Which series is toughest to grade?

Shamika · August 22, 2006 5:50AM

Personally, I struggle to grade $2.5 and $5 Indian Head Gold coins even though I love the design. High end AU and MS coins all look the same to me.

JJM · August 22, 2006 5:54AM

<< Personally, I struggle to grade $2.5 and $5 Indian Head Gold coins even though I love the design. High end AU and MS coins all look the same to me. >>

I agree with you on that and anything copper for me.............

kiyote · August 22, 2006 5:54AM

large cents? I haven't seen many... maybe steel cents, too.

Prethen · August 22, 2006 5:55AM

I think even the pros will agree with you on this one. $2.5 and $5 Indians can be very interesting to grade with their incuse designs. And, to make matters worse, you really need to see many hundreds or thousands of them in order to have the eye to tell whether or not the color is "right" or the surfaces have been altered.

Doogy · August 22, 2006 5:58AM

<< Personally, I struggle to grade $2.5 and $5 Indian Head Gold coins even though I love the design. High end AU and MS coins all look the same to me. >>

that is precisely why when it comes time to add one of these to my collection, i'll save my money and buy an AU one.

PerryHall · August 22, 2006 6:10AM

Colonial coins, California fractional gold, Dahlonega and Charlotte mint gold. All of these are frequently crudely manufactured and are difficult to grade because of this.

ziggy29 · August 22, 2006 6:16AM

$2.5 and $5 Indians, colonials, trimes immediately come to mind.

123cents · August 22, 2006 6:16AM

$2.50 and $5.00 Indian.

Bryan1315 · August 22, 2006 6:53AM

I think the Peace dollars are very hard to grade because of their poor strike especially the 1921 Peace Dollars

ChangeInHistory · August 22, 2006 6:55AM

Ancients--there's no set standard.

As far as U.S. series, I think Standing Lib. Quarters and 3-cent coins----both silver and nickel. (I'm not too familiar with the gold series)

BillJones · August 22, 2006 6:55AM

Standing Liberty Quarter.

Part of my problem is that the circulated ones mostly look like crap to me unless it's a 1916.

leothelyon · August 22, 2006 7:24AM

Buffalo and Jefferson nickels, since very few people including the TGS's actually know how to grade them. A perfect example was the sale of Cladmaker's Buffalo nickels! Did someone say high quality "early die state" examples are what made that collection so GREAT? Congrats to Rick Hennessy!

Leo

Leiana · August 22, 2006 7:27AM

3CS.

-Amanda

kranky · August 22, 2006 7:47AM

I think it's Buffalo nickels, since the grading varies by date and mint so much.

hootchiegirl · August 22, 2006 8:16AM

franklin half dollars are tough for me they are wither good or bad in my book no other designations

hootchiegirl · August 22, 2006 8:17AM

easiest has got to be the whole barber series

gyocomgd · August 22, 2006 8:21AM

Merc dimes and $2.5 Indian gold (it's why I got out of collecting them, couldn't even discern cleaning half the time.)

Barndog · August 22, 2006 8:50AM

Morgan Dollars. I have to repeatedly turn my head away during the process so as not to barf.

lkenefic · August 22, 2006 8:50AM

I agree with Amanda...3 Cent Silvers.

I've found Large Cents to be a bit of a challenge, but the more I get a feel for which years had exceptionally poor strikes and/or planchet problems, the better I'm able to grade them.

Leo

Whizzard · August 22, 2006 9:00AM

I find lots of bust material difficult. I just have little experience with it.

robertpr · August 22, 2006 9:02AM

<< Morgan Dollars. I have to repeatedly turn my head away during the process so as not to barf.

>>

Yeah, ditto with the JFK's too.

Julio · August 22, 2006 9:08AM

I could not grade anything with confidence if someone else was depending on my judgement. I've read your basic books so I have no problem buying raw. Now if I was to submit those raw purchases to get graded I'd probably get my feelings hurt.

.
So much to learn and so little time. I'm not afraid to seek advice and I hope that has served me well.
If your ignorant like me, get help. That's what I do. jws

Coxe · August 22, 2006 9:19AM

<< I think the Peace dollars are very hard to grade because of their poor strike especially the 1921 Peace Dollars >>

Yes, Peace dollars are tough. My feeling on that series is that the valuation should be more tightly bound to the eye appeal than to the technical grade.

LincolnCentMan · August 22, 2006 9:20AM

Circulated Ike dollars. The dude starts out with almost no hair...

David

Derek2100 · August 22, 2006 11:41AM

$2.50 and $5.00 Indians - the incuse design causes a lot of confusion. I have seen people trying to sell sets of $2.50 indians the seller sold to them as "Ch BU" that when graded came back AU 55 or AU 58 for the most part. Maybe a couple MS 61 if they were lucky and they all think the dealer is trying to rip them when they're only offered AU money. I would call it a leap of faith to buy one of these raw sets for AU money as the coins could be fake too. Not as common on the bourse as say 10-15 yr ago. I had a fellow offer me one such set recently "what do you want for these BU's he asked" I examined it and instantly thought AU on all of them but just politely replied "nice looking set in that capital holder but no interest" "See that guy in the cowboy hat over there about three tables down? Let him take a look, he might be a buyer."

