PCGS Verifiication

[Flash 23]

I have very little experience with slabbed coins but am always prepared to take a chance however, I'm working on a deal involving a USA Silver dollar which is quite expensive to say the least. Cert number checks out as does the coin but how likely is it that the coin itself has been faked and put into a fake slab with a copy of the original labels and cert details. Is there any sure fire way, other than cert lookup, to say the slab, coin and label are genuine? There's nothing about it that looks odd but it would be a crippling loss if I bought it and it wasn't right. I am working on trying to obtain some provenance.

Luv from Dave

[TomGoodheart 373]

I have very little experience with slabbed coins but am always prepared to take a chance however, I'm working on a deal involving a USA Silver dollar which is quite expensive to say the least. Cert number checks out as does the coin but how likely is it that the coin itself has been faked and put into a fake slab with a copy of the original labels and cert details. Is there any sure fire way, other than cert lookup, to say the slab, coin and label are genuine? There's nothing about it that looks odd but it would be a crippling loss if I bought it and it wasn't right. I am working on trying to obtain some provenance.

Luv from Dave

Tricky. I'm not sure there's any certain way if slab and label have been copied, though presumably PCGS could check and confirm it for you after the sale.

As for provenance, I just don't get the impression that Americans are big on provenance. Certainly (British) coins I've bought haven't come with any and they tend to be the only kind where it's mentioned in auction listings ...

.. have you thought of asking this question on Coin Community? It's US based and there are many experienced collectors there who could advise. Of course, they might say, if you're not sure, walk away ...

[azda 973]

Just to put you off more. Chinese fakes have been known in TPG slabs, in fact, one was found last week on the USA ebay site by a seller who was told it was fake and because it was in a TPG holder (NGC i think it was) he just basically shrugged his shoulders and said "so, it's in a graded holder, so no comeback on me" so there you go, your Money, your risk