PCGS Samples - Generations 6-7 (Last update 4-18-22)

Lakesammman · January 27, 2015 2:41AM

SAMPLES SAMPLES SAMPLES

Please see the preamble to Generations 1-3.5 for an explanation of the numbering scheme used here.

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Possible prototype for this generation, unlikely to be a sample or a mechanical error given the low value of the AU at best coin.

Sample 6.1 This one features a Canadian 1967 dime and nickel, ungraded as MS00. Note the lack of the / separating the coin number/grade and serial number. The serial number is for a MS65 2000-P NH state quarter that is in a registry set. This same number appears on the other Canadian denominations of this style AND on a later generation Sample NH state quarter as well. No barcode front or back. SS also shows these with Canadian 25c piece. As will be noted in later generations, the Sample 6 style was quite spread out over time with some coming towards the end of the Sample 7 era (as evidenced by the hologram change on the reverse). In order to keep them neatly organized by style, they will reside here. If you have specific date information when and where they first appeared, a post or PM would be appreciated. In August 2015 a dime 6.1 sample sold for $135, a 5c for $48 on ebay.

Sample 6.2 Similar to the preceding but Sample in a different position following US Philippines. Early version of this generation confirmed with the older reverse hologram, not shown at SS. This could easily be placed towards the end of this era as the reverse barcode anticipates the transition to style 7.

Sample 6.3 This is a Sample from Bowers and Merena which was based in NH but is no longer in business. Follows the same scheme as 6.1 it features a NH state quarter, general style of Generation 6, no barcode on front or reverse. There is no coin number, grade or serial number. Still has the PNG hologram on the reverse which changed in 2004 when PCGS "lost" the contract with PNG. These are seen from time to time on ebay and are relatively common.

Sample 6.4 This was made near the end of the Sample 7 era sharing the same serial number with them and the new hologram w/o the PNG logo, the hologram now featuring NASDAQ:CLCT with a Saint Gardens $20. It is placed here because of the generation 6 style of the label. Graded .00 with the correct coin number. The serial number corresponds with a 1880-S Morgan MS61 that's in a registry set! CK notes the following: This sample appeared at the 2006 FUN show in Orlando, FL. The label is much different than previous years’ samples. The whole font is bold and the type is smaller than usual. There is no barcode on either side, and this type can be found with the following states: Vermont P and D, Rhode Island P, and Kentucky D. To that list I would add Kentucky (P), NY and NH. A Kentucky with P mintmark (3rd picture above) sold for $260 after some clever marketing on eBay on 9-17-17! Added the Vermont 2001-P in Oct. 2020.
NH-P, RI-P, VT-P/D, NY-D, KY-D.

Sample 6.5 Start of the buffalo herd! There were a lot of buffalo 5c samples made that include Generation 6 and 9 styles. Although they follow the Gen. 6 obverse, the reverse has the newer hologram that followed Gen. 7! They will be listed here for stylistic reasons. Rather than call them out as a seperate, new generation, I'll be listing them as a single generation here and in the Sample 9 section but calling out why they are different by specific notations (explained with each). It's not confusing if you read the description of each one and it helps to keep them neatly in one area. If you have one not listed here, please offer it to me.

Here's a general key: The variations are mainly in the placement of "Bison", the use of regular vs italics and serial number vs phone number. Regular font is assumed w/o the letter "i".

n = no

B = Bison

S = serial number

P = Phone number

NS - no spacing

c = centered

h = high

i = italicized

Sample 6.5-BcNS The notation stands for Bison centered, No Space (NS) between the lines. The font is bolder on this sample than those that follow. If like the other bison samples, they should come in both P and D MM's. Serial number similar to Gen. 7 but the first zero is absent. Post-2004 hologram. According to CK: This type first appeared at the Denver ANA Show (August, 2006). CK also notes that these preceded the following Sample but I'm going to leave it here for stylistic reasons.

Sample 6.5-BcS Regular font, Bison centered (well, sort of), Serial number at bottom. No bar code, same hologram as the preceding sample. According to CK: The first Buffalo Nickel PCGS samples appeared at the 2006 ANA show in Atlanta, GA (April). The coins are not graded but the word “sample” is placed to the right of “PCGS”. The font is bold but spaced apart.

Sample 6.5-BciS Similar to the prior, Bison centered and italicized (Bci), Serial number at bottom. Little "c" in 5c, unique to this sample style. No other changes.

