Customer Serviceless Department

DennisH

Got my favorite e-mail from PCGS today: "Your PCGS Grades Are Available"

Got my next-to-least favorite grading result: DNC (The coin is a rare VAM Morgan in a SEGS-63 holder that the seller guaranteed would cross at 61 or higher or I could get my money back. So I put down a minimum grade of 61 on the invoice.)

When I called the PCGS Customer Service Department to find out if the DNC was due to a lower grade or due to cleaning... well... let's just say she wasn't in a customer service sort of mood. More than once in the past when I've called to ask what the graders wanted to grade the coin I've discovered they overlooked my minimum grade stipulation and treated the submission as a straight crossover. That's why I always ask now.

But hey, what am I supposed to expect for my $50 grading fee... customer service???

MS68

Dennis- Are you putting a sticker on the NGC holder that states you will accept a lower grade? If not, that is your problem. The graders and verifier do not see the invoice and don't know about the lower grade you will accept. As PCGS is extremely busy right now, you cannot expect the person in receiving to sticker the coin for you. I hope this will help alleviate your stress the next time you submit an example like this.

badger

Wow! I didn't know about being able to put a sticker on the slab stating that a lower grade is o.k.

I wonder how many coins that DNC (at lower grades) were DNC for not crossing at the stated grade.

I had sworn off any more cross over submissions. Now what do I do???

DAM

<< <i>Dennis- Are you putting a sticker on the NGC holder that states you will accept a lower grade? If not, that is your problem. The graders and verifier do not see the invoice and don't know about the lower grade you will accept. As PCGS is extremely busy right now, you cannot expect the person in receiving to sticker the coin for you. I hope this will help alleviate your stress the next time you submit an example like this. >>



Great advice, but busy or not that's the job of the PCGS crew.

Next we'll be expected to put "our grade" on the flips to speed up the turnaround time.

MS68

Next we'll be expected to put "our grade" on the flips to speed up the turnaround time.

Wake up from your wet dream
I would like to know where it states that it is the responsibility of PCGS to do you a favor by crossing coins down a grade or two and having to dig up the information about how many grades you would like it crossed down to. Perhaps you can enlighten me where you read that? Come on Dam, do you want to make life easy on yourself or are you just one of those guys that is not happy unless he has something to complain about. I am just trying to be helpful. You are not required to take my advise.

braddick

Take a black magic marker and write directly ON the slab! Don't write where the coin is visible, but otherwise it shouldn't be missed.
(I'm not kidding. It works.)

DennisH

David:

My understanding is, the graders aren't the ones who are supposed to check their grade against the minimum put down on the invoice. Isn't it the job of the finalizer to compare the grade assigned to the minimum indicated on the submission form?

MS68

Dennis- Why don't you ask David Hall this on the Q&A forum next Tuesday. I don't want to speak for PCGS. I was just giving you my advise on what has worked for me. Like the old saying goes " If it aint broke, don't fix it"

wondercoin

Sticker on coins from now on. Problem solved.

Wondercoin

tradedollarnut

do you a favor

Hmmmm.

The sticker idea would be a great solution... if properly communicated to the submitting world. How about supplies? Are we talking a specific type of sticker here - something that won't be removed by the submission personnel?

jonesy

I didn't put anything on my ANACS 1957 FS Nickel and they graded it as I wanted.

joeyuk

I would put the sticker over the entire cert. tab so they come up with a honest grade on their own. Much like a crack out.

