PCGS & NGC Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold Coins
The 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold Coin comes packaged in a large and elegant case. It serves to protect the coin and serve as a display case. Within the case, the coin is housed within an individual capsule. While many collectors are satisfied to enjoy the coin as originally shipped, some collectors have chosen to have the UHR Double Eagles certified and graded by third party companies. The two most common are PCGS and NGC.
These two grading companies certify the coins as authentic, assign a grade, and seal the coin in a plastic holder. The grading scale ranges from 1 to 70, with 70 being the highest. Perhaps as a testament to the special care the United States Mint has used to prepare the coins, most sent for grading have attained a grade of MS69 or MS70. Coins graded MS70 are the most desirable and can carry high premiums over uncertified or lower graded coins.
Both grading services offered special attributions for coins that shipped early from the United States Mint. PCGS assigns the designation "First Strike" and NGC assigns the designation "Early Releases". These signify that the coins were received by the US Mint customer within a certain time frame and sent to the grading service by the relevant cut off date.
NGC has assigned the "PL" attribution to some coins, which stands for "Proof Like". This has been assigned to coins with reflective proof like surfaces. Of the coins graded by NGC, only a small portion received the grade "MS 69 PL" or "MS 70 PL".
