PCGS now owns the rights and plans to replublish to book "Photograde".

fivecents

All the grading images in the book will be from the PCGS grading sets. WOW!!

Tyler1924S

Looking forward to it. Sure it will be much better than the 19th edition that I have. Images are in black & white in mine, and small.

Swampboy

Great.

The Photograde pics are all "pre digital age" and the improvement will be welcome.

oxy8890

Outstanding!

Stuart

This sounds like it will be very interesting, and perhaps will become a new standard grading reference. I've still got the 1972 version, which I purchased in Sept 1973, when I was 17 years old!!

There are no numeric grades, and the highest grade referenced is "About Uncirculated". I presume that the upcoming version will likely include mint state reference grades from MS-60 through MS-67 or MS-68 since big bucks are spent differentiating between mint state grades.

messydesk

This was announced in a handout at the Collectors' Club lunch at the FUN show back in January. They're supposed to have it online, too, which will be quite nice.

thisnamztaken

I still only have/use the 12th printing, 1980 edition and frankly, some of the grades I've seen printed on "top tier" slabs being sold on eBay fall at least one grade above what the pix in my 1980 edition indicate they should be, so I won't be too surprised if the new version's standards for (circulated) coins are lower.

Type2

Space monkey should ask for the job he will get it.

Coinosaurus

Heretofore the services have always talked about "market grading", which can and does change over time.

Publishing a book with pictures and numbers in it sounds a lot more like "technical grading" - which would be a major philosophical shift.

CaptHenway

Are they going to use the 1986 grading set, or the current one?

koynekwest

I have the first edition of "Photograde" published in 1970 and purchased in 1971 when I was stationed in Okinawa. It's STILL the best grading guide on the market in my opinion.

BECOKA

I don't know what edition I have but I got mine about 4 years ago. I am looking forward to the upgrade.

koynekwest

<< <i>Great.

The Photograde pics are all "pre digital age" and the improvement will be welcome. >>



I just hope the grading standards remain the same. Very doubtful.

fivecents

<< <i>This sounds like it will be very interesting, and perhaps will become a new standard grading reference. >>

EXACTLY!! The new photograde will have the PCGs grading standards it in and not the ANA grading standards.




<< <i>Are they going to use the 1986 grading set, or the current one? >>

It will be the new PCGS grading set (standards). PCGS has been purchasing more coins to beef up the grading set for the Photoguide book. PCGS only has one grading set.


I guess Phil, board member DarkHorse will image all the coins for the Photoguide!!!!!

This new photograde book should be an excellent grading reference with killer images and hopefully it will be in full color.

291fifth

I hope they stick to black and white and use tritone printing. The failing of all the photographic grading books has been:

1. Indifferent selection of coins to illustrate the grade.

2. Bad photography

3. Failure to use tritone, black & white printing.

The use of tritone printing, usually seen in photography books, allows for true blacks to be achieved, thus increasing the contrast in the photos.

They also need to clearly define just what grade the coin illustrates. Is it VF 20...or 25...or 30, etc.

LanLord

That should be cool, my copy is old (sometime around the ming dynasty) so getting upgraded to digital images will be worth the cost of admission.

Aegis3

<< <i>

<< <i>Great.

The Photograde pics are all "pre digital age" and the improvement will be welcome. >>



I just hope the grading standards remain the same. Very doubtful. >>



I tried to see if I could plate match any Photograde plate coins to any of the big auction companies's online photos to compare with slab grades. Nothing yet, though I'm sure I'll try again. I'm sure there'd be some interesting comparisons there.

tahoe98

i heard you have to be a paid member to be able to buy the new book............................... ( i am )

fivecents

This is a huge move (play) by PCGS.

No other TPGS (NGC) seems to have the cohoonas to publish their grading standards like PCGS has done. At least PCGS publishes a sort of grading rule book, The PCGS Coin Grading and Couterfiet Detection Guide, so the submitters know what the PCGS grading standards are.
With all the other TPGS's you are on your own and it is a guessing game or trail and error as to what their grading standards really are. Please NGC put your standards in black and white for everyone to read.

TwoSides2aCoin

Longacre

Will this lock PCGS too much into the current grading set that is used and give it less flexibility to adapt to the changing marketplace in the future?

messydesk

<< <i>Will this lock PCGS too much into the current grading set that is used and give it less flexibility to adapt to the changing marketplace in the future? >>


I guess I hope so. Publishing a standard will give their customers a standard to which PCGS can be held. This should result in more consistent grading over time, and fewer "tight periods" and "generous periods." The ANA grading guide is no longer standards to which everyone is to adhere, but it is a reflection of the state of grading at the point the guide was made. Big difference.

JoesMaName

<< <i>

<< <i>Will this lock PCGS too much into the current grading set that is used and give it less flexibility to adapt to the changing marketplace in the future? >>


I guess I hope so. Publishing a standard will give their customers a standard to which PCGS can be held. This should result in more consistent grading over time, and fewer "tight periods" and "generous periods." The ANA grading guide is no longer standards to which everyone is to adhere, but it is a reflection of the state of grading at the point the guide was made. Big difference. >>



I can't believe the publication of this book will change PCGS's business model one bit. I would guess this book will represent the best effort at presenting the current standards, however future graders and markets will evolve new standards as always.

firstmint

It will be quite interesting to see the images and read any comments about the early so-called proofs.

Perhaps PCGS will add the first grade ever used regarding American coinage - Master Coins.

fivecents

<< <i>Perhaps PCGS will add the first grade ever used regarding American coinage - Master Coins. >>

What are master coins firstmint?



It will be a great to have a book with images of the PGCS grading set in my reference library.

cmerlo1

That's a book I wish had come out years ago...I'll definitely be buying one!

firstmint

Perhaps Master Coins were the first "classification" of American coins, rather than a defined grade.

In 1846, William DuBois, the assistant assayer and curator of the Mint Cabinet coin collection, wrote in his book "Pledges of History" about Adam Eckfeldt, the previous chief coiner saving "Master Coins" which would someday be incorporated into a national coin collection, which had received Congressional funding of $1,000 in 1838.

Master Coins are choice, prooflike examples of first strike regular production coinage. Today, based on grading classifications from the coin dealers in the past (1860-to present), we use the non-descript term "Proof" (even though proof is in reality a method of manufacture rather than a grade) for the early U S coinage that appears to be a special example.