Eye Appeal Rankings
BadWithMoney
Posts: 204 ✭✭✭
I thought it might be interesting to rate eye appeal issues. High grade notes with minor issues that do not impact grade. 0 for perfect up to 10 for spender 
. Sort of interested in how people think these issues would impact the price they would be willing to pay as a % of what they would pay for that same note with 'perfect' eye appeal. I will start out with a baseline of a note with good eye appeal, my latest I got today. A 1934 mule $10 silver certificate with the PNG Star designation. I am going to use the dealers photo as it will be much nicer than my scan. And of course, feel free to post your own stuff for ranking.
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Comments
Some collectors like these, but I’m not a big fan. Artificially manufactured large margins on notes cut from BEP issued sheets.
Yes, the notes above and below suffer. Here’s an an example of that.
That 1935D $1 SC looks terrible for the grade.
Here’s a courtesy autographed note with uneven side margins and angled upper and lower margins that still managed to get a GEM grade. The autographs tell you everything you need to know.
Yes, because of the margins. What’s wrong with my scan ?
I found this one spectacular and had to have it: 10/10 eye appeal. To me anyway
My YouTube Channel
"I found this one spectacular and had to have it: 10/10 eye appeal. To me anyway"
I have seen the occasional threads on discussing the details & differences between a UNC66 & UNC68-70. I quite honestly don't see much difference between the two! (I also find the idea of UNC70 and stars a bit ridiculous) I've been collecting for 40 years & have studied these notes & want to know what the certifiers have been smoking! Splitting hairs -HONESTLY!
Here's one I have that's been certified as an UNC68 (I think it's my first):
& I'm sorry but I see no difference between this one & a few 66/67's I have.
And I'm going to tell you another thing: I only won this one b/c I put in a soft bid that I didn't think would actually win. I'm not into grade rarities AT ALL. To me the PMG star thing is crazy (& I will never bid on em). The whole star concept (esp in lower grades) reminds me of stickers kids got in grade school. Well, I guess I have poor eyes or poor grading skills (I don't know) but I really find that once you get up to GEM66 the higher the number is just splitting hairs (even though I have seen several PMGUNC66 notes which should have been graded lower). I've also seen many PCGS which seem to throw the centre criteria out the window. Maybe (& I'm writing this only to give the certifiers a HUGE chunk of "benefit of doubt") when inspecting the note as these specialist do- they see deeper (or more striking) contrast in colour & incredible embossing, but I remain doubtful on that (for reasons I won't get into). Too often I think they're also factoring int he print history of the note (which is also a big mushy bag of nonsense). To me this is like generously giving out grades like candy to so & so's pedigreed collection. Try to be objective certifiers (PLEASE!)
I know there are a lot of collectors out there who are completely in the PMG camp too (like they're the most reliable or spot on) but not me (not by a long shot: grade the note- forget the holder). Anyway, that's my rant & 2 cents worth.
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