importantly, there's no grade guarantee with a details grade.

leothelyon

A couple of those detail grades has helped this pauper to obtain an otherwise unobtainable straight graded coin or 2. Whether straighted-graded or detail-graded (oxymoron?)......I can still agree or disagree with either in more ways than I can count.

Leo

TrickleCharge

On the topic of details grades and the guarantee, it may also be important to note that just because a coin does get a grade, the 'guarantee' does not apply if you submitted the coin yourself.

https://www.pcgs.com/guarantee

"This guarantee does not apply to, and cannot be utilized by, the original submitter (or the original submitter’s agents, employees, affiliates, family, or representatives) of the graded coin."

ifthevamzarockin

Peeling Lamination

These coins have planchet flaws caused by impurities in the metal alloy that lead to the flaking or peeling of metal on the coin’s surface. These coins will not be placed into a PCGS holder because they are too damaged to survive the encapsulation process.

Unless you pay for the error, then they will survive encapsulation.

jmlanzaf

@TrickleCharge said:
On the topic of details grades and the guarantee, it may also be important to note that just because a coin does get a grade, the 'guarantee' does not apply if you submitted the coin yourself.

https://www.pcgs.com/guarantee

"This guarantee does not apply to, and cannot be utilized by, the original submitter (or the original submitter’s agents, employees, affiliates, family, or representatives) of the graded coin."

Because that would be guaranteeing the raw coin...

joeykoins

Interesting thread.
After reading, now I'm worried about my current submission?
I sent this Buffalo in, just to have it graded and certified!
Now, with the strange convex line. I'm hoping it doesn't receive that,
"Planchet Flaw" details with NO grade? 😖

Manifest_Destiny

That's a (significant) die scratch.

john_nyc1

Why is it called “details”? I get genuine - the coin can’t be graded but is genuine. But “details”?

airplanenut

@john_nyc1 said:
Why is it called “details”? I get genuine - the coin can’t be graded but is genuine. But “details”?

The coin has the details of _____ grade, but it has issue X, so it did not receive a numeric grade. Thus, it's a details coin instead of a (fully/straight) graded coin.

joeykoins

My coin, is NOT a scratch!
Obviously, raised..

OAKSTAR

@joeykoins said:
My coin, is NOT a scratch!
Obviously, raised..

He's saying the scratch was on the die, not the coin.

Catbert

Ultra cool, joey!

OAKSTAR

@joeykoins said:
Interesting thread.
After reading, now I'm worried about my current submission?
I sent this Buffalo in, just to have it graded and certified!
Now, with the strange convex line. I'm hoping it doesn't receive that,
"Planchet Flaw" details with NO grade? 😖

What did you list it as on the submission form?

airplanenut

@jmlanzaf said:

@TrickleCharge said:
On the topic of details grades and the guarantee, it may also be important to note that just because a coin does get a grade, the 'guarantee' does not apply if you submitted the coin yourself.

https://www.pcgs.com/guarantee

"This guarantee does not apply to, and cannot be utilized by, the original submitter (or the original submitter’s agents, employees, affiliates, family, or representatives) of the graded coin."

Because that would be guaranteeing the raw coin...

That might be the common case, but depending on the grade, the owner's behavior may change, and if the grade is later shown to be incorrect, that could still result in a financial loss. The example I have for this is a scenario where you have a raw coin to sell me. I buy it on some condition of its grade (price is tied to the grade, a minimum grade level, straight-grade, etc.). If you send me the coin and I send it in, if at a later point an issue appears (overgraded, missed damage, etc.) I have no recourse. If you had sent in the coin, I can make use of the guarantee.

With that said, there's one obvious flaw: what if the submitter hides a problem to profit later. The easy example here is puttying a coin to conceal marks/damage, having it graded, and then making a guarantee claim on the coin once it turns. Of course, if the puttying can fool the graders, the coin may well be salable shortly after grading and PCGS would be on the hook for the guarantee with some buyer down the line. It would seem to me that all this is preventing is the submitter from profiting directly from a mistake made by PCGS via the guarantee, but as long as the submitter doesn't intend to hold the coin indefinitely, they can make their money by selling the coin, and PCGS retains liability through the guarantee.

Manifest_Destiny

@joeykoins said:
My coin, is NOT a scratch!
Obviously, raised..

Die scratches are raised.

joeykoins

@OAKSTAR said:

@joeykoins said:
Interesting thread.
After reading, now I'm worried about my current submission?
I sent this Buffalo in, just to have it graded and certified!
Now, with the strange convex line. I'm hoping it doesn't receive that,
"Planchet Flaw" details with NO grade? 😖

What did you list it as on the submission form?

