PCGS Slab Question

[papascoins]

I guess Mark will get an answer back stating " We are noobs too "

LOL LOL
Yes, i will let you know the minute I hear from them. I wonder how many days (or weeks) until I get a return email?

[papascoins]

Well, I did finally get an answer after only a few business days. And here's how it went, starting with my question:

To: PCGS Customer Service
Subject: MS Grade, Satin Finish Coins

Hello,
I hope you can answer my questions about the confusion in your price guide about Satin Finish coins. I'm sure someone has asked you this question before.
How is it that a coin owner can have a coin in a PCGS Holder that is Satin Finish, yet graded with an 'MS' grade? And, why doesn't it have an 'SP' or 'Specimen' grade? As you know, the 'Price Guide' has 'MS' pricing and 'SP' pricing. So I guess my question is: How do you find the Price Listing for a Satin Finish Coin, say, with an MS 68 Grade on the Holder?--And, alternately, How do you compare the same Satin Finish coin with an SP 68 grade?

Thank you very much for clearing this up for me.

Mark Britton

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Good Afternoon Mr. Britton,

The Discrepancy between the SP/MS is because when we first encountered the Satin Finish Presidential dollars we called them MS. But, at a later time, we decided to call them SP. So there are quite a few Satin Finish coins that will say MS on the holder, but will say SP in our database.

Thank you,


Bailey Varness
PCGS Customer Service
Collectors Universe, Inc.
(800) 447-8848
(949) 567-1253 fax
www.pcgs.com
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If I understand it right, I guess Satin Finish Labeled coins are 'SP' in the database, even if they say 'MS'? I don't think he answered my question. I didn't ask about Pres. Dollars. I asked why a holder labeled 'Satin Finish' comes with an 'MS' grade! (Sorry, I am brain dead tonite. Can someone explain his answer?)
Thanks.

[Maineman750]

They started labeling Satin Finish coins "SP" at a later date. So you can use the "SP" pricing guide when it says "Satin Finish".

[papascoins]

Dang!

Roger, that's what I thought. (Unfortunately). I have some satin finish labeled coins, with an MS grade on them. (Quite a huge price difference). *%#$&@!

[Brad]

Here are a couple of pictures of PCGS SP coins.

[papascoins]

pic

Brad, this is a picture of one of my (SP?) coins:

[Maineman750]

Mark, yeah, that's too bad...and another example of how the TPG's cause more confusion than anything.Can you imagine paying for the MS grade and then finding out it should have been SP ?

[liveandievarieties]

Great point Maineman- for lmost dates high MS is worth exponentially more, another liability for PCGS.

[papascoins]

You're right. I'm glad I didn't.
Thanks for all the info guys!

[RWBILLER]

Hi
If you. Have a satin finish coin from a mint set - I assume it has to be a sp designation or can it have a ms? I would assume that ms would be for business strikes and non satin finish mint state coins? As normal, some what confused.
Thanks
Roger

[papascoins]

Rog, that's the way I'm understanding it. Anyway, I wonder why their value is so low? The mint set coins are extremely nice!

[Maineman750]

Roger, PCGS used to use an MS designator until they realized SP was the correct designator,now they use SP.But you can still find MS graded coins out there that just have "Satin Finish" on the slab. Don't be fooled by the MS prices with those type of slabs.

[Maineman750]

Anyway, I wonder why their value is so low?

Because they are mass produced with special dies.Rarity means everything.