Can SOMEBODY decipher this Brit grade description please :)

canadacolornut

I swear; British grades are all OVER the place!

As someone noted, even a GEF(which I would to mean Extra Fine with a GOOD in front of it :+)
may grade as high as MS 63 and an AU(even the initials say what it is. ALMOST UNCIRCULATED!) maybe grade even higher-as in
"definitely uncirculated" with a good mid range MS grade.

And this one is a capper.

From the Colin Cooke site:

1st Bust. ESC 1091. Choice EF, delightfully toned
Slabbed by NGC as MS63

HALP!!!

coinkat

It seems that there is a different standard and that standard is not always that clear.

I would write more but that may not help

wybrit

Some Brits grade non-BU material as UNC, some only grade BU material as UNC. The latter consider gEF as essentially UNC but lacking some desirable quality.

Spink's UNC pricing for copper and bronze is based on full lustre, Collector Coins has one price for "UNC" and one for "BU."

I'd be careful with UNC designations there (just like here) - a lot of cleaned coins get graded as UNC.

Then, there is the Gouby standard. He grades up to EF, but then has a higher grade called pAS (practically as struck), which would be a high quality piece.

In other words, I see no consistent standard over there.

laurentyvan

In other words, I see no consistent standard over there.

Is that then to the sellers advantage?

Hussulo

1st Bust. ESC 1091. Choice EF, delightfully toned Slabbed by NGC as MS63

Basically over here the grading tends to be a lot stricter then over in the US.

A coin over here even with a little cabinet friction or wear on the high points wouldn't be considered Unc (even though in the true sense of the word it hasn't circulated) yet over in the US the same coin would perhaps be graded MS63.

For example I recently sold a couple of slabbed sovereigns through auction at DNW. I think one was PCGS MS60 that was described as EF, the other one another TGP MS63 was described as good EF or better (not even a hint of calling either close to Unc).

Mind you I am talking about accurate or trusted dealer grading and not ebay seller grading, where most things are Unc.

You might also find this of interest:
http://www.coinsgb.com/Grading.html

canadacolornut

This dialogue has been very helpful and I think I'm closing in on it.

I'm attaching this illustration that was put together by Rob Pearce, however, with essentially
the same question I had to start with.

I swear that EF looks uncirculated and the EF+ looks MS65ish.

Or is it just me?

JCMhouston

My experience with various British dealers is that GEF usually makes MS60-64, however I would not say they were more strict, just a different interpretation of the grading. My opinion is that many Brits and Europeans tend to look at strike weakness or die wear on pre-19th C. and automatically give it an EF grade, for a coin that really is uncirculated.

Where I see them falling down is in the very high grades. For example Huss discusses his examples of low-medium mint state coins being given the EF or GEF grade, but last year the same auction company had a bunch of 17th - 19th C. coins they described as FDC and very few of them made over 64 at NGC, with the majority at 63.

This William III shilling was previously described as EF by the British dealer. Although my photo is crapppy even though all of the details are not fully struck up the coin appears to exhibit no actual wear, this coin made 62 at NGC which I agree with.

canadacolornut

Thanks Jeff. I'm going through a trial and error relationship with a couple of highly regarded dealers right
now to try and get a handle on the prices, the grading standards, and how they might translate with PCGS.

Your comments and others have been very helpful and I appreciate them all...

7Jaguars

I think I had mentioned before that about 10 years ago the Spink SNC had a 20th c. milled section with a "GEF" 1926 ME penny that turned out to be PCGS MS65RB!

RobP

<< <i>
I swear that EF looks uncirculated and the EF+ looks MS65ish.

Or is it just me?

>>


I can assure you they aren't UNCs, though the higher grade one is interesting as the obverse die is heavily rusted giving a stippled appearance not dissimilar to that of Simon's Cromwell portrait whilst polishing the field has highlighted the effect. It is also apparent that someone tried to chisel off the rust as there is a raised straight mark across the throat.