Sample 6.5-BciSi - Similar to prior, Bison centered italicized (Bci) and Serial number italicized (Si) along with the coin number, of course. I ignore the coin number in the notation as it's a constant and as you will see on the next one, a phone number replaces the serial number.

In October 2014 St. Louis Coin offered this sample on ebay and included this tidbit of information: It was in fact given out at the PCGS booth at the 2005 St. Louis Coin Expo. This specimen is from a consignor, but I too was at that show and received one.

Sample 6.5-BhP-BuG If you've gotten this far, you're probably scratching your head on that one. It simple means the Bison is high rather than centered (Bh), the phone number has replaced the serial number (P) and the B of Bison is under the G of PCGS (BuG). Don't ask me why the subtle changes - I'm just trying to keep track of them!

Sample 6.5-BhP-BuS Similar to the above but "PCGS-Sample" is shifted to the left changing the relationship to the date, now with the B of Bison under the S of PCGS (BuS).

Sample 6.5-BcP Similar to prior, Bison now centered (Bc), P for phone number. Note the bolder font for the phone number.

Sample 6.5-BciP Similar to prior, Bison now italicized (Bci).

Sample 6.5-BciPi Similar to prior, now with Bison centered and italicized (Bci) and the Phone line italicized (Pi). There is a very similar Sample that has paper that looks like a later generation but the difference is so subtle that I won't be listing it w/o further confirmation. Minor variation, the 2005-D 5c, the 2005-P 5C (small c versus large C).

Sample 6.5-nBPi Had not added a bison sample for quite some time when this one appeared 7/18, similar to prior but w/o Bison on the label. It clearly belongs in this section, nBPi meaning no Bison, phone number italicized. Purchased for the princely sum of $3.81 plus shipping.

Sample 6.6 Another sample given out by Cameo CC. I don't know where this fits since the reverse isn't shown at SS. CK notes this: This is a really neat sample! The label is different than PCGS 17 although they were made during the same time period. To top it off, the date is wrong! I don't know how many were made but this was the first one I had seen like it so far (May, 2004).

Sample 6.7 This sample was offered in April 2019 and required a change in numbering, bumping the prior 6.7 to 6.8 as this has an earlier date. Only one of these I've seen with an 8 digit serial number, 2006-P, Nebraska State Quarter. 1st revision of this thread since 8/18 - finding new pieces has been hard!

Sample 6.8 I was getting ready to post this classification when the Alaska sample showed up! I have no clue where it fits in temporally since it has no similar attributes to any of the other Sample 6.0 slabs. The coin number is correct but it has the rare 7-digit serial number that is seen on only a handful of PCGS samples. It has the later hologram so it might as well be placed here. The Wyoming sample with similar attributes was found late Sept. 2016. Added South Dakota in August 2021, WA 12/23 (sellers picture).

STYLE OF SAMPLE 6 BUT NOT REALLY A PCGS SAMPLE

PCGS Samples were made to promote PCGS. Others were made under contract to PCGS to promote THEIR business. Sample 6.3 falls in this category but since it's listed as a sample at SS, I've chosen to leave it there.

Style that best fits Sample generation 6, promoting UCB with a 2 Peso Mexican coin. Universal Coin and Bullion is a major precious metals dealer and distributed these to promote their business. The gold weight is .0482 oz. Seldom offered, 1 selling for $169.50 Sept. 2017. It might have sold for more but with 3 hours to go, another seller offered one for a BIN of $160.

This one promotes NFC coins selling as TNFC on ebay.

National Silver Dollar Roundtable featuring a non-silver dollar.

Same style as Sample 6 with the older hologram. One of these brought $109 on eBay 8-12-17.

National Silver Dollar Roundtable 2005 with the newer hologram on reverse than on the prior sample.

Style of Generation 6, likely a promotional for marginal quality Morgans in order to give them some cache'. If you know who the submitter was or how many were made, a PM would be appreciated.

Early gold type obverse with FastCoin.com advertising on the reverse. Odd that a chipped slab would be sent with my purchase??

Made by PCGS in 2005 for the True Wealth Alliance (note typo). Contains a 1935 Swiss 20 Franc gold coin. Acquired on ebay for close to the spot price of gold around Sept. 2015. The alliance is a product of Stansberry Research and relates to other Stansberry "samples" listed elsewhere.

