The Crack-Out Game: Should You Resubmit Your Coins for a Higher Grade?

Sometimes the plastic holder is the very thing holding the coin back. Let’s break down the risks, rewards, and real-world strategy of resubmitting your coins for a higher grade across different services.

I’ve cracked thousands of coins out of third-party grading holders chasing a better mark. It’s a practice I call the crossover game, and it’s easily one of the most thrilling — and perilous — corners of modern numismatics. If you’re sitting on a beautifully toned Morgan dollar in an NGC holder or a razor-sharp Lincoln cent you think was undergraded, the question is always the same: Is it worth the risk to crack it out and resubmit?

Let’s get into it. I’ll walk you through everything — from identifying genuine undergrade candidates and weighing the very real risks, to how original packaging like mint sewn bags versus mint sealed rolls can shape the quality of the raw coins you’re pulling from. I’ll also share a few crossover strategies that have worked well for me over the years.

Understanding the Crack-Out: What It Means and Why Collectors Do It

A “crack-out” is exactly what it sounds like: carefully removing a coin from its third-party grading slab — usually by cracking the plastic holder — so the coin can be resubmitted to a different service (or even the same one) in hopes of a higher grade.

This practice has exploded in recent years, and for good reason. The price gap between, say, an MS-65 and an MS-66 on a key date can run into thousands of dollars. That kind of spread makes the gamble tempting.

But here’s the thing: cracking out a coin is irreversible. The moment that holder breaks, the coin is raw again. If the new grade comes back lower — or if the coin picks up a hairline or fingerprint during the process — you’ve just cost yourself real money. I’ve watched it happen more times than I’d like to admit.

Why NGC to PCGS Crossovers Are So Popular

NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Company) and PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service) are the two titans of third-party grading. Both are highly respected, but collectors and dealers have long debated which service is tougher on certain series. After personally grading thousands of coins across both platforms, here’s what I’ve observed:

• PCGS tends to be slightly more conservative on certain modern series — particularly American Silver Eagles and modern commemoratives.
• NGC can be more forgiving on some classic series, especially Morgan and Peace dollars, where eye appeal and toning carry significant weight.
• The price premiums for PCGS-graded coins in certain series — think Morgan dollars and early copper — often justify the crossover attempt on pure financial grounds.

This is precisely why so many crack-out specialists focus on moving coins from NGC to PCGS. If you can get that NGC MS-65 to come back as a PCGS MS-66, the jump in numismatic value can be dramatic — sometimes 50% to 100% or more, depending on the date and series.

Identifying Undergraded Coins: The Art of Spotting Hidden Gems

Not every coin deserves a crack-out attempt. The key to success is developing a sharp eye for coins that are genuinely undergraded — not just coins you wish deserved a better mark. Here’s what I look for when evaluating a potential crossover candidate:

Strike Quality

The first thing I examine is the strike. A coin with a full, sharp strike — where every design detail is crisp and well-defined — is a prime candidate. On a Morgan dollar, I want to see full breast feathers on the eagle, sharp hair strands on Liberty, and clear wheat stalks at the rim. If the strike is there but the grade seems low, that’s a red flag that the grader may have penalized the coin for something superficial.

Surface Preservation

Next, I scrutinize the surfaces under good magnification. Specifically, I’m looking for:

• Minimal bag marks — light, scattered marks are acceptable at the MS-65 level, but heavy clustering or a single distracting mark in a focal area can unfairly suppress a grade.
• No hairlines or evidence of cleaning — if the coin has been cleaned, it’s getting body-bagged or details-graded, and no crossover will fix that.
• Original luster — bright, unbroken cartwheel luster is a hallmark of a truly high-grade coin and a strong signal that the piece deserves a second look.

Eye Appeal and Toning

This is where the art meets the science. A coin with stunning, natural toning — especially on silver series — can sometimes receive a “plus” designation or a higher grade at one service versus another. I’ve seen pieces with gorgeous rainbow toning come back a full point higher simply because the grader at the second service appreciated the aesthetic more. That subjectivity is what makes the crack-out game both exciting and endlessly frustrating.

The Risks of Cracking Out: What Can Go Wrong

Let me be blunt: the crack-out process carries real, tangible risks. Here are the most common pitfalls I’ve run into over the years:

1. Physical damage during removal. Even with the steadiest hands and the best tools, a coin can slip, get scratched, or pick up a fingerprint. One tiny hairline can turn an MS-66 into an MS-64 — and that’s a costly lesson.
2. Lower grade on resubmission. Grading is not an exact science. The same coin can receive different grades from different graders at the same service on different days. If you crack out an NGC MS-65 and it comes back as a PCGS MS-64, you’ve lost money on resubmission fees and the coin is now worth less.
3. Loss of the “holder premium.” Some coins command a premium simply because they’re in a particular holder. An NGC MS-65 with a CAC sticker, for instance, might be worth more than a raw coin or even a PCGS MS-65 without that sticker. Cracking it out destroys that premium instantly.
4. Resubmission costs add up. Grading fees, shipping insurance, turnaround time — they all stack up fast. If you’re submitting multiple coins, the costs become significant, and there is absolutely no guarantee of success.

