PCI Still Operating?

It was suppose to have been sold at a public auction already. Not sure if someone bought it or if it's under new ownership, but their website has a March deal, so maybe?

The new owner is David Lawrence Rare Coins. That makes for a rather interesting situation - a large and well-known dealer/auctioneer owning a theoretically "impartial" TPG.

Interesting play. DLRC enjoys a good rep in the business - I've dealt with them and will again - but what becomes of PCI's reputation (or lack thereof)? And, do you buy a PCI-graded coin from DLRC, or not?

It depends on how well DLRC distances itself from PCI. It's not to unlike the fact that David Hall Rare Coins is one of the major owners of Collectors Universe and PCGS, and untill just a few years ago he was president of PCGS (for awhile he worked as a grader and finalizer as well)

Hall always claimed though that DHRC never submitted coins to PCGS and that all their PCGS stock were coins purchased from others already graded. (Many of us do not fully believe that and several of his own comments have demonstrated how he exerted influence on the graders at times.)

As for PCI, after DLRC bought them in February he said they will be down for 30 to 60 days during the reorganization so I would not expect them to be active before the midle of April.

quote:

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Then on the last one the experts got to see the coins, but PCI never paid them their consulting fees

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Coppercoins was the Lincoln Cent attributer, correct? That is horrible if he got screwed out of the fees I wonder if the reputation of DLRC will overcome any apprehensions from expert attributers?