How do you learn about how to grade coins?

Moonbiter

Anyone have some good books to get that teaches you how to grade your coins? I have an old photograde one, but it only covers circulated coins. I would like a book that covers all the grades. I will be submitting coins to PCGS, and I'd like to use these as a way to see what I have to learn. I only know the basics, but I want to learn it all. I know this is a subject that takes lots of time to get good at, but you have start somewhere.

So, can anyone recommend any good books or advice?

Russ

The PCGS grading book would be a good one to buy. The best way to learn to grade, though, is to view lots and lots of coins.

Russ, NCNE

LanLord

It generally is an expensive talent to develop.

Moonbiter

It appears that the PCGS book is no longer available. =(

Russ

<< <i>It appears that the PCGS book is no longer available. =( >>



Used copies can usually be found on eBay. That's where I got mine.

Russ, NCNE

SFDukie

What Russ said.
One way to make that easier is to go to a big coin show, such as the ANA or FUN, and line up a series of like coins of different grades. Register with heritage, go to their auction viewing area, and line up say 2 morgans of a certain date/mm in MS 66, 65 and 64.
Ask a dealer to line up a "grading series" for you, in a coin of interest.
Look at as many "guess the grade" threads here as you can. Come up with your own guess, before reading others...

CoinAddict

The Official Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection

BlackBeard

For grading of mint state and proof coins, I found "How To Grade Coins" by James Halperin to be helpful. It shows the high points of design and visual impairment levels of severity (areas in different colors to show the worst spots to have contact marks). It is a good starting point. Any others use this one?

Russ

Here's a good online article.

Russ, NCNE

jmski52

It generally is an expensive talent to develop.



It's especially important to understand the relationship between grade and cost, when you are just beginning. Having some $$$ on the line does help you focus and learn faster, but you also need to look at alot of coins, reference book in hand, as Russ suggests, too.

The Official ANA Grading Standards for U.S. Coins has some good sections on high grade coins.

DHeath

Some years ago, I was lucky enough to attend one of the ANA grading seminars. It was taught by the NGC grading staff, and one of the teaching aids was a group of 1000+ holdered classic coins, several hundred problem coins, and several hundred more slides. In addition to viewing the coins, it was useful to discuss grading nuance with the graders while looking at the coins.. The fee was $300, and the skills gained were worth much more. It was an all week event.

Geoman

I learned by trial and error. It can be expensive, buy also worth it to know how to property grade. As others have said, but a reference book and study that. At coin shows, ask to see coins and examine them closely. The more coins you look at the better.

Another way that I am learning, is building a few grading sets. I have a Morgan Dollar grading set for uncirculated coins (all dated 1881-S and graded by PCGS in grades MS-60, MS-61, MS-62, MS-63, MS-64, MS-65 and MS-66. I can compare my grade to a similar PCGS grade. Of course, grading is still an opinion. Right now, I am looking to buy Peace Dollars graded by PCGS in XF-40, XF-45, AU-50, AU-55, AU-58, MS-60, MS-63, MS-64 and MS-65 to build a grading set for Peace Dollars - as I can't seem to grade these worth a darn.

123cents

Photograde by James F. Ruddy is a good reference book for learning to grade type coins.

FLBuffaloHunter

Buy a book called 'The Official American Numismatic Association grading standards for United States Coins'. This will give you a better understanding at how TPG's grade coins. Excellent book.

DHeath

ANA link

Moonbiter

I seen that book at Amazon, did not see the PCGS on it though the first time.

I think I might have a good dealer in the area. I live is a smaller city and we have 2 dealers. The one guy was just not talkative but the other guy treated you like a person, not a money maker. I have a '71 Kennedy that has some wierd funk on the obverse. Not sure if it's the hard plastic holder attacking it, or if it's tonight. If you hold it a certain way, it has a light blue sheen to it, but if you look at it another way it looks fine, and yet another it looks milky. Well, he told me to bring it in and he'd look at it and see if he can tell me what's going on. We also got on a cleaning and dipping topic, and he said that probably half of the coins in his case had been dipped. I don't think he's done it, but he said you tell just by looking at them, there is no way a XXX year old circulated coin is going to look like this. At least I can say the guy seems honest.

Anyways, the guy seems pretty nice, and a customer that was there said he's a real good dealer, that is fair.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that he has about 4 or 5 magnifying lamps in his shop also, so you can look at the coins under magnification also.

MrHalfDime

"How do you learn about how to grade coins?"

This is somewhat reminiscent of the old question "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?" Answer: Practice, practice, practice.

Moonbiter

Thanks for the links and input everyone. I knew this was a tough subject to tackle, and I wanted a little bit of knowledge before I jumped in on the looking at everything. I needed to find information on why something is maybe AU instead of MS and stuff like that.

SkyMan

CoinValues puts out a book called making the grade that has pictures of coins in the major grades of AG-3 to MS65 for 25 series of coins.

Other than that, and the comments from the above posters, unfortunately for learning to grade coins be prepared to bend over and yell, "Please sir, may I have another?".

ModernCrapNut

<< <i>It appears that the PCGS book is no longer available. =( >>



I found them on amazon.com Full title is Official Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection.

Russ

<< <i>unfortunately for learning to grade coins be prepared to bend over and yell, "Please sir, may I have another?". >>



Ain't that the truth.

Russ, NCNE

Greeniejr

I have been spoiled by getting to study under Tom DeLorey for the since I was little, and had the opportunity to look at tens of thousands of coins, but I really like photograde. Even though it doesnt help for mint state coins, it really gives a great general view of circulated coins. The PCGS guide is great too.
David

oldcameoproofsguy

A lot of people have said it, but I insist on repeating it. Look at a lot of graded coins.
Learn to grade with PCGS standards, not PCI, SEGS or Numistrust.

After 10 to 20 years of really looking at a lot of coins you should be able to grade pretty well. You may even have the confidence to by coins raw and know that if they are submitted what the grade will be and that the coin won't be bb'd.

RedTiger

<< <i>Thanks for the links and input everyone. I knew this was a tough subject to tackle, and I wanted a little bit of knowledge before I jumped in on the looking at everything. I needed to find information on why something is maybe AU instead of MS and stuff like that. >>



For AU vs. MS, learn the high points of each coin series you are interested in. Wear or rub on the high points is often the difference. The ANA grading guide has information on the high points for wear for each coin series.

The cliche answer about learning to grade is that anyone can learn to do it. All it takes is a grading guide, a loupe and ten years of looking at lots of coins. If a person aspires to "learn it all" ten years might be conservative. That said, an average person can get a decent grasp in a year or so, if they apply themselves. It helps to be near sighted, or have 20-20 vision. It helps to look at a lot of coins. It helps to have a veteran collector or dealer tell you what to look for and point it out.

TwoSides2aCoin

I know how to grade.... Now if I could just get PCGS graders to agree with me