Can an NGC graded coin have the wrong picture on file? 1 1

[Joero24]

I recently purchased a 2023 Britannia Early Release NGC ms69 coin. When I looked up the coin on NGCcoin/verify the front of the coin looked correct, but the back of the coin was not. The coin I received has a decent scratch across King Charle's face, but the picture on NGC's site does not. The coin was also not seated in the same exact spot. You can see the F doesn't align the same way in the case. So my first thoughts were maybe this was opened and got damaged or swapped out, but the case it's self is not damaged. Then for the heck of it I started changing the last digit of the serial number. So my coin ends in 152 and I typed in 156. The coin for 156 looks just like the coin I have, so now I'm wondering if it's possible that NGC switched up the images by mistake. The front is easy to make sure it's the same cause you see the serial number, but the back does not show that number so it can be easily mixed up. Is it possible for that to happen, and if so is there a way to fix that mix up? Thank you for your help and time! 

-Joe R

[Joero24]

I was hoping people would be able to see the names of the pictures but I guess not. So the first picture there is a picture I took of my coin. The 2nd picture is what's on NGC's site under the serial number of the coin I have that end is 152. The last picture is of a coin I randomly looked at as I was going up the numbers. That was from the serial number that ended in 156. Thanks again!

[Greenstang]

Maybe you should repost this in the “Ask NGC” forum and someone there should be able to help.

[Joero24]

Oh ok, I'll look for that one. Thanks!

[The Neophyte Numismatist]

Do you have return privileges on the coin you bought?  That deep reeding hit on the cheek would bother me every time I saw the coin.  Regardless of the NGC pics, you may be able to simply return the coin and start over for a better example.  Good luck.

[Joero24]

Ya, I messaged the seller to see what I can do. I agree. It was the first thing I saw and was shocked a coin with that type of scratch even got a MS69 grade. Definitely bugs me.

[Fenntucky Mike]

On 4/12/2023 at 11:46 AM, Joero24 said:

I'm wondering if it's possible that NGC switched up the images by mistake.

Entirely possible and probably what happened. These were most likely part of a large bulk submission, possibly all one type, and a few of the images were mixed up. I've seen an entirely different type of coin pop up when looking up a cert # or mixed obv and rev pics from different series of coins. If you reach out to NGC they could look into this for you and correct the images, if that's what happened. 

Edited April 12, 2023 by Fenntucky Mike

[Jason Abshier]

No way that coin is MS69 ! That clearly damage right there very distracting to look at … if you looked up the NGC number and picture doesn’t match you have in your hand ? I’d be very suspicious check side of slab make sure someone didn’t crack it out and put that one in there you would see details like cracks or glue or something … that coin looks awful more like a coin with a detailed grade if I were you if wherever you got it from return it back quickly as possible but from somewhere else 

[Jason Abshier]

My bad ! That scratch is on the slab … looks like it got roughed up bad 

[EagleRJO]

On 4/12/2023 at 1:36 PM, Jason Abshier said:

No way that coin is MS69 ! That clearly damage right there very distracting to look at …

I was initially thinking the same thing with that mark!  Is it a scratch on the case or a scratch on the coin?  Perhaps 156 is your coin at a lower grade than MS69.

[Joero24]

On 4/12/2023 at 5:33 PM, EagleRJO said:

I was initially thinking the same thing with that mark!  Is it a scratch on the case or a scratch on the coin?  Perhaps 156 is your coin at a lower grade than MS69.

It’s actually the exact same grade. Not sure how the coin with that scratch got the ms69 grade. It was in a bulk order since it was from a pretty big coin reseller. 

[Joero24]

On 4/12/2023 at 1:48 PM, Jason Abshier said:

My bad ! That scratch is on the slab … looks like it got roughed up bad 

Yeah the coin itself is scratched and the case didn’t seemed damaged at all. It probably was graded at this quality and NGC probably switched up the photo. Still not sure how it got ms69 with that scratch. 

[EagleRJO]

On 4/12/2023 at 6:15 PM, Joero24 said:

the coin itself is scratched

Then there is no way it's a 69.  They must have mixed up not only the number but the grade too.  If you can exchange the coin for one that doesn't have a prominent face scratch and is a true MS69 I would just do that and forget the mix up.

[powermad5000]

There of course is always the possibility of human error in the grading process, digital imaging process, or both. The coin was definitely from a large submission as coin number one to be graded would be 6******-001, and yours is already over -150.

If the coin you have in your hand has that scratch on the coin and not the case, and you can return it, I would return it. Being it is a modern, there should be more available to purchase a coin free of damage. If that is not the case, and this coin is difficult to find in a graded slab, then you would have to contact NGC and have them investigate what happened. 

[J P M]

First question to be clear the coin in your hand has a scratch but when you look up the verify number on the slab the coin in the photo does not have a scratch. is this correct ?