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On a regrade that grades lower, how does PCGS determine what it will pay for the coin?

If you submit a coin using the regrade level and the coin grades lower than it was currently submitted as, how does PCGS determine the amount they will pay?

What if it comes back as a Genuine (no grade)? What will they pay?

Comments

  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,898 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Good question. Do they make a "take it or leave it" offer or are they open to negotiation?

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

  • pcgs69pcgs69 Posts: 4,362 ✭✭✭✭
    In my experience the grading companies usually don't downgrade coins already in their holders, even if it's overgraded. So it's not really an issue :-). But somehow when the coin is broke out of the slab and submitted it gets a lower grade at that point.
  • amwldcoinamwldcoin Posts: 11,269 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The only experience I have had was probably close to 10 years ago. Had a couple of Zinc Lincolns in 67. Evidently who ever submitted them dipped them and didn't rinse properly. They corroded rather quickly and over 50% of the surfaces were chalky white. I sent them in under spot review...had to pay. A few weeks later I received a letter from PCGS. 1st thing out of the letter were the 2 coins removed from their tombs. Yikes I thought...but then opened the letter to find a check in the amount of full PCGS priceguide for the 2 coins!
  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 34,848 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have never submitted a coin for a re-grade, but I did submit a gold piece for a review because of an iodine treatment. PCGS offered to pay me the difference after they removed the iodine and down graded it one point, or buy it back. image I had them buy it back.
    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • abcde12345abcde12345 Posts: 3,404 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: pcgs69

    In my experience the grading companies usually don't downgrade coins already in their holders, even if it's overgraded. So it's not really an issue :-). But somehow when the coin is broke out of the slab and submitted it gets a lower grade at that point.




    A good example of this is a recent 1796 Bust dollar that was returned in the same grade holder that appears not to be worthy of it.
  • mercurydimeguymercurydimeguy Posts: 4,625 ✭✭✭✭
    There is very little chance they'll downgrade a coin, as most marginal coins can be graded 1 point higher or lower and still be market acceptable, but if there is unquestionable surface damage, or other circumstances like altered surfaces or cleaning that were no longer market acceptable, then they might consider buying the coin back if it is no longer gradable. Frankly, on a normal non-problem regrade I've never even heard of a downgrade on a regrade submission.



    I have had the following 2 experiences:



    - Had a 1969 PR69DCAM 25C that looked nice when I won it from auction, put it in a SDB, took it out about 2 years later, and the entire surface has been eaten by DIP (or MS70, who knows) residue. I looked at the coin under a glass and knew the coin was caput. Sent it to them under review, silence for 2+ months, then a call/e-mail. They bought it back for what I had paid for it (not market rate), but that was fine, got my money back. It was beyond salvage, it would n0-grade on a regrade.



    - Had an 1869 MS65RB 2C in a rattler I sent in for regrading...silence for 7 weeks, then a call "we damaged your coin during the crackout process and it's no longer gradeable..." BUMMER, it was a choice coin I bought for about 50% of the market value. I produced my auction invoice and they paid me what I paid for the coin.



    In each instance they were very professional decisive/quick about the resolution, so kudos to them.

  • lkeigwinlkeigwin Posts: 16,894 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: pcgs69

    In my experience the grading companies usually don't downgrade coins already in their holders, even if it's overgraded. So it's not really an issue :-). But somehow when the coin is broke out of the slab and submitted it gets a lower grade at that point.




    This is my experience too, and I've done hundreds of regrades in the last two years.



    I've also submitted coins for grade review and had more than a few payouts from PCGS.



    So to your question: if PCGS downgrades a coin, regardless of service, they decide the coin's wholesale value. It will obviously be lower than their price guide number. If you disagree you must show substantive evidence of its higher value. PCGS will hear you out but its unlikely (though not impossible) for them to change their minds.



    You can read about the PCGS grade guarantee here.

    Lance.
  • TiborTibor Posts: 3,694 ✭✭✭✭✭
    What happens if the grade is lower and there is a significant price difference between the two

    grades ie. $1000 ? Not everybody uses the same price guide, as a matter of fact I've never seen

    a dealer use the PCGS guide. 90% of the time Grey or Blue sheet are used.
  • coindeucecoindeuce Posts: 13,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: Tibor

    What happens if the grade is lower and there is a significant price difference between the two

    grades ie. $1000 ? Not everybody uses the same price guide, as a matter of fact I've never seen

    a dealer use the PCGS guide. 90% of the time Grey or Blue sheet are used.




    I'll speculate that the CCE dealer posted bids may be used for buybacks, which can only be viewed by dealer subscribers.







    Directly from the site page regarding the PCGS grade and authenticity guarantee:



    "IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT PCGS WILL BE THE SOLE DETERMINER OF THE CURRENT MARKET VALUE OF THE COIN AND THAT CURRENT MARKET VALUE IS DEFINED AS DEALER REPLACEMENT VALUE, I.E. THE PRICE A DEALER WOULD MOST LIKELY HAVE TO PAY TO REPLACE THE COIN."

    "Everything is on its way to somewhere. Everything." - George Malley, Phenomenon
    http://www.american-legacy-coins.com

  • VanHalenVanHalen Posts: 4,330 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: abcde12345

    Originally posted by: pcgs69

    In my experience the grading companies usually don't downgrade coins already in their holders, even if it's overgraded. So it's not really an issue :-). But somehow when the coin is broke out of the slab and submitted it gets a lower grade at that point.




    A good example of this is a recent 1796 Bust dollar that was returned in the same grade holder that appears not to be worthy of it.




    RE: 1796 Bust dollar



    Isn't the edge lettering the cause of the rim issues? aka - This was not rim damage but rather as it left the mint? I realize the value of the coin should be reduced based upon the appearance but do not understand the idea that this coin should be bagged. Please enlighten me.



  • GRANDAMGRANDAM Posts: 8,774 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have had 2 or 3 coins down grade over the years for one reason or another. I was offered the value as per PCGS price guide as I recall or close to it and was given the option of getting the coin back in the new grade holder with the difference via a check or a check for the full offer price and PCGS keeps the coin.



    I thought the offers were very fair.

    GrandAm :)

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