What is your "Guess the Grade" strategy.

DocBenjamin

Jump right in with the chance of looking like a genius but at the risk of hanging out a dumb guess. Or sitting back until a few opinions are in and safely ducking in the middle?

Mr_Spud

I like either being the 1st to guess, or only look at the coin without looking to see what others said. I tend to guess right more often when I go with my initial first impression. If I look at others guesses, I end up overthinking and guessing wrong.

Married2Coins

Mine is simple. I don't look at any opinions past the OP. Then I look at the coin and guess the grade. Then I don't post because I'm always going to be wrong.

coinbuf

I find that a dartboard is just as effective as the TPG's.

Cougar1978

It’s an intel gathering, grading practice operation.

I evaluate eye appeal, luster, strike, marks in primary focal areas, possible pvc damage, etc.

I look at the coin and grade it based on my experience and grading courses have taken. Then I might compare what others say. Beyond that don’t give a hoot. However the reveal important and compare with my guess, and value any learning experience. Then I may go back and review the PCGS grading standards which is my guideline in that area. Sometimes when results come in will compare the new CPG MV vs original b4 grading see how the submitter did.

As these are image not same as looking in hand under 100 watt light with magnifier handy.

CRHer700

I as well prefer to look only at the OP until I get a good idea of what I am going to say. Every GTG is an excellent opportunity for me to continue to hone my grading skills.

PerryHall

I tend to be conservative when I guess the grade from pics which are usually less than perfect since there could be issues such as scuffs or hairlines that aren't visible in the pics but are visible when the coin is examined in hand.

Smudge

Look at the coin. Figure what the grade is. Subtract 1.

oldabeintx

I don’t play.

seatedlib3991

I make it a rule to look just at the posted coin. Grade it and write that down. then I check to make sure I'm not guessing on something the correct answer was given like 2 years ago. After that it is fun to see how many different answers were given and with luck i remember to find out what the actual result was. James

braddick

Much of my guess involves 'knowing' the OP a bit. If he purchased the coin is one that is conservative, I add a point to my GTG. If the OP is a bit of a flake, I either subtract a point or two, or will go with a details grade.

Pizzaman

@DocBenjamin said:
Jump right in with the chance of looking like a genius but at the risk of hanging out a dumb guess. Or sitting back until a few opinions are in and safely ducking in the middle?

I typically plot all the guesses extant on a bell curve then enter a guess within one standard deviation of the mean so as to not sound so much as dumb because it's really really important to me what everybody here most of whom I'd never even met thinks of me based upon a grade guess. Seriously, what kind of dumb question is this?

coinkat

Those that participate are in a similar boat in that we are grading an image. Some here are very good at handicapping the image to offer a reasonable opinion. Some are good at recognizing the strengths and limitations of various coins within a series. All coins within a series are simply not created equal and just cannot be measured by the same yardstick. Case and point- compare a 1925-D or 26-D Buffalo to a well struck date such as a 38-D. They simply are not of the same quality. There is much to learn from opinions. Some opinions are better than others. And opinions can change over time.

As for my strategy… I call it the way I see it. And I accept that others may not share my opinion.

asheland

I like to put my guess in without any influence from other guesses.

Shurke

It all depends. If I’m pretty familiar with the series, I put my guess in without looking at others first.

For series I have less experience with, I make a guess, then look at everyone else’s responses to see if it looks like I’m in the general ball park.

Some things I just can’t seem to grade (e.g. Buffs, peace dollars) so I skip those.

Then there are some GTGs where I have absolutely no idea, but I throw caution to the wind and make a wild guess just for the kick of it.

Maywood

My "guess the grade strategy" is simple: without even opening the thread or looking at the coin I can assume MS64 and be as close as the majority of guesses.

Guess the grade threads are really not much fun any more nor are they very educational since the passing of member @Russ. He would manipulate pictures in an honest way to make a point and try to teach. One of my favorites from him was an extremely hairlined 1964 Kennedy Proof --- what else, right --- that he photographed at an angle which hid the field hairlines. Some of the guesses were ridiculous as he spoofed us all. It was shocking when he showed what the coin really looked like.

ajaan

Look at image, then guess the grade.

DRUNNER

I always wait until Mark F. and Tom D. have voiced an opinion. If they do not agree, I go with the lower of the two. Then I present 'my' opinion and always look like I know what I am doing . . . . . . .

I never seem to be far off !!! :-)

Drunner

Walkerfan

I usually jump right in. I am usually pretty close, Though I have been way off a few times. That’s how you learn more.

privatecoin

The same as my procedures for guessing on mycollect.