Who is the best coin grader you know?

Cameo CC · February 26, 2003 9:28PM

I am wondering who you think is the best coin grader you know. I have found that someone who is good Morgan Dollars might not be good with Lincoln cents or Mint State coins verse Proof coins.

While many good graders are at Long Beach maybe this is a chance for us common folk to weigh in.

Todd

dorkkarl · February 26, 2003 9:29PM

why, pcgs of course!

K S

Cameo CC · February 26, 2003 9:31PM

dorkkarl - any individuals you can mention?

Todd

nwcs · February 26, 2003 9:32PM

I only know myself, so it's not a fair comparison.

MacCoin · February 26, 2003 9:38PM

I don't know him personly but I say its got to be homerunhall. he makes a living at it

MadMonk · February 26, 2003 9:43PM

I know Bill Fivas on a first name basis. We are not "friends" though. I've bought some nice coins from him as well.

LanLord · February 26, 2003 9:45PM

I don't know him personally either, but Greg Marguli seems to be one of the most accurate I've seen on these boards. It seems when ever he chimes in on a "guess the grade" post he is usually right on the button.

As for people that I do know, there is a guy named Vince here in Northern Cal that has a great eye for coins.

cointagious · February 26, 2003 9:58PM

coleman foster. if you attend big shows then you've probably been by his table. i've never met anyone who could correctly grade and price meat & potato coins like him in the absolute volume that he does. not to mention that he's a great guy to know, too.

Cameo CC · February 26, 2003 10:04PM

My dad says David Bowers. He adds that he is in the top ten.

Todd

dorkkarl · February 26, 2003 10:18PM

<< <i>dorkkarl - any (pcgs) individuals you can mention? >>

of course! name-less grader #1, face-less grader #2, and anonymous grader #3!

K S

dorkkarl · February 26, 2003 10:23PM

ok, cameocc, just kidding.

off the top of my head, a handful of outstanding graders that i personally know and have actualy done business with:

jack beymer
tom reynolds
dick osburn
brain greer
maury shepherd
j cline

there are plenty more!

couldn't argue much w/ picking coleman foster, though he will always grade your coins to his favor, given the leverage. but you can get very fair prices w/ him.

K S

Zerbe · February 26, 2003 11:43PM

Charlie Brown-------Mark Feld--------Warren Mills.

Russ · February 26, 2003 11:46PM

DorkKarl!

Russ, NCNE

RotatedRainbows · February 26, 2003 11:53PM

Alan Hager.

scher · February 27, 2003 1:34AM

mark feld is pretty darn good he really impressed the hell out of me on about 75 coins i sent in..he virtually got all of em correct
bruce scher

paigowjohnny · February 27, 2003 1:36AM

The ANACS team...I think they grade to the true ANA standard.

airplanenut · February 27, 2003 1:37AM

<< <i>Alan Hager. >>

Diane Hagar

It's HER company

airplanenut · February 27, 2003 1:38AM

But seriously... I'd think Mark Feld is probably pretty good

I just don't know him personally... hmmm...

NumisEd · February 27, 2003 3:23AM

Todd, why do you ask the question? Are you guys hiring?

wingedliberty · February 27, 2003 3:36AM

Myself
Warren Mills.
Kenneth Polcari Jr.
John Fiegelbaum

einie · February 27, 2003 4:11AM

Jerry Wysong out of the Dayton, OH area. He sells a lot on e-Bay and at local shows. Very consistent and very accurate grading in my opinion.

Dog97 · February 27, 2003 4:27AM

me & stman

dbldie55 · February 27, 2003 4:31AM

Dale Williams

(My local dealer. Used to grade at PCGS)

Baley · February 27, 2003 4:36AM

know personally, or know of ?
I am the best grader of those that I am on a first name basis with (I don't know many other collectors),
but the very best graders I 've heard of
are names like Bowers, Hall, Travers, Albanese, Lipka, and a few others.

dwood · February 27, 2003 4:37AM

Me.
I'm the only one that gets them ALL right

JohnButlerfromLV · February 27, 2003 4:55AM

While I was at PCGS, the best grader in the room was Mike Sargent. He was the most consistent and the most accurate grader in the room to PCGS's standard.
I believe that the computer at PCGS would also verify my opinion, as well as David Hall. That is as long as you took out the modern coin grading from the equation.
The best graders I have ever worked with are Dave Schweitz, Martin Paul and Jeff Isaac. Jesse Lipka was the best at the higher grades in his prime. He has lost a little bit on his accuracy because he has focused on paper money the past 5 years.
With the exception of Mark Salzberg, an owner of a grading service, the best graders in the world would not be at the grading services. The best graders make more money in the coin market than the grading services can afford to pay.
Although I have never worked with him, I would suspect that Jim Halpern is the best coin grader of all-time.
Just my opinion.
John Butler
Sahara Coins
&
Vintage Paper Memories

vam44 · February 27, 2003 5:01AM

Me.

