Crossgrade results and TrueViews (HR Saint-Gaudens, gold commems, and a buffalo nickel)

AlanLastufka · February 28, 2020 3:24PM

Sent in two crossgrade orders as I'm in the process of moving my entire collection over from NGC to PCGS. Mixed bag of results here, but thought I would share.

=====

Let's get the big one out of the way...

1907 $20 Saint-Gaudens High Relief (Wire Rim). It was an NGC MS 63+ CAC...

...and it crossed to PCGS MS 63+! So off to CAC it goes (if I can find a dealer or collector who will submit it on my behalf) for what I hope will be an easy re-sticker (I realize it has to be submitted fresh, but if they liked it before...)

I paid well under 63 Price Guide prices for this piece, so even with the crossing fees, I'm still very much in the black with this one.

=====

Next up, two quarter eagle gold commems.

1915-S $2.50 Panama-Pacific. It was an NGC MS 65...

...it crossed to PCGS MS 64, a full point lost. BUT I paid 63 money for it because I think most buyers saw it wasn't a 65. I still like the coin, regardless of the grade, and because of the price paid, still in the black.

1926 $2.50 American Sesquicentennial. This coin was featured in one of my Coin Collection Highlight videos back when it was an NGC MS 65+....

...it crossed to PCGS MS 65, it lost it's plus. This one hurt. I think it's a great looking coin and I was hoping for a straight cross or maybe even a bump to 66 given some of the 66's I've seen out there. But no luck. I way overpaid for this coin back in 2015 so I will never be out of the red with it. Good thing I'll never sell it so that doesn't matter, right? Right?!

=====

Then there are two gold dollar commems.

1093 LA Purchase Jefferson and McKinley. They were both NGC MS 65....

...Jefferson crossed at PCGS MS 64 (losing a point) and McKinley crossed at PCGS MS 65 (straight cross). I may upgrade these in the future, but they're fine in my classic gold commems set for now. I only paid $750 for the McKinley so I'm still up a bit there compared to the Price Guide, but I paid full Price Guide for the Jefferson at 65, $1,100 and the 64 knocks it down to just $750, so out $350 there plus the crossing fees.

=====

And last, a 1913 Type 1 Buffalo nickel for my 7070 type set. It was an NGC MS 66...

...and it crossed at PCGS MS 66 so yay!

=====

Overall I'm really happy about the high relief keeping its plus grade, it was a bit risky crossing it, but I felt it had a shot at 64 and even if it didn't, it's the cleanest coin I've seen for this series in my price range, so the grade doesn't really matter.

I'm most bummed about the Sesquicentennial. That coin is gorgeous in hand and in photos and I'm sad the plus is gone, but the coin is still the coin, so.

Thanks for reading. On to the next batch!

Downtown1974 · February 28, 2020 4:04PM

Love that HR Saint!

Smudge · February 28, 2020 4:27PM

Nice coins. Congrats on the results.

Kkathyl · February 28, 2020 4:33PM

You did Good. Ngc is know to be pretty spot on with gold and you must be able to pick True grades fairly well. I have 8 Subs to send myself. Hard to decide which ones to coupon and which ones to send for Vam designation or other. Choices. Urrr

Overall good results. Agree on the Plus. I would 2nd consideration that later in year once Training camps over. 😂

coinsarefun · February 28, 2020 4:48PM

Yowsers!! with every image scrolling down its gets better and better gold!
Hard to beat the kind tho. Beautiful coins in every way

AlanLastufka · February 28, 2020 5:15PM

@Downtown1974 said:
Love that HR Saint!

@Smudge said:
Nice coins. Congrats on the results.

@Kkathyl said:
Overall good results. Agree on the Plus. I would 2nd consideration that later in year once Training camps over. 😂

@coinsarefun said:
Yowsers!! with every image scrolling down its gets better and better gold!
Hard to beat the kind tho. Beautiful coins in every way

Thanks everyone! I'm currently focusing on three different sets to keep things interesting - a 1907 mint set (all Philadelphia issues), the classic gold commem series (obviously), and a 7070 Type Set with as much in Mint State as I can afford. So I hope to share move like this in the future.

DRUNNER · February 28, 2020 5:29PM

Very fun post to read . . . . . bravo on your overall success!

