Two major MPL's added to the McCullagh collection

BWRC · August 23, 2010 2:45AM

both are POP 1/0

1912 PCGS PR66+RB

1915 PCGS PR66+RB with CAC "Gold" label

McCullagh MPL's

Steve · August 23, 2010 3:13AM

Congratulations again, Jonathan! Seven down and two to go. And what an amazing set of MPL's you are collecting. You are a "lock" for at least #6 on the all time list, but you may be even higher when eye appeal is judged. I look forward to see your set at 100% complete. Continued good luck. Steve

curly · August 23, 2010 4:40AM

Amazing set! I especially like seeing ol' curly was a small part of it.

robec · August 23, 2010 7:20AM

Simply incredible set. I'm dying to see the 1910 and 1911. Come one, I know you have 'em, let's see.

ProofCents · August 23, 2010 10:48AM

That is one amazing set

BWRC · August 23, 2010 10:53AM

<< Simply incredible set. I'm dying to see the 1910 and 1911. Come one, I know you have 'em, let's see.

>>

Bob, your prior 1910 is in that slot!

robec · August 23, 2010 10:59AM

<< 

<< Simply incredible set. I'm dying to see the 1910 and 1911. Come one, I know you have 'em, let's see.

>>

Bob, your prior 1910 is in that slot! >>

I thought I heard that Jonathan now has it. It should be a lock, at the very least, for a "+". It fits the McCullagh collection perfectly.

bolivarshagnasty · August 24, 2010 11:36AM

Stunning collection Jonathan!!!

Congratulations!!! Shag

DMWJR · August 24, 2010 2:57PM

I really like the look of that 1910, and based on the picture I would be curious as to why it is not designated Red. Or is it??

droopyd · August 24, 2010 7:25PM

<< 1915 PCGS PR66+RB with CAC "Gold" label

>>

That one is sa-weeeeet!!!!

BWRC · August 25, 2010 2:06AM

<< I really like the look of that 1910, and based on the picture I would be curious as to why it is not designated Red. Or is it?? >>

Thanks to all for the nice comments about the McCullagh collection.

Doug,

Unfortunately, the coin still remains graded PR66RB. Here is a little background on this beauty.

From the beginning, I thought this coin should be graded PR67RB or PR66RD, prior to the plus service, I sent this coin in twice hoping for the grades I mentioned. The coin came back to me as PR66RB.

So when the plus service was announced, I felt the coin was a "lock" for PR66+RB. After two more plus submissions it still sits in the same grade holder? This one has me baffled, I don't know what is holding this coin back. I have a very good record of upgrading Matte Proofs with Secure plus but I continue to strike out with this coin.

DMWJR · August 25, 2010 2:59AM

Brian, if the coin is true to the pic, it looks like it has the pop for a + or 7. If the "finger swipe" in front of the portrait is more pronounced in hand, maybe that is the problem. It's just hard to know what they are thinking.

Interestingly, my 10 has the same green toning, but it is more evenly spread across the coin. The entire obverse looks like a green monster ... and it is in a red holder too ...

I pulled my MPL's out a few months ago and lined them up. I called my wife over to look at them and pick the one she thought had the most eye appeal. She picked the 1910! I was a little surprised considering she was comparing it to a 14 PR68, 13 PR67, 09 PR67, 09vdb PR66 (I think is a plus coin), 11 PR66 and a 16 in PR66 -- all red coins.

illini420 · August 25, 2010 4:29AM

Great additions Jonathan!! Congrats! Loving that 1915!

BWRC · August 25, 2010 5:51AM

<< Brian, if the coin is true to the pic, it looks like it has the pop for a + or 7. If the "finger swipe" in front of the portrait is more pronounced in hand, maybe that is the problem. It's just hard to know what they are thinking.

Interestingly, my 10 has the same green toning, but it is more evenly spread across the coin. The entire obverse looks like a green monster ... and it is in a red holder too ...

I pulled my MPL's out a few months ago and lined them up. I called my wife over to look at them and pick the one she thought had the most eye appeal. She picked the 1910! I was a little surprised considering she was comparing it to a 14 PR68, 13 PR67, 09 PR67, 09vdb PR66 (I think is a plus coin), 11 PR66 and a 16 in PR66 -- all red coins. >>

Doug,

I forget to mention that our friend, Stewart Blay, told me that he previously owned this coin and sent it in a couple of times before selling it as an extra.

renomedphys · August 28, 2010 11:27PM

I personally don't care what the 1910 label says. This is a plus set all the way! And such a consistent and stunning look. So beautiful, and every proof collector's dream. All of your new additions are wonderful.

Duane · August 30, 2010 10:50AM

Way to go Jonathan! That 1915 is BEAUTI-FUL!!

DaveE · August 31, 2010 9:58AM

I swear i have seen that 1915 before.....

HdHunter · August 31, 2010 11:57AM

I swear i have seen that 1915 before.....

Yes, but it was in a "minor league" holder!