Trime · August 22, 2006 6:49PM

Difficulty is usually linked to practice (experience),
I do not collect $2.5 and $5 Indians and find them challenging, shield nickels are also a more difficult series for me. Walkers can be difficult in the AU-MS61-2 range. Colonials require knowledge about strike.
On the other hand, trimes were listed by a number of you as difficult but pretty straight forward for my eye ( although NGC grades then 0.5-1 point higher than PCGS in upper mint states and proofs). Some 3CN dates can be difficult to distiguish MS from PR. In fact I have sent several coins in for regrades and had them return in an upgrade but switched from MS to PR and vise versa.

richardshipp · August 22, 2006 10:00PM

I'm still learning how to grade all of them.
I did take my 2.50 1911 Indian Gold to 3 different shops with me and while there asked for their grade opinion. 3 Shops and a total of 4 different people looked at the coin and their professional opinions varied from Fine to MS62? Just made me more confused. It's off at PCGS now so we'll see who was closest.

MFH · August 23, 2006 12:08AM

<< Standing Liberty Quarter.

Part of my problem is that the circulated ones mostly look like crap to me unless it's a 1916.

>>

Bill,

I couldn't agree with you more. I have collected SLQ's for many years and have assembled a few sets. I have no problem grading everything up to AU58, and I can grade all 63 - thru - 68's. The real problem I have is inbetween grades like MS 61 & 62. Most of the 61's should be in a 60 holder, and the few 62's I've seen could slide into a 63 holder.

Many images I see on line seem to mask rub on the leading leg making many think the coin look MS; you really have to grade the SLQ in hand and never rely on images.

bushmaster8 · August 23, 2006 1:53AM

Circ. Standing Lib quarters

mercurydimeguy · August 23, 2006 1:54AM

Which series is toughest to grade?

The one you don't collect

Merc · August 23, 2006 2:05AM

Gold dollars are difficult. I can do it but it takes me 3 times as long. They are just so small plus you must always check for counterfeits.

Regulated · August 23, 2006 3:42AM

I have a lot of trouble with Yap money - they're all holed, and its next to impossible to figure out what constitutes luster on something made of stone.

RichieURich · August 23, 2006 5:56AM

<< I have a lot of trouble with Yap money - they're all holed, and its next to impossible to figure out what constitutes luster on something made of stone. >>

Wouldn't Yap money be considered "slabs"?

mrcommem · August 23, 2006 6:20AM

Type two gold dollars--especially branch mint

Shamika · August 23, 2006 6:35AM

Here's an image of Yap money for those who don't know.

Regulated · August 23, 2006 6:45AM

I have a small one of those somewhere in my office. Someday I need to figure out how to get Don to sell it to me.

DMWJR · August 23, 2006 6:51AM

Shamika, I think there are two distinctions that could be made here. The grading of some series is more art than technical. Others are more technical than art. For example, in my opinion grading early buffalo nickels is more art than technical aspects. A Jefferson nickel is more technical than art. Most people find technical grading easier than art.

Elcontador · August 23, 2006 7:00AM

To me, the most difficult series to grade are Capped Bust Halves. They're open collar coins, and especially the MS 58 - MS 63 area is a coin collector's "Lucha Libre." Even many 5s lack detail, so you really have to know what is wear (I look for luster breaks) versus sub-optimal strike.

Hootchiegirl, re your comment "easiest has got to be the whole barber series." That's because most of them are overgraded as well as ugly.

MFH · August 23, 2006 10:29AM

<< To me, the most difficult series to grade are Capped Bust Halves. They're open collar coins, and especially the MS 58 - MS 63 area is a coin collector's "Lucha Libre." Even many 5s lack detail, so you really have to know what is wear (I look for luster breaks) versus sub-optimal strike.

Hootchiegirl, re your comment "easiest has got to be the whole barber series." That's because most of them are overgraded as well as ugly. >>

********

JRocco · August 23, 2006 10:45AM

Circulated gold is always tough for me to grade-it is such a soft metal, but Buff's drive me nuts...

clw54 · August 23, 2006 10:46AM

The incuse stuff.

Shamika · August 23, 2006 11:36AM

<< Shamika, I think there are two distinctions that could be made here. The grading of some series is more art than technical. Others are more technical than art. For example, in my opinion grading early buffalo nickels is more art than technical aspects. A Jefferson nickel is more technical than art. Most people find technical grading easier than art. >>

Yes, I'd have to agree.

Which series is toughest to grade?

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