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What is the oldest age a professional grader should be allowed to work before they are retired?

Insider2Insider2 Posts: 14,452 ✭✭✭✭✭

I had some sad news from a professional coin grader today. He is in his fifties and was a loyal employee for over a decade.

While I hope to die at my desk at 100+, when is someone too old? Is there such a thing as too young to grade coins?

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    amwldcoinamwldcoin Posts: 11,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    21! :D

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    LeeBoneLeeBone Posts: 4,315 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @MattTheRiley said:
    I would think as long as their eyesight and their mental faculties hold out, they should be allowed to work as long as they want to.

    Like a fine wine, wouldn't they just get better with age(experience)?

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    SimpleCollectorSimpleCollector Posts: 536 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I don’t think there should be a mandatory age. experience in u derstanding cleaning, doctoring, types of toning,etc, can’t be taught overnight...As long as the performance and will to work is their, let them work...

    Along the lines of tommy type comment, I would say I am as good or better at what I do today, then 20 years ago, Howe ver, I am more focused on retirement then reaching quotas or meeting useless metrics.

    Rather than grading day to day stuff, perhaps a reduced role on specialties or high dollar coins could be an option.

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    CoinstartledCoinstartled Posts: 10,135 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Well it certainly is a demanding job, sitting on one's butt all day deciding which submitters will smile and which will look for a skyscraper window that still opens.

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    BlindedByEgoBlindedByEgo Posts: 10,754 ✭✭✭✭✭

    As an employer I would be loath to publicly commit to an arbitrary number. So long as the visual acuity, desire, mental and physical capacity remain, I cannot think of an age maximum that would reasonably apply.

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    MarkInDavisMarkInDavis Posts: 1,699 ✭✭✭✭

    No particular age. It would vary by individual. Certainly gets tougher on the eyes as you get older, but I am sure some can handle it. When work quality falls then it’s time to move on.

    image Respectfully, Mark
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    CoinosaurusCoinosaurus Posts: 9,614 ✭✭✭✭✭

    In the words of Toby Keith - I may not be as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was.

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    CoinosaurusCoinosaurus Posts: 9,614 ✭✭✭✭✭

    In the words of Toby Keith - I may not be as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was.

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    CoinosaurusCoinosaurus Posts: 9,614 ✭✭✭✭✭

    In the words of Toby Keith - I may not be as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was.

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    ms70ms70 Posts: 13,946 ✭✭✭✭✭

    More importantly, what careers are available after being a grader?

    Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.

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    ColonialcoinColonialcoin Posts: 625 ✭✭✭✭

    I would take an experienced grader that is well versed in a lot of different series any day over a newbie that only grades modern day coins such as eagles, gold bullion, and the like. It seems to me that the modern coinage is more about the planchet quality and luster versus weak strike, etc, especially when they should grade in the MS 69 area.

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    Wabbit2313Wabbit2313 Posts: 7,268 ✭✭✭✭✭

    What was the bad news?

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    rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    If skills and physical attributes are present and up to standards, no reason to retire unless one is tired of the workaday routine. Cheers, RickO

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    BaleyBaley Posts: 22,658 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Well, since the "grade" of any given coin is a fixed constant, and one simply looks at the amount of remaining detail and matches it to a photo or drawing in a book or on line, as soon as the person gets one coin WRONG! ... they should be fired.

    Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry

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    slider23slider23 Posts: 638 ✭✭✭✭

    There should not be any age limit for a grading position if the person can perform the duties, tasks, and skills required for the job.

    Once you get put out to pasture and you are at an age that is considered old for the job, it can be very difficult to find another job in the same field.

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    GRANDAMGRANDAM Posts: 8,366 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Coinosaurus said:
    In the words of Toby Keith - I may not be as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was.

    Well, if you can only grade 1 coin per day you ain't gonna make it anyway. ;)

    GrandAm :)
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    BGBG Posts: 1,762 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Probably retire or go to a different department before firing would happen IMO.

