Coin Grading: Obverse vs. Reverse

cameron12x

Is there a general rule about grading with respect to how much weight the obverse is given vs. how important the reverse grades out?

Is it 50/50 weighting, or some other ratio between obverse and reverse?

Or is it dependent on coin type and variety?

Thanks!

darktone

In most series the obverse decides the grade with the reverse usually only bringing the grade down if it has problems and if it's extra nice it might give the higher grade to a between grade coin.

coinguy1

Generally speaking, the obverse is weighted quite a bit more heavily than the reverse.

Here are some generalized hypothetical examples.....

A coin which is a 65/64 might very well receive a 65. But a coin which is a 64/65 (or even 64/66) wont.

A coin which is a 66/64 might even receive a 66, but if not, a 65. But a coin which is a 64/66 will probably grade MS64, and not MS65.

cameron12x

Thanks a bunch to everyone for their insight!

This gives me a much better understanding...

Cheers,
Jeff

dirtybird

I would say 60% obverse and 40% reverse.

airplanenut

One great example for this would be an MS63 Morgan. You can find some that have lots of obverse chatter, hence the grade, but flawless reverses that alone would grade 66-68. But, it's the face that counts.

TomB

Mark gives good general guidelines for this, but if you are asking about how the TPGs grade coins then you must also consider that there will be instances where a superb reverse will carry a not-so-superb obverse up the grading scale.

Vextron

<< <i>One great example for this would be an MS63 Morgan. You can find some that have lots of obverse chatter, hence the grade, but flawless reverses that alone would grade 66-68. But, it's the face that counts. >>



Correctly Stated..

aficoinado

butter face applies to coins as well.

relicsncoins

<< <i>butter face applies to coins as well. >>



Or in my collecting habits it doesn't really matter.

cameron12x

Just thought I'd resurrect this thread to see if there are any new opinions...

LindeDad

I still think Mark has the idea down to a understandable set of ratios.

IrishMikey

<< <i>Just thought I'd resurrect this thread to see if there are any new opinions... >>


If you are talking about Mint State coins, what Mark said holds true for just about everything.
On the other hand, if you are talking about low grade pieces from the 1700's, that is a
totally different thing. A good example of this would be a Chain cent that grades Fair or
Poor on the obverse, but the chain is reasonably sharp. Such a coin may sell for About Good
money, despite the obverse. There are many other examples.

astrorat

<< <i>One great example for this would be an MS63 Morgan. You can find some that have lots of obverse chatter, hence the grade, but flawless reverses that alone would grade 66-68. But, it's the face that counts. >>

It is what is known as the "money side" of the coin.

leothelyon

I guess when someone asks about how to grade coins on a host website, we're all to assume he's talking about how PCGS grades coins.

Pokermandude

Is the heavier weighting of the obverse an American thing? In Canadian/world grading I was under the impression that the sides were pretty equal, if you had a MSXX/YY coin, it would be graded by the lowest side, whichever that is.

mirabela

It's very lopsided.

Five or six years ago, for instance, I encountered a PCGS slabbed 1901 (P) Morgan in AU58 -- a pretty scarce creature -- with a *big* rim nick on the reverse. More like what I'd call a rim cut in fact. Were that on the obverse, it would never have slabbed.

leothelyon

I've seen plenty of coins in holders where you would swear the grade was based on the reverse side. Meaning, for Jefferson nickel, the obverse working die, the hammer side, would always show die fatigue before the reverse working die. In other words, a coin can have a perfectly struck reverse while the obverse details are mush but yet this is what we find sitting in a MS66 or an occasional MS67 holder. And we're suppose to base the quality of coins we collect on that kind of thinking?

JupitarCoins

<< <i>Generally speaking, the obverse is weighted quite a bit more heavily than the reverse.

Here are some generalized hypothetical examples.....

A coin which is a 65/64 might very well receive a 65. But a coin which is a 64/65 (or even 64/66) wont.

A coin which is a 66/64 might even receive a 66, but if not, a 65. But a coin which is a 64/66 will probably grade MS64, and not MS65. >>



HUH?
Brilliant thinking!!!

Justlooking

On a lot of coins, there's a lot of detail on the reverse, so for some reason they don't get nicked up as much as the relatively smoother portrait on the obverse (or so I've read ... never have understood the physics of that). Therefore, lots of Morgans have extremely clean reverses.