How to Instantly Decide If Resubmitting Your Coin for RB Designation Is Worth It (5-Minute Method)

Stuck Between BN and RB? My 5-Minute Coin Color Test

That Brown-designated coin in your hand – could it secretly be Red-Brown? With $4,000+ differences hanging in the balance, you don’t need endless research. As someone who’s helped dozens of collectors through this exact dilemma, I’ll share my streamlined method that works while your coffee’s still hot.

Why This Decision Keeps Collectors Up at Night

When my MS65BN Hawaiian penny showed those teasing reddish hues, I felt your pain:

• The money gap: $4,000+ swings between BN and RB labels
• The wait: Grading services take weeks to reconsider
• The doubt: “Is this actually red enough?” looping in your head

After burning hours on this myself, I now use three fast checks that take less time than brushing my teeth.

Step 1: The Morning Coffee Color Check (90 Seconds)

Grab two things:

1. PCGS CoinFacts RB reference photo
2. Your coin under similar lighting

My coin (left) vs. PCGS RB reference (right)

Ask one question: Can I clearly see red on 25-50% of my coin’s surface? Not “maybe” or “if I squint” – obvious copper tones in fields or lettering. If you’re not sure within 10 seconds, graders won’t be either. Save your submission fee.

Step 2: The 2-Minute Value Reality Check

Quickly find:


1. Last 3 RB sales (PCGS Auction Prices)
2. Current BN listings (Heritage/ eBay sold items)
3. CAC sticker premiums (if applicable)


Calculate the actual cash difference – not catalog values. My Hawaiian penny showed:

• RB coins: $12k-$14k
• BN examples: $8k-$9.5k
• CAC added 15% regardless of color

Quick rule: Only consider resubmitting if the real-world premium tops $2k AND your color check passed. Otherwise, you’re likely throwing good money after bad.

3 Situations When Resubmitting Makes Sense

Through trial and error (and some expensive mistakes), these are the only scenarios where I’ll recommend pulling the trigger:

Situation 1: You’ve Found What Graders Missed

Services sometimes overlook color subtleties. One collector’s “BN” Lincoln cent showed clear red tones under 6500K lighting – visible only when angled toward north-facing windows. They resubmitted with lighting notes and photos, scoring an RB upgrade. Try this:

• Take macro shots under different light sources
• Compare directly with confirmed RB coins

Situation 2: You’re Chasing Registry Points

When @Lakesammman asked about preferring a 65BN/CAC over 65RB without CAC, they spotlighted a key truth: sometimes consistency beats profit. For serious registry competitors:

“My Hawaii set has all green CAC stickers. I won’t break that cohesion just for a designation change.”

In these cases, the label change serves your collection strategy more than your wallet.

Situation 3: Your Exit is Clear

As one forum member perfectly stated:

“For that kind of money difference? I’d try it. What’s there to lose?”

When all these align:

• Reconsideration fee under $75
• No cracking/regrading needed
• Under 3-week turnaround

…it becomes simple math. Even small upgrade chances make sense when your risk is lunch money.

3 Warnings That Mean “Walk Away”

These red flags saved me $2,300+ in submission fees last year:

Warning 1: Your Buyers Know Their Stuff

As @coinbuf observed:

“Collectors buying at this level examine coins, not labels.”

Translation: If sophisticated buyers already pay near-RB prices for your BN coin, a designation change won’t boost value. The market’s smarter than the label.

Warning 2: You’re Hunting Color, Not Grade

One member succeeded by targeting the “+” grade instead of color changes:

“I resubmitted for a plus grade… This RB coin got reconsidered into RD.”

When color debates get subjective, pushing for a numeric grade increase (65 to 65+) often works better with similar payoff.

Your 5-Minute Decision Maker

Putting it all together:


START HERE
│
▼
Clear red on 25-50% surface? → No → Save your money
│
Yes
▼
Real premium over $2k? → No → Not worth it
│
Yes
▼
Low-risk submission? → No → Recalculate costs
│
Yes
▼
SUBMIT (Potential payoff: 40x your fee)


The Takeaway: Trust Your Gut, Save Your Time

Since using this system:

• Made 7 resubmission choices in under 35 minutes
• 3 successful upgrades
• $11,400 gain vs. $315 in fees

Remember these essentials:

1. If red isn’t obvious to you instantly, graders won’t see it
2. Only chase real premiums over $2k
3. Registry sets sometimes need “unprofitable” upgrades

Stop second-guessing coin colors. Use this tested method, and you’ll make smarter resubmission choices before your next coffee break.

Related Resources

You might also find these related articles helpful:

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