my grading skills

PTVETTER · September 17, 2014 12:01AM

I sent some Morgans and Peace dollars to our host to be graded.

Most of the Morgans came back 64 or better.

Now the Peace Dollars are another story.

It was sooo bad I will not say. Yes it was that bad. I can't grade those peace dollars at all. (Mint state that is)

time to go to bar and have a few

Neca63 · September 17, 2014 12:13AM

<< <i>I sent some Morgans and Peace dollars to our host to be graded.

Most of the Morgans came back 64 or better.

Now the Peace Dollars are another story.

It was sooo bad I will not say. Yes it was that bad. I can't grade those peace dollars at all. (Mint state that is)

time to go to bar and have a few

>>

You are not alone.
I have seen many a ms64 Peace that looked gem+ to me.
Somebody once explained to me that it was all about strike.
I didn't buy it.
I just thought that it was more about creating overblown Rarity.
We dont downgrade most coins a grade or two because they are not EDS full strikes.
We grade them as best we can and then just add attributions as warranted.
Improper grading drives collectors away.

Broadstruck · September 17, 2014 12:14AM

Sounds like you have some skills to hone as Peace $1's aren't any harder then Morgan's

PTVETTER · September 17, 2014 12:30AM

I am happy that Peace dollar collectors are a much smaller base than Morgans.

I still believe peace dollars are harder to grade than morgan. JMHO

rhedden · September 17, 2014 12:58AM

Peace Dollars: A series where an MS64 might cost you $60, and an MS66 of the same date costs $12,500. And nobody can tell the difference between the coins except the PCGS graders.

(My slightly exaggerated way of saying this series is difficult to grade).

Davideo · September 17, 2014 1:01AM

<< <i>Sounds like you have some skills to hone as Peace $1's aren't any harder then Morgan's

>>

As someone who does not collect or grade either one, I find Morgans to be much easier. In my experience it seems Morgans are just a matter of gauging the number and severity of hits and I am usually within 1 point on GTG. Peace dollars seem a lot more nuanced with luster and strike playing a bigger role and my personal guesses are usually all over the place.

BustHalfBrian · September 17, 2014 1:09AM

Peace Dollars have always been tough for me. I promise you're not alone.

TPRC · September 17, 2014 1:21AM

I do not collect either actively, but I also find Morgans very easy to grade consistently and Peace dollars among the more difficult series to grade.

Apologies for the multiple posts.

TPRC · September 17, 2014 1:22AM

TPRC · September 17, 2014 1:23AM

TPRC · September 17, 2014 1:27AM

BryceM · September 17, 2014 1:35AM

There are lots of slider Peace dollars out there. Tons. I think they're reasonably hard to grade........ It's not just strike either.

I find the AU58-MS63 range to be a muddled mess. It's easier up or down from there.

lkeigwin · September 17, 2014 1:41AM

I spent several year putting together a set of MS64+ Peace dollars (which I later sold). I think they're very difficult to grade in MS. I never got the hang of it.
Lance.

AngryTurtle · September 17, 2014 3:44AM

I dont have my references handy, but I remember reading (perhaps in a Scott Travers book) that according to a grader, the modern, low relief design of the Peace dollar made it much harder to grade than other coins like morgans, especially in the mid unc ranges 64 - 66. Perhaps someone can find the reference.

keets · September 17, 2014 6:19AM

hey Pat, did you pull a MadMarty??

PTVETTER · September 17, 2014 8:07AM

Keets, not mad just confused

Wabbit2313 · September 17, 2014 10:25AM

In grading Peace dollars, you need to smell that luster from a mile away before you get a grade. Once you have an eye for that, it's still hard!

leothelyon · September 17, 2014 6:05PM

Perhaps if you could shed some insight on what you thought would pan out and what not, an understanding where your grading skills stand, this would be helpful in determining where you went wrong. For instant, off the top of my head, Peace dollars are notorious for weak strikes and even professional graders get confused with what is wear versus details that were never imprinted onto the planch.

keets · September 17, 2014 9:00PM

Pat, Marty's learning curve with Franklin Half-Dollars and Washington Quarters was a gentle slope for a while, he had a knack for submitting AU58's. once he figured it out he made some fairly impressive scores and I assume that's the direction you're headed in.

my grading skills

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