HALLMARK grading standards?

Dave99B

I noticed a few Hallmark-graded coins in the upcoming Heritage Long Beach auction. Does anyone have experience with this grading company? I know they were in existence for just a short period of time, but I'm wondering how their standards measured up while they were around.

Example

Thanks -

Dave

jom

Conder probably can give more info on this but as I remember it Hallmark (run by Bowers I think) were rather conservative. They probably pissed everyone off by "undergrading" their coin so they eventually went belly up.

jom

oreville

Dave99B: Very competitive. Any coins found in a Hallmark holder today should be looked at for consideration to buy. I have a few as well and am very pleased. Just be careful that it is not a picked over maxed out coins as even Hallmark had their bad days.

Conder101

Sorry I have no opinon as to the grading ability of any of the slabbing companies.

zenny

looks like whatever supplies they had left over went to pci.

BigD5

I agree with Oreville, but have seen a couple of "keys" that were blatantly overgraded, so make sure of the coin before diving in. A '27's Walker in a Hallmark ms/65 holder comes to mind, that was just plain awful.

coinguy1

Hi Dave,

I have examined numerous Hallmark graded coins, both when they were in business and since they went out of business. Some are graded as NGC and PCGS would grade them today, while others are either loosely or conservatively graded. In other words, "buy the coin, not the holder". Also, not that it matters, but, to my knowlwdge, they were not run by Bowers.

griffin6

DITTO what Mark just said... they were all over the board, and in any event, ALWAYS buy the coin, not the holder!

lathmach

Hallmark was formed in Woburn, Mass. by Q. David Bowers and Lee Bellisario.

Ray