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I sort of regret buying this PCGS-certified coin last night, and could use some slab doctor advice

I paid full retail, and can't even claim to have bought "the coin and not the holder", because I cannot even see half the coin (obverse). Stupid me for trying to help out a fellow coin club member.... At least the reverse seems strong for XF-40

Is this fixable? Or what's the typical reholder process and cost?


Official PCGS account of:

www.TallahasseeCoinClub.com

Comments

  • Morgan13Morgan13 Posts: 2,372 ✭✭✭✭✭

    You can polish the slab. It takes time and effort. Alot of time in fact but many people have claimed to have success.
    Others will chime in and let you know what they have used.

    Student of numismatics and collector of Morgan dollars
    Successful BST transactions with: Namvet Justindan Mattniss RWW olah_in_MA
    Dantheman984 Toyz4geo SurfinxHI greencopper RWW bigjpst bretsan MWallace logger7 JWP BruceS bigjpst
    JWP

  • skier07skier07 Posts: 4,697 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Send it back to PCGS for reholdering.

    I hope you were able to view the coin before buying it.

  • ShurkeShurke Posts: 744 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I’d try the plastic polish you use on car headlights before I sent it in for a reholder. It’s both the less expensive and less time consuming option.

  • robecrobec Posts: 7,018 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Reholder would cost $14 plus $27 return shipping and probably $10 handling fee. Much cheaper to use Meguiar’s PlastX or ScratchX.

  • I am going to AutoZone this evening to pick up a bottle of whichever they have available. Results to follow!

    Official PCGS account of:

    www.TallahasseeCoinClub.com

  • JimTylerJimTyler Posts: 4,021 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 14, 2026 10:33AM

    PlastX works really good on PCGS basically useless on NGC. I made an NGC worse then I had to have it reholdered

  • coinbufcoinbuf Posts: 12,377 ✭✭✭✭✭

    My Lincoln Registry
    My Collection of Old Holders

    Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
  • ChrisH821ChrisH821 Posts: 7,058 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Looks like it has some deep scratches. You are going to have to start with wet sanding that one, then go to polish. It's not that hard and doesn't take too much time.

    Collector, occasional seller

  • EbeneezerEbeneezer Posts: 400 ✭✭✭

    Chris beat me to it. Start with 800, 1500 then 3000 grit. Polish alone won't work on that deep of scratching.

  • MsMorrisineMsMorrisine Posts: 38,852 ✭✭✭✭✭

    get it reholdered. the scratches are too deep to polish

    Current maintainer of Stone's Master List of Favorite Websites // My BST transactions
  • ELVIS1ELVIS1 Posts: 459 ✭✭✭✭

  • COCollectorCOCollector Posts: 1,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 15, 2026 12:51AM

    For now, I'd keep it as is.

    And unless you plan to re-sell it anytime soon, why bother polishing or re-holdering now? Just wait for your next submission to PCGS and then decide.

    FWIW, I've had some success polishing car headlight covers and would try that approach before submission.

    Successful BST transactions with forum members thebigeng, SPalladino, Zoidmeister, coin22lover, coinsarefun, jwitten, CommemKing.

  • coinkatcoinkat Posts: 24,300 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Please consider sharing your results as I suspect there are several folks here that are interested... myself included. Good Luck.

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 25,114 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Try polishing it and see how it looks. It can't get much worse than it looks at present.

    Stop buying problems of any kind. You just made someone else's problem your problem.

    All glory is fleeting.
  • coinkatcoinkat Posts: 24,300 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 15, 2026 11:32AM

    If there is no improvement in the slab after some efforts to conserve, the coin would still be a welcome addition in a type set album

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

  • PTVETTERPTVETTER Posts: 6,103 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I have used scratch doctor with good results.
    The other products listed here may/should work very well also!

    Pat Vetter,Mercury Dime registry set,1938 Proof set registry,Pat & BJ Coins:724-325-7211


  • DCWDCW Posts: 7,782 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It does have a trueview:

    Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
    "Coin collecting for outcasts..."

  • air4mdcair4mdc Posts: 953 ✭✭✭✭✭

    If you want to attempt to restore the plastic to original looks I would do some research on how model builders (aircraft and cars modelers) repair scratches. Some of those builders are so talented. I’ve been a model builder for decades and it’s amazing how some modelers restore/repair canopies and windshields. Once you sand the scratches out you may cry a little but once the procedure is completed it should look pristine. As previously said , it will take time and many different grades of sandpaper..

  • SuzeSuze Posts: 49 ✭✭

    Just curious, but aren’t you afraid that any wet method used might introduce moisture into the slab?
    I deleted a post on another thread to use Novus as some are in spray bottles, only Novus 2 is a cream..

  • OnastoneOnastone Posts: 4,322 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'd just opt for reholdering it. To replace the slab with a perfectly new one is only $14. There is a $10 handling fee and a $4 shipping fee too. Of course you would need to spend some on postage on your end too.

  • Cougar1978Cougar1978 Posts: 9,657 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 17, 2026 7:21PM

    Considering the spots I don’t see a very good future for it.

    Investor
  • @Cougar1978 said:
    Considering the spots I don’t see a very good future for it.

    I did look at the TrueView before buying it and noticed the spots as well. In-hand, going by reverse ONLY, I thought there was enough luster to grade EF-45 and after seeing the TVs, figured the spots netted 5 points for a final EF-40 grade.

    Official PCGS account of:

    www.TallahasseeCoinClub.com

  • ChrisH821ChrisH821 Posts: 7,058 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Suze said:
    Just curious, but aren’t you afraid that any wet method used might introduce moisture into the slab?
    I deleted a post on another thread to use Novus as some are in spray bottles, only Novus 2 is a cream..

    I'm pretty sure the new holders are sealed, and either way you are only using a drop or two at a time.

    Collector, occasional seller

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