Drunner

lkeigwin · February 28, 2020 5:46PM

I'd say you did quite well. Certainly better than average, for crossing.

Love the gold! And the buffalo doesn't suck!
Lance.

ironmanl63 · February 28, 2020 5:52PM

Very nice coins! I love the reverse color on your Jefferson!

thefinn · February 28, 2020 5:53PM

Nice coins. Why the need to get them in PCGS slabs? The coin is the coin - WYSIWYG.

bolivarshagnasty · February 28, 2020 5:55PM

That batch of grades I would consider a win. Congrats!

Pedzola · February 28, 2020 6:18PM

Great group of coins. Nice TrueViews. Sounds like you got some good deals.

Unknown · February 28, 2020 7:10PM

This content has been removed.

jedm · February 28, 2020 8:55PM

Wow those are some very nice looking gold coins! Thanks for sharing. Have you thought of trying the Jefferson again to see if it upgrades to 65?

oih82w8 · February 28, 2020 9:24PM

I need to send in some coins to CAC myself.

Lovely HR Saint!

golden · February 28, 2020 10:25PM

Very nice coins.

ricko · February 29, 2020 7:09AM

Very, very nice gold coins... I really like the HR Saint....Congratulations on the crossovers....can be risky...Cheers, RickO

sparky64 · February 29, 2020 7:33AM

Great group of coins.

I have no opinion on the crossing results. I am no gold expert but nothing egregious stood out to me.

What did stand out to me is your eye for quality and your enthusiasm towards your collection.

MFeld · February 29, 2020 7:39AM

@AlanLastufka said:
Sent in two crossgrade orders as I'm in the process of moving my entire collection over from NGC to PCGS. Mixed bag of results here, but thought I would share.

=====

Let's get the big one out of the way...

1907 $20 Saint-Gaudens High Relief (Wire Rim). It was an NGC MS 63+ CAC...

...and it crossed to PCGS MS 63+! So off to CAC it goes (if I can find a dealer or collector who will submit it on my behalf) for what I hope will be an easy re-sticker (I realize it has to be submitted fresh, but if they liked it before...)

I paid well under 63 Price Guide prices for this piece, so even with the crossing fees, I'm still very much in the black with this one.

=====

Next up, two quarter eagle gold commems.

1915-S $2.50 Panama-Pacific. It was an NGC MS 65...

...it crossed to PCGS MS 64, a full point lost. BUT I paid 63 money for it because I think most buyers saw it wasn't a 65. I still like the coin, regardless of the grade, and because of the price paid, still in the black.

1926 $2.50 American Sesquicentennial. This coin was featured in one of my Coin Collection Highlight videos back when it was an NGC MS 65+....

...it crossed to PCGS MS 65, it lost it's plus. This one hurt. I think it's a great looking coin and I was hoping for a straight cross or maybe even a bump to 66 given some of the 66's I've seen out there. But no luck. I way overpaid for this coin back in 2015 so I will never be out of the red with it. Good thing I'll never sell it so that doesn't matter, right? Right?!

=====

Then there are two gold dollar commems.

1093 LA Purchase Jefferson and McKinley. They were both NGC MS 65....

...Jefferson crossed at PCGS MS 64 (losing a point) and McKinley crossed at PCGS MS 65 (straight cross). I may upgrade these in the future, but they're fine in my classic gold commems set for now. I only paid $750 for the McKinley so I'm still up a bit there compared to the Price Guide, but I paid full Price Guide for the Jefferson at 65, $1,100 and the 64 knocks it down to just $750, so out $350 there plus the crossing fees.

=====

And last, a 1913 Type 1 Buffalo nickel for my 7070 type set. It was an NGC MS 66...

...and it crossed at PCGS MS 66 so yay!

=====

Overall I'm really happy about the high relief keeping its plus grade, it was a bit risky crossing it, but I felt it had a shot at 64 and even if it didn't, it's the cleanest coin I've seen for this series in my price range, so the grade doesn't really matter.

I'm most bummed about the Sesquicentennial. That coin is gorgeous in hand and in photos and I'm sad the plus is gone, but the coin is still the coin, so.

Thanks for reading. On to the next batch!