Style 6 on the obverse, the 1885-O with a rarer generation 8 reverse sticker, PCGS/CLCT under the coin. I suspect that the Sample 6.0 design was used much longer than the PCGS Generation 6 style was used. By the time Sam. 8 came along, there just wasn't any room left on the insert to deal with the sample information or advertising. The hologram on the later Sam 6 samples is a later version than is seen on the early Sam 7 samples, especially for the Buffalo samples that seemed to span a very long time.

This one appeared in early 2022, a style I hadn't seen before with their website address. Another CameoCC sample is 6.6 above, possible with the same reverse but I'm not 100% sure. Will eventually move Sample 6.6 to this section.

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Sample 7.1 These follow the Generation 7 style with the bar code on the back, PNG hologram, the series and coin number called out making for a much too busy slab. Layout as shown which will change slightly on future generations. No state abbreviation before 25c, coin number correct, serial number reveals nothing in the cert verification at PCGS. PNG logo still on the reverse. This is by far the most common sample in this generation and comes in a variety of states and mint marks. I've seen Conn. 1999-P with WA forward, Conn. 1999-D with WA or the reverse forward, Georgia 1999-D with either WA or the reverse forward (and duplicates with the same serial number), NH 2000-P with reverse forward, MA 2000-P with reverse forward, 1999-D Delaware with WA forward, 1999-P Delaware with WA forward, 1999-D and P NJ with WA forward along with the 3 shown above. There are a few examples where the font seems larger/bolder but the difference is slight so they will be lumped together here. Also interesting that some of these have the same serial number but others have different serial numbers, even if everything else is exactly the same. And, there are consecutive serial numbers - 7727304 (Penn.), 7727305 (Del.), 7727306 (NJ), etc. I'm assuming it indicates different times of issue but am not entirely sure. Added the Pennsylvania label with the Delaware quarter to the collection 7/18!

Sample 7.2 This is a twist easily overlooked - Sample preceding the state name. This is either scarce or has simply been overlooked by me and others! Initially borrowed from SS, one finally came available.

Sample 7.3 On this Sample a / has been added between Pennsylvania and Sample. Not sure if there are other states with this style or not. PM's appreciated!

Sample 7.4 This follows the style of an earlier sample with "Collectors.com Sample" instead of the State. Barcode on reverse, PNG hologram. These are scarce. I'm not sure how many states were featured, at least 2 known. As you'll see, the next generation shares this serial number. Neither one reveals anything in the cert. verification at PCGS. CK notes these were given out at the 2000 Long Beach show.

Sample 7.5 Similar to the preceding but now with Sample-collectors.com and reversal of the coin with WA on the front. Interesting in that the 2 I've seen have the same serial number as 7.4 above. Barcode on reverse, PNG hologram. These are also scarce. Was there a web site ever functioning with this address?? I checked for the 1st time in 2014 and there wasn't one.

Sample 7.6 PCGS.COM featured on this sample with a low value Lincoln penny! As noted by CK, it's unknown how many were given out but it can't have been too many as it's scarce! Added this one 8-14-15 confirming the reverse style.

Sample 7.7 Finally acquired this sample, off Facebook of all places! Previous photo borrowed from Sample Slabs. Surprisingly tough sample to acquire. I purchased another in June 2017 from the same seller but on eBay but the package arrived torn with the sample missing.

Sample 7.8-A Interesting twist, very similar to the earliest Sample 7 styles but w/o a state and with Lincoln cents, Roosevelt dimes, WA quarter and Sacajawea $1. Same reverse as the preceding. No info in the cert. verification for this serial number. This also is seen with a 1964-D 25c WA quarter, shown at SS. Scarce enough that a dime sample sold for $128.50 5-1-17, a 1970 1c selling for $91 on 10-1-17. The 69-D and 68-S sold as 1 lot for around $120 all in 7/20. 3 more sold in Nov. 2020, a Sac. $1 for $31, a 2000 Lincoln 1c for $64 and a 1999 Lincoln 1c for $104. A surprisingly diverse set of dates for a type that is not often seen!
Was temporarily thrilled to buy the 1958 25c Sample in April 2022 but it got lost in the mail and never arrived.

Sample 7.8-B Very similar to the above but with Sacagawea preceding "Sample". A surprisingly hard sample to find, finally acquired Dec. 2015 after missing out on a similar slab Jan. 2015.

As above. The left slab is probably not a sample. These were offered Jan. 2015 on ebay.

