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UK to US grade translator
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Anyone know of a good UK to US grade translators? Would like to buy from an English merchant, but not sue what grades like aFine and such translate to on the 70 point scale.
Previous transactions: Wondercoin, goldman86, dmarks, Type2
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Lots of variance. Predecimal site will have some on those boards.
Well, just Love coins, period.
While I will likely get shot at from every direction on this, there is just not much room in the UK scale in the mid grade range... Be very careful. Make sure you have the opportunity to either see the coin in hand or view trustworthy images before buying. The safest approach is looking at each coin on a case by case basis so nothing is lost in the translation
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
For traditional uk scale:
UK fair - US VG
UK F - US VF
UK VF - US EF to AU
UK EF - US AU to unc
UK AU - US unc
UK unc - US choice or better unx
An about is on the lower end, so aVF woukd likely be US aEF. There is a tendency in UK collecting to concentrate on UK VF grades and above except for really scarce pieces.
Note that some UK dealers will use US grading for US coins.
The British still have very strict grade standards; there's been very little gradeflation compared to America. They still grade like the grading guide from the 1960s says I should grade coins: with about two-thirds of coins from mint rolls not making the Unc grade. Man, that's tough.
As a general rule, when converting American grades to British, I take it two whole grades down.
American Choice Gem super-Unc = maybe British Unc. They're really strict.
American Unc = British EF.
American aUnc = British VF
American EF = British Fine.
American VF or lower = British "Please throw it away; it's rubbish".
Here in Australia, we're about halfway between the two extremes: Australian grades are about a grade above American grades, and a grade below British grades.
Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, "Meditations"
Apparently I have been awarded one DPOTD.
However, the Brits let some cleaning issues through that would be severely dinged by US TPG's as well as other issues such as edge filing, etc.
Well, just Love coins, period.
Agree that the grades are a bit stricter. But as with all things, it varies - I have got a few clunkers.
I like John Stafford Langan's conclusions: http://www.irishcoinage.com/GRADE.HTM
I have also seen "mediocre" for AG.
Pacific Northwest Numismatic Association
I'm looking mostly at Chard's, so I assume that they have a good handle on proper grading?
People either love Chard, or they hate them. I have had nothing but excellent service and good coins from them. Most of my purchases with a modern and/or bullion element to them, maybe no old stuff ever.
I found the chart on the bottom of the page quite helpful.
http://www.amrcoins.com/information-and-articles/coin-grading-unravelled/