There was a long line of people to get David Hall's opinion......

bidask

on various coins as he was holding court at the PCGS booth at the ANA.....

When it was my turn, I showed him a old fattie NGC 65 1952 s Franklin as I wanted to get his opinion on the bell lines.

He took the coin and nodded his head and said 'I think I have to vote yes on this'. Then Kevin Lipton came by and he showed the coin to Kevin to get his opinion and Kevin said he thought it also a full bell line and gave the nod yes.

I was euphoric as I still have it in looking for cherry picking full bell lines ( at least this coin anyway, and had pulled that coin from a group only a few hours earlier after I had been offered regular 65 money and turned it down.)

Hope PCGS graders agree as I submitted the coin for a cross.

Bear

I was once standing in that very line and was

told that 7 coins had a good shot at upgrade.

The coins went 0/7. I wish you well. Free opinions,

are always worth everything that you pay for them.

KentuckyJ

> Free opinions, are always worth everything that you pay for them.


Car Talk on NPR always says if you have any problem with their free opinion you can get your money back

MsMorrisine

hold them to their word~!


you didn't smear their fingerprints on it before you sent it in?

drwstr123

<< <i>> Free opinions, are always worth everything that you pay for them.


Car Talk on NPR always says if you have any problem with their free opinion you can get your money back >>


Gotta love Click & Clack, the Tapit Brothers.

WTCG

Mark Salzberg was providing the same service at his company's booth only a few yards away.

There is always a disclaimer posted nearby that reminds people that verbal opinions are opinions only and are not binding. People showing coins for opinions should remember that and plan accordingly.

mumu

Bear: Sounds like his opinon was good for his business though. Wish I had that earning power.

MidLifeCrisis

I hope your coin crosses as you wish, bidask.

But I have to wonder about these free opinions by David Hall and Mark Salzberg and any others in similar positions. These are busy, successful men and their time is money. I assume they know that a collector is likely to act based on the opinion that they give.

If I received an opinion from them for one of my coins and then, on the basis of that opinion, spent my money to get a cross or an upgrade that matched the opinion I was given about the coin, I would not be happy if the graders disagreed.

You should be able to obtain their opinion in writing and include it as part of the paid submission...or at least have it for a presidential review if the coin doesn't come back as you expected.

KentuckyJ

> You should be able to obtain their opinion in writing and include it as part of the paid submission...
> or at least have it for a presidential review if the coin doesn't come back as you expected



Otherwise, there is the potential for it to appear like something of a cheap bait and switch operation.

WoodenJefferson

Now days, the criteria between NGC & PCGS on Full Bell Lines differs almost to the extreme. Lots of older graded Franklin halves, especially in NGC slabs will get the designation at PCGS but still may fall a bit short at NGC.

I hope one day that these two companies will come to an agreeable consensus on this designation.

tmoneyeagles

<< <i>I was once standing in that very line and was

told that 7 coins had a good shot at upgrade.

The coins went 0/7. I wish you well. Free opinions,

are always worth everything that you pay for them. >>



Could that have been just because they want more business? I mean it is easy to say these coins have a shot at an upgrade, they don't upgrade, and they just end up getting more money in the long run.

ColonialCoinUnion

<< <i>Could that have been just because they want more business? I mean it is easy to say these coins have a shot at an upgrade, they don't upgrade, and they just end up getting more money in the long run. >>



I've been in those lines too (several years ago), and I too have heard people being told that a coin had a shot to upgrade, or a SLQ or morgan had a shot at a FH or DMPL designation respectively.

But I've also heard many, many more people being told their coins aren't likely to upgrade, or are cleaned, or are not PL or are otherwise not worth submitting or resubmitting.

Hussulo

I honesty don't see this scenario as a money making exercise. Sure some coins will be re-submitted after Mr Hall's opinion, but I'm sure when Mr Hall does offer his opinion on such days it's more to allow the public or consumer to meet him and to give them a chance for him to look at some of their coins. He isn't going to put his name or reputation on the line just so that PCGS can make a few extra dollars through re-submittions.

I believe if Mr Hall said you have a chance of an upgrade of FBL designation, it is because that is his honest personal opinion and if your coin doesn't come back as he suggested it might, then that's a chance you take. If someone says to you that 64 looks like it should be in a 65 holder it doesn't mean the person/s grading it on the day will see it as such even if that opinion was given by someone high up in the company, after all I am led to believe all coins submitted to PCGS to receive grades are anonymous so the graders don't know who the coin belongs to or what anybody else thinks about it. They just have to grade it going by what they judge it to be on the day.

ambro51

I think its great he does this.

All too often, the Man at the top is never seen..........did you ever get a chance to meet the person who runs your car insurance company?

MidLifeCrisis

I sent my earlier post in this thread to Don Willis via PM and asked for his thoughts. Here is his response:

"Mark, when we are offering an opinion that's all it is. Understand that for the vast majority of people this is a great help. If you listened to all the questions asked in one of those sessions you would find a shocking range in knowledge. Questions range from the very basic to the very specific. In terms of the specific questions like "what do you think this coin will grade" sometimes the answer is easy, many times when it is not. There are many reasons for this, starting with the less than ideal grading conditions. But I think that anyone who wants it in writing or 100% guaranteed is missing the whole point of these sessions. The sessions are to help the vast majority and to answer as many questions as possible. Not to provide grading service. If someone wants a guarantee they must submit the coin through the grading process - that's what it's for. To expect a quarantee without having the coin subjected to the grading process doesn't make a lot of sense. If it was that easy then why would we have all the graders and elaborate processes that we do. thanks for the question. Don"

Thanks Don!

bidask

It crossed to PCGS and I think I got the FBL award ( although it says FL).

Is FL the same as FBL?

1 1 15739317 86663 1952-S 50C US MS65FL

Total Items: 1
Date Received: 8/11/2009
Date Shipped: 8/27/2009
Order Status: OK

messydesk

Looks like you sort of Suck™ there. Congrats!

cupronik

We have a "WINNAH!"

MidLifeCrisis

Congrats!

Bear

Mark Feld told me that three

coins had a shot and they went 1/3.

Not a bad percentage at all.

MrEureka

Then Kevin Lipton came by and he showed the coin to Kevin to get his opinion and Kevin said he thought it also a full bell line and gave the nod yes.


Great news! When I need a second opinion on a Franklin Half Dollar, I always go straight to Kevin.

Bear

In all fairness, David talks a great many folks out

of getting their coins graded. There are many reasons,

the coin is damaged, phony, too inexpensive, to low a grade

ect, ect. He probably talks far more people out getting coins graded,

then he recommends grading to.