Sample 7.9 Similar to the preceding state quarter samples but with NG00 replacing MS00. Not sure how many states there are with this style. Coin number correct, no info in the cert. verification for this serial number. Same serial number on all seen to date.

Sample 7.10 Very similar to earlier generations but with the state abbreviation before 25C. Until the GA sample showed up Nov. 2015, I had thought the serial numbers were unique for each state. These are fairly scarce, the Mass. sample appearing July 2019 on ebay, selling for $48.
MD P/D, GA D, MA P, NH P, NY D.

Sample 7.11 Similar to 7.9 above but state abbreviation added before 25c with space between and "grade" NG00. CK notes this is a harder sample to find and dates from early 2000. Borrowed from SS initially with an example finally purchased Oct. 2016, now showing the reverse with barcode.

Sample 7.12 This sample anticipates the style which follows w/o barcode but before the nonsense serial number that follows from here until the end of the Sam. 7 era.

Sample 7.13 Style wise this fits in best here - no NY before 25c, PCGS-Sample, same serial number as those that follow and the older hologram. This one surprised me when it appeared in early 2014.

Sample 7.14 This from SS: "This slab has both the words “Sample” and “Compliments of….” They were given out by Cameo CC, a modern coin dealer based out of Ohio. The coin is choice, and could easily make the MS-66 grade. A sample slab with a New York quarter was also made for them by PCGS."

Sample 7.15 This from SS: "These slabs were given out at a PCGS sponsored lunch at the May 2003 Long Beach show. PCGS Message board members were invited to attend and this slab was a special gift for all that attended. Only 40 were made and it has become one of the scarcest sample slabs made by PCGS."

These are seldom offered. In April 2021 one was offered on Ebay with 6 other common samples, bringing $395.

Sample 7.16a New style with PCGS-Sample above the state name. In this case, they forget to Google the correct spelling for LA. There is a sample with the correct spelling as well. Correct coin number, grade still .00, a new serial number that will carry on through the remainder of the gen. 7 samples. Note the orientation of the / and . is different than the preceding between the coin number and grade! 71041540 is the serial number for a 1880-S Morgan MS61.

Note the change on the reverse with no bar code. Not sure how many states come in this style.

CK adds this at SS: Since 2002, PCGS has been giving out New York and Louisiana sample slabs at every major show. This is the most modern type of label for their samples. What makes this sample unique to the rest of the others over the last two years, is that PCGS spelled Louisiana wrong! Look how they spelled it...... They must have made a batch all with the wrong spellings. Check your samples for this interesting and funny type! I ddn't even notice the mispelling at first.

Sample 7.16b Corrected spelling for LA but still with the incorrect placement of the "." and "/".

Sample 7.17 Correct spelling and placement of the . and / on the LA sample.

This generation also comes with a 2001-P NY quarter - others?? Coin numbers correct - there's a big jump in the PCGS coin numbers from Rhode Island 2001-D (5971) to 2001-P Vermont (14000).

Sample 7.18 Spelling corrected but the "." and "/" are in the wrong position just like in the sample with LA spelled incorrectly. Has a different hologram not often seen. Not sure if this was the first hologram to follow the PNG hologram or the second. If you know specifically, let me know. A very interesting sample!

Sample 7.19 Same as Sample 7.16 but with a newer reverse hologram. Same incorrect serial number that was used frequently for some reason. SS has an example with the Series and Coin Number in bold font, a interesting twist. Not sure of the reverse hologram style on that one. CK notes these first appeared September 2005 at the Long Beach show. I've seen NY and RI in this type - others??

Sample 7.20 First picture - another unusual variation that fits best here. The dash between PCGS and Sample has been removed as has the space between LA and 25C top right. Same serial number. CK notes "a large hologram on the reverse" which I assume means the new style hologram/sticker. Another tough one to look out for! Once the reverse style is defined, this one may need to be renumbered.

The second piece appeared in Jan. 21 in a lot of 6 coins, 2 of which were samples. Not sure if this is the same as the one described by CK (obverse is the same) as he noted a "large hologram" on the reverse. This reverse style is unique as far as I know with "Nasdaq: CLCT" printed on the old style reverse label, seeming to anticipate the revised reverse stickers that include Nasdaq: CLCT. This might be better placed as 7.18 as it may have predated the development of the reverse sticker with includes NASDAQ:CLCT. Will need to keep an eye open and see if other reverse varieties appear - it may be a while as the obverse style alone is a really tough example to find.