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 Replies: 28 / Views: 6,192 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3486 Posts |
The ANA book on grading was my first introduction to the system. The late David Lawrence referred to such a scale for Barber coins. My current understanding is that the same or similar scale is also used for Seated Liberty coins and Morgan dollars. The scale is based upon the fact that coins do not wear in discreet steps. Rather, they wear along a continuum. To use the vernacular, coin wear is an analog process rather than a digital process. The 0 to 70 scale attempts to take this analog process and assign a digital numeric "grade" but without complete success. On top of wear, environmental changes can and do occur ranging from "pleasing" tone to "AWFUL" tone." No numeric scale can be substituted for good ol' fashioned adjectives. Add to this bag marks, usage scratches and plain old willful destruction and we end up with a mess. UNLESS, the buyer educates him or herself. And guides his or her own purchases by a personal scale. Just an opinion, but an educated one. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3486 Posts |
OK. Let me say it:
Sheldon, from "Big Bang." as a coin person:
"Note the third hair from the left-hand side as it fades away.
No way is it an XF-45. At best, a VF-43.3145926535 or there about."
And his roommate replies,
"I thought it was just a quarter."
Edited by matthewvincent
02/20/2013 6:50 pm
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Moderator
 United States
189767 Posts |
 Bazinga! |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Regardless of what anyone here says or thinks, when you go to a coin show, coin store, or anywhere coins are sold, there is about a 99% chance the coins will graded with that system. G-4, EF-40, etc. If not, then the usual just G or F.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3345 Posts |
Since when is there a cent graded PR-01 RD? They turn brown by then.... duh
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1796 Posts |
If they're *really* well handled they can "stay" red. ;-)
Or if it's a zlincoln, I suppose RD gets replaced with ZN. ;-)
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10047 Posts |
You hit the nail on the head with this statement:: Quote:
but making things more granular is for marketing purposes only TPGs were started by people wanting to create a market for their idea. They took something not possible to be quantified to the nth degree and try to quantify it to the nth degree. But some system is needed. My prediction is that one TPG is finally going to present the idea of computer graded coins (which is an ability that was around 20 years ago with machinery I used in a QC department to inspect the quality of electronic components during a summer job) when they think it financially the best time to present it. They wil market their "cutting edge" idea as being the ONLY way to guarantee your coins are graded properly. Joe Public will then not be able to sleep soundly at night knowing his already slabbed coins are just not truly graded "properly," and will pay (once again) to have them re-slabbed. Hence the TPGs create another 30 years of business for themselves. When TPGs first emerged, myself and other friend collectors were joking that some day someone would come up with the bright idea that THEY could certify the professional slabs and charge even more money for it laugh, laugh, laugh, wink wink... Ooops - CAC stickers... I guess we were prophets and did not know it while they make profits and DO know it.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3276 Posts |
I actually like the current scale. I love picking up au55 and au58 coins that look uncirculated at a much cheaper price than ms coins. With another scale, I might be paying more for these. hehehe. AU has become my favorite grade.
But I know what you mean. I see some ms coins that looks like crap and I see au coins that look perfect. Also, if you just take AU for example, some look all dirty and you cant see the details, and others look like mint state. That's why these days people live by the expression "by the coin, not the slab".
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2781 Posts |
a computer is going to have a very hard time telling the difference between worn and a weak strike. a weak strike can still be MS6* and look just as crappy as an F. eye appeal is the only thing that matters, and you dont need a TPG or computer for it. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3276 Posts |
I agree, taking Flying Eagle cents for instance. You can find some AU58's that look darn near uncirculated with a nice strike. And there are lots that are graded ms62 or 63 that were very weakly struck and don't look as great in my opinion. But they sell for a lot more. |
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Valued Member
Canada
306 Posts |
I wouldn't deduct points or punish toning. Beauty (or lack thereof) is in the eye of the beholder, some people like their coins blast white while others prefer various types of toning. Also, you do raise a very good point about the entire Sheldon scale not being used. (F13, VG23, AU57...). If we were making a new scale it definitely should be fairly linear. No more of the situation where in the current scale certain grades (e.g. FR02 and G4) are hugely different, yet others (e.g. MS 66 and MS68) are nearly identical.
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Valued Member
United States
121 Posts |
I am glad I am not alone in wondering why there is no such thing as a G-5. I have a barber 1901-S 25C, whose Obverse is a strong 6, the reverse, a 5+, so the grader netted it out as a 6. As everyone knows, there is a huge difference between a 4, 6, 8 and 10. I would like the ability to have intermediate grades at least for certain acknowledged rarities.
Of course, the counter argument is that no human (or three) can with a 95% confidence interval distinguish between a hypothetical VG-9 and VG-10. That notwithstanding, I believe the graders should be given the freedom to take this concept mainstream.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2805 Posts |
I'm always annoyed that plenty of shops up here use VF-15, but most price guides don't even have that grade. Even worse is my IHC graded "F-16". Grr! |
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Replies: 28 / Views: 6,192 |
First Page
Posted 02/20/2013 6:48 pm
