Sending in Civil War Tokens to PCGS for grading am I crazy?
Gluggo
Posts: 3,566 ✭✭✭✭✭
I am going to send in about now 14 each, was 11 each civil war tokens for grading under the Economy Special Issue service at a cost of $25.00 each. Going to add in the True View option most if not all came from Steven Hayden I guess he has a good reputation of selling good tokens and coins.
Am I crazy for doing this? I dont plan on selling them just want them graded and well I guess I like to spend my money on silly grading. Are there many people here who do this on the Civil war coins. Most are 1863 and 1864 coins. Any ways it will cost me about $400+ after the smoke clears.
Thank you gluggo
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Comments
Your tokens, your choice....
It would make more sense if they graded out high enough to adsorb the fees.
Most serious exonumia collectors I know don't care if a token is raw or slabbed.
I have 5 raw boxes filled myself.
As of this point, I have submitted over 200 Civil War and Centennial tokens for grading, all with TrueView photos. I am very pleased to have those encapsulated, and the TrueViews are great! With the TrueViews, you can create Registry Set Showcases, as well as digital albums. You can see one my showcases and its digital album here:
https://pcgs.com/SetRegistry/collectors-showcase/tokens-medals/libertas-americana-tokens-u-s-centennial/2054
Thank you for sharing! Wow! Beautiful!
Love that population report!
I think you should enjoy your tokens and coins in the manner that rewards you the most. If that means having them certified and protected for the long-term as well as having superb, high quality images that can be shared and posted online as well as used for insurance or research purposes then that is what you should pursue. I look forward to seeing the TrueViews!
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
Outstanding display of tokens cardinal.
Broadstruck brings up very good points, but. If you new at collecting and can afford a few “mistakes” I say get them graded as it will help you understand what to look for and the trueviews make an excellent reference.
E
If your not new and paid reasonable prices along with keeping them for quite some time I still say go for it.
I think the only reason not to have them grade is if the are not rare and low grade. Then just keep them raw.
Good luck and let us know what you do and post the trueviews
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CoinsAreFun Toned Silver Eagle Proof Album
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Gallery Mint Museum, Ron Landis& Joe Rust, The beginnings of the Golden Dollar
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More CoinsAreFun Pictorials NGC FOR SALE
Have fun, that's what it's all about, fun. Enjoy yourself, this is a highly personal hobby so do what makes you happy!
I had dozens and dozens of a certain coin slabbed.........many of them were net graded and yet they realized a profit when they sold, I guess nobody is silly enough to pay all those fees to get them slabbed
Coin's for sale/trade.
Tom Pilitowski
US Rare Coin Investments
800-624-1870
Whether or not it makes economic sense to have Civil War tokens certified depends upon (1) which varieties they are and (2) how high they grade. Spending $25 apiece to have circulated common varieties certified does not make economic sense. Spending that on rarities or on common pieces in Red Mint State probably does.
I two have a number of civil war patriotic from Steve that are raw, and some others slabbed from other sources. I have been leaning towards slabbing my nicer tokens and basically decided I will do it for some. I am leaning towards sending in tokens >$100 . The typical say Army/Navy 40/60 dollar tokens , I will leave raw. My 2 cents.
Like others have said it all depends on the condition and rarity. For me, it does not matter if it is raw or slabbed. However, slabbed pieces might command a slight premium depending on the item.
ANA-LM, CWTS-LM, NBS, TAMS, ANS
You also have to remember that unlike US coins, there is no standardized, agreed upon way to grade to civil war tokens and medals. This is because they come in many designs and metals which wear differently. If you think grading is all over the place on coins, jump into third party grading of exonumia!
As others have stated, do what makes sense for you and what brings you enjoyment in the hobby.
Like Mr. BROADSTRUCK said, a lot of collectors don't really care if their tokens and medals are slabbed, and some prefer them "raw." For this reason, one cant automatically expect higher resale by having them certified.
