High tech, hand held grading devices
Chessman
Posts: 1,602 ✭✭✭
I was speaking with a sharp customer service representative at a major grading service recently as to whether they use electronic scanning or other devices to grade certain coins, for example the endless numbers of modern coins which must be difficult to get accurately graded in such numbers. She said "no".
How far are we from the availability of high tech, hand held grading devices where a dealer or collector could hover over the surface of the coin and it would relay any problems on the surface of said coin, with approximate grade level, etc.? The next wave would then to be able to uplink with a computer database, auction records, etc. with images online and then quickly compare with those with percentages of correlation to images and then crank out a likely numerical grade.
How far are we from such a high tech tool?
How far are we from the availability of high tech, hand held grading devices where a dealer or collector could hover over the surface of the coin and it would relay any problems on the surface of said coin, with approximate grade level, etc.? The next wave would then to be able to uplink with a computer database, auction records, etc. with images online and then quickly compare with those with percentages of correlation to images and then crank out a likely numerical grade.
How far are we from such a high tech tool?
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Good Lord, I sincerely hope that we are so far away from obtaining such a device that the entire idea is abandoned. If anyone either can't or won't learn to grade themselves, maybe they should consider taking up another hobby. One that doesn't require any effort on their part.
<< <i>"How far are we from such a high tech tool?"
Good Lord, I sincerely hope that we are so far away from obtaining such a device that the entire idea is abandoned. If anyone either can't or won't learn to grade themselves, maybe they should consider taking up another hobby. One that doesn't require any effort on their part. >>
Do you use a cell phone? The Internet? Or anything that is "high tech". I think it would be an excellent idea and eventually a standard among all grading companies where folks want coins graded. How cool would it be to be able to scan your own coins from home to see how your organic grading methods stack up? Would we even need grading companies? Why do we need them now? Is the human eye somehow better than what could eventually be developed? Consistency in grading is our ultimate goal isn't it?
You are a bit closed minded based on your own personal opinion. Loosen up a little.
All of that aside, don't forget the single most important quality of a coin is its eye appeal. That is purely subjective and can only be reasonably determined by experts with an eye calibrated by viewing tens of thousands of coins. I also foresee difficulty in making the distinction between "genuine, cleaned" and "grade-appropriate hairlines", let alone between counterfeit and genuine. There are too many subtleties and nuances.
Now, if you want to build something that could determine if a mint-state, white ASE was MS69 or MS70, such a distinction is a much simpler matter, but still complex and frought with pitfalls.
I wouldn't be surprised if some day an electronic device assisted in some fashion. But I think a coin's grade will always be a human judgment.
Lance.
Note the speculative nature of my tentative conclusions.
I think the system from 25 years ago was called " Photo Grade"
BTW as mentioned above it was tried and failed because of a little thing called "Eye Appeal".
<< <i>the "sniffer" at least automates looking for foreign substances and takes a crude "picture". This is done for all coins over $50K, anything graded Secure, and any coins PCGS deems fishy. The "picture" is used for future reference to see if the coin has changed.
I think the system from 25 years ago was called " Photo Grade" >>
Back then Photo Grade was a book and the quality of the images left a whole lot to be desired.
Empty Nest Collection
Matt’s Mattes
<< <i>Now, if you want to build something that could determine if a mint-state, white ASE was MS69 or MS70 >>
This (as well as PR69-70 differentiation) is probably one of the only viable applications for this, as you are merely inspecting the finished product for flaws and categorizing them. Grading bulk orders of these coins has to be extremely repetitive and mind-numbing, thus prone to error. Being able to automate this process would be less error-prone, more objective, repeatable, and avoid the issue of being accused of grading certain orders with different standards as long as the grading parameters are constant. As soon as grading strays from "parts inspection", an automated approach isn't feasible.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars
<< <i>
<< <i>Now, if you want to build something that could determine if a mint-state, white ASE was MS69 or MS70 >>
This (as well as PR69-70 differentiation) is probably one of the only viable applications for this, as you are merely inspecting the finished product for flaws and categorizing them. Grading bulk orders of these coins has to be extremely repetitive and mind-numbing, thus prone to error. Being able to automate this process would be less error-prone, more objective, repeatable, and avoid the issue of being accused of grading certain orders with different standards as long as the grading parameters are constant. As soon as grading strays from "parts inspection", an automated approach isn't feasible. >>
Oh, you translated what I said into English
This specific application I suggest has nothing to do with the SecurePlus technology or the Sniffer. "Parts inspection" is precisely the intent of "my" application.
PhotoGrade was not used, rather, I'd imagine, coins from the reference PCGS grading set with, as said before, some subsequent tweaking. The process may have been an early application of CompuGrade or some very closely related technology. I'd imagine some hand-verification would be needed for toned ASE etc to determine NT/AT
When Sothebys starts rating works of art with anything other than the human eye and brain, Michelangelo will start
sketching charactertures of God in Heaven.
<< <i>... But there would be some dealers who would not want their coins scanned at the show or shop for whatever reasons and they have that right. >>
Why is it a right?
"Here's our service. We think it's the best way to do the job. Best for everyone! Buy it or don't".
The "parts inspection" paradigm rules where applicable. .