Who here really knows how to grade coins?

ER

Did you actually attend grading classes? Read entire books on how to grade coins? Believe you know how to grade coins by having look at them for years? Or think you know how to grade coins just because?
I will admit that I just THINK I know.

Russ

You need the option "groping in the dark", otherwise I won't be able to participate in the poll.

Russ, NCNE

ER

I believe "Think you know" will qualify for "groping in the dark".

LucyBop

This poll is unfair.... it depends on how many pitchers of margaritas I have had!

ER

<< <i>This poll is unfair.... it depends on how pitchers of margaritas I have had! >>


Then you 'll be "groping in the dark".

nwcs

Well, I did go to one class and looked at thousands of coins. It did make a difference. Whereas before I was kinda all over the map in grades, I'm consistently within 1 grade of what NGC grades it with the series I'm familiar with. Not too bad.

dragon

Accurately and consistently grading coins is not spatial physics and not nearly as difficult as most would think. It is also not some secret art or gift that only a select few can ever possess or master. While I do think that some people just have a somewhat better knack or feel for grading coins and will pick up on it a lot quicker, I do believe that nearly anyone can become a highly proficient grader with experience and a bit of knowledgeable advice.

If anyone ever tells you that only a few talented select people can ever become master graders, or that there are only 50 people in the world that are world class graders or whatever, they are totally full of it IMO, or just full of themselves.

dragon

Flying56eagle

Five years of reading, and 1,000's of coins have past under my stereo scoop...
I think I now can tell the differance between a Ag or a G-4

I think on avg. I look at around 50 to 100 coins a week
Still learning

SethChandler

ER,

What constitutes someone who "really" knows how to grade?


Seth

SmallTownCoins

I'm getting much better at "new" and "used"... :-)

griffin6

1000s of coins over the years is the best teacher. Books and classes are good for instilling the basics. "Think you know" generally just lightens your pocketbook!

My wife is getting ready to take the grading class at the ANA Summer Seminar. I was trying to prepare her for what to expect (and not to expect), and my explanation was more or less as follows:

The brain is a computer and every time you look at a coin, the information is added to your brain's data base. As the data base grows, so does your comfort level for the coins you've seen most often. Over time, you will become familiar with what is standard for a grade and what is marginal between two grades. You will also come to recognize the various problems that have an ameliorating effect on value as it applies to grade.

What you will not find is precision or objectivity. Grading will always be a subjective art and thought the purists would have you believe otherwise, it's really all about money. The lesson that some never learn is that where there is a large value spread between two grades there is a greater degree of financial risk in purchasing the higher grade. Should you have any reason to believe that the coin is marginal for that grade, you should avoid paying "full money" unless it's something you want so badly that you are prepared to accept the risk.

Nobody's right all the time. All of us, professional or collector, are making grading judgments every time we plunk our money down. For professionals, there is a saying that if you don't make mistakes, you're not doing enough business, but the underlying statement is that the dollar value of your mistakes can only have just so much impact on your bottom line.

mdwoods

I am pretty good at unc coins, but lousy at circulated coins. mdwoods

AbesNeighbor

I only know how to grade my own and boy are they nice!

foodude

Here is my answer, to a slightly different question related to yours. What I have done to learn to grade over then last 30+ years is: (1) read every grading book or article I could get my hands on, (2) took the ANA grading course about 13-15 years ago, (3) took the ANA correspondence grading course about 8-10 years ago, (4) discussed grading with dealers that knew how to grade, and (5) of course looking at thousand and thousand and thousand of coins, particularly coins graded by PCGS and NGC.

cladking

I attempt to grade on an absolute scale. This generally works well for the coins I'm most familiar
with. I do have some knowledge of the way other people grade coins but am hardly proficient at
it. While I can usually grade well enough to stay out of trouble I can not duplicate the grading of
the third party graders. It is obvious at times that our standards diverge greatly when it comes to
strike characteristics, and die/hub conditions.

I've seen a lot of coins though.

Robgetty

I'm trying to improve (ANA grading course, etc.), but I still have a ways to go.
I know we are supposed to "buy the coin, not the slab", but I still feel safer
sometimes to "buy the slab".

Typetone

Where can I admit that I don't have a clue. Actually, it's easy. Just look at the little number on the plastic holder.

Greg

abuell

You and I are the only two people who know how to grade coins and sometimes I'm not so sure about you.

barberlover

Grading is not a science, if it were the "graders who charge fees" wouldn't give you a different grade on the same coin thru the crackout game.

Most people who've graded coins for many years wether dealer or collector will give you around the same grade on most coins.

But the true champion of this hobby is someone who can identify the coins value by eye appeal as well as the grade and most long time collectors due a better job at this then "the graders who charge fees"
LOL, thanks Clankeye, I love that term.

I believe that eye appeal is king in the hobby of collecting "shiney round pieces of metal."

Les

DHeath

My favorite story is of the collector that walks up to a dealer at a show and asks "What does this grade?", to which the dealer replies "About $100."

Veep

I do OK but can still make mistakes when venturing into series that I don't normally collect. I've been to the ANA class, have viewed the JP Martin video a number of times and keep a copy of the ANA Grading guide in the bathroom.

There's no substitute for looking at lots and lots of coins though. With time to burn at a show, I'll sit at the auction viewing tables and just look, look, look.

RNCHSN

I've read books, and looked at thousands of coins. I can do pretty well in a series I have some familiarity with, and most times I can do well in a new series, but it's easier when you've seen more than one before.

NumisEd

Who here really knows how to grade coins?

ER, don't get me started on this one!

ER

Come on, NumisEd. Go for it!

grip

Ron
Ditto.I grade Raw lincolns and sell on ebay,most come back what I grade them at,or 1 grade difference.But only in high grade,I go thru an easey three or four thou a week,depends if I can locate Fed Res rolls..All lincolns I sell under ,Coinsareus10.. I have graded.It's the cheapest way to learn how to grade,and carry it over to another series.Al

NumisEd

If I knew how to grade coins then I would be making $240,000 per year! Just ask Homerun Hall.

jom

I agree with Dragon that it isn't difficult BUT it takes a long time to learn MANY different series. And then it takes more time to be somewhat consistant. And, yes, you need to look at many coins to get to that point. NOT reading it in some book.

jom

dorkkarl

i can't grade worth crap.

but i do know the value of certain things, which is a much better skill to have anyway

K S