Ok, I'm new to coins and forums so I'm hoping this is where I should post this. I'm trying to figure out the grading on a couple of IHC's so I went to a shop to look at some and none were graded but were being sold for what I thought was too much. Especially for their condition. So I bought a book called Photgrade by James F. Ruddy and some of the lower graded coins look better than the higher graded ones. What am I missing or not understanding? Do I have to have a microscope? A guy at work said I need a "loop", but I can't find any info on that either.
To CCF , I'm guessing why you think some lower grades look better than some higher ones is because on the higher grades some photos used by photograde are heavily toned and you might not be able to tell the true grade of the coin. where as the lower grades probably won't show toneing making it easier to see wear and details.
Do you have any resources you would suggest for learning grades on Indian Heads? I know there is google but every time I search for something I end up no where near where I started and somehow hours have passed.
I was hoping for a book I could go pickup. I like books and feel that it somehow encourages my kids to put down the device and pick up a book. Maybe that's just wishful thinking. But if anyone knows of any books that could be helpful to an absolute beginner. It would be appreciated.
I wish we had a library. I think I'm just going to hit up the library Friday and see what I can find. I get that the internet is a tremendous resource, but I went to school to become a programmer and I just got burned out on technology. Made me feel like a zombie and still does every time I Google something.Thanks for the replies.
Heck yeah. That helps. That's awesome. But from what I can gather is that two IHCs that I found in one of my change jars could potentially be extra fine. Maybe. Lol. I need to do more research. And when do you feel a coin is worthy of sending off to get a grading?
There is nothing wrong with collecting raw coins. However for a newbie buying more expensive Indian Head cents, buying raw coins without lots of knowledge, experience can have it's fair share of pitfalls. Look very closely for problem coins to avoid (cleaned, damaged, re-colored, and so on) since originality is very important to coin collectors and is to some collectors more important than having a higher grade.
For me graded coins are a must if I'm spending a few hundred bucks on a coin. The key dates of the series, like the 1877 and the 1909-S are heavily counterfeited so graded/slabbed coins are a must there for me. Grading through third party graders (PCGS, NGC) is costly, in a best case scenario perhaps you could piggy back on a local coin dealer's submission to the grading company and possibly get a better rate. ANACS might also be an option, they are a bit cheaper on their grading fees but don't quite have the reputation that the big two (PCGS & NGC) have.
Welcome, I'm a new member as well starting today, but I'll gladly offer my opinion on your grading question.
Obviously it is extremely exciting to find a high grade coin. However, until you have gained enough visual experience to detect what will keep a coin from being "body bagged" (for example being scratched, cleaned, etc.) instead of slabbed when grading, hold off.
Specific to the Indian Head series, I find that the only coins worthy of getting graded under AU are the key 1877 and 1909-S, and depending on your purpose of slabbing, 1866-1872 and 1886. Most other dates really don't add much value when slabbed under AU, since even raw, they're still rather easy to find today.
If you feel you must get something slabbed that isn't a $$$ coin, get on the ANACS mailing list, they often have a promo for only $10 grading of cents. You could also consider this a good test of your grading skills ... at $10 a pop. =-)
If you want a book, something you can use as a reference, Snow wrote the book for the Whitman series,
A Guide Book of Flying Eagle and Indian Head cents: Complete Source for History, Grading, and Prices Paperback - February 25, 2009 by Rick Snow (Author), Q. David Bowers (Introduction), Tom DeLorey (Foreword)
You can get it from your local coin shop (LCS) or at Amazon:
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Posted 01/27/2016 8:28 pm
