PCGS PSA: "Why Didn’t My Coin Get a Grade?"
Goldbully
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Always good to review the grading rules with our host...........
PCGS News....Why Didn’t My Coin Get a Grade?
By PCGS - July 29, 2024
Have you ever submitted a coin for grading at PCGS only for it to be returned raw with no grade? Or maybe it came back in a holder that said “Details” instead of a numerical grade. Why didn’t your coin get a grade? Unfortunately, not every coin is eligible for a grade or encapsulation by PCGS. Here are some of the common reasons for a coin to No-Grade at PCGS.
Filed Rims
These coins had some rim dents or bumps that were filed down to give the coin an even appearance. Rims were often filed down for bullion theft or to remove evidence of jewelry mounts. Coins with filed rims will be encapsulated in a PCGS holder and given a Details grade.
Peeling Lamination
These coins have planchet flaws caused by impurities in the metal alloy that lead to the flaking or peeling of metal on the coin’s surface. These coins will not be placed into a PCGS holder because they are too damaged to survive the encapsulation process.
Holed and Plugged
These coins have holes drilled into them. If you do not see a hole but the coin was returned to you with this designation, that means the hole was plugged, or filled with metal, in an attempt to hide it. These coins will be encapsulated by PCGS and given a Details grade.
Authenticity Unverifiable
This means that the grading team could not conclusively determine whether your coin was genuine. This includes coins where the surface is too worn or the original surfaces have been destroyed. These coins will not be placed into a PCGS holder because PCGS only encapsulates genuine coins.
Counterfeit
These coins are not genuine. They are either well-known counterfeit examples or exhibit counterfeit characteristics and are highly suspect. These coins will not be placed into a PCGS holder because PCGS only encapsulates genuine coins.
Questionable Color
These coins have been given artificial toning to try to enhance value or cover up problems on the surface. Toning is questionable when the colors are glaringly unnatural or they seem purposely placed to distract you from issues on the coin. These coins will be encapsulated by PCGS and given a Details grade.
Cleaned
These coins have surface damage due to abrasive cleaning. The coin might have an overly polished look or faint hairlines on the surface. These coins will be encapsulated by PCGS and given a Details grade.
Planchet Flaw
These coins have a metal impurity or defect in the planchet. Small, non-disruptive flaws might be acceptable, but large, distracting ones are not. These coins will be encapsulated by PCGS and given a Details grade.
Altered Surface
These coins have been covered in substances like putty that are meant to fill in scratches and “improve” their appearance. Since it is impossible to determine the quality of the surface underneath the coating, these coins can not be graded. These coins will be encapsulated by PCGS and given a Details grade.
Scratch
These coins have deep distracting scratches on their surface. If the scratch is light, not distracting, and toned over, it might be acceptable. However, bright, obvious, deep scratches are not. These coins will be encapsulated by PCGS and given a Details grade.
Refund - No Service
These are submitted coins that PCGS does not certify. These include medals, coins that don’t fit into a PCGS holder, etc. These coins will not be encapsulated by PCGS.
Environmental Damage
These are coins that were damaged by natural factors. Coins found underground, in the ocean, or in humid environments often have corrosion. This looks like dark toning that has burned into the coin’s surface. These coins will be encapsulated by PCGS and given a Details grade.
Damage
These are coins that have any type of metal movement, intentional or accidental. This No Grade classification covers everything from excessive rim dings to graffiti. These coins will be encapsulated by PCGS and given a Details grade.
PVC
These coins have been damaged by PVC, a plasticizer used to make vinyl coin holders. Overtime, PVC seeps out of the holder and onto the coin, damaging the surface. It appears as slimy green spots on the surface of the coin. Because it worsens over time, further destroying the coin, PCGS will not encapsulate these coins.
Comments
Questionable Color
These coins have been given artificial toning to try to enhance value or cover up problems on the surface. Toning is questionable when the colors are glaringly unnatural or they seem purposely placed to distract you from issues on the coin. These coins will be encapsulated by PCGS and given a Details grade.
I'm surprised that PCGS will slab puttied coins even with a details grade. The putty can change within the slab over time.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Yes, but it doesn't damage the coin and, more importantly, there's no grade guarantee with a details grade.
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, evn when irrefutably accurate.
A couple of those detail grades has helped this pauper to obtain an otherwise unobtainable straight graded coin or 2. Whether straighted-graded or detail-graded (oxymoron?)......I can still agree or disagree with either in more ways than I can count.
Leo
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
My Jefferson Nickel Collection
On the topic of details grades and the guarantee, it may also be important to note that just because a coin does get a grade, the 'guarantee' does not apply if you submitted the coin yourself.
https://www.pcgs.com/guarantee
"This guarantee does not apply to, and cannot be utilized by, the original submitter (or the original submitter’s agents, employees, affiliates, family, or representatives) of the graded coin."
Peeling Lamination
These coins have planchet flaws caused by impurities in the metal alloy that lead to the flaking or peeling of metal on the coin’s surface. These coins will not be placed into a PCGS holder because they are too damaged to survive the encapsulation process.