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
OK since you all have convinced me this is a GOOD thing to do I have up'd my package to now include 16 Total coins to be graded. I will also share the results here but it may be a few months before I get the results. But here are some of what I turned in.
1795-Great-Britain-Middlesex-Moore-039-s-Halfpenny-Conder-Token-D-amp-H-389
1863 New York City Civil War Token Staudinger's Union Flag Stars & Stripes NY630 BS1A
1863 The Flag Of Our Union Shoot Him On The Spot Dix Patriotic Civil War Token FLUD 203/413a
1863 Millions For Defense Not One Cent For Tribute Patriotic Civil War Token FLUD 43/388a
United We Stand Divided We Fall Patriotic Civil War Token Thistle FLUD 450/471a
1863 Money Makes the Mare Go Civil War Token Knickerbocker Currency CWT
1790 Conder Halfpenny Token. Liverpool
With a picture of the 1864 General McClellan Political Campaign Civil War Token.
Good luck with the grades!
Are you crazy? Yes you are it makes absolutely no sense whatsover if i was a pcgs stockholder however I would applaud your decision.
I've had mine certified but they are all -do CWT's so worth the cost.
Unfortunately they haven't been very accurate with correct attributions so be ready for resubmissions to get things right.
Here are some nice PCGS certified and TrueViewed CWTs I ran across a while back:
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/990208/civil-war-tokens-the-pcgs-way
I hope that the McClellan/Monitor piece grades. It has a noticeable scratch in the right field and questionable color. Furthermore it is a little scarce, but not rare.
As many before have said... your hobby, your tokens, your money - do what makes you happy....If you are running a business, well, that is different. Then you have a balances sheet, profit and loss considerations... totally different game. Best of luck... Cheers, RickO
@BillJones, What looks like a arced scratch in the obverse field is a die flaw found on all LDS examples of this issue.
However also feel this McClellan/Monitor piece will just details grade due to problematic surface conditions.
Here is the piece that is in my collection. I have seen several other examples of this variety, and I don't recall seeing any others that had the mark behind McClellan's head. That's why I thought that it was post mint damage.
"I have seen several other examples of this variety, and I don't recall seeing any others that had the marke behind McClellan's head. That's why I thought that it was post mint damage."
Likely, PCGS will think the same. It looked very much like a scratch until Frank shed some light on the subject
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
Thank you I appreciate the comments all my coins I submitted have the written code marks that Steven Hayden put along with a print out of the actual description of the auction. I did this to help PCGS when they go to work on the coins they have some detailed information directly from Mr. Hayden.
I did send these off and they should get them in the next few days and in 60 days I should have some answers on how they slabbed them. I will group them into my New and First time ever collections and post it here. They are nothing really special but some are really pretty. Sounds a bit wierd coming from me! Thank you for all comments. I just assumed it was a gouge how It got there I was just happy it did not scratch the actual face. Now it will be interesting on how PCGS grades this one. Thank you
Go for it. I, for one, have wasted $400 on stupid stuff and this ain't stupid!
bob
Looking forward to your results and the TV's. Too bad that PCGS doesn't have Registry sets for these. They are really neat to collect.
very good
Thank you bob right now I am posting some of the pictures of the pieces I sent in yesterday. PCGS just notified me they got the coins in their secure vault!
You can create custom Showcase sets, which I have done. Also, if there are subsets of the pantheon of Civil War Tokens that are more known or popular, PCGS is willing to create new Registry Sets. I approached PCGS about setting up a Registry Set for Libertas Americana medals, and now there is a PCGS Registry Set specifically for all of those medals and restrikes.
https://pcgs.com/SetRegistry/u-s-coins/medals/libertas-americana-medals/alltimeset/146364
Bumping this thread to see if results are in. Would be interested to hear if the OP ended up happy with the decision.
Some of the pieces he posted are not CWTs; they are presidential campaign medalets. The first McClellen piece with the eagle and drum on the reverse is a campaign piece. I don't that that it will get a grade because somebody rubbed the middle of the obverse, removing the silvering, to put the general in brassy glow.
