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Which Classic US Coins Are The Most Difficult To Grade?

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First Page  Showing last 15 replies.
Author Previous TopicReplies: 19 / Views: 2,419Next Topic Page 2 of 2
Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts
 Posted 07/28/2014  9:35 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add sel_69l to your friends list
with jimbucks.
I always have to cop out and go into PCGS Photograde, to help make up my mind when we are invited to grade an example of a BLP Quarter or Half Eagle, from posted pictures, here in the CCF.
That is about the only coin design where I have to do this.

I feel reasonably confident in grading just about all other coins, including World coins from all centuries and ancients.
Ancients are really a different grading discipline altogether.
Pillar of the Community
Korea, Republic Of
1881 Posts
 Posted 07/28/2014  10:01 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Matteproof to your friends list
Indian quarter and half eagles. The incuse design makes it a real challenge grading them for me.
Also the Capped Bust coinage, especially halves. Weak/varying strike makes grading relatively difficult.
Pillar of the Community
United States
3253 Posts
 Posted 07/28/2014  11:01 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add philadelphian to your friends list
Come on, people. Colonials. No contest.
Pillar of the Community
United States
8904 Posts
 Posted 07/28/2014  11:22 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Moe145 to your friends list
I'm going with early nickel coins: Shield nickels and 3 Cent Nickels.

The hardness of the metal caused such quick Die Deterioration that even freshly struck coins appeared with die cracks, uneven strikes, and edge Cuds.

IMO, it's tough to determine strike weakness versus wear in many cases.
Pillar of the Community
United States
4409 Posts
 Posted 07/28/2014  11:28 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add MeadowviewCollector to your friends list
A lot of them I find difficult to grade have already been mentioned.

I have trouble grading Peace dollars. Also differentiating between strike weakness and wear on Morgan dollars.

Gold dollars and silver trimes are also hard to grade for me.


-MV
Pillar of the Community
United States
5854 Posts
 Posted 07/29/2014  01:20 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add D0ubl3Eagle to your friends list
I also find the silver trimes difficult to grade. Though not a series, I think much of the U.S coinage from the late 18th to early 19th century are tricky given how much they can vary in quality and eye appeal even among those of the same grade and/or die pair.
Pillar of the Community
United States
1536 Posts
 Posted 07/29/2014  05:22 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add buddy16cat to your friends list
Standing liberties especially in lower grades before VF. I have a hard time distinguishing G, VG, from Fine
Edited by buddy16cat
07/29/2014 05:24 am
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Learn More...
United States
1949 Posts
 Posted 07/29/2014  07:52 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add jdmern to your friends list
Shield nickels and lower grade standing liberties
Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts
 Posted 07/29/2014  10:29 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add just carl to your friends list
I consider myself a lousy grader of coins so I just take whatever is on a 2x2 at coin shows as what they are. Other than that I just can't imagine how anyone could grade a Large Cent. With those I'd go good, bad and ugly.
Rest in Peace
United States
10625 Posts
 Posted 07/29/2014  10:49 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add dave700x to your friends list

Quote:
Large Cent. With those I'd go good, bad and ugly


LOL Carl, and you're not even looking at ebay. That's where the ugly gets real ugly.
Pillar of the Community
United States
4897 Posts
 Posted 07/29/2014  10:52 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add amida17 to your friends list

Quote:
Come on, people. Colonials. No contest.



This!

Poor manufacturing....bad planchets....overstrikes...oy vey ist mir!
Pillar of the Community
United States
2368 Posts
 Posted 07/29/2014  11:30 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add wheatchaser140 to your friends list
For me, Three Cent Silvers, Buffalo nickels, and especially gold. Those BLPs...
Valued Member
United States
308 Posts
 Posted 07/30/2014  08:43 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Spud to your friends list
For me it's gold coins and Piece dollars.
Pillar of the Community
United States
3843 Posts
 Posted 07/30/2014  5:09 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Joe2007 to your friends list
I agree with the Indian gold $2.50 & $5.00, they are a challenging to grade.

Part of what makes collecting "Classics" great is the variety of strikes, weakness, and later die states that you seen on the earlier coins like Capped Bust Halves. It keeps you on your toes and even the top tier TPGs get it wrong sometimes.
Pillar of the Community
United States
589 Posts
 Posted 07/31/2014  12:38 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add johntookit to your friends list
Any heavily toned coins.
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