Tampered with PMG holders.

[mr.green]

I'm new to collecting currency and the few pieces that I have bought so far are all encapsulated in either PMG or PCGS holders. When I have showed them to friends or family they almost always ask me one same question. Are they real? Most of my buys were through Heritage Auctions so I assume that they examine these holders to make sure they are legitimate holders and have not been tampered with, before passig them onto their clients. I have made purchases on ebay and compared the PMG holders they were in to the ones I bought through Heritage Auctions and they look the same. While reading some of the negative feedback that buyers gave sellers on ebay I ran across one or two that stated the holders were tampered with.

1) DO THESE HOLDERS HAVE TAMPER PROOF PROTECTION?

2) HAVE THERE EVER BEEN ANY PHONY HOLDERS FOUND WITH A COUNTERFEIT NOTE INSIDE?

3) CAN THE AUTHENTICITY OF A NOTE BE VERIFIED WHILE IT IS INSIDE OF A HOLDER OR DOES IT HAVE TO BE RMOVED?

[Scott_Schechter]

We have never encountered a tampered with or counterfeit PMG holder. Because labels include the unique serial number of notes and the holders are standard in size, deceptively tampering with holders is difficult. There are a number of anti-counterfeiting features incorporated into the label such as UV responsive paper and micro-printing.

 

We do also offer Certification Verification on our website for Collectors Society members which allows you to double check the information on a note's label with the information contained in the PMG database.

 

Dealing with a known and trusted dealer is also a great first line of defense.

[Banker-migration]

I agree "known and trusted dealer" but be aware not all dealers are by definition honest and trustworthy....ask around, take reference from fellow collectors.

I recently had an experience with a dealer on ebay, the topic of which is relevant to this post, I spotted a note with a wrongly designated pick number, an error which I saw to be from PMG not an error by the dealer, but he was/is offering the item for sale as the incorrect pick number, simply because it is more valuable as the number PMG attributed to it than to what it actually is.

I mentioned it to him via ebay 'ask the seller' and was in no uncertain terms told to mind my own business, I retorted that it is everyones business to keep ebay safe and honest only to be called an a**hole and to go away.....I did notice however that he altered the listing photograph with the error obscured, so some poor sucker is going to get taken by this "known and trusted" dealer.

 

Buyer beware.....As always.

 

PMG Expert....Contact me if you would like me to point you in the direction of the item....Be interesting to get your opinion.