Unless you pay for the error, then they will survive encapsulation.
Because that would be guaranteeing the raw coin...
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, evn when irrefutably accurate.
Interesting thread.
After reading, now I'm worried about my current submission?
I sent this Buffalo in, just to have it graded and certified!
Now, with the strange convex line. I'm hoping it doesn't receive that,
"Planchet Flaw" details with NO grade? 😖
"Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.That's a (significant) die scratch.
Why is it called “details”? I get genuine - the coin can’t be graded but is genuine. But “details”?
Casual collector: Morgans & Peace Dollars & 20th Century Type Set. Successful BST transactions with ProofCollection, Morgan13, CoinFinder, CoinHunter4, Bretsan.
The coin has the details of _____ grade, but it has issue X, so it did not receive a numeric grade. Thus, it's a details coin instead of a (fully/straight) graded coin.
My coin, is NOT a scratch!
Obviously, raised..
"Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.He's saying the scratch was on the die, not the coin.
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
Ultra cool, joey!
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"
What did you list it as on the submission form?
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
That might be the common case, but depending on the grade, the owner's behavior may change, and if the grade is later shown to be incorrect, that could still result in a financial loss. The example I have for this is a scenario where you have a raw coin to sell me. I buy it on some condition of its grade (price is tied to the grade, a minimum grade level, straight-grade, etc.). If you send me the coin and I send it in, if at a later point an issue appears (overgraded, missed damage, etc.) I have no recourse. If you had sent in the coin, I can make use of the guarantee.
With that said, there's one obvious flaw: what if the submitter hides a problem to profit later. The easy example here is puttying a coin to conceal marks/damage, having it graded, and then making a guarantee claim on the coin once it turns. Of course, if the puttying can fool the graders, the coin may well be salable shortly after grading and PCGS would be on the hook for the guarantee with some buyer down the line. It would seem to me that all this is preventing is the submitter from profiting directly from a mistake made by PCGS via the guarantee, but as long as the submitter doesn't intend to hold the coin indefinitely, they can make their money by selling the coin, and PCGS retains liability through the guarantee.
Die scratches are raised.
No Variety attribution.
Just sent in as a regular, to be graded and certified.
"Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line."Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line."Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.Wouldn't you have wanted die gouge written on the slab label?
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
I would imagine that most submissions are raw coins. The subsequent grade and authenticity is not guaranteed, should the original submitter have a problem.
As you say, the guarantee does not apply to the person submitting the coin, or potentially an auction house submitting on someone's behalf. The guarantee only applies if you bought, or somehow came to own, a previously graded PCGS coin and were not affiliated with the original submission.
Well, yes but no.
Meaning, we don't know if it's truly a die Gouge, plus, I really didn't want to pay the high "error coin", fee!
"Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.OP,
So sorry for hijacking your thread, bud!
"Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.It looks stronger then a speared eagle or speared bison die gouge. You should start a thread on it and get other opinions.
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
But if it left the dies/machine like that why wouldn’t have gotten a grade? They grade mint errors all the time.
I don't understand the stigma around (slightly) Cleaned coins, but I understand the frustration of getting that assignment. I just submitted my first group of Morgan and Peace dollars to PCGS. A few of them came back with Cleaned-UNC labels. These are coins that look uncirculated to my amateur eyes (I would consider them to be at least an MS63), but I guess they have hairline scratches if you look close enough under magnification. What I don't get is why they can't grade these coins normally if they are considering them uncirculated. Why can't they be assigned a number grade vs a coin that has scratches from being handled or circulated. If it's not worthy of an MS66, give it an MS63, or even MS60. Giving it a Cleaned-UNC label cuts the value down dramatically, if you can sell it. Just my two cents
Welcome to the coin forum, @jasthe3rd.
Interesting first post.
Welcome to the forum.
Cleaned coins don’t necessarily exhibit “hairline scratches” and in most cases, the cleaning should be detectable without magnification.
Regarding detail grades (rather than straight numerical grades) for coins considered to have been cleaned to the degree that they’re labeled “improperly cleaned” or “harshly cleaned” - I believe it wouldn’t be practical or even particularly helpful for the grading companies to attempt to assign straight numerical grades based on the degree of cleaning. For example, if you had a coin with essentially perfect surfaces and a great strike (MS68/69 quality) but it was harshly cleaned, what straight grade would make sense? And even if you could arrive at one, it’s likely that many other people would have very different views. Either way, how would that be better than assigning an “Unc. Detail, Cleaned” grade?
Some coins that are labeled “Improperly cleaned” sell for far less than straight grade prices but many others sell for only modest discounts. And when priced realistically (based on their quality and appearance) they can be surprisingly liquid.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
For me the term, "Harshly Cleaned" is a death knell.
peacockcoins
The point of the Cleaned-UNC grade is to cut down the value.
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, evn when irrefutably accurate.
It can be challenging to assign net numerical grades to cleaned coins. When looking at cleaned coins it's best to break them down into A, B and C levels depending on the severity and distraction of the cleaning.