Options
Coin Inserted Backwards in Holder Just Returned from PCGS - STILL Backwards, lol
winesteven
Posts: 5,582 ✭✭✭✭✭
I bought a nice 1955 Lincoln Cent graded PR68RD by PCGS. However, the reverse (with the “Wheat Ears”) faced the front of the holder, with the grade label showing above that. Lincoln’s bust was on the reverse of the holder.
No problem, or so I thought. I sent the coin back to PCGS, clearly pointing out the coin was inserted in the holder backwards. Today it was returned, processed into a new holder, in one of the new nice red boxes. Lo and behold, it was still backwards, lol.
Does anyone agree with me that at least one person at PCGS needs some retraining?
Here’s a photo of the coin in its original holder:
Steve
A day without fine wine and working on your coin collection is like a day without sunshine!!!
My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996
My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996
25
Comments
They should compensate you for postage, insurance, reholder fees, and your time.
I'm told you can rotate a coin in its holder if you get a little rhythm going. Apparently sending it back was the wrong one.
I don’t see you being able to rotate it in that plane.
Other than my time, which wasn’t much, they covered all expenses the first time. Obviously, they’ll have to duplicate those self-incurred expenses - four shipments, three holders in total, etc.
My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996
i actually like it wheat up !!!
Top 10 Cal Fractional Type Set
successful BST with Ankurj, BigAl, Bullsitter, CommemKing, DCW(7), DesertMoon, Downtown1974, Elmerfusterpuck, Joelewis, Mach1ne, Minuteman810430, Modcrewman, Nankraut, Nederveit2, Philographer(5), Proofcollection, Realgator, Silverpop, SurfinxHI, TomB and Yorkshireman(3)
I like wheat-up too. It's an amusing novelty. Plus you can bet that someone will pay a nice premium for it down the line.
For every someone who would pay a premium, I think there would be multiple someone’s who would only buy at a discounted price.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
While I find it annoying, I’m shocked it would make much difference in price.
I would also think that the majority of people would not pay a different price regardless of the direction the coin is facing. A handful who want uniformity would not buy it and an even smaller handful who want it reverse facing forward might pay slightly more to get it (but less than the cost of reslabbing because they could always send in a normal facing coin to be flipped).
The denomination is correct…. Just don’t ask what side of the toast the jam is on and you will be fine.
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
I didn’t say it would make a large difference in price. However, because the majority of collectors seem to like uniformity, I think that many would want the coin re-holdered and would take the cost and nuisance into account. My main point was that a lot more collectors would see the reverse facing up as a negative than a positive.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Me too. But perhaps a future buyer might not.
It is definitely an interesting conversation piece. Obvious blunders like this make one question the trustworthiness of their grading and their quality control.
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
While I don’t question their grading, the personnel in their QC has to be questioned - not really due to the initial holder of the coin placed in backwards, but when that coin was returned to get the coin properly placed inside a new holder, and THAT got screwed up the same way and allowed to be shipped out the wrong way AGAIN, that raises a LOT of questions about the serious need for retraining of some personnel!
Some coins may be difficult for laypeople to recognize the obverse from the reverse, but a Lincoln cent???
My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996
I hope they aren't using "laypeople" to do the final quality control check of the completed slab. The quality control person should be a senior grader who compares the slabbed coin to the label and verifies the grade is reasonable and the date, mm, denomination, and coin type are correct. The fact that the coin was slabbed backwards should have been obvious and I wonder if this slabbed coin skipped the quality control step.
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
Probably AI. 🤣
Hey @winesteven - since they stopped making Lincoln cents maybe the reverse is really the obverse and the obverse is really the reverse. Maybe you and me didn't get the memo. Just saying......LOL - Comin' can't you take a joke...... I would wait for the FUN show and they can fix it that day so you can save the mail.
Yikes. Er, tap tap tap.................... Or, cross it? Just sayin'
Someone will like it and give it a good home (up to you)
It is entirely feasible that the first submitter requested the coin to be encapsulated with reverse in front. No error in that case. With the re-holder, a submitter has to do more than talk to customer service and fill out the forms, especially an online form.
I had a recent problem with NGC, a large medal arrived and it was loose in the holder gasket. CS at NGC instructed me “to make a notation in large, black marker” on every copy of the submission form noting what was wrong. They also provided me with shipping labels and covered all costs.
The medal returned this past Wednesday. Kudos to NGC. Take the extra steps and I hope they get it right this time.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
your time as well? just how would you calculate that grievance? it's a bit far fetched.
Lowball Sacagawea Dollars (POOR-XF)
--- SUCCESSFUL BST TRANSACTIONS ---
braddick, Omegaraptor, JWP, EagleScout2017, OAKSTAR, Twobitcollector, boxerdad, OKCC, Fancycashcom, JimW, MWallace, Tookybandit, TeacherCollector, jeffas1974, mainejoe, kansasman, Cent1225, SurfinxHI, Soldi, Histman, CurrenSee, jclovescoins, Outhaul, Timbuk3, LEMONHEAD_PENNY, daverickey, Maxcrusha, RedSeals, johnnyb
I don’t think so. Repeating the same mistake is enough to annoy customers and deter future submissions. If I were running a business, I would look out for my customer and to make up for the annoyance and inconvenience. Maybe a discounted or free renewal for membership the next year or something like that. It’s not a specific quantum, something more akin to an “I’m sorry to waste your time again.”
