Home U.S. Coin Forum

customer service PCGS: Morgan Dollar

I sent an email to Customer service at PCGS asking about grading standards and guide lines.
Here's the response i got:

<<Your message

To: Customer Support
Subject: Grading Question
Sent: Tue, 13 Apr 2004 09:09:24 -0700

was deleted without being read on Tue, 13 Apr 2004 10:05:20 -0700 >>

................................
Just to keep this coin related. What do you think of my Morgan ?


image

Comments

  • Cleaned. It will get a bodybag.

    Cameron Kiefer
  • mgoodm3mgoodm3 Posts: 17,497 ✭✭✭
    Ouch on the Email. Looks cleaned on the Morgan.
    coinimaging.com/my photography articles Check out the new macro lens testing section
  • RussRuss Posts: 48,514 ✭✭✭


    << <i>was deleted without being read on Tue, 13 Apr 2004 10:05:20 -0700 >> >>



    Interesting. How about posting the text of the message you sent?

    Russ, NCNE
  • jharjhar Posts: 1,126
    The 1st part of your post was related to PCGS so it counts in my book.

    I would like to see the email body too. I would also send the email to PCGS again! If it happens to you a second time you might want to give them a call. I have first hand knowlege of how easy it is to accidentally delete an email, so I would give them the benefit of the doubt for now.

    J'har
  • Here's the body of my email message:


    << <i>Hello,

    A question has come to mind about the grading process.
    How are your graders certified ? Do they attend some kind of training school or something like that ?
    Is there a standard they must meet and adhere to, to hold consistency ? What kind of guide lines do they follow ?
    Very curious,
    Doug >>



    P.S. The Morgan is totally original. Riding around in my pocket for the last ten years or so.
  • DennisHDennisH Posts: 13,990 ✭✭✭✭✭
    VG10... if the reverse is as nice as the obverse.

    I've been carrying Morgans around in my pocket for a while, too. That's what they look like.
    When in doubt, don't.
  • bearcavebearcave Posts: 3,996 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Cleaned. It will get a bodybag.

    Cameron Kiefer >>



    I believe his email did get a body bag! image


    If you included the picture in the mail, that may have been why it was deleted. Some virus software deletes email with attachments
    Ken
  • mgoodm3mgoodm3 Posts: 17,497 ✭✭✭
    Maybe break it up into multiple emails. Ask one question at a time.
    coinimaging.com/my photography articles Check out the new macro lens testing section
  • RussRuss Posts: 48,514 ✭✭✭
    Well, I don't see anything in the text itself that should have triggered spam filtering software. Might just be some kind of glitch.

    Russ, NCNE


  • << <i>If you included the picture in the mail, that may have been why it was deleted. Some virus software deletes email with attachments >>



    No, I didn't include the pic in my email to PCGS Customer Support. The pic was just to keep the thread coin related so the moderator wouldn't just delete it.
  • I re-sent the email and i did get a response:



    << <i>Hello,

    Most of our graders have been with us for about 20 years. Before them many of them were still in the industry. Those that have come on since then have had to go through a test-grade process. We follow the basic standards at

    http://www.pcgs.com/grades.chtml

    Coins go through at least two graders to ensure the quality of your grading.

    If you have further questions, you may contact customer service at 1-800-447-8848.
    Thank You >>

    ================================================================
    I see that they use people that have been "coin people" for quite some time.
    I'm not sure what the "test-grade" process is, but i would still ask who has set up the criteria for this test, and who determines the standard that must be met to pass the test?
    I took a look at the web site they linked and it does have a nice listing of "whats and whys" (grades and requirements) that i didn't know they had. No one has ever pointed to this site location before to explain grades. (?) I think this site alone would answer quite a few peoples questions. At least in respect as to the assigned grade and the criteria use to determine it.
    As far as a standard is concerned it really didn't answer the deeper question in my opinion.
    If PCGS and NGC use the same 70 point Sheldon scale, and the same designations to detail the grade, then why does one company grade a coin at MS67 and the other company grade the same coin (crack-out) at MS68 or 69 ? or visa-versa ?
  • jbstevenjbsteven Posts: 6,178


    << <i>If PCGS and NGC use the same 70 point Sheldon scale, and the same designations to detail the grade, then why does one company grade a coin at MS67 and the other company grade the same coin (crack-out) at MS68 or 69 ? or visa-versa ? >>



    opinions differ. Grading is a art not science.
  • SteveSteve Posts: 3,312 ✭✭✭


    << <i>If PCGS and NGC use the same 70 point Sheldon scale, and the same designations to detail the grade, then why does one company grade a coin at MS67 and the other company grade the same coin (crack-out) at MS68 or 69 ? or visa-versa ? >>



    Because grading is subjective. Each of us, even the experts, grade each coin as they see it in a moment in time. When you send your coins to PCGS or NGC or any third party grader, all you will get from them is an opinion. You may or may not agree with their opinion. Steveimage
  • DeadhorseDeadhorse Posts: 3,720


    << <i>Grading is a art not science. >>



    You give them too much credit Jason. It's quite often a crap shoot and you should know that from experience.

    "Lenin is certainly right. There is no subtler or more severe means of overturning the existing basis of society(destroy capitalism) than to debauch the currency. The process engages all the hidden forces of economic law on the side of destruction, and it does it in a manner which not one man in a million is able to diagnose."
    John Marnard Keynes, The Economic Consequences of the Peace, 1920, page 235ff
  • Are you going to send the Morgan in for grading?
    It might grade higher than this one.....
    image
    JoeCool
    image


  • << <i>Are you going to send the Morgan in for grading? >>



    Nope ............ It resides in my left pocket where its been for about ten years.

    image
  • braddickbraddick Posts: 23,946 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>Grading is a art not science. >>



    You give them too much credit Jason. It's quite often a crap shoot and you should know that from experience. >>


    Don't let ACG's legal team get ahold of this: you might both be served subpoenas to testify for their side! image

    peacockcoins

  • TonedCoinTraderTonedCoinTrader Posts: 2,765 ✭✭✭
    <<

    <<Grading is a art not science. >>



    You give them too much credit Jason. It's quite often a crap shoot and you should know that from experience. >>


    Don't let ACG's legal team get ahold of this: you might both be served subpoenas to testify for their side!


    imageimage






    Toned Coins for sale @ tonedcointrader.com
  • BigAlBigAl Posts: 1,187 ✭✭✭

    rims are nice, i'd grade it VG10.


  • << <i>Are you going to send the Morgan in for grading? >>



    What would it cost me to have it graded ?

  • GilbertGilbert Posts: 1,533 ✭✭✭
    The 00-O appears to have more detail than the 1889, so as for it "maybe grading higher," ...

    At PCGS it would cost $30 to be "evaluated" whether bagged or slabbed (unless there has been a price change I am unaware of).

    I've had reliable friends/relatives tell me they inadvertantly deleted a message before reading it. It IS possible it was unintentional, and this ain't no kool-aid. My PCGS membership has been expired for about four months, and I'm in no hurry to renew it due to my perception of the service received.
    Gilbert

Leave a Comment

BoldItalicStrikethroughOrdered listUnordered list
Emoji
Image
Align leftAlign centerAlign rightToggle HTML viewToggle full pageToggle lights
Drop image/file