An open letter to Linda, Concord, Geosits, etc

tradedollarnut

Congrats - one of you will be the proud recipient of a PCGS certificate denoting the marvelous accomplishment of having the finest complete trade dollar collection currently in existence... wait - finest all PCGS graded (since we don't allow all that other crap) complete trade dollar collection currently in existence... wait - finest all PCGS graded complete trade dollar collection currently up on the registry... wait - finest mostly complete PCGS graded set currently up on the registry.

Darn those "Phantom Cameos" - I was soooo looking forward to this pinnacle of my success!!!

Seriously folks - there are fantastic collections out there that are raw, or in mixed holders, or even all PCGS but not up on the Registry! This certificate really means very little in the grand scheme of coin collecting. This hobby is a pleasurable experience not because of this Registry marketing concept, but in spite of it.

Sunnywood

I thoroughly agree with the spirit of TDN's "open letter."

PCGS !!!! STOP USING DELIBERATELY FALSE LANGUAGE SUCH AS: "THE NUMBER ONE FINEST SET OF ALL TIME" AND "CURRENT FINEST"

This is so inaccurate that it verges on fraud. In addition, it is damaging to the value of other, non-registered, or non-PCGS-only sets which may have a more legitimate claim to such titles. Instead of engaging in this dishonesty, how about CALLING THE SETS WHAT THEY REALLY ARE:

" The Number One Finest Registered PCGS-Graded Set of All Time "

OR

" The Second Current Finest Registered PCGS-Graded Set " etc etc etc

You get my point ....
Sunnywood

dbldie55

Well said. Not all great collections are in the "PCGS Registry", not all great coins are even in PCGS holders, let alone entire collections. Call it what it is, not what it is not!

tradedollarnut

The owner of several Registry Sets asked me to post this for him:

Dear all,

I collect coins for my personal pleasure. Part of that pleasure comes from
pride of ownership and having a collection that hopefully will draw
admiration from others. Not to admit this would be disingenuous, especially
after admitting my desire to surpass the Arizona Collection in an email to
TDN and Keoj last night.

That being said, I read with amusement when I received the email message
from DHall about the award. I thought, `what a neat new way to drum up more
business for a protectionist system.' Why is it `protectionist?' As so
many others have also noted, the PCGS Registry System is exclusive; the
arrogance of the folks behind this policy drips more so than the drool of
Pavlov's dogs.

If you know the true breadth of my collections, as some of my friends do,
you will no doubt agree that it is finer than can be perceived via the PCGS
R.S. Why is it that my collections are viewed as less by PCGS? Simple:
because I have neither the time nor the patience to play the game that they
want me to play.

Also, to repeat one of TDN's points, I too note with disdain the fact that
the policy excludes several other potential world-class sets on the basis of
their not being in PCGS slabs. I know of another complete Seated Dollar set
which, I am told, is comparable to mine. It is predominantly in NGC slabs.
I know of a decently sized ESD set that just drips with originality. It is
very much like the Highlander set, less complete but with a higher average
grade. I have a friend putting together a run of the rare Seated CC
coinage. I know of so much more. I believe the finest ESD set, according
to the JRCS, is NOT slabbed by PCGS.

Why won't any of these be awarded or receive their due recognition from one
of the hobby's so-called premier services? Because of exclusivity.

If I get an award, you can bet that I will not be getting it framed. It
will not occupy a place on my wall. If I get one, I will do naught more but
politely thank PCGS.

Finally, let me state that these are my words. TDN is kind enough to post
this for me so I can try to protect my anonymity.

Sincerely,

Linda's Daddy
lindasdaddy@hotmail.com

EVillageProwler

The owner of several Registry Sets asked me to post this for him

TDN,

Are you sure this person isn't you? You have children, right? Is one of them named Linda? (I'm just guessing!)

Seriously, though, I hope that PCGS doesn't punish Linda's Daddy by being harsher than usual with his submissions. I guess that's just being paranoid... Despite what we may think of PCGS's policies, we should remember that they are a real service. They would jeopardize that by going after an individual for expressing an opinion on a bad policy covering a marketing scheme.

I wish I had posted that message...

EVP