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    mr1931Smr1931S Posts: 5,964 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Age discrimination alive and well in other businesses why should the coin grading business be exempt?

    Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.-Albert Einstein

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    KollectorKingKollectorKing Posts: 4,820 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The total number of coins he/she has graded divided by the number of years as a graded X pie + square root of 2019 - the % of salary increase the last 10 years less bonus the last fiscal year..... :o

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    PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 45,405 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I would think a professional grader could get a job with a major coin dealer or auction company.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.

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    mr1931Smr1931S Posts: 5,964 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Grading coins at a TPG is not like bringing in jets at LAX where they retire air traffic controllers before age 40. Now, if the old grader is caught napping and drooling on coins he is supposed to be grading maybe he should be let go.

    Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.-Albert Einstein

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    Insider2Insider2 Posts: 14,452 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @ms70 said:
    More importantly, what careers are available after being a grader?

    @PerryHall said:
    I would think a professional grader could get a job with a major coin dealer or auction company

    But it depends on who you are, what you know, and the coin market. This isn't going to happen but let's say a Rick Montgomery or a David Hall would have more luck than Joe the long-time coin grader getting a job with a major dealer. I'll bet "the Captain" had no problem getting hired when he left a TPGS.

    @Wabbit2313 said:
    What was the bad news?

    You can probably figure it out in this coin market.

    .

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    amwldcoinamwldcoin Posts: 11,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    When I graded coins I was not on the clock! I got paid per coin. Maybe that is the answer to grade consistency! That would also remove the degradation of age as a grader.

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    mr1931Smr1931S Posts: 5,964 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Paid by the coin? The speediest graders make the big bucks?

    Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.-Albert Einstein

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    cnncoinscnncoins Posts: 414 ✭✭✭✭

    I spend 5 figures a month with our hosts. I think the grading "feedback" from them will tell me when it's time to quit...

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    amwldcoinamwldcoin Posts: 11,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Unless you value your reputation!

    @mr1874 said:
    Paid by the coin? The speediest graders make the big bucks?

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    CCGGGCCGGG Posts: 1,267 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 3, 2019 7:55AM

    I think the question should probably be the other way around. At what age can someone gain enough experience to become a grader. Yes you can read the books and know the break points but it takes some time under the belt (or through the glass) to really grade well. Maybe 30 for some, maybe 40+ for others.... Kinda like being a doctor. Do you want one that's just out of school or someone with some gray (or no) hair on their head. Age doesn't make a good grader or doctor but experience usually does.

    I know back in the day when I still worked :) my company valued experience and paid through the nose to get and keep it. As far as the top end age, I'd say in this area of specialty, as long as your mind and eyes stay reasonably sharp, you are good to go.

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    SmudgeSmudge Posts: 9,248 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Age and gile beat youth and a bad haircut every time. P J O.

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    MrEurekaMrEureka Posts: 23,939 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I can't imagine a grader getting fired because he's too old. Plenty of other possible reasons, but not his age.

    Andy Lustig

    Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.

    Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
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    LakesammmanLakesammman Posts: 17,290 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Not enough info made available yet to know why they were let go.

    If competent and let go because of age, hire an attorney.

    "My friends who see my collection sometimes ask what something costs. I tell them and they are in awe at my stupidity." (Baccaruda, 12/03).I find it hard to believe that he (Trump) rushed to some hotel to meet girls of loose morals, although ours are undoubtedly the best in the world. (Putin 1/17) Gone but not forgotten. IGWT, Speedy, Bear, BigE, HokieFore, John Burns, Russ, TahoeDale, Dahlonega, Astrorat, Stewart Blay, Oldhoopster, Broadstruck, Ricko.
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    RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Arbitrary age limits are inefficient, wasteful of knowledgeable resources and demeaning to those employed. So long as quality and productivity standards are met, it doesn't matter the computer's age or operating system.

