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Lighting for coin grading?

DennislDennisl Posts: 547
in U.S. Coin Forum
What type of lighting does PCGS use for grading coins? Halogen, incandescent, florescent, or combination?

Thanks
Dennis

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    19Lyds19Lyds Posts: 26,503 ✭✭✭✭
    Inquiring minds want to know??




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    rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Interesting question - I wonder if it is standardized as the lighting requirements for grading diamonds is... probably not. Perhaps it should be... calibrated standards for assessing product and processes exist in all professions (National Institute of Standards being the repository of our standard measures). A true standard would include source, ambient surroundings (i.e. viewing box), power and calibration requirements (periodic checks) of the light. (Lighting happens to be part of my profession - so I can speak with some authority on lighting standards and measurements.) I do not think the grading process is quite this sophisticated yet... but it needs to achieve this level. Cheers, RickO
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    PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 47,566 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Halogen or incandescent are the prefered choices of professional graders. Flourescent lighting is unacceptible since it is diffused and does not reveal the hairlines that may be on a coin. Hairlines are a factor in grading (especially proofs) and also may indicate abraisive cleaning. Incandescent and halogen light are also better for evaluating the luster on a coin.

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    rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    PerryHall,
    Was there an error in your statement ... you used incandescent as both acceptable and unacceptable. Or else I just do not understand what you were saying.. could be... image Cheers, RickO
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    guitarwesguitarwes Posts: 9,308 ✭✭✭

    was wondering the same thing Ricko.....


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    PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 47,566 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>PerryHall,
    Was there an error in your statement ... you used incandescent as both acceptable and unacceptable. Or else I just do not understand what you were saying.. could be... image Cheers, RickO >>



    You are correct. I meant florescent was unacceptible since it is hard to see the hairlines. I corrected my original post. Thanks for picking that up.




    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

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    rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    image No problem, thanks for the input. Cheers, RickO
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    twodrhrdtptwodrhrdtp Posts: 1,025
    Its been awhile since I watched the grading video on PCGS site but I thought I remembered them showing the graders and the lighting in action. From what I remember anyways.
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    PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 47,566 ✭✭✭✭✭
    My experience has been that florescent lighting is best for authenticating purposes. When authenticating a coin such as raw gold, you look for tooling, spikes near the rim, raised metal, depressions, etc. With incandescent or halogen lighting there is too much flash or reflected light to study the surface details well while the defused lighting from a florescent light is ideal especially when using a stereo microscope. Not to get too far off subject, one thing I look for on a suspected gold coin is the contact marks. When the counterfeit dies are cast or reproduced from the parent genuine coin, the contact marks are transfered to the counterfeit die and then to the counterfeit coin. On a real coin the contact marks usually have a different texture than the adjacent surfaces (picture a shiney contact mark on a frosty surface). On a counterfeit, the contact mark has the same texture as the surrounding surface.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

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    RussRuss Posts: 48,514 ✭✭✭
    Most use incandescent, some use halogen, and some use Tensor.

    Russ, NCNE
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    JJMJJM Posts: 8,128 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I like / use 100% daylight compact flouresents.....
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    clackamasclackamas Posts: 5,615 ✭


    << <i>I like / use 100% daylight compact flouresents..... >>



    If you are missing why PCGS is more harsh a grader than you are, your lighting is the reason. Flouresents suck for grading IMO.
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    JJMJJM Posts: 8,128 ✭✭✭✭✭
    if you are missing why PCGS is more harsh a grader than you are

    uhmmm....no , I'm not missing that at all......
    to tell you the truth , I think im tougher than PCGS on MS64 morgans and the like.......

    BTW,....PC bulbs have a completely different light spectrum than regular flouresents...they bring out all luster and toning very well

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    MrSpudMrSpud Posts: 4,499 ✭✭✭
    I just saw on CNN that Cali is trying to pass a law banning incadescent light bulbs in order to save energy. They said that, if passed, the law would make people in Cali replace their incadescent bulbs with compact flourescents. Isn't PCGS in Cali? Will this cause the grades to go up? image

    Link to news story on Cali banning traditional light bulbs
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    BurksBurks Posts: 1,103 ✭


    << <i>
    BTW,....PC bulbs have a completely different light spectrum than regular flouresents...they bring out all luster and toning very well >>



    This is true. I actually use three different types when looking at my coins. PC, incan, and halogen. The halogen is my preferred lighting with the PC in second.

    Edit: Forgot to add I don't use those stupid twisted PC bulbs either. I hate those stupid things.
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