The PCGS Gold Shield logo.
(Newport Beach, California) — The Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) has rolled out PCGS Gold Shield Service, replacing PCGS Secure Service, effective since January 1, 2018.
PCGS Gold Shield highlights questionable “keypoints” harvested from our vast proprietary imaging database.
PCGS Gold Shield retains the process and function of PCGS Secure in that it checks coins that come through PCGS Gold Shield against a vast proprietary imaging database. This is an invaluable aid for graders in quickly determining authenticity in the fight against increasingly sophisticated counterfeiters. The new system benefits from artificial intelligence and machine learning. With Gold Shield, PCGS remains two steps ahead of counterfeiters.
The look of the PCGS holder remains the same for Gold Shield as it did for Secure, with the reflective gold shield on the left-side of the coin label. While the customers won’t see the process changes, the name and description of the service are updated to reflect new technology and capability.
Don Willis, president of PCGS, a division of Collectors Universe, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLCT), recently announced the new system to all PCGS Authorized Dealers. He explains, “We have been testing and refining the system for over two years and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. It will become a crucial component of our fight against counterfeiting, which will help us preserve the integrity of the PCGS brand worldwide.”
John Nelson, PCGS’ chief technology officer, explained it this way: “Our graders are the best in the business. They set the bar for finding counterfeits and consistently grading coins. Now, with coins going through PCGS Gold Shield, our system is even more intelligent and faster than before. It speeds the grading and authentication process.”
Mark Stephenson, vice president of PCGS, clarified the service level to PCGS Collector’s Club Members further, saying, “PCGS continues to include PCGS TrueView [under the new Gold Shield service]. All Express and higher submissions automatically include PCGS Gold Shield service, so no need to request it at Express or above.”
Stephenson continued, “With Gold Shield, PCGS continues to show the entire hobby the way forward, and reiterates our commitment to our position as the most trusted third-party grader. PCGS continually invests in pioneering and testing new technologies to promote the hobby of numismatics, to keep it safe for collectors, and ensure the highest quality service in the industry.”
PCGS has already begun implementing PCGS Gold Shield service. Transition officially took effect January 1, 2018.
Since its founding in 1986, PCGS experts have certified over 37 million coins with a total market value of over $32 billion. For information about PCGS products and services, including how to submit your coins for authentication and grading, visit the website of PCGS or call PCGS Customer Service at (800) 447-8848.
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