NGC breaks with bare hands...

georgiacop50 · May 12, 2013 3:43AM

Haven't had this happen since the flimsy generation "NEW ANACS" slabs were around.

I was a bit ticked at NGC having completely flubbed the variety attribution on this coin, so I gave it an angry twist (really expecting no result more than maybe a slight crackle-pop) and it just gave up!

No one was injured.

CoinRaritiesOnline · May 12, 2013 3:48AM

Hey, some people can rip a phone book in half.

Jinx86 · May 12, 2013 3:53AM

Ive made good money at bars with this trick. Heres a good quick vid on how its done.

youtube

CuKevin · May 12, 2013 3:53AM

Yes, but ripping a phone book in half is an easy task if a person knows how to bend/fold the book in order to create a weak point down the middle. If done right, it is like tearing through a couple pieces of paper. I don't think this applies to slabs.

daOnlyBG · May 12, 2013 4:01AM

<< Ive made good money at bars with this trick. Heres a good quick vid on how its done.

youtube >>

Great link, if only because of the most popular Youtube comment on there

ColonelJessup · May 12, 2013 4:04AM

You should still wear glasses or a protective lens.

But a bar trick, even a bet, is another thing entirely.

stealer · May 12, 2013 4:14AM

I have noticed the new NGC slabs seem very susceptible to brute force. Even using two fingers and pressing the plastic over the coin (as it is not supported by the soft plastic insert), you will feel the plastic give way. I like the PCGS plastic much better as it feels far more robust, but I don't know why they ever changed it from their previous plastic shells. It seems that their new plastic shells are far easier to scratch and hairline as compared to even the previous generation blue insert shells.

CoinRaritiesOnline · May 12, 2013 4:17AM

<< Ive made good money at bars with this trick. Heres a good quick vid on how its done.

youtube >>

I never knew that - thanks for the tip. I now look forward to a long career of asking people if I can borrow their phone books, ripping them in half and then leaving.

crypto79 · May 12, 2013 4:24AM

Might have been a one off flaw, overall I am a big fan of the NGC holder esp for gold coins. Too bad their opinions and the market opinion of their value is at a record low as far back as I can remember. It seams to me the gap between number one and number two gets bigger every show and the remaining customers from what i can tell are a few fan boys and dealers who grade shop their submissions. I think a healthy TPG true competition is good for the hobby and watching NGC's market liquidity deminish over the years sucks for collectors who are left holding stuff the market has moved away from. It is almost like NGC has fallen from number two to a distant third after PCGS CAC and PCGS.

Broadstruck · May 12, 2013 4:40AM

AMRC · May 12, 2013 4:43AM

Ok, now you are just showing off.

johnny9434 · May 12, 2013 6:15AM

your name Hurculies?

illini420 · May 12, 2013 6:18AM

Do they even make phone books anymore? Can't remember the last time I used a phone book!!!

Bummer about the slab, but sounds like you were going to crack it anyways!

mrearlygold · May 12, 2013 6:36AM

I did it with a SEGS holder. Bare Hands

after hitting it on the edge with a hammer

mozin · May 12, 2013 7:01AM

<< Might have been a one off flaw, over all I am a big fan of the NGC holder esp for gold. Too bad their opinions and the market opinion of their value is at a record low as far as I can remember. It seams to me the gap between number one and net two gets bigger every show and the remaining customers are a few fan boys and dealers who grade shop their submissions. I think a healthy true TPG competition is good for the hobby and watching NGC's market liquidity deminish over the years suck for collectors who are left holder stuff the market has moved away from. It is almost like NGC has fallen from number two to a distant third after PCGS CAC and PCGS. >>

Well stated, and I agree with you.

TURBO · May 12, 2013 8:27AM

Want to impress me? Bend a quarter!!

kryptonitecomics · May 12, 2013 8:42AM

I have cracked out about 10 NGC coins in the last few months and I had to use a hammer each time. I am a strong guy and I could not get one to open with bare hands so I would agree with the assumption that your holder had some internal flaw that weakened it structurally to the point where you could open it by hand. Not typical......

SullivanNumismatics · May 12, 2013 9:28AM

Probably it just had a flaw in the plastic that made it break so easily.