Still waiting I got 15 in there and if half grade thats good with me. But I figure 30 more days thank you for asking. I will post once I have it.
But here is one of my other submission that came back. Non Civil war related, but thought I would share non the less!
This doesn't make sense to me.
How do you ever recover a $25 grading fee on a $50 token?
I would have used the money to buy more CWTs, probably from Steve.
On a related note, Steve is a great guy. He knows the market as well as anyone. His judgment is unimpeachable.
au58 Good point this just shows my inexperience but in the end I will have a nice civil war era coin sold from a reputable man giving this coin the best capsulation money can buy "PCGS"! I am just a crazy Oil Field worker enjoying PCGS, and the fun of collecting. Priceless in my eye's!
I would agree with you if @Gluggo was trying to make a living selling encapsulated civil war tokens, and competing against Steve Hayden. That said, if the civil war tokens are being purchased for the enjoyment of the hobby, and some of those tokens are encapsulated and professionally photographed, does it really matter if you can't flip them to get all of your money back?
Just seeing your 1898 Omaha Nebraska Trans-Mississippi Exposition So-Called Dollar now.
The reverse is double struck which is neat as it adds a sense of motion to the reverse hunting scene
Yes that is a interesting one. Were on day 49 so could be any day now when they will have all 14 ready. I give them another week!
IMO, the piece has been buffed. Note how rounded the edges of the marks in the field are plus the rounded relief.
Were on day 49 so could be any day now when they will have all 14 ready. I give them another week!
Are they grading exonumia in-house or outsourcing it like mint errors?
It's a hobby. It doesn't have to be "recovered". If someone wants a coin in a PCGS holder for whatever reason....it is OK if that is what they want. Everybody spends money everyday on something that won't be "recovered".
To each his own!
Insider2 you are right all these have been bought from Steve Hayden they say he is honest so I did not mind paying a cleaned coin I went by looks. He actually states in the sale its been cleaned.
Broadstruck I have them listed as Economy Special Issues as noted on their web site. I do not know if they are doing this in house or sending out, regardless they will have the PCGS slab which will make them special. I will share the results here.
Steve Hayden has been pumping out so many types of civil war tokens, hard times, and the rest its really amazing how much he gets. Makes you wonder just how he can do this I am guessing he is connected with a large group to have access to soooooo many interesting tokes, coins ect. I think I been tracking the last 300 sales and just printing out the final cost to win on the bid. Some going for close to $ 800.00 to $1000.00. The man is amazing but I feel safe buying from him.
Today is day #59. Waiting for them to finish grading. 15 in for submition.
Hi @Gluggo,
The Economy service level is appropriate if that covers the value of the tokens. But whether you send them in for Economy, Regular, or Express (or anything else), you do NOT need to submit them as "Special Issues." As of this point, I have submitted nearly 300 medals and tokens, and not a single one of them was submitted under the "Special Issues" designation. I suspect the "Special Issues" tier is holding up your order, as that is not a requirement to get PCGS to grade tokens.
I am too new to render my opinion but I am excited for you @gglugo
Looks like you know how to have fun in this hobby
Day 60.
That's OK I can wait they can take 1000 or 10,000 DAYS I can wait! Work is super busy come Monday coins will be a thing of the past till next weekend.
I hope that she didnt have to pay the extra money for "special issues." I think it is around $45 more per item! Do you think PCGS would do the right thing in this instance and refund the overpayament?
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
I am sure they did not charge me the extra 45 bucks per coin. Even though I gave them my credit card with instructions to spend away as they like! I TRUST them.
Well, like Reagan said "Trust, but verify."
I'd call. Seriously
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
I agree! PCGS Administration charges your credit card after that grading process has been completed. The grading room does NOT have access to the submission form to correct any errors in the service tier selected, so that has to be taken up with PCGS Administration.