Pro Tip: Before cracking out any coin, always get a second opinion from a trusted dealer or experienced collector. If multiple knowledgeable eyes agree the coin is undergraded, your odds of a successful crossover go up dramatically.

Mint Sewn Bags vs. Mint Sealed Rolls: Does Packaging Affect Quality?

One of the most interesting debates in the raw coin community centers on whether coins from mint sewn bags are in better condition than those from mint sealed rolls. This matters to crack-out artists because the quality of the raw coin you start with directly impacts your chances of earning a high grade.

Based on extensive feedback from collectors who have opened both formats — and from my own experience cracking, grading, and evaluating thousands of raw pieces — here’s where the consensus lands:

Mint Sewn Bags

Coins in mint sewn bags are typically in their most original, untouched state. They’ve been sewn shut at the U.S. Mint and shipped directly to distributors. The key characteristics include:

• Coins move freely against each other inside the bag, which can lead to contact marks — but surprisingly, many collectors report fewer bag marks than expected.
• The coins have not been sorted or wrapped by a third party, so you’re getting a truly random sample of the mint’s output.
• Some collectors report that P-mint coins from bags tend to be more attractive than D-mint coins, though this varies significantly by year and denomination.

Mint Sealed Rolls

Rolls, on the other hand, have been wrapped — either by the Mint or by a bank or distributor. The quality can vary widely:

• Bank-wrapped rolls from different sources can be inconsistent and heavily bagmarked. The handling and wrapping process introduces additional opportunities for damage.
• Mint-sealed rolls tend to be more consistent, but even then, the coins have been pressed together inside the roll, leading to rim nicks and edge marks that can hurt the final grade.
• Some collectors have found that D-mint coins in rolls can actually be nicer than those in bags, depending on the year and the specific mint facility’s quality control.

The Verdict

In my experience, mint sewn bags offer a slight edge for finding high-quality raw coins suitable for grading. The coins are in a more original state, and the random nature of the bag means you might stumble upon a gem that was never handled or sorted. That said, the difference is often marginal, and a sharp collector with a good eye can find excellent candidates in both formats.

Strategies for a Successful NGC to PCGS Crossover

If you’ve decided to take the plunge and attempt a crossover, here’s my step-by-step strategy for maximizing your chances of success:

1. Choose your candidate carefully. Only crack out coins you are genuinely confident are undergraded. Look for a strong strike, minimal marks, vibrant luster, and outstanding eye appeal. If you have doubts, leave it in the holder.
2. Document everything first. Before cracking the holder, take high-resolution photographs of the coin in its current slab. This gives you a baseline and can be invaluable if there’s any dispute about the coin’s condition later.
3. Use proper tools and technique. I use a specialized slab cracker with padded grips to minimize the risk of dropping or scratching the coin. Some artists prefer a vice-style holder. Whatever method you choose, practice on low-value coins first — never learn on a key date.
4. Handle the coin with gloves. Cotton or nitrile gloves are non-negotiable. A single fingerprint on a freshly cracked coin can cost you a full grade point and hundreds of dollars.
5. Submit at the right tier. If the coin is high-value, use PCGS’s Express or WalkThrough tier to get the most experienced graders on your submission. For lower-value coins, the Standard tier works fine.
6. Consider a CAC sticker. If the crossover is successful, consider sending the newly PCGS-graded coin to CAC (Certified Acceptance Corporation) for a green sticker. A CAC-stickered PCGS coin commands the highest premiums in the market and significantly boosts both numismatic value and collectibility.

When NOT to Crack Out: Knowing When to Walk Away

Not every coin is a crossover candidate. Here are the situations where I strongly recommend leaving the coin in its current holder:

• The coin is already at or near the top of the population report. If there are only two MS-67s known and you have one in an NGC holder, the risk of cracking it out rarely pays off.
• The coin has a CAC sticker. A CAC-stickered coin already carries a meaningful premium, and cracking it out means losing that sticker — and that premium — permanently.
• The price difference between grades is minimal. If an NGC MS-65 and a PCGS MS-65 are worth roughly the same, there’s no financial incentive to attempt a crossover.
• You’re emotionally attached to the coin. If you can’t afford to lose a grade point — financially or emotionally — don’t crack it out. The stress alone isn’t worth it.

The Bottom Line: Is the Crack-Out Game Worth It?

After years of cracking out coins, I can tell you the crossover game is not for the faint of heart. It demands a deep understanding of grading standards, a keen eye for quality, and a willingness to accept that sometimes — despite your best efforts — the coin comes back lower.

But when it works? When you crack out an NGC MS-64 and it comes back as a PCGS MS-65 with a CAC sticker? There’s honestly no better feeling in numismatics. The financial reward can be significant, and the satisfaction of knowing you identified an undergraded coin that others overlooked is deeply gratifying.

The key is to approach the process with discipline, knowledge, and genuine respect for the risks involved. Study the population reports. Learn the nuances of each grading service. Build relationships with dealers who can give you honest assessments. And above all, never crack out a coin based on hope alone — only crack out a coin when the evidence strongly supports an upgrade.

Whether you’re working with coins from mint sewn bags, mint sealed rolls, or estate collections, the principles remain the same: know your coin, know your market, and know your limits. The crack-out game rewards the prepared and punishes the reckless. Play it wisely, and it can be one of the most profitable strategies in your numismatic toolkit.

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