European Grading Standards?????

boz

Can someone enlighten me? The Europeans seem to be grading on a whole different standard. Or am I just imagining things?

Aethelred

They do use different standards.

wybrit

Tougher standards.

Brit Tip #6

historygeek

My local dealer calls American grading companies "conmen" because he considers their grading so off the mark.

cladking

Most other countries use far tougher standards than we do. There are some which don't
even grade a coin as unc unless it is very choice or gem. XF is often reserved for fully lus-
trous pieces.

Ezra

The Europeans typically do not grade the coins like we do here in America. They tend to have very broad, general categories and not the precise numbers that we do. I have found that, for the most part, the PCGS grades given to my Euro set are right along with my predictions for the final grade. I buy my coins straight from the foreign mints (usually in the Proof and Uncirculated sets - which tend to cost double, triple or quadruple what the U.S. Mint charges). I have found that the quality on many of these sets is low (compared to the U.S. Mint). That is why precise numerical grading such as what PCGS gives is so important to assessing the coin's condition.

historygeek

<<That is why precise numerical grading such as what PCGS gives is so important to assessing the coin's condition. >>

I respectfully disagree, those so called "precise" numbers are just a way to mask the subjectivity of grading. When people see numbers they see logic and authority behind them and frankly rarely question them.

Askari

Welcome, Ezra!!


Yes, European grading is traditionally "tighter" than that of the US and typically more technical than market. Precise grading styles, though, can vary from country to country. That said, though, several of my European dealer friends bemoan the "erosion" of standards over the last decade or so, especially in Germany. I haven't seen that myself so much, least of all in their auctions.

MacCrimmon

<< <i>I have found that the quality on many of these sets is low (compared to the U.S. Mint). >>



You obviously haven't compared U.S. Mint sets to those of the Swiss Mint. The Swiss Stempelglanz (BU) sets are so superior to anything the U.S. Mint passes off as BU that they don't bear any comparisons. Maybe some others have collected other European mints, so please weigh in on their quality or lack thereof vis-a-vis the U.S.

As to "standards", they are no good at all if they aren't uniformly applied "everywhere". In my experience, Europe's adjectival grading is as ripe for manipulation as the "raw" market in the U.S. 20 years ago. The only time I've seen alleged gEF which are in reality 63+ to 64+ quality coins are in the old time English collections which come to market, and this is really only a ploy by the auctioneers to say, "look here at what great prices we can get for your material" - - - baloney! Astute collectors and the better dealers know the material is truly unc. and truly scarce or rare, and that is why they pay huge sums in these instances. I have queried and sampled maybe two dozen British dealers in the past 3 years and maybe 4 or 5 can consistently pass muster as to their grading ability and ability to deliver consistently outstanding quality coins. As to the others; I brook no fools. Second chances are rare and it really perturbs me when someone tries to foist garbage on me.