Email – On the Return of PCGS No Grade Counterfeit

Intro

Following the news of a returned no grade 1920 Double Dot as “counterfeit”, a quick check of the literature and comparison photos with coins I presently hold suggests that PCGS has made a mistake. This was my reply to the PCGS dealer handling the submission.

 

The Email

If you could request PCGS to hold that particular coin, I’d be grateful. A quick review of the literature and examples at hand suggest that the cud of W in Commonwealth is key indicator.

From Lever – PCGS were quoting this stuff a year or two ago – https://topendcoins.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/1920-complete-story.pdf

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My example – the cud is clear as day:

Not so easy to see on some PCGS photography. As you always say, it’s better for identification in the hand. However, the cud can be seen over W in Cert 41446502:

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Here’s an example in XF40 which you sold me. It has serious issues to be resolved and I will endeavor to learn to restore bronze this year. Cud is not visible under the grime, but dot slightly right of center with soft strike N in ONE being the common feature, along with the cud. I’ll have to check if Sydney didn’t punch these out. They are pretty poorly struck. Cert. No. 37730781:

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Elsewhere, happy to see PCGS respecting the use of nano technology to preserve these coins. All coins of quality now get a coating of Verdichem before heading to PCGS to ensure lifetime preservation. This AU55 no dot returning was an experimental trial in metal preservation being accepted by the PCGS “sniffer”:

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I’m suss on the highest graded PCGS 1920 because the die characteristics of 1920 are all the same. Mass rim die cracking on the reverse. I’ve never seen BRITT die crack on the obverse marking 1920 no dot. I’ll look into this particular die marker this year:

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One of these years I’ll update images and simplify the information provided by Lever. For PCGS’s consideration.