Obverse Grading Standards For 20 Cent Pieces

My old Photograde is dated 1970, but it reads the same as yours on the Twenty Cent Piece. While I like the grading guidelines in my old PG, it is too conservative on a few coins like the Twenty Center. The word Liberty on this series was raised in the design and wears away faster than for instance, a liberty Seated quarter. My 1981 ANA GRading Standards states for a 20 cent to be F-12 three or more letter must be readable. I like that as being about right. I know standards have loosened, but I don't agree with PCGS that a tweny cent coin can be a F-12 with NO letters visible. Just one old farts opinion.

The problem is that you need to take strike into consideration. I agree that a coin that is better struck should be worth more than one that is softly struck. However, technically, a grade is based on wear not strike. The old grading books really didn't take that into account and essentially made it easy for everyone to understand what a certain grade coin should look like assuming a perfect strike.

20-centers are their own world. Many of them are softly struck, especially the popular Carson City mints. You learn how to grade these coins not just by what the "old grading standards" said but by other things, like the eagle's head, stars, rims, the obverse shield outline, etc.

Well struck 20-centers are difficult to find and come with a premium. That's not to say you shouldn't pursue them, but don't place a huge amount of emphasis on what old standards said. You have to take a lot more into account. Even eye appeal can slightly bump up a grade.

Weakly struck and die weakness are also different things , die state plays a major role in any grading standard for any coin series .

and again this is something that is not learned from grading guides but by personally viewing as many different coins as possible.