2019 West Point Premium Penny

Spotting is a known mint issue. It happens to mints around the world (some more than others) and to raw coins as well. Suggesting that it's the TPGs faults for not wearing gloves and masks is inaccurate. If you want to wear gloves and a mask by all means go ahead that's your choice and your right to do so, but just because others don't doesn't mean they're doing anything wrong or doing any harm to the coins

Handling coins using gloves is NOT my concern as much as a face mask with atomized breath and the acidic microscopic droplets that people simply spread by breathing, THAT'S the problem as I see it...... PS, Just My Opinions Again... People also don't hold coins as they should too, BUT the first concern is by far, the invisible, down the road culprit to watch for......

I am noticing that a number of ebay sellers are now not offering returns on the 2019W cent which is convenient as they suffer from spotting problems. If they are not accepting returns they should specify if the coins are spotted or not.

You have your personal opinion and I have mine. I think that I've pretty well explained where I'm coming from. People can wash their hands, but within a few minutes the oils will be back. The reason the 3rd party graders don't use gloves and masks is that there is expense involved, it makes the working conditions not a nice and the consequences of bare finger handling and breathing over coins is not immediately noticeable. Some may consider it good enough, but I don't agree.



It is important to start with good quality gloves and masks. In my experience with transferring coins from proof sets and mint sets to airtite holders, I've literally only had a fiber land on a coin a couple of times. A gentle puff of air from a hand bulb pump removed the fiber with no ill effects.



Yes they literally are sitting there mouth breathing and/or nose breathing over the coins. They even have their own videos showing them talking while having a group discussion about a coin. Miniscule water droplets and particles exit your nose and/or mouth every time you exhale and talk. This is how illnesses are spread. Just like wearing a mask can reduce the spread of illnesses, wearing a mask can reduce the odds of a miniscule water droplet or particle traveling through the air and landing on a coin. Nothing is 100%, but reducing the odds by taking reasonable steps isn't much to ask of a "professional" grading organization.

If the listing doesn't say anything about spots (or the appearance in general), it won't fall under "not as described".

If the listing says "no spots" when there are, then it would be "not as described". A more general description like "stunning" or "pristine" is more on the edge. I was able to return a gold panda a few months ago through their Concierge service because of two large spots on a "beautiful" piece, but a low-dollar coin like this may be more subjective.

Minuscule as in something like 1 in well over 100k. It's very very very rare. Older coins have been handled countless times before they ever made it to the grading room and much much more sloppy as in the old days people took "care" of their coins very differently.




Nope, it's because it's unnecessary and they transfer dust at a higher rate and it makes it easier for them to drop coins. They spend more on coffee than they would on a trivial cost like gloves.






I don't care about changing your mind. You have it made up and want to try and make them sound like clueless buffoons who have no idea how to handle coins. The only reason I have even engaged you is because you are misrepresenting them to people that don't know any better.

Think whatever you want, the bottom line is gloves are completely unnecessary and so is a mask ESPECIALLY on classic circulated coins that have been handled countless times for decades already

keith12, that one looks as good as the best one out of the five I received.



I have not misrepresented anything. They don't wear gloves and masks. I encourage anyone who doubts this to watch the videos that these companies produced themselves. I don't think they're clueless buffoons and never implied it. They simply don't take these precautions because their customers as a whole have not demanded it. You don't believe that their lack of taking these precautions can damage coins. I've seen evidence which tells me otherwise. We can just agree to disagree.

One important thing for collectors to keep in mind is that buying coins slabbed long ago reduces the odds that the coin will develop black spec spotting. If it hasn't happened in a year or more, the odds of it happening are far less when compared to a newly slabbed coin. Still, if you want a newly minted coin in a slab, I wouldn't be deterred because the odds are that it will be fine.



I agree with you regarding classic circulated coins.