Repeating the same mistake
If I was an Attorney I would object and state "Facts not in Evidence" since we don't know if PCGS made an error or if the initial Re-holder request was made in such a way so as to not be clear.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
True. There was recently an issue where they holdered a coin with an apparent bugger inside of the holder. Upon sending it back after contacting customer service (not an easy feat lol) they left it in the same holder and sent it back saying it would damage the coin to remove the bugger. The coin was immediately cracked out and the bugger flicked off. No damage incurred.
“Land of the free because of the brave”
“Saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone”
In Deo solo confidimus
ΙΧΘΥΣ
ΙϹ ΧϹ ΝΙΚΑ (ΙΗΣΟΥΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΝΙΚΑ)
Member since 2026
Successful BST transactions with: Ted 1, JWP, bigjpst, Vetter, nickelsciolist, ajaan,
Do not send it it for a correction. I surely would not. It looks great as it is and it gives the coin a uniqueness that other collectors may want to pay a premium to own.
Never make a unique coin, not unique.
I don't think "unique" means what you think it means.
Any uniqueness the coin might have has nothing to do with how it’s positioned in the holder.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
That happened to me also, kinda, sorta.
I had an off-center Wheat Penny that I wanted to be holdered with the reverse showing. The first time it came back it was showing with the date labeled as 1959-82.
There was plenty detail showing on the wheat ears to be recognized as this not being the case.
Sent it back with more explicit instructions to hopefully catch their attention.
I next received the coin back with the correct dated time frame of 1909-58 but it was still holdered the wrong way as requested.
I figured I'd just keep it as is and not spend more time and money.
Just frustrating when it seems that it shouldn't really be that hard.
Just out of curiosity, how do you know the coin isn’t a prohibitively rare and extremely valuable 1959 (or later date) wheat cent?
😉😉
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
No authentic wheat cents are dated after 1958.
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
Maybe that was until now.😉
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Bet if you submitted again, it would get put in sideways. That's half the way there!
10-4,
My Instagram picturesErik
My registry sets
I think I may have sold myself short!
I disagree.
Maybe it gets a premium, maybe it doesn't. I personally like it.
I know exactly what it means. You have a coin that is backwards in the holder. Please show me another of this date backward in the holder. I will wait.
Thanks for waiting.
You stated, "Never make a unique coin, not unique."
1- The coin is not unique. There are thousands minted.
2- The holder/slab is not unique (other than the serial number).
What you have is a situation with this coin and holder that is unique- although not proven this hasn't happened with another.
"Unique" is one of something.
Core Meaning:
One of a kind: Existing as the sole example or having no equal or parallel (for example, a person's DNA or a handwritten manuscript).
Wow. Slow news day.
Well, it is officially football season as the Dave Madden school of collecting has returned.
Great instruction and easy to follow… a new moment for the I formation. So what are you contemplating your third down play call?
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
Since you are hung up on semantics. Every coin ever minted is absolutely unique. No matter if they are graded and look the same under a 10x loupe. By definition of living in an imperfect world. EVERY coin is unique.
However I meant in the sense of the coin coupled with holder. It is just my opinion. I like it reversed. You may not.
I don't think semantics means what you think it means.
Note to @ARCO, just give up, it’ll never end.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
C'mon now. These are the important issues discussed around the world and needed for everyday survival of humanity.
How could one go on without arguing definitions and proper coin placement in a slab? (Not that I'm above doing that.)
"To Be Esteemed Be Useful" - 1792 Birch Cent --- "I personally think we developed language because of our deep need to complain." - Lily Tomlin
.
.
At least they didn't think you wanted a "sad-mad face" drawn on the coin.
That's what I would have done. But only after flipping it over first.
"To Be Esteemed Be Useful" - 1792 Birch Cent --- "I personally think we developed language because of our deep need to complain." - Lily Tomlin
What are you arguing? Arguing for arguing sakes? I said that the coin facing backwards give it a uniqueness. Not in an absolute sense, because nobody knows and not even in coins being backwards because nobody knows.
You have an otherwise common coin that is placed backwwards which is interesting. You still see the coin just as you would if it were placed normally. You have the grading company opinion and protection of the slab.
What you arguing? That NO it is not unique and how dare I say that word? LOL. Take it easy Ace.
You are changing now what you previously stated. You had stated a couple of days ago: "The coin is unique" and now state, "The coin facing backwards give is a uniqueness."
Please. You're are coming off as a petulant child. Changing your sentences to justify your argument.
Here is a suggestion for you:
For your own mental well being, pease follow Maywood's advice. it is worthy of your consideration.
(And just in case you simply can't help yourself, moving forward, you will now be bickering with yourself.)
I like the coin as it is in the slab. Please let us know what you decide to do.
I don't think 'slabe' means what you think it means.