I think PCGS got this one wrong and Stack's followed suit in the listing.
keets
Posts: 25,351 ✭✭✭✭✭
I was browsing at Stack's/Bowers and noticed a medal which seemed "wrong" as it was listed. The auction will be later this month, Internet only. A link to the listing is below.
The medal in question is HK-910 which is a WWII Victory medal as listed by Hibler-Kappen. The issue is common, they call it an R-1, but it becomes prohibitively rare when it can be found un-looped as most were to be attached to a ribbon. Then it becomes probably an R-7 or R-8. As fate would have it I submitted just such a medal for cross-over in December, it is the TV'd image below with the Stack's listed medal after that.
The confusion arises because the US Mint issued a Young Collector Set in 1993 which contained a WWII Half-Dollar and a re-strike of the WWII Victory Medal. They are often listed on eBay as the original. The "tells" are the color, sharpness of strike and most notably the high rims. The originals don't really have a rim, much less a well defined rim like the restrikes. it would help if both PCGS and NGC would measure the medals prior to encapsulation. In this case the original was 36mm and I think the re-strikes are larger, probably 38mm, but I can't tell from the images.
As always, I could be wrong about this but check things out and tell me what you think.
Al H.
https://auctions.stacksbowers.com/lots/view/3-GQAQW
Comments
I think you're right.
Beautiful piece either way.
Your logic resonates with me!
Smitten with DBLCs.
You appear to be correct
Certainly notable differences Al...Cheers, RickO
The second piece is clearly struck from completely different dies. Good catch!
What is now proved was once only imagined. - William Blake
Thank you for bringing this to our attention @keets we are investigating now and will take action as needed.
Heather Boyd
PCGS Senior Director of Marketing
Heather, one thing I think would help with Medals and Exonumia in general would be to check the size. I have asked with submissions for this since it will help assure that the correct items are being attributed.
I agree they are different and the one with high rims is a modern US Mint issue. This one confused me at first many years ago as well.
The modern one was issued by the US Mint in the 1993 "World War II 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin and Victory Medal Set". Whether to call this a "restrike" or not is another popular terminology debate on the forums.
Technically, this isn't a "restrike" as it wasn't struck with the original dies (or even transfer dies). The Mint brochure calls it a "reproduction".
Since the modern issue is a US Mint issue, it's possible that the modern would still be slabbed, but with a different coin number.
I think one thing that would help with classification on this particular piece is a listing in a So-Called Dollar reference guide.
I am not sure I have ever seen an auction company mention a mistake or mechanical error (although I have seen some suggest the grade is to low). Do you have any examples where they did?
I also haven't seen auction houses mention TPG mistakes. I have seen auction houses take down listings.
Heritage does it and I would be very surprised if other auction companies don't, as well.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
@keets : Al, I have never found you wrong. Questionable, but never wrong.
Cheers
Bob
Bob, thanks for the compliment. I also find myself questionable on a wide range of things!!
The small "T.J." initials are farther from the gown on the original and closer to the gown on the re-strike.
Keets, thank you for bringing this to our attention. We are withdrawing the lot from auction and will take the appropriate next steps with the consignor.
Nice to see they monitor the forums. Bravo!