PCGS, Auction Mis-Labeled Coin, Just Realized it Three Years Later

[astrostu]

I was re-imaging my set of MS-64FBL Franklins and was trying to figure out why I had two 1962 coins. I'm actually 1100 miles from my collection (on a trip) and was working on the images, and I was trying to figure out what happened. Only part of the slab serial number was in the shot, and it was for a '63-D. Went back in my old e-mails, found the winning auction, and looked up the coin. You can see it here.

 

Obviously this was a case of me buying the slab and not the coin (bad me, bad), as the coin is clearly a 1962, while the slab and auction say it's 1963-D.

 

Is there any sort of remedy for this? I mean, at the very least, will PCGS re-slab it for free, do you think?

[J.A. Collection]

Interesting - according to the PCGS Cert Verification, the cert number 13144208 belongs to a 1963-D MS64FL; however when I changed the number to 13144209, it shows that that this number belongs to a 1962-D MS65FL.

 

At first I thought there may have been some tampering with the package. But now there is a possibility that its an error on PCGS' part.

 

PCGS Price Guide Value:

13144208: 45.00

13144209: $525.00

 

[astrostu]

There's definitely no mint mark on the coin, I can verify it's a '62(P).

[J.A. Collection]

Screen shots from cert check:

 

[astrostu]

Yep, certification looks right for everything ... 'cept the coin. I actually just checked the rough value (I use the median price for the last 2 years the coin's come up on Heritage) ... and the 1963-D is around $40 while 1962 is around $200 (for MS-64FBL). I paid $21+8.

[WoodenJefferson]

[x2rider]

[e1cnr]

you have the coin, does it really look fbl?

 

 

[BROADSTRUCK]

 

[Conder101]

Yes PCGS will reholder it for free as a mechanical error (although they will review it to make sure it still qualifies as a 64 FBL) You will have to pay shipping and insurance both ways.

[J.A. Collection]

Yes PCGS will reholder it for free as a mechanical error (although they will review it to make sure it still qualifies as a 64 FBL) You will have to pay shipping and insurance both ways.

 

Good to know!

[coinman_23885]

Thanks for the laugh WoodenJefferson; Monopoly is actually one of my favorite games.

[Schatzy]

Yes PCGS will reholder it for free as a mechanical error (although they will review it to make sure it still qualifies as a 64 FBL) You will have to pay shipping and insurance both ways.

 

or you could get it done at a coin show.

That way you don't have to pay shipping.

[PerryHall]

I think PCGS should pay for the shipping both ways to correct their mistake.

[Schatzy]

I think PCGS should pay for the shipping both ways to correct their mistake.

 

I agree 100%.

 

 

[JJSingleton]

Yes PCGS will reholder it for free as a mechanical error (although they will review it to make sure it still qualifies as a 64 FBL) You will have to pay shipping and insurance both ways.

If true, that is pathetic. It's a $21 coin. Just keep it as a reminder of how much attention TPGs give your coins when you pay for their services.

[physics-fan3.14]

Yes PCGS will reholder it for free as a mechanical error (although they will review it to make sure it still qualifies as a 64 FBL) You will have to pay shipping and insurance both ways.

If true, that is pathetic. It's a $21 coin. Just keep it as a reminder of how much attention TPGs give your coins when you pay for their services.

 

If it is actually a 64FBL (which it doesn't look like), then it is a $150 coin.

[WoodenJefferson]

Yes PCGS will reholder it for free as a mechanical error (although they will review it to make sure it still qualifies as a 64 FBL) You will have to pay shipping and insurance both ways.

If true, that is pathetic. It's a $21 coin. Just keep it as a reminder of how much attention TPGs give your coins when you pay for their services.

 

If it is actually a 64FBL (which it doesn't look like), then it is a $150 coin.

 

Don Willis told him to send it in, PCGS said they would re-holder the coin with correct date and at the same grade. That means it's going to be returned as a 64FBL.

 

 

[Schatzy]

Yes PCGS will reholder it for free as a mechanical error (although they will review it to make sure it still qualifies as a 64 FBL) You will have to pay shipping and insurance both ways.

If true, that is pathetic. It's a $21 coin. Just keep it as a reminder of how much attention TPGs give your coins when you pay for their services.

 

If it is actually a 64FBL (which it doesn't look like), then it is a $150 coin.

 

Don Willis told him to send it in, PCGS said they would re-holder the coin with correct date and at the same grade. That means it's going to be returned as a 64FBL.

 

 

Because surly they couldn't have got the grade wrong!!

[astrostu]

Thanks, all. As WJ mentioned, I did post this also on the PCGS boards and the first - very quick - reply was from the PCGS president who said that if I sent it in, they'd re-slab it with the correct year and mint mark. Said I would need to pay shipping, and insurance, and didn't say anything about actually re-grading it. Lots of folks on the board over there had issue with that, as you did.

 

I haven't decided if I'm going to try to contact him directly about it, but I'm not sure I have the strongest of cases considering that it wasn't I who actually had sent it in originally, rather I'm simply benefiting from someone else's mistake and wanting them to fix it for free. Not sure if that's a legitimate case, though I suppose there'd be no harm in asking as I would think this is a fairly embarrassing moment for them. And, IF it's still -64FBL, as I said above, it's worth ~10x more than I paid for it. And I'm confident it's FBL. Deep dings on the cheek I think keep it from consideration for -65FBL.

 

I will, however, be bringing it into the local coin club meeting first week of August to show it off as a lesson of "BUY THE COIN, NOT THE SLAB!" and also asking some of the local dealers what they think grade-wise.

[PerryHall]

If you attend a large coin show where PCGS is set up, just drop the coin off with them and save yourself shipping costs. If they are grading at the show and you drop it off early you may be able to pick it up later in the day. I don't see any real urgency to get this fixed right away.

[WoodenJefferson]

If you attend a large coin show where PCGS is set up, just drop the coin off with them and save yourself shipping costs. If they are grading at the show and you drop it off early you may be able to pick it up later in the day. I don't see any real urgency to get this fixed right away.

 

This makes sense...and if it's one of the larger shows you might be able to catch Don there and ask him, hey, remember this? He's straight up when it comes to business and will remember this coin and do you right.

 

Also, it does not matter to them what you paid for the coin or who owned it last, it belongs to you now, the rightful owner and they will correct it without malice.