LCR Coin, Inc. will have the sole internet right to carry the Ron Harrigal individually-signed NGC certification labels with its coins.

For over 35 years, the US Mint Director of Design and Engraving used his technical expertise to innovative ends, improving the structural coherence of coins, which ultimately led to his promotion in 2015. Until his retirement in 2021, the director offered significant technical oversight. These coins honor his wisdom and efforts as an integral part of society.

Ron Harrigal's Signature Series Collectible Coins

Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) announced earlier that Ron Harrigal would individually sign the NGC certification labels of his coins under an exclusive agreement. For over 35 years, the US Mint and Director and Engraving brought technical expertise and innovation to the mint until his retirement in 2021.

After earning a degree from West Virginia University in Mechanical Engineering, Harrigal launched a numismatic career in 1985 at the US Mint Headquarters. Originally part of a newly-formed engineering team, Harrigal's technical skills helped his career take off thanks to numerous innovations in coin production efficiency and structural quality.

Among his numerous contributions, Harrigal was part of modern edge lettering projects, the design for which is currently used on American Innovation and Sacagawea dollars, planchet coin specification, a program associated with the American Palladium Eagle and American Gold Buffalo coins, and die and alloy specifications for large coins. Additionally, Harrigal contributed to die designs for the first American-produced concave coin as well as the 2021 redesigns of the American Gold and Silver Eagles.

Finally, as director, Harrigal oversaw the first frosting application in a US Mint and the privy mark implementation of 2021 Morgan dollars.

Why Consider Ron Harrigal Signature Coins?

Ron Harrigal's name has been associated with the US Mint for over 35 years. After spending time as a project engineer making improvements for the Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco, and West Point plants, he was promoted in 1991 to Assistant Director for Engineering. This position allowed him to develop the first modern-day edge-lettered US coin. Additionally, he prototyped a two-piece bimetal coin process while managing the die shop startup in Denver.

Five years later, Harrigal became the department head for IT, Human Resources, and Management Services at the US Mint's Circulation Coinage Business Unit. This position gave him the opportunity to focus on recruitment, managing staff, and computer modernization in Philadelphia and Denver.

Later, he began to oversee quality, design, and research and development related to coins. Through this work, Harrigal developed new die finishing techniques, such as laser frosting. Additionally, his work led to improvements in the coating processes that impact die lifespan and product quality. Harrigal also partnered with other mints around the world to assist with digital implementations for coin layouts and designs, phasing out legacy pantograph-style equipment.

Starting in November 2010, Harrigal became the acting Chief Engraver for a couple of years. During that time, he managed various operations related to the Ultra-High 24k gold coin, multi-level frosting on proof coins, and further improved die finishing methods.

Harrigal was promoted to the Senior Advisor role in 2013 and Quality Manager in 2015. Before these roles, he helped management with design processes, proposed legislation, and coin options. He then moved to Philadelphia after becoming the Director of Design and Engraving, where he managed engraving and sculpting, cut legacy operations, and improved new product processes.

Under Ron Harrigal's leadership, several new coins and medal types were introduced: new alloys, metals, large-format high-relief coins, and more. In 2020, he also implemented several new security features while managing the American Eagle coin redesign. Additionally, his work required him to prepare the US Mint for the next generation of coin making, which included prototyping laser-engraved die-making and perfecting privy marks.

Finally, the director is associated with the return of Morgan Peace dollars.

Harrigal retired at the end of 2021, ending a long career of service to the US Mint. These substantial contributions and qualifications make him more than an ideal candidate to receive a signed series of coins. His leadership and ability to provide innovative authority add worth to his signature, making this exclusive product invaluable to collectors.

About Numismatic Guaranty Company

Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) has certified coins, tokens, and medals from worldwide, including ancient ones. The company began in 1987 and has since certified more than 50 million coins. Additionally, NGC was named the official grading service of its industry guild in 2002.

Recently, the NGC announced that Ron Harrigal, the former Chief Engraver of the US Mint, agreed to hand-sign the NGC certification labels of his signature coins. This exclusive agreement brings the retired director into NGC's series coins, which already includes more than 40 other deserving signers. At the time of its announcement, NGC also stated that coins with the Ron Harrigal Signature Label will be sold through LCR Coin.

Another vital detail to note is the certificates themselves. It is common in the hobby to use facsimile signatures with certain releases. Those who collect such coins enjoy the association with historical figures like the late President Ronald Reagan or Wyatt Earp. As such, having Harrigal's handwritten signature will undoubtedly hold up better than a reproduction.

Signed certificates do not impact the worth of a coin on its own, but sought-after signatures are valuable to those who collect the complete signature series. Harrigal's credentials ensure that his coins stand out right from the start compared to other signatures. Additionally, it is believed such coins will continue to grow in popularity over time.

These United States Mint Director coins are an excellent opportunity for new coin-collecting enthusiasts to get started. Those who aren't familiar with numismatics are on even playing ground compared to those with coins from a previous series. Likewise, there are opportunities for more developed collections.

Finally, having NGC certification ensures a guaranteed grade on Harrigal-signed coins. NGC offers highly reliable grading accepted by auction houses, dealers, and collectors around the world. That makes it a safer investment than raw coins, which benefits anyone who may inherit the collection.

The Coin-Grading Process

Grading certified coins is a team effort at Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC); at least two professional numismatists examine every coin that passes through the company. Once entered into the databases, the coins are barcoded and secured within the company's vault until they're ready for assessment by two coin graders. Only one grader examines each coin at a time.

