My friend just got his 1955 Double Die Lincoln Cent back from PCGS!

Curious about the results? Was it authentic? Fake? Uncirculated?

Well, no need to wonder anymore…

PCGS graded the coin as follows:

If you’re unsure what “PCGS Genuine” or the “Cleaning” label means (like I was) since coins typically receive a grade like MS-63, XF-40, or F-12, here’s an explanation from About.com:

A “PCGS Genuine” coin is encased in a PCGS holder, often referred to as a “slab,” without an official grade. This coin remains ungraded due to being a “problem coin,” marked by a code on the label in the PCGS holder. Previously, coins marked as Genuine were returned ungraded and outside of holders, commonly called “body bags.” Now, PCGS places these coins in holders that confirm their authenticity, including a code detailing why the coin wasn’t graded.

The good news is it’s a legitimate coin—woohoo! However, the downside is someone cleaned it over the years, considered as “altering” it 🙁 Perhaps they were trying to see if their eyes were fooling them?

This doesn’t diminish its rarity or awesomeness, but unfortunately, it does impact its value. How much is still up in the air until my friend decides what to do with it—honestly, I’d hold onto it; it’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to find one of these in circulation! It’s also beneficial that it has “AU details,” meaning Almost Uncirculated, which is impressive for a coin that’s 60 years old!

Here are two more pictures of the newly slabbed coin:

Congratulations to my friend! An incredible find, no matter what!

If you’d like to check out the original post about how he acquired this coin, take a look here: ¡The King Pin Penny!

Happy collecting!