Regardless of what you paid for it, I don’t fully understand why you’d take the financial hit on the Pan Pac $2.50, crossing it from 65 to 64. Are you going to enjoy it that much more in its new holder?

Outhaul · February 29, 2020 7:41AM

That Saint is incredible!

AlanLastufka · February 29, 2020 7:59AM

@MFeld said:

@AlanLastufka said:
Sent in two crossgrade orders as I'm in the process of moving my entire collection over from NGC to PCGS. Mixed bag of results here, but thought I would share.

=====

Let's get the big one out of the way...

1907 $20 Saint-Gaudens High Relief (Wire Rim). It was an NGC MS 63+ CAC...

...and it crossed to PCGS MS 63+! So off to CAC it goes (if I can find a dealer or collector who will submit it on my behalf) for what I hope will be an easy re-sticker (I realize it has to be submitted fresh, but if they liked it before...)

I paid well under 63 Price Guide prices for this piece, so even with the crossing fees, I'm still very much in the black with this one.

=====

Next up, two quarter eagle gold commems.

1915-S $2.50 Panama-Pacific. It was an NGC MS 65...

...it crossed to PCGS MS 64, a full point lost. BUT I paid 63 money for it because I think most buyers saw it wasn't a 65. I still like the coin, regardless of the grade, and because of the price paid, still in the black.

1926 $2.50 American Sesquicentennial. This coin was featured in one of my Coin Collection Highlight videos back when it was an NGC MS 65+....

...it crossed to PCGS MS 65, it lost it's plus. This one hurt. I think it's a great looking coin and I was hoping for a straight cross or maybe even a bump to 66 given some of the 66's I've seen out there. But no luck. I way overpaid for this coin back in 2015 so I will never be out of the red with it. Good thing I'll never sell it so that doesn't matter, right? Right?!

=====

Then there are two gold dollar commems.

1093 LA Purchase Jefferson and McKinley. They were both NGC MS 65....

...Jefferson crossed at PCGS MS 64 (losing a point) and McKinley crossed at PCGS MS 65 (straight cross). I may upgrade these in the future, but they're fine in my classic gold commems set for now. I only paid $750 for the McKinley so I'm still up a bit there compared to the Price Guide, but I paid full Price Guide for the Jefferson at 65, $1,100 and the 64 knocks it down to just $750, so out $350 there plus the crossing fees.

=====

And last, a 1913 Type 1 Buffalo nickel for my 7070 type set. It was an NGC MS 66...

...and it crossed at PCGS MS 66 so yay!

=====

Overall I'm really happy about the high relief keeping its plus grade, it was a bit risky crossing it, but I felt it had a shot at 64 and even if it didn't, it's the cleanest coin I've seen for this series in my price range, so the grade doesn't really matter.

I'm most bummed about the Sesquicentennial. That coin is gorgeous in hand and in photos and I'm sad the plus is gone, but the coin is still the coin, so.

Thanks for reading. On to the next batch!

Regardless of what you paid for it, I don’t fully understand why you’d take the financial hit on the Pan Pac $2.50, crossing it from 65 to 64. Are you going to enjoy it that much more in its new holder?

It's less about the holder, per se, and more about having all of my coins in one place, the registry here. Since I can't include NGC coins here, I either had to sell it in the NGC holder and try to find a PCGS example I liked at a price I liked, or take my chances with the cross on a coin I already got for a discount and already knew I liked. Given those choices, the cross seemed (to me) like the obvious way to go.

I'm not great at grading, I just buy based on (my) eye appeal alone (and sometimes with professional hand holding as you and others have made recommendations in the past), so if PCGS tells me it's a 64 not a 65, I believe them and am okay with that. I will enjoy having my set here complete someday, yes, regardless of a ~10% (on paper) loss.

Besides, by the time I want to sell it, I just know the classic commem series will be back to its historic highs and 64s will be going for moon money again. I just know it.

AlanLastufka · February 29, 2020 8:19AM

@Outhaul said:
That Saint is incredible!

Thanks! Though I should probably remove it from this post before you declare it "MINE!" and, by forum law, I have to send it to you.

MFeld · February 29, 2020 11:30AM

Regardless of what you paid for it, I don’t fully understand why you’d take the financial hit on the Pan Pac $2.50, crossing it from 65 to 64. Are you going to enjoy it that much more in its new holder?

