WHY DOES PCGS CONTINUE TO PUT THE SHIELD REVERSE ON THE FRONT OF THEIR LINCOLN CENT HOLDERS?

Steve

We are now into year seven of the Lincoln cent shield series of United States cents. For one hundred years, from 1909 thru 2008, the obverse of the coin has shown a portrait of Abraham Lincoln AND the YEAR of minting. Since then, the coin has continued to show the same portrait of Abraham Lincoln and the year of minting on the obverse of the coin. Why then has PCGS and NGC decided that Lincoln cent collectors want the REVERSE image shown on the FRONT of their holders. For those who chose to display their coins in their holders, the same shield design appears for every year because the date of minting is on the obverse of the coin. This makes no sense to me. What do you say????

Steve

Insider2

Possibly to designate the new series as the date & mint are on the label. TPGS's have this kind of decision to make in all sorts of cases including foreign coins as many collectors want the date or "head" image facing front even though that is considered the coin's reverse.

Look at the Park or State quarter issues. The changes and interesting side is the reverse yet this is the "up" side in the slab..



A more frustrating one for me concerns our vintage commemorative half dollars. In many cases the obvious side being commemorated is not shown on the front of the slab. Then there are cases where the Redbook pictures of the obverse or reverse don't match the accepted historical collector preference or conflict with other published books on these coins.

Manorcourtman

Steve-



I just sent in an order with 2016 cents. Guess what.....I asked that they slab them with Lincoln facing the front of the slab!! I never really noticed until you pointed it out several years ago! So hopefully they follow my instructions and we'll have at least a couple slabbed that way.

Pokermandude

Maybe they're tired of looking at the same obverse for 100+ years?

ricko

Does it really make a difference? Both sides may be viewed by turning the slab over.... Cheers, RickO

oih82w8

Relax Steve...why the yelling on your op title? I am certain that PCGS will put whatever side you want on the front.

BryceM

Originally posted by: ricko

Does it really make a difference? Both sides may be viewed by turning the slab over.... Cheers, RickO

+1

Steve

Originally posted by: oih82w8

Relax Steve...why the yelling on your op title? I am certain that PCGS will put whatever side you want on the front.

I always capitalize the subject in those posts in which I originate a subject. I do not consider that as yelling. If I capitalize a word or words in the body of the text, I do it to emphasis what I am saying. I would agree that anyone who uses all caps in the body of the text is yelling and should not do so.



My issue on this subject is the fact that PCGS CHANGED the way they holdered the US cents starting in 2010 after consistently holdering the cents with Lincoln's head on the front of the holder since their inception in 1986 thru 2008. In 2009, it was obviously expected to put one of the four reverse designs on the front of the holders for THAT year. I could even accept putting the shield design on the front of the holder in the first year of issue in 2010. After that, they should have continued traditionally the way it had been before 2009. JMHO. Steve

messydesk

Originally posted by: Steve

I always capitalize the subject in those posts in which I originate a subject. I do not consider that as yelling.

Perhaps, but consider that everyone else does.



Regarding your question, perhaps the reason is that a large number of these coins that are being slabbed are coming from a mega bulk submitter who is still milking the newish reverse as a novelty that can be promoted. Not sure if this is (or ever was) the case, but I can't come up with any other reason.

illini420

I'm less bothered with the direction the coin is holdered, though I do agree with Steve that the default position should be the Lincoln side facing forward (except for 2009 where there were multiple reverses).

What I don't like even more, is that since 2010, PCGS has continued to write "Shield" on the labels along with the grade. We already know every 2010-2016 cent is a "Shield" cent and that should not be on the label. The only time we need something like that on the label is where there are multiple types in the same year (like 1909 where they will put either Indian or Lincoln on the label).

Overdate

Looks like the occasional obverse on front can be found.

I don't know why more people don't ask for it.

lkeigwin

Lincoln on the front, shield on the back should be the default. It would never occur to me to ask for that in a submission.

Lance.

brg5658

Gosh, these first world problems are really disturbing.