Which coins are easiest to grade?

PerryHall

There was a recient thread asking what coins were the hardest to grade which I found to be very interesting. Now let's discuss what coins are the easiest to grade. I think Morgans and Saints are fairly easy to grade. Your opinions?

Geoman

Morgans and Barber coinage.

TwoSides2aCoin

Kennedy Halves..

Even Russ can do them

Tonedbuff

Morgans seem pretty easy to me in general. On the whole, whatever you have looked at the most is likely to seem easiest. I am most comfortable with buffs.

gecko109

Morgans can be tricky only because of the softness of strike on some pieces. Particularly the hair behind the ear. On soft struck MS coins, I usually blow the grade by guessing AU. Same for the breast feathers. Barbers are cake, and seated coins are pretty easy too, except for striking issues with the head/breasts. For me, the easiest would have to be Barber coinage, and more specifically the 25c and 50c pieces.

Tonedbuff

Softly struck coins don't generally cause me too much headache, you have to look for luster breaks, not just what appears to be wear. On a poorly struck buff, the horn can be partial, or the ruff of hair at the shoulder flat and waxy, but the luster will still be unbroken. Breaks in luster are generally easy to see in hand under light.

Luster breaks can be tough to determine on many pics, however.

gecko109

If a coin is struck softly enough however, there wont even be luster on the high points. At that point I think the color is the clue. Either way, as a newer collector, it still gives me trouble. And as for your specialty, the buffs, let me just say that I start to sweat and my pulse jumps just at the idea of having to guess the grade of any buff! I should practice more on those.

Cladiator

The ones with the grades already on the label and the sticker next to the grade to tell you it's correct.

fivecents

Modern commemoratives.

gecko109

<< <i>The ones with the grades already on the label and the sticker next to the grade to tell you it's correct. >>

Tonedbuff

It really is a matter of practice. Since I collect mostly buffs, I've likely looked at a few thousand in hand. I am comfortable with them.

I still find a difference between impared luster from a weak strike versus friction, which has a distinct way of breaking luster to my eye.
Of course, that being said, there is always a coin that defy's all my efforts...

seatedcoins

Morgans and Dollars up to MS64 for me

relicsncoins

Indian Head Cents...........Good to 64.

Merc

Morgans, Peace dollars, and the Barber coins are he easiest. All have a large face of Liberty and less intricate details.

Coins you don't own/ just viewing, not buying are much easier to grade too

Manorcourtman

Washington quarters and stinkin Lincolns

Prethen

Any coin your buying (i.e. that's not yours).

Deadhorse

Morgans, Peace Dollars, Walkers, Mercs, Washington quarters, Saints, Frankies.

After those, I generally defer to others. You'd think after all these years I could do Lincoln cents, but I tend to be off by a point two in both directions. I'm just not familiar with the various nuances from year to year. I can look at an older Lincoln and think AU and almost invariably it will be MS something or other.

I suppose it's just where your interests lie and I stopped collecting Lincolns right after college, that was a long time ago.

lkenefic

<< <i>Indian Head Cents...........Good to 64. >>



I agree for issues past 1878... there are a number of mid-1860's through mid-1870's coins that sufferred from poor strikes. For the most part I find IHCs among the easiest to grade...along with Morgan dollars too...Leo

GoldenEyeNumismatics

Morgans, especially Unc pieces, are usually very easy.