How Do You Determine If A Coin Is Worth Grading?

I could give some general pointers, but I have never had a coin graded. I think the advice should come from those who have.

Post the coin here, and if you see a bunch of comments telling you to send it in, then the forum is usually a reliable source.

@Coinvirgin, looks like you got a lot of sound advice already but for what it's worth I will tell you a short story...

I collected coins for 15+ years but never really "got into" error hunting until 2015 when I read and joined this site and another coin site (they s$ck..this is the best site by far).

After reading and learning somewhat I posted pictures of two 1936-D Buffalo nickels I honestly believed were legit along with matching photos of an actual 3 1/2 legged Buffalo for comparison.

The comments I got back were "suspect", "altered", "possible fake", etc. But there was 1 guy who was supportive and advised me to get it graded so I did. He told me to send it to ANACS to keep costs down and if it turned out not to be real I wouldn't lose as much as some other TPG's.

I believe for everything end to end (postage/return postage, insurance, etc) it was $77. The form is laborious and confusing for all Professional TPG's (IMO) so be careful and read the ULTRA fine print about what each checkbox means, mostly more money going to them.

Turns out it was authentic and I ended up selling it to the guy on here who recommended I have it graded at a very good price for him and me.

There are several morals to this story:
1) The people on here are here to help you learn, grow and understand error hunting; they still are helping me a lot very often and I am thankful for the time, expertise and patience they give freely of their time.
2) There are some very knowledgeable people on here who will help you grow; there are some who are learning as you are and everyone makes mistakes.
3) I believe most everyone on here really wants to see people learn the hobby and be "successful"; if you measure success in monetary terms; stop now, sell your coins and take up tennis.
4) Everyone is human and there will be frustration and miscommunication at times; don't take it personal unless someone makes it personal then report it.

Here are my heuristics for grading:
1) You are advised by someone you accept as an "expert" in their own right as demonstrated by posts on here; you can quickly see who everyone defers to or accepts their opinions as the gospel because they will stop disagreeing, okay most will stop
2) You have done your research on the many other sites such as Cuds on Coins, Variety Vista, etc. (NOT ebay!) And know the differences in errors and varieties and which TPG's will authenticate errors/varieties and which will not.
3) To save money you can send your coins off to JC Stevens on Cuds-on-Coins or Dr Wiles on Variety Vista (I have done both and they are great!) Details on how to do so are on their site.
4) If you TRULY believe in your heart you have something WORTH the cost and effort of professional grading, go for it!

Best of luck!

@coinvirgin
Like others, I have not yet sent a coin to be graded.

One common theme that is regularly stated here though is to have a coin graded if it is a coin that is regularly faked. Typically these are key dates in a series (such as the 1916D Mercury dime). It is a good idea to develop the skills to properly grade for yourself and to learn how to perform the research to authenticate a coin if it is questionable. The TPG comes into play should you decide to sell a high value coin. Their opinion is widely (but not always!) accepted as to the grade and authenticity of a coin.

All that being said, it's up to you to decide if and when you feel the need or desire to have a coin graded by a TPG. Investigate the costs associated with the service, and decide if you feel the cost is justified.

Gotcha' , I'm glad I asked.
( "heuristics" okay I confess to having looked up the definition!
The Coinvirgin I may be, & eager to learn.

to the CCF!

Don't send a coin in for grading unless it's worth over $300. Even then, don't just send in any coin. Send in a coin that may have more value if graded, such as a higher-grade Trade dollar. Also, send in a key date that has enough value to be graded. For example, I would send in a 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent for grading if I had one, as it is of a high value.

Stick to only PCGS, NGC, or ANACS. PCGS and NGC are generally more accurate and will fetch a higher price if the coin is for sale, than ANACS.

I own hundreds of graded coins but have only paid for one to be graded myself. I generally find the coins I want in the grades desired are readily available for far less than the price of locating a worthy raw coin and submitting it.

Let me add a couple more thoughts.

(1) CAC stickers and the like are also not a substitute for making an independent decision on a coin. Ignore the stickers. Eyeball the coin.

(2) Grading services look at the technical grade for the coin. There are a lot of U-G-L-Y coins that can earn technical grades, but lack the quality of strike or the eye appeal collectors desire. Many times, I've snagged eye-appealing EF / AU coins that are far more collectible than run-of-the-mill technical UNCs.