I do everything from high-grade type to low-grade fillers.I pick off everything that is under-priced.DMPL`s,cherry-picker`s,paper money,gold,foreign,vams,cameos,etc.,etc....I live and breathe coins.

Coleman Foster is good, but I`ve bought raw,slabbed,and sold back the same coin to him.

Dave M. from Executive Coin in Ohio is probably the sharpest all-around grader-dealer I know.I`ve yet to sell "his" coin BACK to him at a profit.He11,I`ve got a few years left,God willing, and I`ll do it one day.

It`s just not worth it, as there are so many other gold mines to pick off.

roadrunner · February 27, 2003 11:35AM

Besides the PCGS/NGC graders I like to consider those who have cracked or slabbed raw coins for a living: some of those include
Jesse Lipka, Martin Paul, Charlie Brown, Bill Nagle, Rick Sear, Sylvano D., Kevin Lipton, Eric Streiner, Jay Miller, Jeff Isaac, Steve Contursi, Tom Caldwell, Andy Lustig, John Dannreuther, Warren Mills, Lee Bellisario, Charlie Vaganis, etc. I'm sure there are others I have missed. At least many of these people were part of the group that I had continually had to bang heads again at major auctions in the 80's.

roadrunner

Bear · February 27, 2003 11:42AM

I might only be a bear, but I am capable of grading a coin within 70 points

with some degree of consistancy and continuity.

Further, I defy anyone to challange my assertions.

Johnscoin · February 27, 2003 1:53PM

How about Bobby Avena?
Jim Halperin would definitely be in the top 10 as well as earlier stated...
I find it interesting that 2 people that work with Eureka were named...Jeff Isaacs and Andy Lustig... I don't know them, but I do find it interesting...
Of course, a lot of graders would make more money outside of the grading room, but some would stay there because it would prevent a lot of hassle of dealing with coin dealers

Mrpawn · February 27, 2003 3:01PM

Grady of Grady's Coins

Made his living buying and selling honestly in a small community. Buy a coin one day at a certain grade and have to sell it years later? he would buy it back and give it the same grade he had before (this does not always mean the same value of course). He was in the coin business well over 30 years until he retired and I have yet to hear a bad word uttered about him from anyone (I have been part of this community about 22 years). Like I said, in a rather small community where most collectors and all dealers know each other and no one has a gripe about this man or his business practices. This man is the best coin dealer and most consistant grader that I have ever met.

dorkkarl · February 27, 2003 7:00PM

dwood, outstanding answer.

K S

Cameo CC · February 27, 2003 9:29PM

Here are the results of the best graders (if there is a number next to the name it means multiple votes):

Jeff Isaac - 4
David Hall - 3
Jesse Lipka - 3
Jim Halpern - 3
Mark Feld - 3
Warren Mills - 3
Andy Lustig - 2
Charlie Brown - 2
Coleman Foster - 2
David Bowers - 2
dwood - 2
John Albanese - 2
Mark Salzberg - 2
Martin Paul - 2
bear
Bill Fivas
Bill Nagle
Bobby Avena
brain greer
Charlie Vaganis
Dale Williams
Dave M. from Executive Coin in Ohio
Dave Schweitz
dick osburn
Dog97
DorkKarl
Eric Streiner
Grady of Grady's Coins
Greg Marguli
itsnotjustme
j cline
jack beymer
Jerry Wysong out of the Dayton, OH
John Dannreuther
John Fiegelbaum
Kenneth Polcari Jr.
Kevin Lipton
Lee Bellisario
maury shepherd
Mike Sargent
nwcs
Pushkin
Rick Sear
Steve Contursi
stman
Sylvano D
The ANACS team
Tom Caldwell
tom reynolds
Travers
vam44
Vince here in Northern Cal
wingedliberty

Todd

Updated through 35 posts

KlectorKid · February 27, 2003 9:45PM

Well, I'm going to vote for Pushkin, his slabbing "company" does really great job with copper and all of my example of his coins are PQ for the grade.

itsnotjustme · February 27, 2003 10:20PM

Well, as for knowing personally, it's me. I consider myself very good at MS and circulated coins. PCGS has told me I stink at proof coins!

From the boards, I have many people I have high opinions of, and often ask their opinion on coins I consider buying.

coinguy1 · February 27, 2003 10:59PM

My votes, among others: Jim Halperin, John Albanese, Mark Salzberg, Jeff Isaac.

While I very much appreciate having been mentioned in this thread, I'm not in the same league with the guys I just mentioned and there are many others whose names belong above, as well.

MadMarty · February 28, 2003 2:34AM

Pushkins Maine Coon Cat!!!

Who is the best coin grader you know?

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