Milky white spots on PCGS proof silver eagles?

silvereaglecoins

I recently went through my PCGS PR69 DCAM proof silver eagle inventory and was horrified to find about 75% of the coins plagued with milky white spots on the mirrored fields. Typical photo:



The spots were moderate to severe and most likely caused by the holder insert. I'm not sure if PCGS recently changed the chemical composition of the ring insert but it sure seems to be causing these milky white spots after encapsulation. Some of the coins are so bad that there is no way they could have be slabbed PR69DCAM in that condition.

Has anyone else experienced this problem on proof silver eagles or other silver proof coins in PCGS holders? I've been dealing in these coins for a few years now and have never seen this problem so widespread.

ldhair

May I ask if you bought the coins in the slab or did you send them in to be graded?
I have to wonder if the coins went in to be graded in the mint holder or out of the mint holder.

Compa

A lot of my Eisenhowers have the same spots ... as well as a few Kennedys.

Cause? - Solution?

silvereaglecoins

I bought all the coins "pre-slabbed" from a reputable PCGS wholesaler. I know that these coins were bulk submitted in their original mint capsules. I also know that many of these coins were fine at first and later "turned milky" in the holders. This leads me to believe that there is some undesirable chemical reaction going on between the silver surface of the coin and the plastic holder or insert. The problem seems to be widespread but PCGS has been unable (or unwilling) to offer any reasonable explanation.

As such, I will no longer deal in any graded proof silver eagles.

kieferscoins

<< <i>As such, I will no longer deal in any graded proof silver eagles. >>



There goes half your business.

Cameron Kiefer

ldhair

silvereaglecoins

I think this is Q&A night. Ask the question there too.
Maybe David will have something on the topic.

stev32k

That's kinda scary. I wonder if any other PCGS encapsulated proofs are being affected that way? I would hate to pay mega bucks for a PCGS PR70 Silver eagle and have it turn milky white.

P.S. Thanks for bringing that up - that is pretty important information for eagle collectors. I also wonder if that applies to just proofs or if regular strikes are affected as well?

coinguy89

<< <i>silvereaglecoins

I think this is Q&A night. Ask the question there too.
Maybe David will have something on the topic. >>



I agree.

silvereaglecoins

Regular uncirculated strike silver eagles can also be plagued by milky white spots. Here's a 1994 that was perfect when purchased which later became severely spotted in the holder:



The problem does not appear to be widespread on MS eagles but it is there nonetheless.

XpipedreamR

ldhair

After reading this thread I pulled out my set to take a quick look.
Sorry to say I don't look at it except to pop in the new year.

None show milk spots. All are still in the mint holder as I received them each year from the mint.

How many others here have had this problem with slabs?
Is this just this wholesaler or PCGS or all slabs?

relayer

I think it was something to due with a wash at the Mint leaving residue on these.

wam98

I have all the proofs back to 86 in original mint box and pkg, plus some extras. I have several mint rolls from the early years in mint tubes. Also have a couple sets put back in Dansco albums. The only silver eagle I have in a holder is the one I got with my 2004 membership with PCGS. I check them out every so often and did so just a couple weeks ago. I have no spots or hazing over or toning. All look like they were just minted including the one in the PCGS holder.

I would be looking at the one who sold them to me first, if I had the problem you describe in this post. There may be a storage problem. Not sure though.

Just my observation and opinion. Sorry about your problem as it would be a serious one to me also.

100proof1957

bought a 64 proof set in pcgs holders that had milk spots on the silvers !

wjd283

It's something to do with the way the mint prepares the planchets,not PCGS encapsulation.

Bochiman

As others have said, the wash the mint used accounts for a lot of the mid-90s milky spotted SAEs in mint state. Regrettably, somewhat common....slabbed or not.
However, I don't know why the proof got that way. If ALL of them are like that, I would have to think it was a batch that had problems.
Even though you are confident of your source, who knows the storage they had, if something was messed up with the batch, etc..

Also, you said you went through your PR69DCAM SAE inventory and 75% are like that.......are they only the 2004? (I don't know what your inventory currently consists of)
Maybe it is your storage as well? Any other .999 silver coins having those problems?

Good luck though and if it is the slab, I hope that some compensation is forthcoming.


btw....how long have you had them and how long in their storage place?

Bochiman

Wanted to add this reply to a question that was posted in the Q&A (not from this thread's originator either):



<< <i>We do not have a dip service. However, if a coin has spots that effect the grade, we may be able to fix them for you...and if we can't, we'll buy them back under the terms of our grading guarantee. Call customer service if you have any coins that have turned in the holder.

Thanks,

David >>