What For The Love Of...[PCGS Certifies Replicas]

I did read the thread, and I understand what these are. My understanding is that this medal imitates the design of a rare Chinese coin. Maybe I stand guilty of imprecise language in how I conveyed that.

And the rest is my opinion. Slabbing something worth 20 bucks seems like a waste of money. But if there is demand for slabbed, modern base metal medals, then someone will step in to supply that demand.
And I agree with your logic that if other medals are slabbed, why not this.

I sure won't be lining up to buy one

I think this goes to @gx's point, that it is technically a medallic representation of a specific coin type, i.e. there are enough differences (no date, etc) to differentiate it from a replica.

Can you say a few words on that, so we can learn more (@sel also asked to learn a bit more upthread)?

ICG happily grades these copies. Draped Bust dollar: https://www.greatcollections.com/Co...py-ICG-MS-68

Draped Bust quarter:



The ICG graded Draped Bust quarter copy was recently sold by a reputable coin dealer in MA. Clearly, they didn't see it as a problem.

Well, technically NGC and PCGS are private companies and not an extension of the FBI.
I suppose they are in their right to grade any coin or medal, that is: specify the amount of wear and luster, irrespectively how and where the coin or medal was made.
However, if they grade a copy the slab should clearly mention this.

Wait.

Wait, wait, wait.

So, as you guys know... this is an official medal. This will be of interest to some collectors, it's a numismatic item.

So would you rather these be sold raw where they can be easily misrepresented...

or in a PCGS slab where they are properly labeled as a 2019 medal?

Isn't having more of these put in PCGS slabs good? I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around the issue here.

@gxseries - I am not bashing the Chinese, I am making statements of fact about the lack of any sort of infrastructure in that country to control the manufacture and sale of fakes and reproductions. In this instance, a reproduction or medal (alternately presented) has made it into a PCGS holder. If the TPGs get sucked into packaging something like this up in the way that they have, that is one of the last hopes for the hobby defending itself gone as it seems that gradually anything will be holdered. (@Tanman2001 - I think that TPGs should steer clear of slabbing a whole bunch of the stuff that they now do, if only to not potentially be the catalyst for a transaction in which someone is sold something that they do not completely understand. I encounter this issue as a dealer with the 'Retro Proof Crown Series' from the UK which NGC certifies).

You can be offended all you want, but the fact of the matter is that the deluge of Chinese fakes is hurting the hobby, simple as. Although in this instance the item is some sort of official medal, my issue is that they are being complicit (in a way) of producing a potentially deceptive product as I can easily see this as being talked up to something a lot more significant than it is by an unscrupulous seller, using the PCGS certification as justification. This particular product just happens to unite the to aforementioned issues.

The only thing offensive here is you calling me a racist - which I am not, nor have I said anything which is not a matter of fact. You should think twice before slandering people, and yes what you have said IS slander. I don't know who you think you are to throw accusations like that around, but in this chain, only you have been personally antagonistic and pushing the discussion in a direction which is 'not entertaining.' Check yourself.