Question about PCGS Reconsideration

DelawareDoons · October 17, 2020 7:37PM

Are the certificates deactivated while the coins are in grading? Specifically, PCGS Express Reconsideration.

Both of my certs I sent in are no longer working.

blu62vette · October 17, 2020 7:43PM

Yes. Nothing to worry about.

DelawareDoons · October 17, 2020 7:45PM

@blu62vette said:
Yes. Nothing to worry about.

Thanks Todd.

blu62vette · October 17, 2020 7:48PM

Also dont read into it, doesn't mean the reconsideration worked.

DelawareDoons · October 17, 2020 7:51PM

@blu62vette said:
Also dont read into it, doesn't mean the reconsideration worked.

Now that was kinda what I was hoping. But I will keep my pessimistic mindset.

lkeigwin · October 17, 2020 9:07PM

The reconsideration service was introduced six or eight years ago to allow collectors to get grade reviews without cracking holders. PCGS realized that collectors don't want to lose older holders, or those with CAC stickers, if their coins don't merit upgrades.

This is unlike the regrade service, which always cracks slabs for the clearest grade assessment (raw).

Regrades always assign new cert numbers, even if the grades don't change.

The reconsideration service, however, is different. If the assessment is the coin doesn't deserve a higher grade or grade designation bump, like PL, FH, FBL, etc. then nothing changes (except your credit card balance). Including the cert#. The coin and holder are returned as-is.

But if something different is decided then a new cert# is always assigned.

So I like to think if the cert# for a reconsideration is deactivated then some improvement is in store. However, maybe PCGS places a "pause" on it while the coin is reviewed and its deactivation is meaningless. That would support what Todd says. He's been around the block.
Lance.

amwldcoin · October 18, 2020 6:23AM

When I've upgraded my coins retained the same Cert #. Sometimes I can just look in my registry set to see if I received an upgrade. All except 1 were a + added and the other was a 55-58. I remember the 1st time I sent a bunch of mine in for + review and the Cert #'s were deactivated while in process. People thought I was selling the coins in my set and were driving me batty! When in for review now PCGS does not do that to a registry set.

@lkeigwin said:
The reconsideration service was introduced six or eight years ago to allow collectors to get grade reviews without cracking holders. PCGS realized that collectors don't want to lose older holders, or those with CAC stickers, if their coins don't merit upgrades.

This is unlike the regrade service, which always cracks slabs for the clearest grade assessment (raw).

Regrades always assign new cert numbers, even if the grades don't change.

The reconsideration service, however, is different. If the assessment is the coin doesn't deserve a higher grade or grade designation bump, like PL, FH, FBL, etc. then nothing changes (except your credit card balance). Including the cert#. The coin and holder are returned as-is.

But if something different is decided then a new cert# is always assigned.

So I like to think if the cert# for a reconsideration is deactivated then some improvement is in store. However, maybe PCGS places a "pause" on it while the coin is reviewed and its deactivation is meaningless. That would support what Todd says. He's been around the block.
Lance.

lkeigwin · October 18, 2020 8:06AM

Good points, @amwldcoin. PCGS has changed their practices with cert#'s more than once in recent years.

It was infuriating when the certs were quickly deactivated. All the saved data for those inventory/registry coins disappeared forever (prices paid, dates acquired, sources, images, notes, etc.). I has happy to see that is no longer the case.

I have a dozen in for regrades and should get results soon. I expect changed cert#s but will report back if they stayed the same.
Lance.

winesteven · October 18, 2020 9:23AM

@lkeigwin said:

But if something different is decided then a new cert# is always assigned.

So I like to think if the cert# for a reconsideration is deactivated then some improvement is in store. However, maybe PCGS places a "pause" on it while the coin is reviewed and its deactivation is meaningless. That would support what Todd says. He's been around the block.
Lance.

I’ve used the Reconsideration method quite a lot, for many years, and EVERY coin that received a grade upgrade has retained the SAME cert number, without exception! This makes it so very easy to get CAC stickers automatically reapplied for just $3 each if the upgrade is only a “+”.

Yes, for a few days the cert numbers of all coins in the submission get deactivated, but all is restored for all coins, whether upgraded or not.

Steve

lkeigwin · October 18, 2020 9:45AM

Thanks for that, Steve. I too have done many reconsiderations (more than 100) but nothing recently. My recollection must be wrong.

It certainly simplifies things to keep the same cert#.
Lance.

winesteven · October 18, 2020 10:53AM

@lkeigwin said:
It certainly simplifies things to keep the same cert#.
Lance.

Yes. However, what I don’t understand is when a coin successfully undergoes professional Restoration at PCGS (not Reconsideration), PCGS insists on assigning a new cert number, and will not allow the cert number to remain unchanged, even if requested!

Steve

amwldcoin · October 18, 2020 11:01AM

Well, It's sortta not the same coin if it was conserved.

@winesteven said:

@lkeigwin said:
It certainly simplifies things to keep the same cert#.
Lance.

Yes. However, what I don’t understand is when a coin successfully undergoes professional Restoration at PCGS (not Reconsideration), PCGS insists on assigning a new cert number, and will not allow the cert number to remain unchanged, even if requested!

Steve

DelawareDoons · October 18, 2020 7:58PM

@winesteven said:

@lkeigwin said:

But if something different is decided then a new cert# is always assigned.

So I like to think if the cert# for a reconsideration is deactivated then some improvement is in store. However, maybe PCGS places a "pause" on it while the coin is reviewed and its deactivation is meaningless. That would support what Todd says. He's been around the block.
Lance.

I’ve used the Reconsideration method quite a lot, for many years, and EVERY coin that received a grade upgrade has retained the SAME cert number, without exception! This makes it so very easy to get CAC stickers automatically reapplied for just $3 each if the upgrade is only a “+”.

