Need some help with....

[warriorbassman-migration]

Hey all, I just had a question regarding PCI's TPG system. My question is how good are they at detecting cleaned coins. I know they slab coins that have been cleaned and put them in "red label" holders, but I don't know much about PCI and just wondered if anyone, possibly from experience knew anything about their process.

 

I am particularly talking about CBH. Here are a couple Ebay links to show you what I'm talking about.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/1822-Capped-Bust-Half-Dollar-PCI-AU-58_W0QQitemZ320146286868QQihZ011QQcategoryZ11969QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/1832-Capped-Bust-Half-Dollar-PCI-MS-60_W0QQitemZ320147121430QQihZ011QQcategoryZ11969QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/1821-Capped-Bust-Half-Dollar-O-106-PCI-AU-55_W0QQitemZ320146285854QQihZ011QQcategoryZ11969QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

So to clarify, my question is how reliable are the coins that are slabbed as "original"

 

Thanks in advance for any help!

Paul

[123cents]

PCI is certainly not as good as NGC and PCGS in detecting cleaned coins.

[warriorbassman-migration]

thanks

[James_OldeTowne]

Actually, PCI is very good at detecting cleanings and other issues. The problem in the past has been that if you were a "special" customer, then the problem was not mentioned. However, low volume customers don't get as, ahem, lucky.

 

Things seem to have changed with the new ownership, though.

[hoard]

I do not know about grading practices but I can tell you I like the 1821.

[TomB]

At one time PCI enjoyed a solid reputation in the hobby/industry and I had no problems buying truly attractive, problem-free, accurately graded coins in their holders. However, this was when PCI used their green insert holders and since the ownership change and the color change to gold insert holders I have been quite disappointed, in my opinion, in the quality of the product and the coins contained within the slabs.

 

This seller is not naive and he sells a large number of coins in PCI gold insert holders on ebay. My opinion is that he would receive higher bids and the coins might sell more quickly if they were certified by NGC, PCGS, ICG or ANACS and that any turnaround time issues likely would not offset the difference in bids or in liquidity. Therefore, there must be another reason they are in PCI holders.

[warriorbassman-migration]

Very good point (thumbs u

 

That thought was in the back of my head but I really didn't want to believe it

[BankNote1]

I would rather buy raw than PCI.

[Conder101]

I will just say this. Back when they had their green labels, you would also see a lot of red label slabs as well that indicated problem or cleaned slabs. Then after the last ownership change they went to the gold labels and suddenly the red labels disappeared. I was told that they were still using the red labels but I wasn't seeing them. In the almost five years since the gold labels began I have seen fewer than a dozen red labels issued by the current owner.

 

So either as soon as ownership changed people suddenly stopped sending in problem coins (right), or PCI just started BB them and sending them back (But I haven't seen or heard about a lot of bodybags), or they just put the problem coins in the regular gold label slabs (And I HAVE heard a lot of "what were they thinking")

 

I leave it up to you to decide what is probably going on.

[dooly]

I like the 1821

stay away from the 1822

and possable 1832 if it was cheeper

 

in my dodgy opinion

 

NGC all the way !!

[okbustchaser]

From the pics, none of these three are even remotely close to original. All appear harshly cleaned with the 1821 having since been retoned.

 

As for PCI, I have never bought a coin graded by them. I have seen a few that I thought were properly graded, but never one I wanted.