By the way, surprised no one has commented on fact it has a "Gold" CAC Label, quite rare from what I understand. I think I saw somewhere that only something like 2/100's of one percent (1%) of the coins that are certified by CAC receive the Gold Label. This coin was once a part of Laura Sperber's (Legend Numismatics) personally owned complete 1915 Proof Set and she loves it to this day.... The set was broken up and she knew how much I wanted this coin to be an important part of the McCullagh Collection MPL Registry Set. I will always be grateful to her willingness to part with this special coin!
Jonathan

renomedphys · September 1, 2010 2:11AM

<< By the way, surprised no one has commented on fact it has a "Gold" CAC Label, quite rare from what I understand. I think I saw somewhere that only something like 2/100's of one percent (1%) of the coins that are certified by CAC receive the Gold Label. This coin was once a part of Laura Sperber's (Legend Numismatics) personally owned complete 1915 Proof Set and she loves it to this day.... >>

Well, since you opened the door, I'm "assuming"

that the coin resided in an NGC PR67 holder, and since it belonged to Laura, it had to have at least a CAC green bean for the grade PR67. Now, being as the coin was effectively downgraded by PCGS, and since CAC's opinion of the coin was PQ for 67, for face-saving reasons, that translates to an automatic gold bean for 66 or 66+ (which are the same grade as far as CAC is considered).

Now, an astute observer would recognize that situations like this yield an unofficial "back-door" to the CAC gold. It makes for quite the marketing opportunity for anyone wanting to take advantage of the perceived uber-rare status of the gold bean, and an almost guaranteed benefit, as most collectors agree that NGC (Grade) is nearly equivalent in most cases to PCGS (Grade - 1), and that the gold sticker is almost impossible to obtain under ordinary circumstances.

So to clarify, as long as a buyer of an NGC CAC Green coin is willing to accept a downgrade from PCGS, and it does, CAC will save face and award the newly more lowly graded coin a gold bean.

Now, don't let anything I said detract from the beauty of this coin. It is truly an amazing coin, and frankly I wouldn't be surprised to see it in a PCGS PR67 holder, and I'm certainly at least glad that they awarded it the coveted "plus". Congrats Jonathan!

robec · September 1, 2010 3:43AM

<< 

<< By the way, surprised no one has commented on fact it has a "Gold" CAC Label, quite rare from what I understand. I think I saw somewhere that only something like 2/100's of one percent (1%) of the coins that are certified by CAC receive the Gold Label. This coin was once a part of Laura Sperber's (Legend Numismatics) personally owned complete 1915 Proof Set and she loves it to this day.... >>

Well, since you opened the door, I'm "assuming"

that the coin resided in an NGC PR67 holder, and since it belonged to Laura, it had to have at least a CAC green bean for the grade PR67. Now, being as the coin was effectively downgraded by PCGS, and since CAC's opinion of the coin was PQ for 67, for face-saving reasons, that translates to an automatic gold bean for 66 or 66+ (which are the same grade as far as CAC is considered).

Now, an astute observer would recognize that situations like this yield an unofficial "back-door" to the CAC gold. It makes for quite the marketing opportunity for anyone wanting to take advantage of the perceived uber-rare status of the gold bean, and an almost guaranteed benefit, as most collectors agree that NGC (Grade) is nearly equivalent in most cases to PCGS (Grade - 1), and that the gold sticker is almost impossible to obtain under ordinary circumstances.

So to clarify, as long as a buyer of an NGC CAC Green coin is willing to accept a downgrade from PCGS, and it does, CAC will save face and award the newly more lowly graded coin a gold bean.

Now, don't let anything I said detract from the beauty of this coin. It is truly an amazing coin, and frankly I wouldn't be surprised to see it in a PCGS PR67 holder, and I'm certainly at least glad that they awarded it the coveted "plus". Congrats Jonathan! >>

Of course you're assuming consistent grading from each party.

HdHunter · September 1, 2010 5:36AM

Matt:
Actually there are elements of what you said that are accurate, and reflect excellent deductive reasoning, but not as clear cut as you portray. Yes, this coin did reside in an NGC PR67RB holder and was actually in the NGC BRS Legacy Collection (Simpson) Registry Set. Yes it had a green "beanie" on it. However, and I have been told this by several sources, it is not an absolute guarantee that an NGC coin that is downgraded by PCGS gets an automatic "backdoor" Gold label. This coin had to go back to CAC and JA reserves the right to give it a Gold, Green or no CAC certification. It is sort of like “there are no guarantees in life”, once the coin comes out of one holder. If you know something different I would be interested in hearing.
Jonathan

renomedphys · September 1, 2010 6:22AM

Yes, Jonathan. You are correct. It would be foolish for J.A. to "guarantee" a backdoor gold sticker without seeing the coin, at least to make sure that the coin has not "changed" since his original assessment. And naturally I defer to your greater experience with this issue, as my dealings with CAC are nil, and my knowledge based on hearsay, as I personally place no value on the sticker, at least with coins that I plan on keeping

HdHunter · September 1, 2010 7:27AM

WOW, I for one place great value on CAC certified coins. Fact is there were so many grading variances in both services over last several years that at the very least, it reaffirms the grade in a given holder. I think if you look at recent auction results across a broad spectrum, you will continually see a higher premium pad for CAC'd coins. But don't ask me for exact details, I'll have to leave it to others to comment further. These are just my observations.
Jonathan

renomedphys · September 2, 2010 2:13AM

Not to turn this into a discussion about the merits of CAC, but I think I can tell whether or not a coin in a given grade works for me just fine without a sticker on the holder