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 Replies: 12 / Views: 3,543 |
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New Member
United States
2 Posts |
Hi Guys, I recently purchased what was described as a 2010 MS69 NGC graded American Silver Eagle. It arrived today and I am of the suspicion that the case may have been opened, the coin removed and another 2010 silver eagle put in its place. I have never owned an NGC slabbed coin before, so I was hoping you guys might be able to let me know if my suspicion is correct. The sides of the slab show some slight signs of tampering, but the biggest sign to me is the quality of the actual coin. It's in great condition, but definitely has a few dings. In my mind it is more like an MS 63, not an MS69. I've posted pictures of the coin below. The markings that stood out to me were the chip on the front of the coin on lady liberty's leg and the scratch near the arrows on the back. What do you guys think? Am I just overreacting? If my suspicions are correct, how the heck would I ever be able to sell the coin in its tampered state? Thanks, -Mika-   |
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Valued Member
United States
102 Posts |
Your suspicion is probably right, because it can't be the case, those are stratch-resistant. MS69 is like 99 percent perfect, you pointed out at least two errors on the coin. :( I also have a NGC MS69 2003 ASE on hand here and I can't even find one flaw on it under a microscope. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
672 Posts |
All the slabs that I have seen opened usually crack... atleast in one place... dont know why somone would do it with a modern bullion coin though...
Could you post a picture of the edge?
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10982 Posts |
 Welcome to CCF! I think you're over-reacting. Nobody would bother to switch out a $20 coin in an MS69 slab. These modern silver eagles are bullion unless they grade 70, so you have no worries. It sounds like you got one that was actually less than a 69 but these almost never fall below 67 unless someone damaged it. I hope you didn't pay too much for this piece. It's really only worth the price of the silver plus a small premium because it's an ASE. $25 value to most people. Hope to see you around the forum! |
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Valued Member
United States
487 Posts |
Now I collect ASE and I received a eagle in a PCGS holder label as follows "Gem Uncirculated" not a note of what grade the coin maybe. I thing it was offered on a coin segment on QVC or Shop NBC. Well the coin had a small stain on the reverse and found no need for it being enclosed in that holder, I proceeded to break the coin out of the holder. Lets just say the effort to break that coin out was "gut busting" with just a pair of wire cutters. So going to the effort of breaking out a MS69 to replace it with a less grade is a lot of work for nothing. Take a loop to see if the scratch is from the inside of the holder, angle the loop to the side of the area where the scratch is to see if a shadow is cased on the coin. |
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Valued Member
United States
285 Posts |
I am going to agree that the coin was probably not switched. It would be difficult to do and probably not worth it for a common ASE. If the coin really is scratched and dinged then I believe it's more likely that it was just misgraded by someone at NGC. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4541 Posts |
I agree with the others, its an awful lot of trouble to switch them out |
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Valued Member
United States
102 Posts |
I don't know that's a pretty big stratch on the back of the coin.
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New Member
 United States
2 Posts |
Thanks so much for all the quick responses! Now that many of you have pointed it out, I realize how pointless and difficult it would be for someone to switch out an ASE. I'm still a bit suspicious, but taking everything you guys said into consideration and putting the whole situation into the perspective that I spent $25 on the coin... I think I'll stop worrying about it. [rastatodd, I re-examined the coin and the marks are most definitely on the coin and unfortunately not just marks reflected from the casing.] [Americanamafia, I couldn't get a good picture of the edge, but there are no visibly noticeable cracks in it.] Thanks again! Edited by Mika_89
08/20/2010 02:11 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2541 Posts |
I don't know about the tampering, but I certainly wouldn't call that coin MS-69.
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Valued Member
United States
376 Posts |
I would think that NGC grades so many of those new ASE's that you know the grader probably doesn't spend more than a few seconds looking at the coin. It would be very easy for a scratch or three to get by unseen. They make alot of money grading new bullion. |
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Valued Member
United States
186 Posts |
I think NGC missed the boat on this one. They grade an obscene amount of these modern coins, and I've seen a bunch of them not make the grade. I don't think anyone would swap a $25 coin. Please remember to always "buy the coin" not the plastic.
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Valued Member
United States
188 Posts |
Thats what you get when you send coins in for mass grading and set the min. grade a MS69. The more they grade at 69 the more money they get. End result is that you get a bullion coin in a case that is still only worth the price of bullion in some peoples (most I think)minds.
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Replies: 12 / Views: 3,543 |
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Posted 08/19/2010 9:26 pm