No Variety attribution.
Just sent in as a regular, to be graded and certified.

joeykoins

@Manifest_Destiny said:

@joeykoins said:
My coin, is NOT a scratch!
Obviously, raised..

Die scratches are raised.

joeykoins

@OAKSTAR said:

@joeykoins said:
My coin, is NOT a scratch!
Obviously, raised..

He's saying the scratch was on the die, not the coin.

oh!

OAKSTAR

@joeykoins said:

@OAKSTAR said:

@joeykoins said:
Interesting thread.
After reading, now I'm worried about my current submission?
I sent this Buffalo in, just to have it graded and certified!
Now, with the strange convex line. I'm hoping it doesn't receive that,
"Planchet Flaw" details with NO grade? 😖

What did you list it as on the submission form?

No Variety attribution.
Just sent in as a regular, to be graded and certified.

Wouldn't you have wanted die gouge written on the slab label?

TrickleCharge

@jmlanzaf said:

@TrickleCharge said:
On the topic of details grades and the guarantee, it may also be important to note that just because a coin does get a grade, the 'guarantee' does not apply if you submitted the coin yourself.

https://www.pcgs.com/guarantee

"This guarantee does not apply to, and cannot be utilized by, the original submitter (or the original submitter’s agents, employees, affiliates, family, or representatives) of the graded coin."

Because that would be guaranteeing the raw coin...

I would imagine that most submissions are raw coins. The subsequent grade and authenticity is not guaranteed, should the original submitter have a problem.

TrickleCharge

@airplanenut said:

@jmlanzaf said:

@TrickleCharge said:
On the topic of details grades and the guarantee, it may also be important to note that just because a coin does get a grade, the 'guarantee' does not apply if you submitted the coin yourself.

https://www.pcgs.com/guarantee

"This guarantee does not apply to, and cannot be utilized by, the original submitter (or the original submitter’s agents, employees, affiliates, family, or representatives) of the graded coin."

Because that would be guaranteeing the raw coin...

That might be the common case, but depending on the grade, the owner's behavior may change, and if the grade is later shown to be incorrect, that could still result in a financial loss. The example I have for this is a scenario where you have a raw coin to sell me. I buy it on some condition of its grade (price is tied to the grade, a minimum grade level, straight-grade, etc.). If you send me the coin and I send it in, if at a later point an issue appears (overgraded, missed damage, etc.) I have no recourse. If you had sent in the coin, I can make use of the guarantee.

With that said, there's one obvious flaw: what if the submitter hides a problem to profit later. The easy example here is puttying a coin to conceal marks/damage, having it graded, and then making a guarantee claim on the coin once it turns. Of course, if the puttying can fool the graders, the coin may well be salable shortly after grading and PCGS would be on the hook for the guarantee with some buyer down the line. It would seem to me that all this is preventing is the submitter from profiting directly from a mistake made by PCGS via the guarantee, but as long as the submitter doesn't intend to hold the coin indefinitely, they can make their money by selling the coin, and PCGS retains liability through the guarantee.

As you say, the guarantee does not apply to the person submitting the coin, or potentially an auction house submitting on someone's behalf. The guarantee only applies if you bought, or somehow came to own, a previously graded PCGS coin and were not affiliated with the original submission.

joeykoins

@OAKSTAR said:

@joeykoins said:

@OAKSTAR said:

@joeykoins said:
Interesting thread.
After reading, now I'm worried about my current submission?
I sent this Buffalo in, just to have it graded and certified!
Now, with the strange convex line. I'm hoping it doesn't receive that,
"Planchet Flaw" details with NO grade? 😖

What did you list it as on the submission form?

No Variety attribution.
Just sent in as a regular, to be graded and certified.

Wouldn't you have wanted die gouge written on the slab label?

Well, yes but no.
Meaning, we don't know if it's truly a die Gouge, plus, I really didn't want to pay the high "error coin", fee!

joeykoins

OP,
So sorry for hijacking your thread, bud!

OAKSTAR

@joeykoins said:

@OAKSTAR said:

@joeykoins said:

@OAKSTAR said:

@joeykoins said:
Interesting thread.
After reading, now I'm worried about my current submission?
I sent this Buffalo in, just to have it graded and certified!
Now, with the strange convex line. I'm hoping it doesn't receive that,
"Planchet Flaw" details with NO grade? 😖

What did you list it as on the submission form?

No Variety attribution.
Just sent in as a regular, to be graded and certified.

Wouldn't you have wanted die gouge written on the slab label?

Well, yes but no.
Meaning, we don't know if it's truly a die Gouge, plus, I really didn't want to pay the high "error coin", fee!

It looks stronger then a speared eagle or speared bison die gouge. You should start a thread on it and get other opinions.

Herb_T

But if it left the dies/machine like that why wouldn’t have gotten a grade? They grade mint errors all the time.