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UPDATED! It would be nice if some compressed air was used during slab sealing...
ms70
Posts: 13,956 ✭✭✭✭✭
I just received what is about my 5th or 6th PCGS coin that has a piece of fuzz type debris so nicely sealed on the obverse. It's ridiculous given the time and money invested to preserve a collectible. It already has a TrueView (with NO FUZZ showing) so I can't even use that as a justification to re-slab it. I would think some effort would be used to make sure this doesn't happen like blowing out the slab components. PCGS can do better.
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
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UPDATE: Problem solved in a very unconventional way......
After posting above I tried tapping the slab around, trying to move the fuzz away from the obverse and hopefully shake it into the void below the coin. No success.... It's stuck right to the front and goes from the coin surface to the slab window, so not only is there fuzz, there's also the shadow of the fuzz when viewing.
So I took my rage to the basement where I taped the slab to the blade of my sawzall and let it rip for about 10 seconds. Not only did the fuzz move, but it's no where to be seen. I'm hoping it found it's way into the slot on the gasket for the edgeview.
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
My goodness, that 1845 half dime is drop dead gorgeous!! I can completely understand why you would have been upset with the debris inside the holder, although I do not think that I could have ever "attached that coin to the blade of a sawzall and let her rip", for fear of disastrous results. Stunning coin.
RPD FS-302 in AU53
Thank you. Yeah, I was quite annoyed. Thankfully the coin's position didn't budge.
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
Taped to a sawzall, I friggin love it! I would have been nervous to damage the slab but I can definately respect the all or nothing approach. Beautiful coin BTW
Great color and clear re-punched date. The sunset reverse toning is excellent.
But none of my coins ever see a saw, except to break them out of slab confinement.
My US Mint Commemorative Medal Set
Recommendations for greatly improved cleanliness and security were given to the three major TPGs years ago -- no charge. Not a sign of anyone reading or understanding the suggestions.
I was looking at a Civil War token on ebay in a PCGS slab that has a big pice of plastic laying across the reverse. Sorta kills the display.
Collector of randomness. Photographer at PCGS. Lover of Harry Potter.
They should be using air filters so there isn't dust settling around when sealing coins into slabs. I got a couple from the US Mint with fuzzies. I'd open them up to remove the dust but fear more would settle in. Perhaps the slabs themselves are statically charged and attract fuzzies. If that's the case, they need to zap that static charge somehow.
A sawzall huh
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Bad transactions with : nobody to date
Nice, I'm glad it worked out for you !!!
The Snidely Whiplash meathod.
In the thousands of coins I have had graded, never happened to me once. It is not a common occurrence.
You could start a business doing this for disgruntled customers
Way to problem solve. I love it.
That damn fuzz better watch out, cause ms70 is gonna shake you to death! Peace Roy
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Saw a nice NGC coin once that I decided not to buy because of an eyelash that was sealed in with the coin. Just knew it would drive me crazy and the coin wasn't worth sending back in.
aka V-5 RPD 1845/1845 NW
As you have discovered there are many many uses for the old sawzall
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Bad transactions with : nobody to date
Even Birthday cakes
Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb, Ricko
Bad transactions with : nobody to date
This just proves that a sawzall and duct tape will fix anything...
It would have been TREMENDOUS if you had taken a video of this process to share. I’m trying to wrap my mind around what that must have looked like.😳😳😳
My War Nickels https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/nickels/jefferson-nickels-specialty-sets/jefferson-nickels-fs-basic-war-set-circulation-strikes-1942-1945/publishedset/94452
you put the fear of god into that coin.......you should have no more trouble
Fuzz, how about a piece of potato chip?
Sent it back to PCGS. The removed the chip but the bottom image shows a stain. They didn't change the grade.
next time you do that, please post a link to the youtube video!
You're right, I should have! I didn't think about it during my feverish quest to eliminate the fuzz.
But here's a still reenactment for you:
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
I think that's exactly the issue. I actually found where the fuzz went. It moved to another part of the viewing area but is now flush against the "window" as if held there by static.
I found it when moving the loupe around. When the coin is in focus the fuzz is not visible. If I move the loupe away from the slab the fuzz comes into focus. It's really not a problem now for a few reasons- I can't see it with the naked eye, since it's not on the coin it's not casting a shadow which made it look bigger, and now when viewing the loupe neither is in focus at the same time.
For now it's livable.
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
I have a few fuzz slabs also.
On the compressed air... unless they had a really high quality filtered compressed air system, moisture particles and water would spray out onto our coins. I imagine spots growing and hazes/corrosion. But I like the idea of something to remove the fuzz and plastic chips from the pricey slabs.
Electrostatic discharge components added to equipment or personnel could be used on the plastic to minimize the detritus IF Static is the reason for it.
https://www.autismforums.com/media/albums/acrylic-colors-by-rocco.291/
That should NEVER happen for what it cost to have a coin graded and attributed........NEVER!
The rooms they encapsulate the coins in should be clean rooms as if they were making medical devices. The rooms they encapsulate coins in are not so clean.
A clean room or box for sure. You know, those bio boxes with rubber gloves through the wall of the box. Compressed air can come out cold and cause condensation. A vacuum and Anti-Static procedures would work
The home show "This Old House" would probably get a kick out of a video if you had one. Another use for a reciprocating saw.
@DIMEMAN said: "That should NEVER happen for what it cost to have a coin graded and attributed........NEVER!"
Never is a long time and perfection does not exist. The TPGS do the best they can to put out a perfect product.
So does the U.S. Mint. See what I'm getting at? That said, I'll bet I can find all kinds of imperfections in your collection of slabs. The truth is, most collectors are blind as bats. Additionally, the QC guys are mainly looking for label errors. We had to put two QC guys on each box and on occasion something still get's out that should not. Brown copper coins give us the worst problems as anything on them "pops out."
@TwistedArrow1962 said: "The rooms they encapsulate the coins in should be clean rooms as if they were making medical devices. The rooms they encapsulate coins in are not so clean."
LOL, really? What a novel idea. How much money do you think it costs to run a "clean room" for a day? Do you want to pay $50 to get a silver eagle slabbed? I'll bet the slabbers would be really cranky wearing special suits and masks.
A slab taped to a sawzall???
That is great!! Best of all, it worked!! Innovation... Cheers, RickO
My cellphone wasn't working right so I had that bouncing around in the blender.
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
In my youth I worked in a clean room that made medical equipment. It's not as expensive as you would think.
RE: "Never is a long time and perfection does not exist. The TPGS do the best they can to put out a perfect product."
I'll disagree that the second sentence. TPGs do NOT do "the best they can." The cost of upgrading examination and handling areas can be very modest in return for substantial improvements in handling efficiency and cleanliness. A "clean room" is only expensive for the final 5%. While perfection does not exist, getting very close is not a burden unless company management makes it a burden!
However, none of the TPGs seem to have taken the most basic, high school chemistry class level precautions. (Filtered, dry compressed air equipment is commonplace and inexpensive. It's not necessary to go to a moisture-free nitrogen system.)
compressed nitrogen is not expensive to use. Compressed air contains moisture.
No Way Out: Stimulus and Money Printing Are the Only Path Left
This opinion is again coming from a man who has worked inside several major grading services and PERSONALLY has assembled and sealed well over 1K coins (and this is a very modest estimate)...
NOT!