How Much Training/ Experience Do TPG Have? How Many Work For The Company?

Grading coins isn't a normal 9-5 job in my opinion. Do umpires referee games 40 hours/week?
Perhaps the 35-50 graders that one poster alluded to in the annual report means that they are working sub 20 hours/week as 2 coins/min times 3 graders equals 40 coins per man hour and 40 graders would do 1600 coins/hour or 32,000 coins in a 20 hour week (over 50 weeks that is 1.6 million coins and that is more than they grade). Also a third grader is only used when the first 2 graders give different results, so they might only average 15 hours/week.

A lot depends on what they are graders for. The highest workload is definitely the graders doing the silver eagles and modern bulk submissions. The graders doing those silver eagles/kooks/maples ect aren't the same ones that do the high value classics. They have their specialties within the system, it's not like you're a grader so one day you do 5 figure coins and the next day you're doing a monster box of silver eagles type thing.

I've never been a big fan of the whole trying to break down time on a coin vs coins per day method a lot of people try and figure out. It's so heavily influenced by bulk submissions and easy modern orders it can give the appearance they just blow through everything. It's okay to get an idea I guess as long as people remember its not like a shot clock, if they need more time on a coin they'll take it but a large number of coins just don't take that long when you grade professionally.




It's an old video and there are some others on youtube but it was the first one I found. I believe it was Coin World who has a video somewhere of NGC doing show grading.

They spend a couple of minutes at most on a coin, often less. A grader is someone that comes from the dealer community usually. They are given a test of graded coins from the service and they have to get at least 80% correct. These jobs pay about $100K/yr as they do not allow you to deal while you are employed as a grader.

I'd be interested in a grader position so if anyone from PCGS or NGC checks out CCF then send me a PM. Chesterb has mad grading skillz!

Of course there is no training . You either have the ability to grade to the TPGs standards or you don't
Drawing from the dealer community is natural as they are the ones who have handled thousands and thousands of coins over time. Collectors not so much.
As to how long a Third party grader looks at a coin and makes a decision , usually less than twenty seconds .
I have watched collectors agonize over a single coin for ten minutes or longer at a coin show. Hardly a money maker in the eyes of the Pros.

There is training, on the job training. I'm sure they watch the output of new hire closely and if the finalizer has to overrule them too often they get cut loose

I know a few of the guys both fairly new and veterans. There is already a lot of great answers in this thread. I'll add some opinion. Sorry, I don't remember how to QUOTE a post.


Q: "When someone starts working as a grader for a TPG company, are they trained from scratch, and if so, how much training is given before their work is sent back to paying customers? If they need experience, how much is needed?"

A: When someone starts working for a grading service in most cases they have experience. However, some are relatives of coin dealers and the younger folks come from the training grounds of the ANA Summer Seminars or by word-of-mouth. Many worked for coin dealers in the past.

Q: "Imagine one of the TPG posting a job opening-what would they require? Or do they hire via the "old boys" network? I am not looking for a job, don't get me wrong!"

A: See above. TPGS have advertised for new hires in the past also.

Q: "The final question is, how many individual people do the grading for the largest TPG company?"

A: Stock answer is 2 graders and a finalizer, then QC guy. Believe what you wish.

Q: "Now just to add a little more food for thought, here is a way to estimate the number of people employed by a TPG company: If a grader can do 2 coins per minute (assume this for the sake of the argument), they can do 120 per hour, and roughly 750 per day assuming normal lunch and coffee breaks. That's 3750 per week and 200,000 per year (approximately). If a company does a million per year, they would need 5 employees."

Not really. If you find out where the Christmas Party is and count the couples then divid by two you'll come close. BTW, if a grader did 2 coins a minute they would be let go. There is no set time. Depends on the coin and the tier + the knowledge/experience of the grader. One former grader told me that on his first day he was told to take a break whenever he wanted and they had drinks and snacks all around the office.

Q: Imagine doing 200,000 per year! Is that even possible? Would you not go stir crazy after a while? Maybe the numismatic equivalent of highway hypnosis? If you did something 200,000 times per year, how many times would you make a mistake?

A: Most like their job and benefits and would not change. Some feel it is very stressful like being in a sweat factory. Depends on how far up the company ladder you are I guess.

Q: "Now we all know that TPG do make mistakes. I have no idea of the number. Is it possible that the graders are getting tired looking at so many coins per day, or are there procedures in place to break the monotony?"

A: See above...smoking breaks, lunch, chit-chat, walk arounds, etc.