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    MrEurekaMrEureka Posts: 23,939 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @RogerB said:
    Arbitrary age limits are inefficient, wasteful of knowledgeable resources and demeaning to those employed. So long as quality and productivity standards are met, it doesn't matter the computer's age or operating system.

    There are other considerations, of course. Probably all of which boil down to the employee's compensation and the employer's ROI.

    Andy Lustig

    Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.

    Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
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    shorecollshorecoll Posts: 5,445 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I worked for a company once that fired a percentage of senior staff every 5-10 years to keep average salaries low, not age discrimination, pay discrimination.

    ANA-LM, NBS, EAC
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    cnncoinscnncoins Posts: 414 ✭✭✭✭

    The graders actually get "graded" on how accurate they are, specifically what percentage of coins go out the door at their specific grade. If their numbers are not up to snuff, they will know it, and if bad enough, probably will be looking for alternative work.
    I don't believe this has anything to do with age. The other possibility is that the business model can't support the number of graders and their pay structure. This may also come into play as management decides who to keep and who to let go.

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    cnncoinscnncoins Posts: 414 ✭✭✭✭

    The graders actually get "graded" on how accurate they are, specifically what percentage of coins go out the door at their specific grade. If their numbers are not up to snuff, they will know it, and if bad enough, probably will be looking for alternative work.
    I don't believe this has anything to do with age. The other possibility is that the business model can't support the number of graders and their pay structure. This may also come into play as management decides who to keep and who to let go.

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    derrybderryb Posts: 36,193 ✭✭✭✭✭

    no age limit as long as the vision can be corrected.

    Keep an open mind, or get financially repressed -Zoltan Pozsar

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    Cougar1978Cougar1978 Posts: 7,615 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 3, 2019 7:25AM

    No age limit - why even this conversation. Do you care? I dont. Linking age to competence is idiotic!

    Our society is so infected with ageism, age bias, and disrespect of working people especially people over 50 it’s disgusting, and a national embarrassment.

    So Cali Area - Coins & Currency
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    CoinstartledCoinstartled Posts: 10,135 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Cougar1978 said:
    No age limit - why even this conversation. Do you care? I dont. Linking age to competence is idiotic!

    Our society is so infected with ageism, age bias, and disrespect of working people especially people over 50 it’s disgusting, and a national embarrassment.

    Just have a milestone birthday??

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    logger7logger7 Posts: 8,077 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I could see the stress of having to grade so many coins having a negative effect on the rest of people's lives. Maybe transitioning some elderly workers to less hours would make some sense.

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    joebb21joebb21 Posts: 4,733 ✭✭✭✭✭

    As a grader gets older and more seasoned it might be that his salary had been going up to reflect.
    It could be that it got to the point that what they paid the particular grader was more than they wanted to spend, and rather than asking him/her to take a major pay cut, just asked them to leave.

    Sad- but it happens in every field

    may the fonz be with you...always...
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    airplanenutairplanenut Posts: 21,908 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Justacommeman said:
    When I was 20 I would have said 50.

    Now that I’m in my 50’s I will say 80

    Change in Perspective

    Yeah, but now that you're old, we know better than to trust your ability to think through this important matter.

    JK Coin Photography - eBay Consignments | High Quality Photos | LOW Prices | 20% of Consignment Proceeds Go to Pancreatic Cancer Research
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    ElcontadorElcontador Posts: 7,416 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I think many graders leave voluntarily. I used to know someone who worked at a top tier grading service who just got sick of looking at uber grade moderns all day long, week after week, month after month.

    "Vou invadir o Nordeste,
    "Seu cabra da peste,
    "Sou Mangueira......."
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    gripgrip Posts: 9,962 ✭✭✭✭✭

    When they start grading bottle caps for quarters
    may be a time for a chat.:)

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    MoneyMonkey1MoneyMonkey1 Posts: 104 ✭✭✭

    The older the better when grading my coins.😉

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