Just a little aside on grading

laurentyvan · December 2, 2005 9:14AM

It has taken me three years to get to the point where I feel comfortable grading coins. I can finally tell a cleaned coin from an uncleaned one, At from NT, AU from XF, AXF from VF and so on. Something finally cllicked and I have learned to trust my judgement.

I couldn't be more happy. Of course, everything is relative.

How long did it take you to feel you could grade coins properly?

Preussen · December 2, 2005 9:32AM

<< <i>How long did it take you to feel you could grade coins properly? >>

So far, about 30 years (and still counting). - Preussen

Clankeye · December 2, 2005 9:39AM

To be honest, I can make no claim to being able to grade even most coins over the entire spectrum of AG-MS70.

Too many different series. Too many different grade designations. Too many intangibles.

I am comfortable grading a few coins in series that I know, and mostly in grades AU or above.

Clankeye

Syracusian · December 2, 2005 9:42AM

How long did it take you to feel you could grade coins properly?

I believe that the time needed is proportional to the amount of coins that you get to see in hand,more than anything else. The more, the quicker the results. I don't consider myself an expert grader, not even close to some members that come to mind,but I'm confident of my judgement and the majority of my submissions go as predicted without any major surprises. The educational value of submissions is very underrated as JamminJ explains in a few of his posts.In anycase,the ANA annual grading seminar has been highly recommended by everybody,as an invaluable tool for dealers and collectors alike, it's on my to do someday list,as it demands a full week or 2 week stay in Colorado.

AuldFartte · December 2, 2005 10:18AM

The only coins I'm confident in grading are early US coppers (half cents and large cents) and British coinage post-1800 or so.

MacCrimmon · December 2, 2005 11:57AM

<< <i>The educational value of submissions is very underrated as JamminJ explains in a few of his posts. In anycase, the ANA annual grading seminar has been highly recommended by everybody,as an invaluable tool for dealers and collectors alike, it's on my to do someday list,as it demands a full week or 2 week stay in Colorado. >>

The key is really total immersion into the process, but with a caveat that your mentor had better really know what they are explaining, or you could be confused for years. That's why the ANA seminar is invaluable.

I was lucky to hook up with a prominent dealer when I was a wee, young lad. Literally thousands of choice to gem coins were at my disposal to examine over a short course of time, and I also had thousands more auction lots just down the road at Steve Ivy's auctions when they were in Dallas and only in Dallas......ahhhhhh! This was also during the pre-slab (PS) days ...... you could date the time as 7PS.

I also attended an early forerunner of the ANA seminars at Adelphi Univ. in 1981 which was taught by Skip Fazzari (Fazzari was one of the early ANACS graders and authenticators. He now has a role NCS, I believe).

So, how long?? Easily within one year, but you will be perfecting those subtle nuances for several years more, not to mention the transferance of basic grading to other series of coins. You will learn more from mistakes than when you were right, and, properly atoned, those mistakes will dwindle to nil.

In the meantime, have fun!!

Aethelred · December 2, 2005 12:01PM

I see thousands of coins each day and I would say that my skills are still growing. There is always something yet to learn and it is an art, not science, so there is always room to get better at it.

BS · December 2, 2005 12:53PM

I'm not very confident in my grading.

coinrookie · December 3, 2005 2:54AM

It has taken me about 3 yrs to get even a vague knowledge on grading coins that I collect. Coins in other series, I have no clue. That said, I have slabbed coins that I have no idea how the grade was arrived at on that particular example. Sometimes that situation kind of shakes my belief in my own abilities. But hey, then I figure on some of them that the experts could be wrong.

Steve

laurentyvan · December 11, 2005 2:08AM

I am comfortable grading a few coins in series that I know, and mostly in grades AU or above.

As am I, I should have said...

But more than that, it's a general feeling of well, that's VF-maybe a slight bit better, perhaps almost XF. Or, looks like AU, perhaps a stretch to UNC. Definitely NT or Gawd-what an ugly AT. That's been cleaned, that hasn't-really that's all it takes to create my comfort level...It's getting it close, within one or two grades of where a TPG might be. Specific grades based on original strike -i.e. lightly struck as the whole series is and where a strong strike would be notable can and is still beyond me unless I know the series real well.

Recently picked up a 1968 Liberia proof set for $7.50 with a tiny mintage. Copper/Nickel keeps the set from being worth more (I assume)but they are the nicest strikes I've seen on any Liberian coin. I believe it's worth more just based on strike but I don't believe anyone in Liberia is concentrating on coin collecting right now, and that's what it takes for a coin (s) to escalte in value.

coinkat · December 11, 2005 10:16AM

Mr. L:

If the coins have a nice design, there are world collectors that may have an interest its just that the interest probably does not extend to whether it is a 67 or 68...

MrEureka · December 11, 2005 2:14PM

How long did it take you to feel you could grade coins properly?

I reached that point about eight years before I really could grade coins properly, and I was doing coins full time all the while. Think about that.

nicholasz219 · December 11, 2005 2:23PM

I am not that solid of a grader in the sense that I can parse between MS62 and MS63 on a Churchill Crown.
I would like to believe that I have enough solid grading knowledge and experience to determine the differences between major grades (VF and XF) and high and low ends of the grade spectrum (BU and Gem BU).

I don't really care to parse between grades on my own coins unless there is a substantial financial reason to do so, which is generally not the case considering the level of coins that I am buying. As long as I can determine the correct grade and appropriate value, I am pretty happy. One of the reasons I hate US collecting for the most part right now is because if you mistake a 64 for 65, you are all of a sudden out of thousands of dollars in some cases and since I can't tell the difference I don't want to buy that coin.

That's just me though.

Nick

Just a little aside on grading

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