How Would You Rate Your Grading Skills, on a Scale From 1-10

dragon

On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your overall coin grading skills in terms of accuracy, consistency, and detecting problem coins?

And also..........do you think grading coins is a learned skill over time that anyone can eventually master, or that some people are just 'naturals' while others will never get it?


dragon

ddbird

4+

Gonfunko

I'd say 6-ish, but it really depends what series or coins I'm grading.

Betta285

Morgans: 7/10
Everythign else: 4/10

jim

Russ

It depends. In my specialty, I'm pretty good. Probably a 9. In everything else, I suck. Probably a 1.5.

Russ, NCNE

tcmitssr

Classic silver commemoratives - 8+

Everything else - 5

kieferscoins

8

Cameron Kiefer

relayer

It depends on the series but I'd say a 5

roadrunner

I'm ok with my grading skills in the areas I tend to stay in. But it's the standards of the grading services that I'm constantly trying to figure out.

RR

DesertRat

1+

Myqqy

I think grading skills can definately be learned with good education and practice. In my areas, I'm probably at least a 7.5 - in others, maybe a 3. But I already know I'm a better grader than most of the folks at the local coin shows!!

TommyType

I'll give myself a 4 on MS coins in general, but an 8 on circulated if you let me have my grading books!

As for your second question, I think grading can be learned by just about anyone. But to learn, you must see, handle, judge, and grade MANY coins, and have someone more experienced available to point out your errors, and hone your skills.

The reason most collectors are marginal (myself most definitely included), is that we only see a small number of coins of any series or grade, and they're usually the same coins over and over again...Our OWN coins. Dealers and specialists in a single series definitely have a leg up on us.

Tom

Poor grammaticalismistics corrected.

coinguy89

Probably a 5 maybe 5 1/2 overall, no real expertise yet.

wjd283

From 0 to 60,around 7.Due to my photograde book.From 60 to 70,3.

FatMan

About a 3.

keoj

Great question. My grading skills are a solid 8-9 for the series that I collect. Here's the problem, these skill don't necessarily correlate with PCGS or NGC. Here's a good example, I will rate a coin higher than PCGS does if the coin is originally toned (this what I like to see in a coin....un-mucked surfaces). PCGS gives more weight to luster (but sometimes coins of particular date/mm's have poor luster that is just characteristic of the date) on an absolute basis. If you ask, how well my skills align with PCGS, I'd have to say 5 to 6. Slightly better to NGC. This is not saying that NGC is softer on grading at all, just that over time I can guess a NGC grade better.
To confuse matters even more, that would say that I'd be able to get a crossover 50% of the time at PCGS. Ah well, maybe my skills are only a 2 to 3 on crossovers :-).

keoj

sumnom

Good grief! you guys talk about grading all the live long day and now you have to start grading your grading?

For what's worth: 11.

Outhaul

Classic Commems = 8+
Morgans = 6+/-
Everything else = 4

mikey723

grading is easy
I,m a 10



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calling crazy molly

ms70

10 being the best? I'd say 6.

rainbowroosie

A "9" for 20th century stuff; a "2" for classic material!!

prooflike

5, half the time I'm right the other half I'm wrong

Cratylus

The stuff I collect: 9.5-10
The stuff I don't collect: 6-6.5

mirabela

silver stuff, seated & later, incl. classic commems: 6
bust silver: 4
liberty & later gold: 5
early gold: 1
anything copper: 2
Nickel stuff -- three cent, shield, liberty, Jeff: 4
clad stuff: -3

proof moderns: -47

I'd have to make a distinction for circ grades vs. MS grades, too -- I can reliably tell a 12 from a 15 or a 35 from a 40 in a handful of series on sight, but a 63 from a 64, say, or a 66 from a 67? That, for me, is a harder thing.

Overall -- I'd say I have lots to learn. And, in answer to your original question, Laura -- can it be learned -- I think yes. Maybe the 'tens' are naturals and hard work will only bring some people to a 'nine' or whatever, but I've certainly gotten better with practice, and anticipate getting much better still. At least I certainly hope so!

Fairlaneman

1- ....at best on a real good day....

Its sad.

Ken

nwcs

I'd say for MS coins, a 5. For proof, a 1.

>And also..........do you think grading coins is a learned skill over time that anyone can eventually master, or that some people are just 'naturals' while others will never get it?