It's less about the holder, per se, and more about having all of my coins in one place, the registry here. Since I can't include NGC coins here, I either had to sell it in the NGC holder and try to find a PCGS example I liked at a price I liked, or take my chances with the cross on a coin I already got for a discount and already knew I liked. Given those choices, the cross seemed (to me) like the obvious way to go.

I'm not great at grading, I just buy based on (my) eye appeal alone (and sometimes with professional hand holding as you and others have made recommendations in the past), so if PCGS tells me it's a 64 not a 65, I believe them and am okay with that. I will enjoy having my set here complete someday, yes, regardless of a ~10% (on paper) loss.

Besides, by the time I want to sell it, I just know the classic commem series will be back to its historic highs and 64s will be going for moon money again. I just know it.

Fair point about possibly being confronted by new historic highs in the classic commem market!😄

jgenn · January 14, 2021 10:25PM

Sorry to revive this old thread but I just spotted you over here, Alan. Given that you could have both NGC and PCGS coins in your registry ATS (US coins, that is) what was the driving reason to move it all over here?

jt88 · January 14, 2021 10:33PM

Very nice coins

AlanLastufka · January 14, 2021 11:29PM

@jgenn said:
Sorry to revive this old thread but I just spotted you over here, Alan. Given that you could have both NGC and PCGS coins in your registry ATS (US coins, that is) what was the driving reason to move it all over here?

There are a number of reasons, but mostly:

The registry ATS is not in great shape. I understand it's not completely their fault, it's a long story, but it's unusable at this point, in my opinion. There are separate registries for competitive and showcase/custom sets (not just different sections, I mean, entirely different registries with different code, different URLs, etc.). And the site just doesn't "look pretty" when I want to send people to my registry sets to show off my coins.
TrueView. I tried both service's photography offerings and found I personally liked the TrueViews better. I don't have any coin friends IRL, so sharing my collection happens 100% online. And to do that, I need great pictures.
Perceived value when reselling. When I first started collecting graded coins over a decade ago, I chose only coins graded ATS because they were cheaper to buy given the same grade. Ten years later, that's still the case. So when I decide to sell, I'd rather get the max value out of them. If all I need to do that is switch plastic, I'll switch plastic.

Most people probably think those are silly reasons, and yeah, maybe they are. But I have a lot of obsessive tendencies, and one of those tendencies is wanting to display all of my coins together in the best possible format. Right now, this is the best possible format.

neildrobertson · January 14, 2021 11:44PM

I didn't see this the first go round, so I'm glad someone bumped it.

I like the coins, but you deserve even more accolades for your video production. You definitely deserve a few more views.

jgenn · January 15, 2021 12:14AM

I certainly agree with point 1 -- they have yet to incorporate the custom set section into the more modern looking competitive registry (but I bet we'll lose the ability to embed html images into the set description when they do). Can't argue with your TrueView sentiments since it's basically part of the cost of slabbing rather than an extra fee. And you are not wrong with your assessment of perceived value for US coins (IMO world coins are a toss-up depending on particular series).

Let us know when you bring the Symphony Set over here.

Clackamas1 · January 15, 2021 12:48AM

...and it crossed to PCGS MS 63+! So off to CAC it goes (if I can find a dealer or collector who will submit it on my behalf) for what I hope will be an easy re-sticker (I realize it has to be submitted fresh, but if they liked it before...)

If you know you are going to lose the green bean, take a ton of photos -PRIOR- to you sending it in for cross/regrade... etc. CAC will honor the bean in the same grade as long as they are sure it was not messed with. They have done this for me on regrades on CAC coins several times. - BTW never got an upgrade - + is + and reality is not fantasy.

AlanLastufka · January 15, 2021 12:49AM

@jgenn said:
Let us know when you bring the Symphony Set over here.

All of my Symphony Set coins were logged in by PCGS for crossgrading yesterday. I'll let you know when the TrueViews post.

Zoins · January 15, 2021 2:44AM

Beautiful coins! Glad you are enjoying them

Crossgrade results and TrueViews (HR Saint-Gaudens, gold commems, and a buffalo nickel)

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