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The president of the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) has apologized for what she called a “regrettable mistake” after the firm accidentally sent one of its client’s coins through its restoration service. This summer, collector Daniel Sutton, of Granite Bay, Calif., submitted an 1890 silver crown – a British key-date coin – to PCGS for certification. The coin, one of only 93 reported by PCGS, earned a grade of Mint State-63 as the eighth highest-graded example in the firm’s population report. Struck in 92.5 per cent silver with what Sutton called “beautiful reverse toning,” the coin also went through the PCGS restoration service without his permission; it was submitted on a grading form, he added. “There is a completely different form for restoration and it required my signature which they do not have,” Sutton wrote on the Virtual Coin Show Facebook group, facebook.com/groups/RTCoins, in September. Continue reading →

As the overall market outlook remains positive heading into the new year, several areas of Canadian numismatics have stood out to dealers in 2022. After reaching unprecedented heights during the first two years of COVID-19, the general market has since experienced “a bit of a contraction” to early or pre-pandemic levels, according to dealer Sandy Campbell, of Baddeck, N.S. Rare, fresh or high-grade items have brought strong prices, lending truth to the age-old numismatic adage stating quality always appreciates. “In general, all parts of the market are still healthy, but a few parts have struggled from time to time, and a few areas have accelerated, all for different reasons,” said Campbell, the owner of Proof Positive Coins, who has more than 40 years in the business. “That’s sort of the norm through any period. Where you’re seeing crazy pricing is on things that are very different to find; the middle-of-the-road material seems to have come back to pre-pandemic levels.” Continue reading →