Does PCGS offer photo certificates like NGC ?

dcarr · December 16, 2017 3:40PM

I note that NGC offers certification via a photo certificate for items that don't readily fit in any of their holders.
Does PCGS offer anything like that ?

Here is an example of an NGC-certified coin that presumably was too delicate to put in a pronged (or other) holder. (Not my auction, I'm not associated with the seller):
https://ebay.com/itm/272656287566

Zoins · December 16, 2017 4:00PM

Very interesting. I see the item is cracked. For delicate items, I've seen PCGS encapsulate items in a Kointain and then put the Kointain in a slab. The piece I saw was a bit less delicate because it was fully split. I mentioned it in this thread earlier:

dcarr · December 16, 2017 4:12PM

That makes sense for a cracked brittle item.

I was, however, wondering about a really large item - getting a PCGS photo certificate or the like for it.

Zoins · December 16, 2017 4:30PM

This wonderful piece is one that PCGS certified with a photocertificate and did not encapsulate. Heritage mentions this in their auction description:

https://coins.ha.com/itm/colonials/1781-libertas-americana-medal-ms64-pcgs/a/444-1537.s?hdnJumpToLot=1x=0&y=0

While this Libertas Americana was not encapsulated by PCGS, a photocertificate accompanies the medal.

Here's the certification at PCGS MS64:

https://www.pcgs.com/cert/13121339

dcarr · December 16, 2017 4:33PM

I wonder why that Libertas Americana medal was not encapsulated ? Too thick ?

Zoins · December 16, 2017 4:35PM

I think it may have been too large at the time. The HA auction is from 2007 so I think this is before PCGS introduced the large format holders, which I think may have coincided with the launch of the pucks in 2010.

Zoins · December 16, 2017 4:45PM

Here's the coin in the OP for posterity since the photocertificate is interesting.

PCGSPhoto · December 16, 2017 5:02PM

Sometimes. I made one last week for this error coin:

dcarr · December 16, 2017 7:30PM

@PCGSPhoto said:
Sometimes. I made one last week for this error coin:

That would definitely not fit very well.
Nice photos. Getting all of it in focus at the same time is not very easy.

The item that I would like to get a photo certificate for is this, which is well known around here but not so much elsewhere:
Original "Broken Sword" bronze casting/galvano for the Peace Dollar reverse (about 8.5 inches in diameter):

I think this could generate some free publicity for PCGS because I'm pretty sure Coin World would do a story about it if PCGS certified it. PCGS consulting expert John Dannreuther has already examined it at the Denver ANA show this past summer. He did not disagree with my conclusions about it. He has previously examined other similar items at the US Mint in Philadelphia, including the discovery of "1964" Morgan Dollar tooling a couple years ago.

oih82w8 · December 16, 2017 7:35PM

I saw @dcarr galvano in Denver this past years ANA show...it is magnificent!

PCGSPhoto · December 16, 2017 8:05PM

@dcarr said:

@PCGSPhoto said:
Sometimes. I made one last week for this error coin:

That would definitely not fit very well.
Nice photos. Getting all of it in focus at the same time is not very easy.

Truly, but I utilized Focus Stacking, merging some 7 or so exposures at variable focal points. The lighting was the trickiest part. Photoshop does a great job at merging, but it’s not perfect - I see imperfections and odd blurry points on the first shot. These could be further edited, but I made these in a time crunch.

I cannot speak for our grading staff or management, but do send Don Willis an email about possibly getting the casting certified. I think it’s beautiful.

Fun fact: The Walton 1913 Liberty Nickel has a Photo Certificate.

ricko · December 17, 2017 7:58AM

That casting is magnificent....It should certify... not sure how it could be 'slabbed'... likely a custom job would be the best course....Certainly a photo cert would be in order. Cheers, RickO

1940coupe · December 17, 2017 12:21PM

Hey Dan would love it if you made full size copies of this casting ! limited edition

dcarr · December 17, 2017 3:42PM

@PCGSPhoto said:

Truly, but I utilized Focus Stacking, merging some 7 or so exposures at variable focal points. The lighting was the trickiest part. Photoshop does a great job at merging, but it’s not perfect - I see imperfections and odd blurry points on the first shot. These could be further edited, but I made these in a time crunch.

I thought that might be the case (image stacking).

@PCGSPhoto said:

>

I cannot speak for our grading staff or management, but do send Don Willis an email about possibly getting the casting certified. I think it’s beautiful.

Thanks for the suggestion - I will do that.

dcarr · December 17, 2017 3:45PM

@1940coupe said:
Hey Dan would love it if you made full size copies of this casting ! limited edition

I previously thought about doing that but decided not to. Anybody with a reduction lathe and a copy of the casting could make an accurate die from it. Also, I prefer that there is only one Broken Sword casting/galvano in existence.

Does PCGS offer photo certificates like NGC ?

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