Both. It's a learned skill but that doesn't mean that everyone will get it. Just like most other things. Anyone can draw but some are naturals with drawing. Anyone can learn the piano, but some are masterful. Adequacy can be learned. Talent is above and beyond.

my3cents

interesting you should ask:

Originally, after just discovering this forum - a 1-

After here for 2+ years: an 8+

Actually grading isn't that hard if you have a loupe and a redbook.


Oh, and you have to develop a VERY critical eye.

Neptune

probably about a 6-7 for circ. coins - with a book to help me. I don't do real well on uncirculated coins tho.

rainbowroosie

Fairlaneman,
BS...

Colorfulcoins

Grading skills.......a 10 out of 10. I send all my coins to PCGS or NGC to grade -and they always come back with the exact the same grade it says on the holder!

mgoodm3

6 or 7.

smselvek

I would have to say I'm at least a 1 if not 1.1, but I'm trying to learn.

coinkat

depends on the country, denomination and series. I think I do okay, but everyone misses and I admit that I miss which is half the battle. Just know your limitations...

Dog97

9.9 but I'm a Morgan collector and they are ridiculously easy to grade.
8.9 on my secondary interest which is 1897 material which is mostly Barber issues.

Is it learned?
Of course it's learned. I wasn't born knowing how many marks differentiate a 63/64, or that the wheat grains have to be fully separated for a VF, the 2 lines in the cotton ball have to show for FINE or how many letters in LIBERTY have to show for FINE etc etc etc.

Can anybody master it?
Of course not. Each person has skills he excells in while lacking in others.

1907Quarter

boy, this ? had me thinking. Pocket change:3 everything else a 7 overall. Can't grade buffaloes, slqs, peace dollars, mercs without my ANA. Good at bust, seated, Barber. IHC and flyers

ARCO

For Barber halves grading Good-XF45 I give myself a healthy 10. For general grading of circulated coins about a 6-7, for MS grades, again about a 6-7 and for gold, about a -4

Tyler

oldcameoproofsguy

I grade really well from the au and above range but poorly for the xf and below range. I never collect coins lower than au.

I also am really good at grading proof coins pf64 or higher but have a harder time with more hairlined or impaired proofs.

Elcontador

I like to think I grade the material I see often fairly well that is Unc. Examples are:

Braided Hair Large & Half Cents
Coronet Head Large Cents
Liberty Nickels
Seated Material In General
Standing Liberty Quarters
Capped Bust Dimes and Quarters

I think IHCs and Morgans are fairly easy to grade in Unc., if you know your dates.

I think Capped Bust Halves and Buffalo Nickels are tough to grade, re the latter, especially the middle date S mint coins. In general, I think open collar coins are tough to grade, because striking problems almost always enter into the picture.

LincolnCentMan

Lincolns: 9
Morgans: 8
Everything else: 4-5

David

ER

Early and Morgan dollars, average.
Everything else, below average.

itsnotjustme

6/7

dorkkarl

i rate myself about 3, 3+

K S

Shamika

9+ when it comes to Buffalo nickels.

5 when it comes to everything else.

ziggy29

About an 8.5 in my areas of specialty. I'd say 5 to 6 elsewhere.

Coinerww

1 or 2.

aem4162

i'm still very new at it and i use my ana guides....maybe 2

MFH

If the coin is unmessed with...and the scans are true... then, I'd say I'm a conservative grader, however recently alot of coins have been graded by experts ( paid graders ) and I'm undergrading market graded material. What's the result of my grading abilities ? Probably an "8" out of ten points.

I always thought I could grade coins acurately, but I always feel as if there are graders who bump my grades by a few points.

Nine times out of ten I'm right on ...regardless of what the "experts" say.

Not to degrade these experts: "At least I can tell what die polishing lines are"...They are not cleaning hairlines. ( Yes, I'm still reeling from my SLQ cross overs )...

seanq

Luckily someone sent me this article before I responded.


Sean Reynolds

Dennis88

7

mgoodm3

<< <i>Luckily someone sent me this article before I responded.


Sean Reynolds >>




I like this: "but their incompetence robs them of the metacognitive ability to realize it. "

MrEureka

For those that don't think they know how to grade all that well: Do you have the sense to take advantage of the situation by buying lower end coins and saving lots of money? After all, you won't know the difference. And NO, I'm not kidding.

BTW, I rate my Spanish as a 2 on a scale of 1 to 10. I'm not about to go out and buy a book of great Spanish poetry, even though I know how great it is. I wouldn't get much out of it. I'm better off reading Spanish comic books and coin catalogs. Likewise, why would you pay for a 67 coin when a 64 looks just as good to you?