1856 FE's MS V. PF ???

goose3

HRH,
I am curious (as are MANY others) why PCGS will not designate '56 Flyers as MS or Snow3 examples anymore.

Is it because of past misattributions still "out there" in the market by PCGS or is it that the graders just can't tell the difference???

I would like to send my Snow3 (AU50) version in for a reholder along with the rest of my former registry set that I had pedigreed. I have never cared for the way that they were not labelled uniformly. IF I send them in for reholder will it come back as a PF50?

Thanks,
JOHN

homerunhall

Hi John,

The PCGS official policy on 1856 Flying Eagles is that we designate as Mint State those examples that clearly look like Mint State coins regardless of variety. This isn't scientific, but it's the policy that makes the most sense. At the 2002 FUN, Rick Snow, John Dannreuther, Dave Bowers and I all got together and looked at several 1856 Flying Eagles and the PCGS side of the discussions decided that appearance is the most important factor. Personally, I believe that there are 1856 Flying Eagles that are clearly proofs and there are those that are clearly Mint State. There are also 1856 Flying Eagles that look somewhere in-between. That's just the way it is. Until someone comes up with a way to tell the difference with 100% certainty, we will continue to "call them as we see them."

David