PCGS Reconsideration Question - Update - cert # is back active

humanssuck · August 5, 2025 4:09PM

I sent in a coin for PCGS reconsideration service a couple weeks ago through a local dealer. Previously I have always cracked them out and resubmitted, but I figured I would give this a shot since I'm just looking for a "+" and there's no downside risk.

Today I was bored and I checked the cert #, and it shows as no longer active. (I can't log in to see the submission itself since the dealer sent it in for me on their account.)

Does PCGS remove cert #'s from the system while they are processing a reconsideration submission? Or does this mean I may have a happy surprise in the near future?

oih82w8 · August 5, 2025 4:14PM

I am pretty sure that the Cert # does go inactive while the coin is in their system.

JerseyB · August 5, 2025 5:14PM

Yes after the coin receives a new cert # the old goes inactive

skier07 · August 5, 2025 5:32PM

If the coin was submitted as a reconsideration the certification number does not change

ProofCollection · August 5, 2025 7:58PM

In my experience, this means you are getting an upgrade when this happens. Please post here if I end up being wrong.

MsMorrisine · August 5, 2025 8:03PM

does the dealer do cac?

PeakRarities · August 5, 2025 10:49PM

@skier07 said:
If the coin was submitted as a reconsideration the certification number does not change

This has been my experience, so i'm not sure why the OP's went inactive. I had a couple upgrade by a full grade level and the certs remained the same. I think the dealer may have checked off "regrade" instead if "reconsideration". There still is no downside (except for rare occasions), the coins are cracked out of their holder first and graded again. If they don't upgrade, they'll send them back in a new holder with the original grade at minimum. I don't recall my certs ever going inactive during a submission, so this would be my best guess as an explanation, and fwiw typically I've had better success than regrade than recon. Fingers crossed!

ProofCollection · August 5, 2025 10:55PM

@PeakRarities said:

@skier07 said:
If the coin was submitted as a reconsideration the certification number does not change

This has been my experience, so i'm not sure why the OP's went inactive. I had a couple upgrade by a full grade level and the certs remained the same. I think the dealer may have checked off "regrade" instead if "reconsideration". There still is no downside (except for rare occasions), the coins are cracked out of their holder first and graded again. If they don't upgrade, they'll send them back in a new holder with the original grade at minimum. I don't recall my certs ever going inactive during a submission, so this would be my best guess as an explanation, and fwiw typically I've had better success than regrade than recon. Fingers crossed!

I think a downside could be losing the original holder if there's no grade change. Some people like the old plastic and many coins are worth more in old plastic.

PeakRarities · August 5, 2025 11:09PM

@ProofCollection said:

@PeakRarities said:

@skier07 said:
If the coin was submitted as a reconsideration the certification number does not change

This has been my experience, so i'm not sure why the OP's went inactive. I had a couple upgrade by a full grade level and the certs remained the same. I think the dealer may have checked off "regrade" instead if "reconsideration". There still is no downside (except for rare occasions), the coins are cracked out of their holder first and graded again. If they don't upgrade, they'll send them back in a new holder with the original grade at minimum. I don't recall my certs ever going inactive during a submission, so this would be my best guess as an explanation, and fwiw typically I've had better success than regrade than recon. Fingers crossed!

I think a downside could be losing the original holder if there's no grade change. Some people like the old plastic and many coins are worth more in old plastic.

I agree, but there was no mention old holders .... and typically a collector who values their old holder coins isn't going to submit for recon in pursuit of a plus. Certainly a possibility of an oversight if they were old holders, but I didn't feel it was a factor based on the OP's stated intentions.

ProofCollection · August 5, 2025 11:24PM

@PeakRarities said:

@ProofCollection said:

@PeakRarities said:

@skier07 said:
If the coin was submitted as a reconsideration the certification number does not change

This has been my experience, so i'm not sure why the OP's went inactive. I had a couple upgrade by a full grade level and the certs remained the same. I think the dealer may have checked off "regrade" instead if "reconsideration". There still is no downside (except for rare occasions), the coins are cracked out of their holder first and graded again. If they don't upgrade, they'll send them back in a new holder with the original grade at minimum. I don't recall my certs ever going inactive during a submission, so this would be my best guess as an explanation, and fwiw typically I've had better success than regrade than recon. Fingers crossed!

I think a downside could be losing the original holder if there's no grade change. Some people like the old plastic and many coins are worth more in old plastic.

I agree, but there was no mention old holders .... and typically a collector who values their old holder coins isn't going to submit for recon in pursuit of a plus. Certainly a possibility of an oversight if they were old holders, but I didn't feel it was a factor based on the OP's stated intentions.

You're right, it wasn't stated but it is implied. The #1 reason to choose reconsideration vs regrade is to preserve the plastic if the coin is not worthy of upgrade. The #2 reason is to avoid re-stickering. I'm not aware of any additional reasons.

