then too much money is chasing too few coins, grading got loose to get more coins in the system

jmski52

Darn! I didn't even get to read the 4th page.

I'll say this, grading should never have got loose - it's just so wrong. But, throwing more variables into the mix by having a sticker program only injects more variables.

It still seems to me that the only ones who benefit is this scenario are the insiders and the dealers who are "first in".

I also agree that it amounts to a de-rating of anyone's coins who happens not to subscribe to the new service, or at least - that's the intention, regardless of the quality of the grading service.

Why not just learn how to grade? Don't play their game. And they all wonder why dealers are falling back on bullion during the market contraction. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see how much "rare coins" get pumped, downturn or no. After awhile it gets to be a turnoff.

BAJJERFAN

If everyone would learn how to grade there would be no need for CAC or TPGs. But we all know that AINT GONNA HAPPEN. For whatever reason, not everyone who dabbles in coins is going to learn the grading system. TPGs to a degree have levelled the playing field some. Makes it a little tougher for the nimrods to get cheated and a little tougher for the cheaters to cheat. For those of you that somehow seem to know how to DO IT BETTER, the field is open. Go start your own TPG if the others aren't measuring up to YOUR STANDARDS. Of course your status/presence in the coin marketplace may not get you very far if know one knows who you are. Tells us how to make chitloads a money gradin coins at 10 bux a pop.

You are an expert grader. You don't have tons of money to invest in inventory. You go to a show and look at all of the coins in dealers's case and make notes about which coins you would be interested in handling if you ever ran into them again. Pretty soon your pile of notes becomes a useless unwieldy pile of paper that makes it impossible to use easily. So what to do? Voila. You get people to send them to you and YOU PUT A STICKER ON THEM. That way if you ever see it again you know instantly thats its a coin that you would deal in.

For those of you who are now beyatchin that CAC has devalued your collection by thutty puhcent if they are as great as you think they are you got nuttin ta worry about.

PerryHall

<< <i>If everyone would learn how to grade there would be no need for CAC or TPGs. >>



Many dealers know how to grade. The problem is they use two different standards---one when buying and one when selling. That's why we need TPG's.

BAJJERFAN

There are also a lot of dealers who don't know how to grade. Then again if you know how to grade those dubble grader dealers shouldn't bother you.

jmski52

I missed the grade on a half cent posted here last week, and I was visited by a secret shopper from ATS. He nailed me pretty good, I must say.

mozin

<< <i>
Many dealers know how to grade. The problem is they use two different standards---one when buying and one when selling. That's why we need TPG's. >>

PerryHall

<< <i>Then again if you know how to grade those dubble grader dealers shouldn't bother you. >>



This type of dealer doesn't want to deal with knowledgeable collectors since they can't rip them. Ever see those full page ads in Coin World with nothing but raw coins?

ricko

The vast collecting population cannot grade, and does not seem interested in grading. When selling, plastic 'assures' the neophyte purchaser of a good grade, and the dealer of decent profit. When buying, the dealer uses the opposite tack, and hammers the neophyte with, 'poor for the grade', would not get a 'bean', etc etc etc. Personally, I have turned down many a slabbed coin due to either overgrade, ridiculous price for toning or just general dealer poor manners or outright stupidity. My money, my choice. Cheers, RickO

RedTiger

A few points:

Grade inflation is a natural consequence of the TPG business model.

Grading is a continuum, not discrete points like the slabbing companies have to stop at.

Most folks can grade, it is the consistency level that varies. Most folks will never be expert graders--that's just the way the game is set up. If more people got trained, the bar for expert level would go up as well. That said, almost everyone can get better at grading, by spending some time and effort.

After collect what you like, enjoy the hobby, learning to grade would be third on the list for suggestions for new collectors.