Grading Services

pupskweek

Hi--I am not an expert on grading but I have worked hard to learn something. I have sent in raw coins to PCGS and ANACS for grading and learned a lot that way. I recently bought a collection of ten Morgans that were all graded MS-64 by NGC. They really were! They were all slabbed and everything! And yet, half of them looked to this inexperienced eye like MS-64 and the other half looked like AU. Five of them were pretty badly scarred, they had little round brown spots on them, the hat was worn off totally, on one there was a perfect fingerprint like embossed on the silver. My question: I always thought NGC was as good as PCGS and ANACS. Is this true? (I sent these coins back, by the way--I really don't think they should have been graded so high.) Thanks for any input--Pups

coldcicle

It sounds like some of them were just weakly struck.With some issues a weakly struck coin will easily look like a AU coin.As you go farther into coin collecting you will leran how to actually tell a weakly struck coin from an Unc coin.

vega1

For a second there I thought you responded to yourself. Funny you would have the identical icon.

If you use the search function you will find reams of discussions on the topic of how people feel about NGC vs PCGS vs ANACS vs all the rest of them.

Happy hunting

Shamika

The fingerprint is not grounds for an AU grade. Many certified mint state coins have fingerprints on them although I personally detest fingerprints. In fact I returned a PCGS MS65 Buffalo nickel that had a faint fingerprint on the Buffalo during lunch today. And I've seen Buffalo nickels graded MS66 by PCGS that had fingerprints.

Also, you need to learn which issues are commonly found with weak strikes. Weak strikes are frequently mistaken for wear by those still learning to grade.

pupskweek

Thanks to all. This forum does a great service for newbies. (Big Howdy to the other Pups!)

airplanenut

I'd say a weak strike is very possible... some dates more than others (New Orleans in the 1880s comes to mind).

Here is a strike about as strong as they come:



Here are two examples of weak strikes:




Although the area above the ear is flat, there are no breaks in the lustre... that's the tell-tale sign of a weak strike vs. actual wear... with wear, the lustre is broken.

Jeremy

TorinoCobra71

Remember Grading is subjective and a matter of opinion. I have had the same experiences! Wisdom comes with age, grasshopper.........

TorinoCobra71

TorinoCobra71

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