What series do you have the most difficulty accurately grading?

UtahCoin · January 28, 2013 5:53AM

What series do you have the most difficulty accurately grading?

I seem to need help in two areas.
For some reason I have a difficult time grading Buffalo Nickels.
Looking at my PCGS submissions, I really need help with early 1950's proof coins.

And you?

SmEagle1795 · January 28, 2013 5:55AM

Moderns. My eyes can't tell the difference between a 69 or 70 except for the price jump...

OKbustchaser · January 28, 2013 5:58AM

Any of them other than bust material. I simply haven't done the work necessary to figure out the vagaries of other series.

BillJones · January 28, 2013 6:25AM

<< Moderns. My eyes can't tell the difference between a 69 or 70 except for the price jump... >>

That goes without saying.

For me it is the Standing Liberty quarters in the circulated grades. Once you get below high end AU, I think that all of them are over graded.

tightbudget · January 28, 2013 6:36AM

I don't really deal much with early coinage (e.g. Flowing Hair and Bust Types) so I would consider those to be my weakest areas especially in lower grades.

renomedphys · January 28, 2013 6:36AM

AU vs. MS EAC is troubling sometimes.

DIMEMAN · January 28, 2013 6:46AM

Buffalo Nickels and Standing Quarters.

AMRC · January 28, 2013 6:50AM

Incluse Gold.

123cents · January 28, 2013 6:53AM

Circulated early commemoratives. You just don't see that many of them.

steveben · January 28, 2013 6:54AM

those i don't collect, but sometimes buy on impulse anyway. usually, i get burned. ;-)

PerryHall · January 28, 2013 7:04AM

<< Incluse Gold. >>

If you mean incused gold like the $2 1/2 and $5 Indian gold coins, I agree.

fastfreddie · January 28, 2013 7:12AM

<< 

<< Incluse Gold. >>

If you mean incused gold like the $2 1/2 and $5 Indian gold coins, I agree. >>

+1

guitarwes · January 28, 2013 7:15AM

Standing Quarters
$2 1/2 & $5 Indian gold
EAC

L1ncolnF4n · January 28, 2013 7:31AM

<< Incluse Gold. >>

+1

bronzemat · January 28, 2013 7:31AM

Peace dollars & Morgans.

derryb · January 28, 2013 7:45AM

all of the above

Rollerman · January 28, 2013 7:51AM

I agree with the OP on the Buffalo nickels and recuse gold would be next for me.
Pete

keyman64 · January 28, 2013 7:54AM

Buffalo Nickels! I think I know them pretty well but then I see PCGS slabs in MS66 or better and it looks like the Buffalo was shot by a bunch of Indians and then I see MS65 examples with hardly a mark on them.

MikeInFL · January 28, 2013 7:57AM

Mint state Buffs and incuse gold would be #1 and #2 on my list.

RYK · January 28, 2013 7:59AM

<< Mint state Buffs and incuse gold would be #1 and #2 on my list. >>

Flip #1 and #2, and you have my answer.

hchcoin · January 28, 2013 7:59AM

Buffalo Nickels by far

MacCrimmon · January 28, 2013 9:04AM

<< 

<< Mint state Buffs and incuse gold would be #1 and #2 on my list. >>

Flip #1 and #2, and you have my answer. >>

Bingo! Both are a different breed of coin......takes a lot of lookin', lookin', lookin', before your eyes are cookin'.

And then there's those really good Indian counterfeits, or just bad c/fs, but can you tell the diffs?

In fact, that might be my next "goal in life"; coin life, that is. Assemble a Superb Gem+ mintmark set of Buffalos, and $2.5 & $5 Indians..........oh yeah, put an * by that '09-O

BryceM · January 28, 2013 9:13AM

Ha. The list of what I'm comfortable with is much shorter.

I can hold my own in Peace Dollars, Walkers, Morgans, and most 1900s type material.

Buff nickels and gold remain slightly mysterious. With early copper, non-existent would be a flattering description of my comfort level.

Crusoe · January 28, 2013 9:36AM

Incuse gold and, believe it or not, Morgan dollars.

nwcoast · January 28, 2013 9:49AM

AU-MS buffalos are tough on me as well.
I also have trouble judging luster through darkly toned silver.

TwoSides2aCoin · January 28, 2013 10:12AM

Every series I submit to PCGS is obviously difficult for me to grade. When they return , they rarely match the grades I assigned them. Sometimes they're graded higher, sometimes they don't grade at all. I think you get the picture.

TPRC · January 28, 2013 10:32AM

<< Incluse Gold. >>

+1

TPRC · January 28, 2013 10:35AM

Morgan dollars have got to be the easiest coins to grade accurately and consistently. Gold in general has always been difficult for me as it is soft and I have a tendency to under-grade it.

Cocoinut · January 28, 2013 10:37AM

<< Mint state Buffs and incuse gold would be #1 and #2 on my list. >>

Jim

NewEnglandRarities · January 28, 2013 11:37AM

As a dealer in colonial coinage and exonumia I could certainly understand someone answering colonial coinage. Many pieces are net graded for issues that are pre (and of course post) strike and very often certain types and varieties are struck very weakly, adding to the confusion of the grading of these pieces accurately.

For me, I would say the hardest for me is high grade 1900s federal coinage of most types. I just have always had a hard time distinguishing the difference between say 64 and 65 on many pieces, but I must admit, I have never really taken the time to learn properly.

johnny9434 · January 29, 2013 4:15AM

<< Incluse Gold. >>

that goes for me as well

s4ny · January 29, 2013 5:52AM

<< Incluse Gold. >>

I agree. Also (if it matters) the difference between MS69 and MS70 on American Gold Eagles, Buffalos, and modern gold coins.

Pokermandude · January 29, 2013 5:57AM

Pretty much all US coins other than Morgans, Peace dollars and bust-era coins.

Probably my worst is buffalo nickels. I have a few raw ones in third world plastic (part of a large collection) and I have no idea if they are AU-50, MS-64 or anything in between. Once I get some good pics I'll probably do a GTG (with no results) on here

DorkGirl · January 29, 2013 6:19AM

V-nics.

Edscoin · January 29, 2013 6:27AM

Buffalo Nickels,
I can't tell a VF from an AU, or an MS60 from an MS 67!

yellowkid · January 29, 2013 6:34AM

<< all of the above >>

Elcontador · January 29, 2013 6:46AM

Capped Bust Halves from MS 58-63. See too many coins I think are sliders in Unc. holders. I'm fine above or below these grades.

Senex · January 29, 2013 7:12AM

Peace dollars
Incuse gold
The difference between MS69 & 70 on moderns.
I'm a pretty fair grader of Canadian classic pre-1968 silver. Nickels give me problems and high MS copper also.

mozin · January 29, 2013 8:50AM

The Classic Commemoratives are the hardest for me to grade. There are so many different designs, and I always have problem grading middle MS anyway.

LeeBone · January 29, 2013 9:04AM

More than a few...

lordmarcovan · January 29, 2013 10:17AM

Peace dollars, Franklins, and Washington quarters have all given me occasional headaches, due to their somewhat flatter relief. Oh, and Pratt-designed Indian Head gold with the incuse designs.

My favorite series to grade? Maybe Indian cents. I like all of the late-19th century stuff with LIBERTY on the headband- counting letters and partial letters is easier. (Not that that's the only grading focal area, of course, but it helps.)

What series do you have the most difficulty accurately grading?

Comments

Leave a Comment