Yes, for a few days the cert numbers of all coins in the submission get deactivated, but all is restored for all coins, whether upgraded or not.

Steve

I had a coin go through reconsideration and go from 66 to 66+ earlier this year and the certificate number changed.

winesteven · October 18, 2020 8:03PM

@DelawareDoons said:

@winesteven said:

I’ve used the Reconsideration method quite a lot, for many years, and EVERY coin that received a grade upgrade has retained the SAME cert number, without exception! This makes it so very easy to get CAC stickers automatically reapplied for just $3 each if the upgrade is only a “+”.

I had a coin go through reconsideration and go from 66 to 66+ earlier this year and the certificate number changed.

I stand corrected. Confusing, since my last upgrade via Reconsideration was only about two months ago.
Steve

DelawareDoons · October 18, 2020 8:06PM

@winesteven said:

@DelawareDoons said:

@winesteven said:

I’ve used the Reconsideration method quite a lot, for many years, and EVERY coin that received a grade upgrade has retained the SAME cert number, without exception! This makes it so very easy to get CAC stickers automatically reapplied for just $3 each if the upgrade is only a “+”.

I had a coin go through reconsideration and go from 66 to 66+ earlier this year and the certificate number changed.

I stand corrected. Confusing, since my last upgrade via Reconsideration was only about two months ago.
Steve

Who knows... maybe they changed the cert for another reason? Let me ask the guy who sent it in for me if he made a special request.

skier07 · October 18, 2020 9:27PM

@winesteven said:

@lkeigwin said:
It certainly simplifies things to keep the same cert#.
Lance.

Yes. However, what I don’t understand is when a coin successfully undergoes professional Restoration at PCGS (not Reconsideration), PCGS insists on assigning a new cert number, and will not allow the cert number to remain unchanged, even if requested!

Steve

That kind of makes sense. After conservation one can make a decent argument that it’s a “different” coin.

amwldcoin · October 19, 2020 6:38AM

Could it have something to do with the slabs now having RF chips in them?

@DelawareDoons said:

@winesteven said:

@DelawareDoons said:

@winesteven said:

I’ve used the Reconsideration method quite a lot, for many years, and EVERY coin that received a grade upgrade has retained the SAME cert number, without exception! This makes it so very easy to get CAC stickers automatically reapplied for just $3 each if the upgrade is only a “+”.

I had a coin go through reconsideration and go from 66 to 66+ earlier this year and the certificate number changed.

I stand corrected. Confusing, since my last upgrade via Reconsideration was only about two months ago.
Steve

Who knows... maybe they changed the cert for another reason? Let me ask the guy who sent it in for me if he made a special request.

LochNESS · October 19, 2020 8:14AM

This practice has often confused me. I fully understand why dealers need it—business is business. But for collectors … y'all … It's the same coin and every cracking/re-slabbing is a chance, albeit however slight, for damage.

I slab coins for preservation. Once it's slabbed, I'm done!

If your coin's value is high enough to warrant grade reconsideration then it's probably too valuable to risk any damage, even if that risk is 1%. Not that valuable? Then why not simply enjoy the fact that it's worth more than the label says it's worth, and save yourself a trip to the post office?

skier07 · October 19, 2020 8:32AM

@LochNESS said:
This practice has often confused me. I fully understand why dealers need it—business is business. But for collectors … y'all … It's the same coin and every cracking/re-slabbing is a chance, albeit however slight, for damage.

I slab coins for preservation. Once it's slabbed, I'm done!

If your coin's value is high enough to warrant grade reconsideration then it's probably too valuable to risk any damage, even if that risk is 1%. Not that valuable? Then why not simply enjoy the fact that it's worth more than the label says it's worth, and save yourself a trip to the post office?

I think you might reconsider your strategy if you ever do decide to sell your collection.

LochNESS · October 19, 2020 8:34AM

I dunno @skier07 plenty of listings for "old label," "old holder," etc. and in the end you're buying the coin not the slab. Right?

skier07 · October 19, 2020 8:44AM

@LochNESS said:
I dunno @skier07 plenty of listings for "old label," "old holder," etc. and in the end you're buying the coin not the slab. Right?

I don’t want to hijack this thread but I would have to say I partially agree with you.

DelawareDoons · October 19, 2020 9:00AM

@LochNESS said:
This practice has often confused me. I fully understand why dealers need it—business is business. But for collectors … y'all … It's the same coin and every cracking/re-slabbing is a chance, albeit however slight, for damage.

I slab coins for preservation. Once it's slabbed, I'm done!

If your coin's value is high enough to warrant grade reconsideration then it's probably too valuable to risk any damage, even if that risk is 1%. Not that valuable? Then why not simply enjoy the fact that it's worth more than the label says it's worth, and save yourself a trip to the post office?

One of these two coins is a '28 Peace in 65 CAC. That's about $3.5k retail. A 65+ CAC just sold for $12k at HA.

If you are not going to send your coins in for reconsideration, let me know when you sell, I would love to cherrypick the potential upgrades with jumps like this.

I think your attitude would change if you sold a coin without trying for an upgrade, watched it later upgrade, and the dealer makes thousands of dollars off you not taking your time with the sale of the coin. I have now been burned twice. Lessons learned.

I do plan to sell the '28 Peace either way, the other coin I am keeping. I just believe it deserves a plus and I will try it several times to get the plus it deserves. If I keel over dead in 6 months, I want my inheritors to get near the full value of my collection, given that it is one of my biggest assets.

DelawareDoons · October 26, 2020 2:52PM

Still in "Grading".

I think this is the last time I pay for express...

Question about PCGS Reconsideration

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