What happened to the old split grades??

Wisconsin

If I remember correctly about 15-20 years ago when I was collecting, many grading services were using split grades like MS63/65 etc. Now since I have returned to the hobby it is just one grade. I personally like this better, but how is the grade determined? Do they average obverse and reverse? I assume obverse should have more weight as you see it first. Is this correct?

nwcs

Oversimplification:

The old way was the technical grade. Which tried to be objective but was considered inadequate by the market as a whole because coins could grade very high technically but be dogs. And coins that were technically lower grade would sell for high premiums. So the market evolved a grading standard that incorporated some of the technical but add appraisal of value into the equation.

For some good background on this, and a helpful video, get the ANA grading video.

BillJones

Many coins, especially the early U.S. pieces, are better on the obverse than the reverse. The obverse usually sells the coin, and grading the reverse separately just clouds the issue.