Is "Grade" and "Condition" the same?

braddick

If so, why does 'strike' play a role in a coin's grade? Striking is not a condition- just the method of Mint opporation.

KlectorKid

nwcs

Personally, I see the two as being related yet different. Grade being the judgment of eye appeal, marks, and wear while condition being the environmental factors and quality at the particular grade. For example, a fine coin has distinct characteristics, but the condition of that coin with a technical grade fine can either improve its desirability or reduce it. If the condition is superb, it will go to a premium. If it is bad (corrossion, hairlines, etc) it will be net graded. I see them as being loosely coupled correlations.

As for strike, it doesn't have a role in condition, but it can in grade as it affects eye appeal. IMO.

Neil

Johnscoin

That's a good question. From the Coin grading classes at the ANA seminar this question was raised several times.
According to the grading companies, the strike doesn't affect the grade. It can affect the market price quite significantly though. I've seen some absolutely pitifully struck branch mint Buffaloes that graded uncirculated, though the strike was missing half of the horn...

cladking

It depends entirely on how you define the terms.

Condition should be the state of the coin as it exists. This would take into account
everything discernible about it's appearance when it was struck and everything
that currently affects it's appearance.

While grade is simply a shorthand method of saying how much a coin is worth.

Grade and condition could be the same thing but this is not what collectors want at
the current time.

RotatedRainbows

Is "Grade" and "Condition" the same?

Thats like asking if MS and UNC are the same. Depends on who you ask.

coinguy1

Pat,

I believe that "grade" is merely a specific numerical rating/qualifier of a coin's "condition." For instance, a coin's "conditon" might be XF and its "grade" would either be 40 or 45.


Strike is indeed a factor/consideration in a coin's grade, particularly when dealing with mint state examples - a weakly struck coin will often be downgraded from the grade it would otherwise receive.

dorkkarl

grade is condition sensitive, whereas condition is grade-insensitive. senses are grade-conditional, nonsense is conditionally grade-sensitive, & finally, grade-sensitivity is a condition of sensible grades.

....or something like that.

K S

coinguy1

yeah, whatever dorkkarl said goes for me too!

jom

Karl: That makes no cents...er sense.

I think clad king is right. It's all how you define it. No surprise there since you can give the same answer when asking about AT or whatever else it seems. A better question I think people should consider is whether grade = quality.

jom

cladking

<< <i> A better question I think people should consider is whether grade = quality.

jom >>




That is exactly what it boils down to, Grade=price but does not equal quality.