Why Body Bags?

[Gunsmoke]

Both PCGS and NGC will send cleaned, altered, counterfeit, etc. coins submitted for grading back in "body bags." My question is why the body bag and not a slab that states, for example, "no grade - cleaned"?

 

The submitter paid for the slab and the grading company went through the time to examine the coin so there should be no monetary loss to the company. There would, however, be a benefit to the coin community (I think) if the coin was returned slabbed.

 

A body bagged coin is more easily put back in the market as a raw coin whereas, a slabbed cleaned coin, for example, would have to be cracked out. Sure, it can be done, but someone will have to take the time to do and may just decide to leave it in the slab.

 

Just a thought.

[Tradedollarnut]

That's the advantage of the new NCS slabbing service: No more body bags. You get your coin back in a nice slab that says "Uncirculated Details - cleaned" instead of the dreaded body bag.

[gmarguli]

I'd rather it say "MS63 Details - Cleaned".

[MarkFeld]

When I was still a grader at NGC (it has now been almost 5 years since I left), we had occasional discussions about holdering no-grade coins. At the time, it was decided that it could hurt the image and overall perception of NGC coins in holders, so the decision was "no".

[Tradedollarnut]

Greg: I agree wholeheartedly - in fact, I asked if they would do that in the NCS question forum and never received an answer.

 

For instance, I have a chopmarked trade dollar that's a gem and others that are choice and many more that are unc. I'd like it differentiated on the label so it's obvious which are nicer.

[John Maben]

Most of the problems you will see on the NCS certified mint state coins are of such a nature that they render it impossible to differentiaite what the grade would have been in the mint state ranges. Also, "details" grading pertains more to MS60 and lower as grades above MS60 have many, many factors that need to be considered besides detail, and even more so than the lower grades. IMO, NCS would probably end up looking silly on quite a few coins if they attempted to do what you have suggested.... IE: MS62 details cleaned MS64 details corroded etc etc....

[Tradedollarnut]

To that extent (MS61, 62...), I agree. But descriptively (choice, Gem) it seems like it might be possible.

[GP_]

ANACS slabs them and labels them as cleaned, tooled, damaged whatever. I have a few half dimes that are tooled and damaged in ANACS slabs.

[paigow_johnny]

it could hurt the image and overall perception of NGC coins in holders

 

 

Well...there you have it...

[Tradedollarnut]

That was 5 years ago - now they have their sister company that will do it (NCS).

[Hoot]

I could not agree more with the ideas Gunsmoke first presented and others have also stated here and in the past. I think that it is almost uncouth to not offer the slabbing service, especially since the coin may now be "sent on" (not really) to NCS for slabbing. I also like the designations of "Unc. details - cleaned", "AU details - scratched", etc., without the use of a numerical grade. Heck, I sent my coin for grading and slabbing, please provide the service! One could easily imagine a simple checkbox on the grading submission form (both paper and electronic) that said "If not gradable, send to NCS for slabbing?," or some such thing. That would save the submitter quite an expense and trouble of all the turn-around through the mail.

 

Hoot