NGC no notification after 5 days and paying for express 1 1

[tobi mansfield]

Hello

I sent a very valuable coin to NGC and it was delivered 5 days ago to them with registered signature. I paid for 2 day express processing. I cannot get an answer or confirmation that my item is secure. All I get from customer service is "be patient" . That is not acceptable. This is my first submission and I am quite nervous that my very valuable coin is not in a safe, secure place. There is no one available by phone. Who is the oversight for this company for problems if my coin disappears???? When will I receive notification that it is in the proper hands and on its way back???

[Just Bob]

Welcome to the forum.

 I am not affiliated with NGC in any way, but I can assure you that they have plenty of experience in handling multi-million dollar coins of all types. Your coin is in good hands. As far as what may account for the delay, I can only imaging that they are working in very strained conditions, due to the current situation with the Covid-19 virus. Imagine having to sanitize every package that ships in and out of there, and having to stop working and constantly sanitize during the day. It has to slow things  down considerably.Acceptable, or not, "Be patient" is probably the best advice anyone can give you right now.

Since you posted this on the open forum, I am going to ask: What kind of coin did you send in?

[tobi mansfield]

I sent a 1917 George V gold sovereign. I did finally hear back from them today and they told me that it is gold but not authentic. It has been in my father's safe for 30 years so Im still not comfortable with trusting this company to be completely honest. Why would anyone copy this coin so long ago?? thanks for responding

[Alex in PA.]

Welcome and sorry for the report you got.  When it comes back, if it is slabbed, crack it out and send to PCGS.  If they say the same thing you're out of luck.  Folks have been counterfeiting coins since coins were invented.  30 years ago counterfeiting coins was a booming business.  

[tobi mansfield]

Hi Alex

I am new at this and utterly confused. Why would someone counterfeit a sovereign in 22K gold? thank you for your assistance

[MarkFeld]

1 hour ago, tobi mansfield said:

I sent a 1917 George V gold sovereign. I did finally hear back from them today and they told me that it is gold but not authentic. It has been in my father's safe for 30 years so Im still not comfortable with trusting this company to be completely honest. Why would anyone copy this coin so long ago?? thanks for responding

Welcome to the forum.

There is no reason to distrust the company. The fact that the coin had been in your father’s safe for 30:years says absolutely nothing about its authenticity. Coins have been counterfeited for far longer than that. 
 

[MarkFeld]

35 minutes ago, Alex in PA. said:

Welcome and sorry for the report you got.  When it comes back, if it is slabbed, crack it out and send to PCGS.  If they say the same thing you're out of luck.  Folks have been counterfeiting coins since coins were invented.  30 years ago counterfeiting coins was a booming business.  

If NGC deemed the coin a counterfeit, it won’t be coming back in a sealed holder.

[kbbpll]

34 minutes ago, tobi mansfield said:

Why would someone counterfeit a sovereign in 22K gold?

For collector value or to get around prohibitions on owning gold, are two reasons I can think of.

[RWB]

There have been many time periods and places where gold in the form of sovereigns were valued higher than just their gold. This is in addition to those making counterfeits of rare coins for immense profits. A coin sitting in a safe for 30 years (since 1990) could easily have been manufactured in the 50s or 60s for sale to collectors.

Authentication is the PRIMARY purpose of major authentication and grading companies.

[Zebo]

In the 1970s many rare soveriegns were counterfeited in large numbers. Many were very good fakes and they often fooled dealers and collectors. 1917 is one of the years that was targeted.  Many counterfeit sovereigns were minted in Lebanon during this timespan. 

It is well known that the vast majority of 1917 sovereigns were paid to the Unitd States and melted for payment of war debts by England. 

[Greenstang]

Quote

Why would someone counterfeit a sovereign in 22K gold?

Counterfeit Gold Sovereigns made of gold were made for years by counterfeiters in the middle east as a means of selling their gold at a higher than bullion price, mainly to tourists. Your coin would still be worth bullion value, just no numisistical val.

This is the second one on this site in a couple of days. Check the "Testing 1.2.3 Forum at the bottom of the page to see the other one.

[GoldFinger1969]

Is this what you thought you had:

https://www.perthmint.com/catalogue/1917-king-george-v-perth-mint-gold-sovereign.aspx

[Zebo]

7 hours ago, GoldFinger1969 said:

Is this what you thought you had:

https://www.perthmint.com/catalogue/1917-king-george-v-perth-mint-gold-sovereign.aspx

I think that The OP is talking about the 1917 that was produced at the London mint (no mint mark) and is worth quite a bit more than the Perth issue. 

The 1917 sovereign was also minted at the Melbourne, Sydney, Perth mints in Australia, Ottawa in Canada, as well as London. The London issue is by far the rarest.

Edited May 12, 2020 by Zebo

[tobi mansfield]

Thank you all so much for all of the information! Its wonderful to find such nice, helpful people. To clarify, this is a 1917 George V with no mint mark. I wanted to make sure it was real but alas it is not...The vice president of NGC looked at it and said it was a very good 1970's faked coin in 22K gold. I had taken it to a local coin dealer with 25 years of experience and he told me it was real but a Sidney mint. So I have been so confused...Perhaps this will help someone else

thanks again

[RWB]

Thanks for posting the results of NGC's examination. Those little bits of information can help other collectors.

