AU-55 vs. AU-58.........
relicsncoins
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Prethen's two cent piece brings up a good point. Is the difference strictly a wear issue? Or can an AU55 have the exact same wear as an AU58 but with a few more hits? My guess is it boils down to technical grading vs. market grading.
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Ken
Michael Kittle Rare Coins --- 1908-S Indian Head Cent Grading Set --- No. 1 1909 Mint Set --- Kittlecoins on Facebook --- Long Beach Table 448
degree of rub. A 55 has much less luster and more rub on high
and midpoints.
Camelot
AU58 (have no clue as to why this one isn't MS)
AU55
AU55 (more wear and color than the other 55)
President, Racine Numismatic Society 2013-2014; Variety Resource Dimes; See 6/8/12 CDN for my article on Winged Liberty Dimes; Ebay
kind of like there are a lot of ways a girl can rate an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10, and everybody's got an opinion as to the categories for rating and how much to rate each one.
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
take it from a 55 to 58
Coins in the AU-58 grade have been called "sliders" in the past. They kind of have a tendency to slide between Choice AU and Unc. when people are grading them.
AU 55 has wear not much but from circulation not roll rub or cabinet friction.
I wasn't too concerned about the assigned grade, but rather, the overall "look" of the coin.
Please excuse the "luster flattening" scan.
An AU55 will have LESS of the following then an AU58 = luster.
<< <i>Prethen's two cent piece brings up a good point. Is the difference strictly a wear issue? >>
Let me put it this way, it should be.
<< <i>Or can an AU55 have the exact same wear as an AU58 but with a few more hits? >>
No.
<< <i>My guess is it boils down to technical grading vs. market grading. >>
That's not a bad guess. But let's not confuse apples and oranges. You start with the technical grade, and that's all about the level of circulation wear. Then, you evaluate the coin from a marketplace standpoint, and that's all about how pretty or ugly the coin looks. And there's nothing more intellectual to it than that...
Oh, and if the coin has strong "pedigree" (i.e., you know, the kind of chain-of-custody a status-seeking fool in the marketplace would pay extra money for) then you ignore that circulation wear as mere "cabinet friction" and you kick that circulated grade up to a mint state for it...
The others, "AU-55" and "AU-53" are excuses for Extremely Fine condition coins. In my opinion, buying anything called "AU-55" is self deception unless you are paying an honest EF price.
<< <i>"AU-58" is the real About Uncirculated...a trace of wear/slight luster break.
The others, "AU-55" and "AU-53" are excuses for Extremely Fine condition coins. In my opinion, buying anything called "AU-55" is self deception unless you are paying an honest EF price. >>
Good luck finding an PCGS/NGC AU55 at an EF price.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
That's true most of the time - called "grade inflation" ??
This is analogous to collectors feeling the must fill every album hole. In this instance, the fallacy of “numeric” grading creates a hole between 45 and 60 that hobbyists and profiteers insist on filling. It does not matter that in real grading there was no hole between EF and AU – one has now been artificially created and the hobby will have to absorb the added cost until it eats itself tail first.
"Bongo hurtles along the rain soaked highway of life on underinflated bald retread tires."
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CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
A 55 on the other hand will be clearly worn on the highest points and should never be mistaken for a mint state coin.
60 years into this hobby and I'm still working on my Lincoln set!
<< <i>Prethen's two cent piece brings up a good point. Is the difference strictly a wear issue? Or can an AU55 have the exact same wear as an AU58 but with a few more hits? My guess is it boils down to technical grading vs. market grading. >>
I think degrees of mostly wear vs. rub.
I give away money. I collect money.
I don’t love money . I do love the Lord God.
<< <i>From my admittedly limited experience, a 58 should be nearly indistinguishable from a mint state specimen - you'll really have to look to find out what keeps it from an MS grade.
A 55 on the other hand will be clearly worn on the highest points and should never be mistaken for a mint state coin. >>
Everyone says that until asked to guess a grade and they say something like; "That coin has too many hits to be a 58." If we are just talking about wear, a coin should be able to be bag marked to death, yet only have the slightest amount of wear and still be a 58.
JJ