PeakRarities · August 6, 2025 12:00AM

@ProofCollection said:

@PeakRarities said:

@ProofCollection said:

@PeakRarities said:

@skier07 said:
If the coin was submitted as a reconsideration the certification number does not change

This has been my experience, so i'm not sure why the OP's went inactive. I had a couple upgrade by a full grade level and the certs remained the same. I think the dealer may have checked off "regrade" instead if "reconsideration". There still is no downside (except for rare occasions), the coins are cracked out of their holder first and graded again. If they don't upgrade, they'll send them back in a new holder with the original grade at minimum. I don't recall my certs ever going inactive during a submission, so this would be my best guess as an explanation, and fwiw typically I've had better success than regrade than recon. Fingers crossed!

I think a downside could be losing the original holder if there's no grade change. Some people like the old plastic and many coins are worth more in old plastic.

I agree, but there was no mention old holders .... and typically a collector who values their old holder coins isn't going to submit for recon in pursuit of a plus. Certainly a possibility of an oversight if they were old holders, but I didn't feel it was a factor based on the OP's stated intentions.

You're right, it wasn't stated but it is implied. The #1 reason to choose reconsideration vs regrade is to preserve the plastic if the coin is not worthy of upgrade. The #2 reason is to avoid re-stickering. I'm not aware of any additional reasons.

It's not implied in this situation, specifically because of the "I'm just looking for a +" statement. With old holders, most collectors would mark the checkbox that "full grade only" since an OGH or rattler predominantly trades around plus money anyway.

I agree with both of those reasons, but there is another angle: Seeking a plus only, and no more. Could be an everyman/mint state registry set (58+ or 64+ maximum) or a coin that may not sticker upon a full point upgrade. Also, some may believe that the graders are more likely to give out a + if they check off the "+ only" box, perhaps a psychological modesty tactic signaling that "I'm not delusional and I know it's not nice enough for gem, but wouldn't you guys agree thats one hell of a 64?"

winesteven · August 6, 2025 1:18AM

A few points on Reconsideration based upon the above comments, some of which contradict others:

For whatever reason, the cert #’s do become “unavailable” in the PCGS Cert Verification system for a period of time during that Reconsideration process. They’ll reappear after about two days or so after the grades are shown, successfully upgraded or not.
Even if EVERY coin in the Reconsideration submission fails to upgrade, the cert #’s will still disappear for that period of time. Having it disappear does NOT automatically mean it was upgraded.
To the chagrin of my friend @alaura22 , who is the King of the Mint State Everyman sets, PCGS does NOT allow 64+ grades in those sets, even though they allow 58+ grades as the top grade allowed in the “normal” Everyman sets! Go figure!
My sense agrees with what @PeakRarities has said (either above or in other threads) that the chance of success is greater with a Regrade than with Reconsideration. However, as noted (or implied) in others comments above, if a coin has a CAC sticker and it fails to upgrade via Regrade, getting the CAC sticker back on the new holder with the new cert number is not automatic, and the CAC stickering fee will then be higher than the fee had it undergone Reconsideration and was upgraded with a plus, since that cert # would have remained the same. For coins valued higher than $3,000 (but no higher than $10K), the cost to automatically resticker with the same cert # is $25, but if the cert # has changed (such as with Regrade), the cost is $68. For coins valued no higher than $3,000, the cost to get a sticker back with a new cert # is $24.50, but only $5 to get it back “automatically” if it has the same cert # (even if it upgraded with a plus). If a CAC coin upgrades to the next whole grade or even higher, nothing is automatic, and those higher fees are paid to CAC, even if the cert # is the same!

Steve

Coinbert · August 6, 2025 6:09AM

I spoke with John Q. Little (Mr Standing Liberty Quarter Man) at a PCGS Collector Show a few years ago and he told me that he had equal success whether he did regrade or reconsideration. I can see why reconsideration is chosen to avoid having to send the coins back to CAC if they do not upgrade. I think a regrade will get a new cert number no matter what the outcome.

winesteven · August 6, 2025 6:20AM

@Coinbert said:
I think a regrade will get a new cert number no matter what the outcome.

A Regrade WILL get a new cert # no matter what the outcome!

Steve

Morgan13 · August 6, 2025 8:29AM

That must really screw up the pop reports although I did hear it mentioned that they deactivate the original cert#.
Am I correct on that?

winesteven · August 6, 2025 11:19AM

@Morgan13 said:
That must really screw up the pop reports although I did hear it mentioned that they deactivate the original cert#.
Am I correct on that?

My understanding is you are correct, that PCGS will deactivate the "old" cert # and adjust their pops accordingly. However, as we all know, the pops are just a rough guide, as some collectors and dealers play the crack-out game, and don't report to PCGS the old cert #'s as being void. Additionally, there are some coins crossed to other TPG's (such as CACG), and I'm not convinced that CACG is reporting to PCGS the old PCGS cert #'s that do cross.

Steve

humanssuck · August 7, 2025 12:50PM

@ProofCollection said:
In my experience, this means you are getting an upgrade when this happens. Please post here if I end up being wrong.

The cert is back active today, still showing the original grade. So it does appear that they disabled it while it was in the reconsideration process, and it does not look like it will be getting an upgrade.

humanssuck · August 7, 2025 1:04PM

@MsMorrisine said:
does the dealer do cac?

Yes. However, the coin already has a green sticker.

PCGS Reconsideration Question - Update - cert # is back active

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