SullivanNumismatics · May 12, 2013 9:30AM

<< Ive made good money at bars with this trick. Heres a good quick vid on how its done.

youtube >>

It's funny how there is always a "trick" to all the seemingly "impossible" things you see people do (such as tearing a big phone book in half.)

pennyannie · May 12, 2013 9:51AM

My renters can break concrete, fridges, stoves, commodes. The can kick and knock holes in the walls ... so a ngc or pcgs holder would be childs play. Now put that slab in one of those sealed shrink plastic packages and they would have to call 911 to get into it.

lcoopie · May 12, 2013 10:05AM

you should never act in anger

leothelyon · May 12, 2013 10:15AM

I was a bit ticked at NGC having completely flubbed the variety attribution on this coin

So......what was it supposed to be?

georgiacop50 · May 12, 2013 10:55AM

It is a no-brainer DDR FS-801. Even has the Stage C die polishing on the bell, which is an absolutely infallible marker for the variety.
See here

lkeigwin · May 12, 2013 11:07AM

I'm also surprised. NGC plastic is softer than PCGS's. It doesn't crack easily.

Try dikes or bolt cutters sometime. PCGS slabs crack apart easily. Piece of cake. NGC slabs crush. A hammer or vise works better.

One thing I've never understood is the difference between the regular NGC slab and their scratch-proof slab. How are they different? Anything visible?

FWIW, polishing out scratches on NGC slabs is near impossible. PCGS slabs clean up nicely.
Lance.

WoodenJefferson · May 12, 2013 2:13PM

I see a 'stress type' fracture off the main broken section which would indicate an impact of some sort and it gave a place for a major fracture to propagate from. Much like a small ding in a windshield, it can and often does eventually propagate into a large crack.

kiyote · May 12, 2013 4:00PM

I did this once on a sample slab and it pinched the heck out of my palm.

LochNESS · May 12, 2013 4:27PM

Lance, what the heck are dikes? besides the water levee and certain women? (no offense to women of that persuasion)

lkeigwin · May 12, 2013 11:57PM

Dike are diagonal cutters (a portmanteau). Usually used on wire but with jaws big enough to snip the edge of a PCGS slab and make it crack all the way across.

I have a few I use to cut weights for balancing motorcycle wheels.
Lance.

originalisbest · May 13, 2013 1:32AM

<< Might have been a one off flaw, overall I am a big fan of the NGC holder esp for gold coins. Too bad their opinions and the market opinion of their value is at a record low as far back as I can remember. It seams to me the gap between number one and number two gets bigger every show and the remaining customers from what i can tell are a few fan boys and dealers who grade shop their submissions. I think a healthy TPG true competition is good for the hobby and watching NGC's market liquidity deminish over the years sucks for collectors who are left holding stuff the market has moved away from. It is almost like NGC has fallen from number two to a distant third after PCGS CAC and PCGS. >>

Very apt and I would agree, but it is what it is. I've crossed a number of coins from NGC to PCGS, but crackout first is the key. Unless you're dealing with high end coins that roadrunner has detailed experiences with (Seated type) more often than not it seems a successful endeavor.

COALPORTER · May 13, 2013 4:59AM

<< Lance, what the heck are dikes? besides the water levee and certain women? (no offense to women of that persuasion) >>

Its an old work for cutting or lineman's type plyers - my grandfather used the term almost daily

ambro51 · May 13, 2013 7:16AM

If they used Lexan no mortal man could break it. BTW CRO another Great bar trick is ....yell out. " Hey I'll give $500 for a 1975 quarted"

WTCG · May 13, 2013 3:56PM

<< Ive made good money at bars with this trick. Heres a good quick vid on how its done.

youtube >>

You learn something every day, even if it has nothing to do with coins. Tried it and it actually works.

PerryHall · May 13, 2013 8:34PM

<< I was a bit ticked at NGC having completely flubbed the variety attribution on this coin....... >>

Where is the variety attribution shown on the label? If NGC got it wrong, wouldn't it have made more sense to just drop it off at the next big coin show so they could fix it?

georgiacop50 · May 13, 2013 10:38PM

<< Where is the variety attribution shown on the label? >>

There is no attribution on the label.

