hypothetical grading question

circulated

Assuming you are an "expert" at coin grading... Someone gives you Two $20 Liberties - they are graded but the slabs are covered so you don't know the grade or grader. The first looks MS62 the second looks MS60. You look at them longer, and feel confident about your decision. It turns out that the former is an NTC MS61 and the second one is an NGC MS61. Assuming that this person wants this coin as an MS61 + , Would you tell this person to take the NTC MS61 (at the much cheaper price) and try to submit it to NGC as a crossover (at MS61) or tell them to go for the NGC...

RedTiger

If I were truly "expert" and the coin was for me, I'd trust my own judgement. Advising someone else to take the same risk is foolhardy. The grading services are notoriously capricious, and if the coin comes back in a bodybag or worse as counterfeit, that friend is going to be mad and want a pound of flesh. I'd offer my opinion and add the caveat that crossing over coins is never a sure thing and that the other person is best off learning to grade for himself/herself and make their own decision.

As for "much" cheaper, there are only a few dates where that would be true. MS61 gold double eagles trade mostly on their bullion value. If it is a key date, a person is much safer going with the NGC coin.