Help with understanding MS vs AU grades

max911

I understand that grading AU vs MS is the difference of wear vs contact or a poor strike but what about the numbers. IS a AU58 similar to a MS68 as far as field details ?

billboat

<< <i>I understand that grading AU vs MS is the difference of wear vs contact or a poor strike but what about the numbers. IS a AU58 similar to a MS68 as far as field details ?

>>




No--but a nice AU58 can often be confused with a MS63. Can somebody remember where there's a good grading site--or have a link?

xbob

There's a free online book available here that's pretty good: Link

DaveG

A coin's grade is a combination of the amount of circulation wear and bagmarks on a coin, with consideration of the coin's strike (particularly for Uncirculated coins).

I don't recall if there's a good website that covers grading, but two good books to start with are Photograde by James Ruddy and the ANA's Grading Standards (not sure of complete title).

Also, the PCGS Grading Guide (it has a much longer real title) has good definitions of each grade, particularly the Uncirculated grades (at least the first edition does, I haven't read the second edition).

Agflyer

I found this site for grading Morgans. It includes both circulated and uncirculated photos and descriptions. Hope it helps.

max911

Thanks for everyone's help. This board is blast for good information.

I have the most trouble telling a poor strike from circulated wear.

How do board members make this judgement ? Circulated = squared off. Poor strike = rounded ?

Why are there so many AU's that look clean as a whistle except for the wear pattern ?

Nap

As you see more coins, even online images, you'll get more used to the difference between circulated and uncirculated grades. The highest points on a coin are where it tends to show circulation wear first. There is often a loss of luster at the point of wear, and with some coins you might notice a little change in appearance of the surface. In a weakly struck coin, you might notice missing detail, such as curls in hair, but not necessarily at the highest points, and not exhibiting the other signs of circulation.

If there's a specific series you plan to collect, it would be advisable to learn the specifics for that series. You'll want to know where to look for wear when examining a certain coin. Also, certain dates are notorious for bad strikes while others are almost always fully struck.

Wolf359

I have the most trouble telling a poor strike from circulated wear.

Welcome to the boards. You're not alone, even experts will disagree on that one.

max911

Hi,

I love the hobby but many of my coins I can't piggeonhole. I looked at :

http://www.coingrading.com/strike1.html

and see that the "Business Strike Dies" for Morgans from 1879 to 1899, Strike 3 have large areas of flat spots starting from the area above the ear.

I would like to get my coins graded but at $30 a pop, I can't afford to have many come back AU and unfortunately, I don't have access to many graded coins to compare to.

I guess the luxury (and throw of the dice) of slabbing my coins is not in the cards for many of my coins.

billboat

You're probably wise not to slab anything right now. You may want to consider some slabbed coins (PCGS, NGC, ANACS) when you add to your collection. There a many common certified Morgans in AU58 to MS64 that are reasonably priced and would serve to give you a comparison for your raw Morgans and help develop your eye. Also--Welcome to the Board and I suggest you turn on your PM.

arlea1957

<< <i>You're probably wise not to slab anything right now. You may want to consider some slabbed coins (PCGS, NGC, ANACS) when you add to your collection. There a many common certified Morgans in AU58 to MS64 that are reasonably priced and would serve to give you a comparison for your raw Morgans and help develop your eye. Also--Welcome to the Board and I suggest you turn on your PM. >>



I agree, and as a newer collector I spend toooo many hours looking at the morgans I have and it seems every time I look at them I find something new. Even if you are not interested in VAMS (I am) I suggest you look for them, by doing this you get a greater appreciation of difference in strikes, what is or is not a coin problem but a die problem, as an example you may find a morgan with lots of scratches in the field but not on the eagle, this is probably a heavy polished die and would not detract from the grade. I'm sure many here can give you much more informative insight but thought I would throw out my thoughts as a newer collector.