There was however a cello sleeve around the slab with a label denoting the slab # and a proclamation that the coin was not a DDO, DDR, nor RPM. So it is not like it somehow failed to be submitted as a variety candidate.

<< If NGC got it wrong, wouldn't it have made more sense to just drop it off at the next big coin show so they could fix it? >>

The last "big show" here in Chicagoland was the CSNS show. NGC did not set up for grading there.

Why would I give them another opportunity? This is not the first time NGC has botched variety attributions on one of my submissions.

No, this coin will now be going to PCGS. The only reason I sent varieties to NGC this time was because their pop reports were not showing any examples as having been graded.

Any more questions Sherlock?

PerryHall · May 13, 2013 11:15PM

<< 

<< Where is the variety attribution shown on the label? >>

There is no attribution on the label.

There was however a cello sleeve around the slab with a label denoting the slab # and a proclamation that the coin was not a DDO, DDR, nor RPM. So it is not like it somehow failed to be submitted as a variety candidate.

<< If NGC got it wrong, wouldn't it have made more sense to just drop it off at the next big coin show so they could fix it? >>

The last "big show" here in Chicagoland was the CSNS show. NGC did not set up for grading there.

Why would I give them another opportunity? This is not the first time NGC has botched variety attributions on one of my submissions.

No, this coin will now be going to PCGS. The only reason I sent varieties to NGC this time was because their pop reports were not showing any examples as having been graded.

Any more questions Sherlock?

>>

Thank you for your courteous and thoughtful response. I did not realize that there was a cello sleeve around this slab. It would have been helpful if you had mentioned that in your first post. The reason I suggested giving it to NGC at a show is that they would fix it for free. Of course, I am assuming that you are right and they were wrong. If you want to pay for shipping both ways, grading, and variety attribution at PCGS, go for it.

crypto79 · May 13, 2013 11:52PM

<< If you want to pay for shipping both ways, grading, and variety attribution at PCGS, go for it. >>

If he really wanted to save money he would have just started with that in the first place.

brg5658 · May 14, 2013 12:48AM

<< Might have been a one off flaw, overall I am a big fan of the NGC holder esp for gold coins. Too bad their opinions and the market opinion of their value is at a record low as far back as I can remember. It seams to me the gap between number one and number two gets bigger every show and the remaining customers from what i can tell are a few fan boys and dealers who grade shop their submissions. I think a healthy TPG true competition is good for the hobby and watching NGC's market liquidity deminish over the years sucks for collectors who are left holding stuff the market has moved away from. It is almost like NGC has fallen from number two to a distant third after PCGS CAC and PCGS. >>

Speaking of a fan boy -- there's nothing like an off-topic rant....

The post was about an NGC holder that broke when someone gave it an "angry twist". This isn't rocket science here guys -- treat your slabs properly.

crazyhounddog · May 14, 2013 12:49AM

Your thumbs looks angry!!

robkool · May 15, 2013 2:53AM

WOW !!! Looks like our ATS host is using cheaper materials ??? Cost cutting ??? Glad you didn't cut yourself... That plastic looks sharp !!!

georgiacop50 · May 15, 2013 3:13AM

<< The post was about an NGC holder that broke when someone gave it an "angry twist". This isn't rocket science here guys -- treat your slabs properly. >>

The OP was also about NGC's failure to do a simple variety attribution (which costs extra).

brg5658 · May 15, 2013 7:00AM

<< 

<< The post was about an NGC holder that broke when someone gave it an "angry twist". This isn't rocket science here guys -- treat your slabs properly. >>

The OP was also about NGC's failure to do a simple variety attribution (which costs extra). >>

IF the coin is truly a variety, NGC fill fix any mistakes like this for free...they have even refunded shipping both ways for some. I don't see how breaking the slab by having a temper tantrum solved any problems, and I certainly wouldn't rant about it on a forum for all to see.

georgiacop50 · May 15, 2013 10:36AM

If this is a rant to you, you must be living just the most serene life... hats off to you for it!!!

hockeyfan9 · May 15, 2013 10:45AM

<< 

<< Ive made good money at bars with this trick. Heres a good quick vid on how its done.

youtube >>

I never knew that - thanks for the tip. I now look forward to a long career of asking people if I can borrow their phone books, ripping them in half and then leaving. >>

NGC breaks with bare hands...

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