[GoldFinger1969]

45 minutes ago, tobi mansfield said:

Thank you all so much for all of the information! Its wonderful to find such nice, helpful people. To clarify, this is a 1917 George V with no mint mark. I wanted to make sure it was real but alas it is not...The vice president of NGC looked at it and said it was a very good 1970's faked coin in 22K gold. I had taken it to a local coin dealer with 25 years of experience and he told me it was real but a Sidney mint. So I have been so confused...Perhaps this will help someone else

thanks again

Don't be discouraged, Tobi.  There are checks-and-balances today to avoid buying fakes or counterfeits.  And this Board is a good resource to help you.  There are others, too.

I take it the coin is at least solid real gold, right ?

 

[tobi mansfield]

goldfinger, yes it is solid 22 k gold and still has the gold weight value

[Scott 1969S]

I sent in a very valuable coin and got an email from NGC 5 days ago yet my status has not changed on grading/ quality control.. is there a reason for this I paid for the express tier with a two day turnaround time estimate I kno but .. what is the hold up I only sent this one coin.. 

[tobi mansfield]

Scott NGC finally got back to me after 5 days and I paid for express as well

[Revenant]

On 5/11/2020 at 4:04 PM, Just Bob said:

I can only imaging that they are working in very strained conditions, due to the current situation with the Covid-19 virus. Imagine having to sanitize every package that ships in and out of there, and having to stop working and constantly sanitize during the day. It has to slow things  down considerably.Acceptable, or not, "Be patient" is probably the best advice anyone can give you right now.

Every time my wife and I get a package it sits in the garage for 3 days in what we call our quarantine. We put the box in there and immediately wash our hands - just in case.

I doubt NGC / PMG have that luxury and I feel sorry for whoever has probably been stuck with opening up the boxes and discarding the potentially contaminated outer packaging. It must suck.

On the flip side I've been seeing delays in getting purchases - like on eBay - because sellers that used to ship next-day are shipping maybe once a week in some cases.

It's just part of what we're living in and living through right now. Everyone needs to just try to be a little more understanding at the moment.

NGC might do themselves a favor by walking back their "fully open / operational" talk and acknowledge more loudly that, "Yes, we're open, but not as fast & efficient as normal." I think the vast majority would understand that. Those that don't... well, you'll never please everybody.

[MarkFeld]

9 hours ago, Scott 1969S said:

I sent in a very valuable coin and got an email from NGC 5 days ago yet my status has not changed on grading/ quality control.. is there a reason for this I paid for the express tier with a two day turnaround time estimate I kno but .. what is the hold up I only sent this one coin.. 

Typically, the number of coins in a submission has no bearing on how fast it’s completed. 
An “estimate” is an estimate, not a guarantee. 
Are you aware that life is somewhat different and more difficult for most individuals and businesses, these days?

[Conder101]

And when they receive and sign for the package is NOT when the clock starts for the turn around time.  It starts when they actually enter the coin into their system and that can be several days after the package arrives.

[leeg]

All good information for these times we're living through.

 

EVERYONE be safe.

[bsshog40]

If it's any consolation, my wife's grandpa had a 1776 continental in his small collection since 1969-1970. Come to find out, it was counterfeit. Counterfeiting has been going on for years. 

Edited May 14, 2020 by bsshog40

[tobi mansfield]

Yes...I am learning that it is a common problem

[USAuPzlBxBob]

"The waiting is the hardest part." ~ Tom Petty

Just about every time I've dealt with NCG, and the coins have been gold since that's all I collect, I've gotten so nervous and impatient that I've actually called them.

Everything has always worked out fine, and I've had good luck on crossovers from PCGS, where two or three of the coins came back with a "+" in the grade.

Love the NGC holders, their presentation — especially for gold coins… the white contrast —, and with a plus mark, the coins just reek of classiness.

All my gold coins reside in NGC holders!

[Henri Charriere]

On 5/11/2020 at 6:43 PM, Alex in PA. said:

Folks have been counterfeiting coins since coins were invented.  

"Counterfeiting is a prehistoric form of gainful skulduggery.  The idea of money was conceived somewhere on the other side of antiquity, and so was the idea of counterfeit money.  The idea of money is older than the idea of counterfeit money, but older, perhaps, by no more than a few minutes."  -St. Clair McKELWAY

[James_OldeTowne]

On 5/11/2020 at 5:59 PM, tobi mansfield said:

Why would anyone copy this coin so long ago?? thanks for responding

I think this turned out to be a pretty informative thread, but nobody really replied to your quote above.  Coins have been counterfeited for thousands of years, and it isn't a surprise at all that a hundred year old gold coin would be counterfeited.

[aahhawaiian@aol.com]

ngc nightmare grading times !!!! I sent express and paid express and it has been 40 days and they have not even checked it in. I have sent 3 orders after to pcgs they are graded and sitting in my vault. This is a new problem they have always been great. covid problems no no no. pcgs is in california they are stricter than anyone. I think the staff has a problem with management and they are no longer there. They need help and i hope they get it !

[Henri Charriere]

1 hour ago, aahhawaiian@aol.com said:

ngc nightmare grading times !!!! I sent express and paid express and it has been 40 days and they have not even checked it in. I have sent 3 orders after to pcgs they are graded and sitting in my vault. This is a new problem they have always been great. covid problems no no no. pcgs is in california they are stricter than anyone. I think the staff has a problem with management and they are no longer there. They need help and i hope they get it !

As noted in another thread a few hours ago, I sent in one (1) coin on 2/14/2021 -- nearly four (4) months ago -- and have yet to hear from anyone.  C'est la vie!