Steve

One of the biggest customer service problems PCGS has is the lack of communication and the fact that nobody in administration has the sense to "think out" some of these basic issues. It makes sense to me that the graders do not know what the submitter's minimum grade is unless it is on the slab for crossover. Right now they probably rely on receiving personnel to put this info on the slab. Fact is, the receiving personnel don't always see it on the form so it doesn't get put on the slab. What is needed is COMMUNICATION to everyone on this coin forum to put a sticker on the slab. I would suggest it be put right over the existing slab's label. The grader would then do the grading, look at the minimum, and if OK, it slabs. If not, it DNC. The grader can then remove the sticker and see what the old grade was. But until this is COMMUNICATED by PCGS it becomes problematical whether it is followed consistantly by PCGS. I'll await to hear what DH has to say. Steve

cosmicdebris

I had to send one back for the same problem. I wrote cross at any grade on the invoice of a NGC MS61 Barber Half. Got it back as DNC and called customer service. Charley took care of me and guess what second time they crossed it at MS61. I still wound up paying shipping twice both ways for a PCGS miscommunication mistake

DAM

<< <i>I would like to know where it states that it is the responsibility of PCGS to do you a favor by crossing coins down a grade or two and having to dig up the information about how many grades you would like it crossed down to. Perhaps you can enlighten me where you read that? >>



David,

It's a been a long standing practice to put a minimum grade on the submission sheet, when submitting coins for crossover. My comment was directed at PCGS for not pasing this information on to the graders. I believe, and I stated this, you idea is "great advice". I will certainly use your suggestion the next time I want to cross a coin.

As for whether I'm trying to make it easy on myself, or looking for something to complain about... if you look it wasn't me that started this thread... "Customer Serviceless Department". From reading other replies it seems clear asking DH for guidance is needed.

Now back to my wet dream... MS65... MS67RD... PR68...

MS68

Bruce- Once again, I don't want to speak for DH or anyone else at PCGS about any policy about putting stickers on other TPGS holders. DH may want to answer this question himself. I was not told to do it the way I now employ. It was more of a trial and error method. I got tired of having to contact customer service to make sure my "cross at any grade" got done properly. Since I have been putting stickers on holders, it has run smoothly. I have used the same stickers that I use on the back of slabs to put in my cost code. They are the removable 3/4" by 1" that I get at office max or office depot. I do not cover up the existing grade or any part of the coin. I can tell you from my short stint grading at PCGS that covering up any part of the coin with a sticker will not help your chance of a crossover. Graders have a really tough time seeing through non removable stickers. You would be surprised at how often that happened.

MS68

By the way, I also write my minimum grade on the invoice as well.

DennisH

I have posed the question to Mr. Hall for the next Q & A session. I just hope he answers it.

Russ

As long as the submitter notes it on the submission form, and assuming receiving is doing their job correctly, the minimum grade is available by computer to the graders and finalizer. They don't have to dig through any paperwork or even leave their station.

Russ, NCNE

DAM

I see you got a reply to your question. Did David IM you and did he give you additional information regarding minimum grade notation?




<< <i>Hello David!

At least twice in the past I have submitted coins for crossover where I put down a minimum grade that was lower than the grade on the holder... and got an e-mail advising me the coins DNC'd... and called PCGS to find out what grades the coins would have received... and discovered somebody messed up because my minimum grade was equal to or lower than the PCGS grade. In both those cases I got things taken care of, but I think it's happened again and I can't get anyone at PCGS to check into it for me.

My other question is, in the crossover process which department is responsible for comparing the graders' assessment of the coins to the minimum acceptable grades on the invoice? Is it the graders? Is it the finalizer? Is it the Dealing Department? It is someone else? For that matter, in the regrade process which department is responsible for comparing the graders' new assessment to the old grades of the coins on the submission invoice?

If you'll PM me I'll give you the invoice number for the single coin of mine that prompted this question and is still in-house at PCGS.

-- Dennis Halladay


Hi Dennis,

We process a lot of coins and sometimes our receiving department does not enter the correct information.

Anytime you (or anyone else) need a problem fixed and customer service doesn't seem to be helping you, ask for Araceli Flores and ask her to explain the problem to me.

Thanks,

David >>

DennisH

Dan:

The only information I've received was in David's post. I did call Araceli this morning, left a message on her machine, and am waiting to hear back from her.

I'll post an update when I finally learn something.

DennisH

Just heard back from Araceli... what a pleasant and helpful young lady she is! Got my answer about why my coin did not cross, and am totally satisfied with the answer.

Boom

I can vouch for what HRH said concerning Araceli. She communicates with him and you get results!