Before grading, coins of various designations undergo specialized inspection. Numismatists compare the coins against published references to ensure it is of that type. If so, they add the appropriate numbers and descriptions to the record and database. This work occurs without labeling that identifies a submitter, making the NGC coin-grading system unbiased and unique.

To maintain impartiality, coin graders may not be involved with commercial coin transactions.

Sometimes, it's necessary to add additional information to describe certain coins. For example, copper is a reactive metal that loses its red hue over time, so the appearance can be diminished. Therefore, cooper and bronze coin grades must also include whether a coin is fully red (RD), all brown (BN), or a mixture of the two (RB). Such designations appear after the numerical coin grades, which are described below.

Other examples of supplemental descriptions that the NGC coin grade may include:

Whether a Franklin half dollar has the full lines on the depicted Liberty Bell (FBL)

Whether a Mercury dime has the full split bands (FB)

The average person may consider these esoteric designations, but they're essential for coin collectors seeking a complete description for their purchases, making them crucial for NGC grading.

Coins with damage or that feature excessive hairlines on the surface or similar detrimental surface conditions must also have this information described in the record. NGC uses Details Grading to perform this service automatically when necessary. Coins with significant detrimental conditions are described in detail before the encapsulation process. They also receive a distinctive purple label that makes them stand out.

Finally, there are additional coins that the NGC cannot encapsulate at the determination of its coin graders. For example, there are coins with altered mintmarks and dates or are otherwise not genuine. Additionally, coins with active residue, which can include PVC, cannot be encapsulated using the NGC processes. However, many of these coins may be eligible for certification by the company after conservation.

NGC Grading Scale

NGC follows the internationally-accepted standard of the Sheldon grading scale from 1 to 70, first used in the US in the 1940s. The company adopted this scale from its founding in 1987. Below are the standards for numeric grades, along with strikes and designations.

Strike

A two-letter code precedes a coin's numeric grade to identify the appearance and method of production. The most common are proof coins (PF) for collectors and mint state (MS) for circulation. However, there are other strikes.

MS Mint State: Coins receive the same striking as circulation issues. Applies to 60 to 70 grades.

PF Proof: Coins receive special collector format treatment

SP Specimen: A hybrid of the above

Numeric Grades

This scale succinctly describes the condition of a certified coin. It's not uncommon to skip numbers below 60, which is the circulation threshold.

MS/PF 70: A coin with no imperfections at 5x magnification

MS/PF 69: A fully-struck coin with nearly imperceptible faults

MS/PF 68: A very sharply-struck coin with miniscule imperfections

MS/PF 67: Sharply struck, few flaws

MS/PF 66: Very well struck, minimal hairlines

MS/PF 65: Well struck, moderate hairlines

PO 1: Flat rims, enough detail to identify the coin's date

Harrigal's hand-signed coins are MS70, making them the finest possible quality without imperfections.

Encapsulation

After NGC grades its coins and enters the necessary text and numbers into its computer data fields, the newly-certified coins depart the Grading Department and enter the Encapsulation Department. At this stage, labels are printed out displaying the coin's date, variety (if any), mintmark (if any), denomination, special designation (such as "full bands (FB)"), denomination, grade, and identification number.

Although every part is essential, the identification number is the most important; it ensures that every certified label is unique. It's also useful as a measure against counterfeit coins and encapsulation. All of the information presented on the label is then converted into a barcode, which appears beneath the text it represents on the label.

After printing these labels, NGC matches them with its coins to be encapsulated together.

At this stage, the coins are ready to go inside a plastic core piece that keeps it secure. The company maintains several of these cores to guarantee fit; it contains numerous openings of various sizes to allow NGC to certify the many US and foreign coin types. The core, similar to the holder, consists of inert material that doesn't harm the coin.

Following this procedure, each newly-certified coin has its label affixed. Then the components are enclosed into transparent plastic shells for protection. First, however, a machine blows dust off all of the parts, including the coin, using a jet of compressed air. After sealing the shell pieces around the core with ultrasonic vibration and compression, the machine dusts off the surface again.

Shipping

After encapsulation, the final step in the NGC coin-grading process is to return the newly-certified coins back to the Grading Department. Here, an industry professional examines every coin for a final inspection, ensuring the final grade and its accompanying description on the label. This individual also checks for flaws, such as nicks or scuffs, on the holder.

After inspecting all the coins, they're off to the Shipping Department for packaging. Like in each previous step of the certification and coin-grading processes, coins and labels are checked against the original invoice and counted to ensure no mistakes occurred. Next, an employee at the Shipping Department verifies the transport method and prepares the delivery to the destination.

Regardless of the destination or shipping method, NGC packages its coins the same way, placing the encapsulated coins vertically inside sturdy cardboard boxes. Each box contains a row of dividers to prevent holders from contacting and damaging each other. Before sealing the box with heavy wire-laced tape, the employee adds a copy of the submitter's invoice.

Insured and registered, the coins can finally be shipped to retailers and private collectors.

Conclusion

LCR Coin will carry coins certified with the NGC Ron Harrigal labels. To learn more about this exclusive product, the coin grading process, and where you can purchase these newly-certified coins, contact the company using the information below.

LCR Coin

102 Old Fitzhugh #300

Dripping Springs, TX 78620

800.830.5578

info@lcrcoin.com 

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