2008W Silver Eagle- Graded MS69 by PCGS

[chuckster 125]

Is this tiny tick mark on the reverse acceptable on a coin graded at MS69- (PCGS)

This is the only flaw that I could see on the coin-( Reverse of 2007.)

Would this take away from the value /grade of the coin or its normal because this is not a MS70 grade.

I usually do not deal with slabbed coins, so any info on this is appreciated.

[wavysteps]

Wow, grading questions back to back.

We all know that grading companies differ in grading of coins; some are better at it than others and some seem to be out around Pluto, Heck, even the graders in the same company may grade the same coin differently for there is some subjective analysis that is involved, even though it is supposed to be purely objective.

As for the mark on your coin; if I were the grader, I would have put it one more notch lower and given it a MS68 for I think that is a fairly large mark. However, the PCGS grader may have determined that this mark was due to a strike through a foreign object, which being an error, should not affect the grade. But then again if it was determined that it happened after strike, it is considered damage, however, being on the reverse, the grader may have felt that it was deserving of a MS69 since it was on that side of the coin.

I guess that is why you hear some complaints (and other times, praise) when the coin that you sent for encapsulation comes back graded to low (or to high in some rare cases) from what you expected. You never are quite to sure how your coin will come back and hopefully, it is not in a "body bag" (meaning that they will not encapsulate it).

BJ Neff

[chuckster 125]

Wow, grading questions back to back.

We all know that grading companies differ in grading of coins; some are better at it than others and some seem to be out around Pluto, Heck, even the graders in the same company may grade the same coin differently for there is some subjective analysis that is involved, even though it is supposed to be purely objective.

As for the mark on your coin; if I were the grader, I would have put it one more notch lower and given it a MS68 for I think that is a fairly large mark. However, the PCGS grader may have determined that this mark was due to a strike through a foreign object, which being an error, should not affect the grade. But then again if it was determined that it happened after strike, it is considered damage, however, being on the reverse, the grader may have felt that it was deserving of a MS69 since it was on that side of the coin.

I guess that is why you hear some complaints (and other times, praise) when the coin that you sent for encapsulation comes back graded to low (or to high in some rare cases) from what you expected. You never are quite to sure how your coin will come back and hopefully, it is not in a "body bag" (meaning that they will not encapsulate it).

BJ Neff

Thanks BJ for the explanation-

Is the value of this coin going to be effected by this, or since this was graded by PCGS as a MS69- thats what it is- an MS69 regardless of the tick mark.
According to their grading standards- 'Miniscule Imperfections are allowed in MS69 so am I worrying about this for no reason?

[wavysteps]

Once graded, especially by PCGS or NGC, people will take that grade to be a true reflection of what the coin is and the value that it is. So, I would not let the small mark bother you.

By the way, very nice catch and even while it is one out of 47,000, it will probably be in the upper 20% of all struck.

BJ Neff