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 Replies: 475 / Views: 52,817 |
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Unlike grading modern coins, grading ancient coins is very subjective and IMO much more difficult to do.
There are many factors to consider when coming up with a grade. Here are a few that may help as a guide line:
It's a given that most ancients have been cleaned at some point or another when they were removed from the ground. Otherwise most coins would look like lumps.
Toning: Tone is a factor on silver coins. It should be a nice warm tone and not the overcleaned blast white.
Patina: Base metal coins develop a patina. This patina can come in many colors and shades. Coins with a nice all around patina will grade higher than those with blochy patina or coins that have been over cleaned down to bare metal.
Details: The less wear the better.
Surface: Wear, abrasions, gouges, scratches, encrustations and stains effect the grade.
Shape and completeness of Flan: While is it very seldom to see a completely round ancient coin. The rounder the better. Any chips, pieces missing, etc will effect the grade.
Centering: Coins that are well centered on the flan will get a higher grade. Those that are off center with legends off the flan and missing details will grade less.
Other factors that will negatively effect grade are:
Flan cracks
Porosity
Crystallinty on silver coins
Graffiti
Smoothing
Corrosion
Tooling
Test cuts
Scratches
Lacquering
Verdigris
Horn silver
The grades:
Poor
Fair
About Good aG
Good
Good +
Very Good
About Fine aF
Fine
Fine +
About very five aVF
Very fine
Very fine +
About extremely fine aXF, aEF
Extremely fine
Extremely fine +
Superb extremely fine
As struck
Mint state FDC.
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Coin up for your grading   |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
I tend to grade a bit low. I have it at Very Fine.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
There is very little wear on this piece.
Auction grading:
EF, full flan, complete legends. Slight striking weakness on rev.
This coin is wayy too nice to get a VF grade.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
What we need is a critique on each coin, what pulls it down from being a perfect specimen.
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
What kept it from EF IMO was the on the figure of Aeternitas there is flatting of the mid section.
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Valued Member
United States
188 Posts |
How`s about I post a coin?   It has a bit of wear, I graded it VF+, but I`m starting to have doubts. |
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Valued Member
United States
188 Posts |
The legend is as follows:
Obv: FL IVL CONSTANTIVS NOB C
Rev: GLORIA EXERCITVS
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
Based on the wear, and what appears to be a small flan with some of the legend and mint mark off flan. I would grade the coin at Fine to Fine plus. Than again I tend to grade a bit low.
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Valued Member
United States
188 Posts |
It`s an AE3 about the size of a penny.
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New Member
Italy
25 Posts |
The grading is not same on ancient coins as on modern.
modern grade is like good, good/fine, fine, etc, on the ancient is not same, on ancient should be 1, 1+, up to the 5.
the grading start with the shape or centre of the coin.
then the grading is based on the coin having full legend marked depending on hinged die straight die or anvil die.
third is works on coin, toolage to coin.
there is no ef in ancient coin. best is as struck. if coin is as struck is meaning next to best examples seen.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
@ echizento: I interpreted that a 'striking weakness'
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
@ DannDaman020:
VF, slight corrosion from burial. Incomplete legends.
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
Sel, you might be right on the weak strike. Jaquet I've not heard of that type of grading system your referring too. Is it something new or a system used in Europe?
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Valued Member
United States
188 Posts |
Here`s a nice Western Satrap coin of Vijayasena with exceptional eye appeal.   I will grade this with both Jaquet`s and echizento`s grading system. I will say about a 3+ with Jaquet`s system and an aEF with echizento`s grading system. Obv: Bust of Vijayasena with Bramhi date (170SE =248AD) and corrupted Greek legend. Rev: 3-arched hill with Bramhi legend Rajno Mahakshatrapa Damasenasaputrasa Rajno Mahakshatrapa Vijayasenasa Edited by DannDaMan020
12/17/2013 8:07 pm
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Replies: 475 / Views: 52,817 |
Posted 12/17/2013 10:07 am
