What Do You Think Of The Grade "70"

The idea these days that the opinion of PCGS is better than the opinion of NGC is just ludicrous to me. The grades assigned are just the opinions of IMPERFECT people. I prefer NGC because I like how their slabs have more of a museum quality about them. That's it. I put together a complete Ike set in PCGS slabs just to add some variety to my collection. That's it. My reasons are simple. As for the 70 grade. I will buy these over 69s if the price difference isn't too steep. I'm talking like no more that $30 or possibly $40.

Here are some of my 70s coins, I would normally never buy them, but I got them for a better deal than anyone would imagine.

Http://www.imgur.com/a/XFWvX

I don't believe any coin is absolutely, 100%, undenyably perfect without any inperfection whatsoever. nothing in this world is "perfect". It's a state that lets us strive towards bigger and better things and lets us know that there's always something better to work towards. I'd be willing to bet that since kids we've all been hearing: "Just do your best, nobody's/nothing's perfect". Well mommy wasn't lying.. Wether coins, showing an animal, fruit a the fair, a haircut, a car, a book, a job, painting, a drink.... anything... Its not "perfect", there is always something that could be improved. Why would coins be any different?

I suppose the argument could be made that things people call/grade perfect (coins, bills, comic books, fruit, chickens etc) are as close to perfect as you can get. But there's such a fine line between 69-70 and it all depends who's looking at it giving the grade. What's perfect for the guy at a TPG may not be perfect to you.. Or me.. Or the next person. Heck, even the same grader at a TPG looking at the same exact coin a month later may have called it perfect the first time around and call it a 69 the second.

I've seen pleanty of 69's that haven't a flaw, and many 70's that 100% do not deserve the grade. Even in PCGS slabs, whom I also agree grade stricter than the others.

Nobody would dream of cracking out a 70 and resubmitting it.. And why is this? Because plain and simple there's a very good chance it will not come back as a 70. As mentioned grading is subjective... Each individual person doing the grading will view the coin differently, as each of us do/will. Even with set in stone standards in grading/TPG's everyone will still judge a little differently.

We here strive to help new collectors, and constantly say to "buy the coin and not the slab"... But by saying you wouldn't dream of cracking out a 70 and resubmitting it your basically saying you know there's a good chance it may not come back a 70 and hope someone buys it (if/and when you or eventually your heirs, ever sell) due to what the slab says? Isn't this contradicting buy the coin and not the slab? You paid a premium for a 70 that may or may not be a 70 and when the time comes for someone to sell it nobody wants to take a loss.

If I submit a modern coin do I hope it comes back a 70? Well sure.. But not because I believe it's 100% unconditionally flawless, but more just for the fun of it, because I know that if I resubmit the same coin again theres a good chance it won't come back the same. And as far as buying already slabbed goes.. When it comes to 69's/70's I will not do it online, I want the coin/slab in hand to judge for myself what that coin may be, which has better eye appeal. And honestly I like some of my 69 ASE's better than my 70's... To me they have more eye appeal and look more "flawless".... And they were cheaper to boot...

I would never dream of telling someone what or how to collect... You want all 70's... No problem, that's absolutely your choice. But just knowing that a 70 today may not be a 70 tomorrow keeps me from spending huge premiums on them. Using the $86,000 ASE for example... If one were to crack one of those out and resubmit it how good are the chances it will return a 70? What gets to me is that nobody would dream of doing that, but in turn there hoping that if they ever sell it people will buy the slab and not the coin..