Body bags and the learning process...

jmj3esq

I just saw a thread where a first time submitter got some bad results and would like to share a recent experience of mine.

I have been collecting for many years, but have been on this forum and submitting coins to PCGS for just over a year. I have probably had about 20 submissions to PCGS. Let me tell you I have learned from every one of them.

I just got my first body bag for altered surfaces. Heres how it happened: I bought 4 Columbian halves at a flee market last month. There was bad light and I had no loupe. This dealer has thousands of coins and probably does not know half of what he realy has. The Columbian halves looked clean and had real nice tone. I was kinda in a hurry so I picked them up pretty fast. I paid AU money for all of them. The dealer did not notice anything either. Unfortunately after I got them home and properly examined them, I could tell that 3 of them had been whizzed. I sent the best looking one in just to make sure I was right. I and PCGS got it right. I also sent in one Columbian half that had absolutley wonderful tone and looks prooflike. That one came back cleaned. Im not yet sure I beleive PCGS on this one. I posted it a few days ago. I can find absolutley no cleaning hairlines under a 10x Loupe. It may have been dipped at one time and retoned. I have never heard of that leading to a body bag, though.

Here is a Trueview picture. You cant realy tell it has been whizzed from the pic becasue the coin has fully retoned. I dipped one of the three to confirm my hunch and WOW could you realy see the whizzing. I will try to post a picture later of the dipped/whizzed coin to show those who dont know what a whizzed coin looks like.

I just wanted to let others know my new experience and to stress to others to take their time and carefully examine each coin before yoou buy and submit to a TPG. Here are the pics. I through in another random Columbian that was part of the submission that did grade. Have fun.

Here is the whizzed coin:


Here is the "cleaned" coin:


Here is the coin that graded:


All in all, I have 3 very nice looking examples of a neat coin. It didn't cost me that much anyway.

fc

i like the graded one the most it seems. but all i really
have to input at the moment.

Russ

My opinion about bodybags.

Russ, NCNE

jmj3esq

Nice post Russ. That is exactly how I feel.

roadrunner

The first coin has funkalicious toning with obvious cheek rub - AU
Second and Third coins are cleaned with #3 looking the worst of it.

Recently homered on a type coin that went 64, BB, BB, 66.....and that was after giving up on it. With 50% BB's what does that tell us? Guess we'd need a 5th submission to break the tie.

roadrunner

JRocco

<< <i>My opinion about bodybags.

Russ, NCNE >>




3 pt shot....nuttin but net...

jmj3esq

Roadrunner you are wrong. As usual, PCGS Trueview pics dont always represent the actual coins very well. There is no rub on the cheek on #1 its just a break in the funky tone. Two may have been cleaned. #3 has definately not been cleaned and is in a MS62 slab. It was a ANACS MS63 crackout.

OneCent

Sorry to hear about your experience. Out of curiousity, what would you grade the second Columbian?

Then, there is always this option:

Shortgapbob

<< <i>My opinion about bodybags.

Russ, NCNE >>



That's an excellent viewpoint on submissions.

jmj3esq

what would you grade the second Columbian?

I would say MS63. Maybe less.