Coin Grading Shootout

yspsales

https://youtu.be/j-uTbC8oc88

Saw this video and was just engrossed.

Masterclass on what dealers see and the grades they assign.

MrEureka

Not a lot of action in that video. But what the graders lack in dramatic flair, they make up with stunningly good looks.

bidask

Lance , James and Andy are experts at grading.

I was struck at James calling out dipping and spot removing on some of those coins ( something NGC may have missed) !

syl

The video verifies what a graders that I knew up here in Canada, working for US TPG's. He said that they spent less than 20 seconds per coin to assign the grade, mostly on the Obv. If this wasn't being filmed and part of a 'contest", I think that the 17 seconds that they estimated for higher grade was right. Hmmmmmm, 17 seconds for a $50 charge is a pretty good hourly rate.

teslasghost

@syl said:
The video verifies what a graders that I knew up here in Canada, working for US TPG's. He said that they spent less than 20 seconds per coin to assign the grade, mostly on the Obv. If this wasn't being filmed and part of a 'contest", I think that the 17 seconds that they estimated for higher grade was right. Hmmmmmm, 17 seconds for a $50 charge is a pretty good hourly rate.

Thats actually not really representative of their "hourly rate". There are a myriad of security concerns, databasing, photography, packing, grading and quality control. There are many people and moving parts to at least the two top TPGS (PCGS, NGC). The overheads are not small.

neildrobertson

This sort of video is great. These 4 individuals are competent enough at grading to really show you that it's a learned skill. It also reminded me that people that actively grade professionally are a step above even the best professionals that don't. Keep in mind that grading is a very specific skill in an arsenal of a variety of skills that can make you an effective numismatic professional. An example is the Sovereign with graffiti. Only 2 of the 4 participants picked up on it, but you need to be able to catch that almost 100% of the time as a grader.

Also, a great video produced by Charles Morgan.

darktone

@bidask said:
Lance , James and Andy are experts at grading.

I was struck at James calling out dipping and spot removing on some of those coins ( something NGC may have missed) !

Or could have been something NGC conserved.

Clio

@neildrobertson said:
This sort of video is great. These 4 individuals are competent enough at grading to really show you that it's a learned skill. It also reminded me that people that actively grade professionally are a step above even the best professionals that don't.

I wholeheartedly agree and even as John Albanese has said in interviews. He uses a grading set to constantly re-calibrate and will even come back to work on some off days to review coins to stay sharp at grading. It is a skill we all try and practice but it's one thing as collectors or dealers looking at 100+ new coins a day, many of which are either already graded or not worth grading vs a coin grader looking at 700+ raw coins a day.