To crack out or not crack out before crossovers .. a parallel story

[MikeKing]

For me, the proverbial question...

Do I crack out the coin before sending it to another TPG for crossover?

Rationale: I want the highest possible grade for my coin and it's been suggested that if you crackout and submit, it reduces prejudice against your coin, which could lead to a lower grade, or no grade at all...

 

Poll:

 

Years ago, when I was in school, the time came that we needed the 'Dean's Letter' for which you had a choice, either you could read it before it was sent out, or you could NOT read it and let them send it out without you knowing what was in it.

 

Why this choice? I still don't know. Only rumor. The rumor held was that if you chose to view the letter it would not be nearly as good as if you didn't choose to view the letter.

 

Lousy...isn't it?

 

I chose to view my letter. There was no chance in hell that I'd allow some irate Professor get away with sick vengeance, not too uncommon in the Academic world.

 

Similarly for crossovers, I haven't yet cracked a coin out. I'm too fearful of the TPG lowering the grade too much, or worse, not grading it because of what they consider to be AT or 'altered surfaces' even though I feel secure in the coins NT and normal, unaltered surface.

 

Thoughts?

[okbustchaser]

Where is the "I collect coins rather than plastic so crack it out and leave it raw." option?

[jgrinz]

It has been my experience that there is a rivalry the transcends the coin.

 

That being said CRACK AWAY!

[WinstonWare]

That 1827 that I have use to reside in an NGC F15 holder. I cracked it out and sent it in to PCGS. It came back VF20.

 

I think if you know your coins, which you do, then you know the candidates for upgrades. Still some chance of a downgrade? Sure but what’s life w/o a little excitement?

[al_e_gator]

If you think the grade of the coin is less than the plastic grade or questionable, leave it slabbed. I think I read somewhere that a TPG will only cross it over if it is in the same or better grade as stated on the holder.

 

If you think the coin is solid for it's grade or better, crack it out especially if it is in ICG or ANACS holder.

[Tradedollarnut]

Personally, I believe that it has less to do with prejudice and more to do with difficulty seeing the positive attributes of the coin through plastic. "You gotta crack 'em to cross 'em" is a common phrase on the bourse floor.

[MBA101]

If you bought the coin, and not the holder, then it should not matter what it crosses at, right?

 

I would get opinions on a coin, then weigh it with my own opinion, then make a decision based on if the consensus agrees on how the coin is graded, and submit it raw. Just be certain that the coin is problem free first before cracking, or you may not even be able to get it back in the same holder later.

[Zoins]

Rationale: I want the highest possible grade for my coin

Mike already says he wants the highest grade (presumably TPG grade) so plastic does seem to matter here.

 

One time I hear you should leave it in the holder is if the coin has a NGC * and you are trying to get a grade bump at PCGS. Something like the following:

 

PCGS MS64 > NGC MS64* > PCGS MS65

[World Colonial]

I believe that NGC gives you the option of specifying a minimum grade. That is what I recall on the submisison form. I presume this means that if the coin does not meet this minimum grade, it will be returned in the original holder.

 

As for grading bias, I would find it odd if it did not exist one way or the other. The BB is definitely a risk if the coin is sent in raw but I would expect that graders are influenced by the existing grade if it is received in a slab but that would also depend upon the new vs old TPG. It's only human nature. I've only done it once; a 1756 ANACS Peru AU-58 1/2 real crossed over as an NGC MS-62.

 

It would be interesting to do a test though. Submit a sample of various coins in holders and then raw and compare the results.

[LuvToCollect]

 

 

It would be interesting to do a test though. Submit a sample of various coins in holders and then raw and compare the results.

 

We eagerly await your report on your findings.

[World Colonial]

Thanks, but I'll pass. I'd rather spend my money on coins.