Modern PR70's

Redflyer65

Hey guys and gals, I'm new to the forum and have been lurking in the background for a little while, but I have a few questions about modern proofs. When you have a PCGS graded PR70DCAM, are your coins exactly perfect in every respect? I've bought some 2004 quarters (resales) and they look great to the naked eye, but when taking a look through a 10X lens, some things don't look so good. I've seen slight hazing in the field, nicks in the field, a nick in the bust, etc. I have heard that you should buy the coin and not the holder, but how do you reconcile a PR70 tag with the coin in the holder. Am I being too picky? Or are these anonamlies accepted by the TPGers? How easy is it to counterfeit a PCGS/NGC holder? I recently received a PR70 Keelboat Nickel that had a what looked like a water droplet spot in the field(that could be seen without magnification), but was able to send it back without any problem. I am relatively new to the hobby and I enjoy the forum and learning as much as possible.

Russ

The stated PCGS standard for PR70 is no flaws visible under 5X magnification.

The real standard is where did the dart land on the board.

Russ, NCNE

DorkGirl

No coin will be perfect under 10x. You are being too picky

cladking

Welcome aboard.

There's really no such thing as perfect so PR-70's aren't equal, but there won't be much difference though.

wam98

to the forum.

Redflyer65

Thanks everyone for your opinions. I'm glad I found this forum. It's great. So many things to learn about.

fcloud

Welcome Redflyer65.

Yousri

I have a few PCGS PRD70DCAM, and I compared them very hard to 69's and 68's for the same coins and year. and they look perfect to me.

GAT

No one will ever convince me of a difference between MS69 and MS70 with the modern coins. I believe, and always will, that MS70s are handed out on a percentage basis. It's all in the luck of the draw.

ElectricEye

post some pics with cert. numbers, redflyer65

Redflyer65

Sorry it took so long to post the pics, had to work to support my hobby. Literally. Fields on the bottom have have a haze, and there is a small visible nick in the neck of ole George. What ya think? Proof 70?

CarlWohlforth

I don't think the haze would prevent that coin from being a 70, though I wouldn't want haze on my PR 70 DCAMs. I can't see any nick in the photo. If you have good eyes and a good light you can see very tiny details. If you can see a nick with your eye then that coin isn't a PR 70.

I would bet I can tell the difference between a PR 68 and a PR 70 with very good accuracy. If anybody can't appreciate the difference between a PR 68 and a PR 69 they probably shouldn't buy any 70s.

CarlWohlforth

Now I see the nick on the neck. It looks like it was minted like that. Still a 70 should be perfect. That quarter looks like it might be a 69 to me... In my experience PCGS has been very good with their grade guarantee. If I couldn't return the quarter I would probably send it to PCGS for a grade review.

LeeG

Nice Pictures Also!!! What kind of camera are you using? Thanks, Lee

Redflyer65

Thanks for opinion Carl. The camera is an older Nikon Coolpix 995. It has a macro function. It took me alot longer getting the pictures to post than it did actually taking them. I used information that I learned on the forum about lighting, and it seemed to work out well.

MoneyLA

It certainly looks nice to me. I think the difference between a 70 and a 69 comes with the level of cameo frost. Really thick frost needed for the 70 grade.

Several years ago I had a PR70 date run of 1960 through 1964 washingtons, and over several years I had handled about one-quarter of all of the known pr70s. I can tell you this: not all PR70s are equal.

welcome, cheers, alan mendelson