Grades are back. Rather than dwell on the high points...

gyocomgd · August 23, 2006 2:22PM

Stuck minimum grades on a 20-coin submittal to PCGS. All Buffalo nickels and my feeling was/is, if they weren't holdered where I wanted them, might as well keep them raw. Many came in same or higher than I'd hoped. But, whiner that I am, here are the real disappointments. They've yet to arrive in the mail.

This one did not come back 65:

This one did not come back 64:

This one did not come back 66:

Leiana · August 23, 2006 2:25PM

Do you want us to tell you what we think they were graded at?

That's too bad, those are some nice buffalos.

-Amanda

gyocomgd · August 23, 2006 2:28PM

<< Do you want us to tell you what we think they were graded at?

That's too bad, those are some nice buffalos.

-Amanda >>

No biggie. Like I say, many did swell.
If you place a "minimum grade" and it doesn't come up to that standard, they send it back in a flip. I've played guess the grade with these here before, not really necessary to do it again. The minimum grades, however, generally reflected the forum's consensus on what they'd get...
Thanks Amanda.
Guy

obversity · August 23, 2006 2:30PM

<< If you place a "minimum grade" and it doesn't come up to that standard, they send it back in a flip. >>

I assume it's the same fees either way, true?

Some nice buffs there.

jayboxx · August 23, 2006 2:30PM

Those are some nice looking AU buffs!

gyocomgd · August 23, 2006 2:32PM

<< Those are some nice looking AU buffs!

>>

Thanks Jayboxx! Next time I'll ask minimum 55, and will be happily surprised. Maybe...

DMWJR · August 23, 2006 2:51PM

On the 1913, the cuts on the rim bothered me. Hard to tell from the pic what's going on there, and I don't remember what you told me last time you showed that one.

They are still nice buffaloes.

robertpr · August 24, 2006 12:28AM

Nice coins either way Guy. You must have hit the graders on a bad day or something.

jdsinva · August 24, 2006 12:43AM

Sweet nickels! I'm almost tempted to join the hunt if they nice all look like that. . .

Tonedbuff · August 24, 2006 12:58AM

I can see what may be legitimate wear on the 15D, but honestly, the rest have, to me, at worst some slide marks, which should not have forced these to AU (if that is what happened). But, I'm with you, despite the pressures of the TPG game, the coins are what they are, and when you have solid consensus from a number of folks as to the grade of a coin, and you have graded that coin in hand, with the experience to do so, then THAT is the grade, and the coin can stay raw.
Those are all phenominal looking buffs.

bushmaster8 · August 24, 2006 1:02AM

The first two looka like maybe they were worked by Saint Nick- Chi-towns most infamous doctor.

I hope I am wrong tho!

ziggy29 · August 24, 2006 1:06AM

Why didn't you have them slabbed and crack them out if you didn't like the grade? It might have been instructive to see what PCGS thought of them, and you already paid for it.

gyocomgd · August 24, 2006 1:11AM

<< Why didn't you have them slabbed and crack them out if you didn't like the grade? It might have been instructive to see what PCGS thought of them, and you already paid for it. >>

I am deeply concerned about the pop reports and don't want to soil them any further.

In truth, you're absolutely right. A boner for sure.

Longacre · August 24, 2006 1:29AM

Those are some nice buffs! Do you have as good an eye for 6 footers as you do buffs?

gyocomgd · August 24, 2006 1:35AM

<< Those are some nice buffs! Do you have as good an eye for 6 footers as you do buffs?

>>

Better. I make everything.

gyocomgd · August 25, 2006 3:52AM

Incidentally, when I first looked at the submission results, it merely had "M/G" by the coins that didn't come back with the grades I sought. Last night, I actually was able to pull up the grades they were given though they weren't slabbed. Herewith, the world's best MS63 Buffalo nickel:

AlixTCat · August 25, 2006 4:03AM

When you set a minimum grade, you are, in essence, saying, I don't trust your grading. If I were a grader, I'd look at your minimum grade, not look at the coin, and say, "Yeah, right!" Just send in the coins and let them grade. They may just give it a grade higher than you expected. If what I say is not true, they why did the not give you the minimum grades you set?

Jonathan

Wolf359 · August 25, 2006 4:24AM

I think you got jobbed...those are tremendous looking coins. It's all there I would think...

My ony thought is they didn't trust the toning on the first two and passed. No excuses on the last two,
should have slabbed at your minimum at least.

Worth sending back in again, w/o a minimum grade I'd think.

Leiana · August 25, 2006 4:59AM

That's an MS 63?!?

What does that make other buffalos, MS58?

-Amanda

gyocomgd · August 25, 2006 5:02AM

<< When you set a minimum grade, you are, in essence, saying, I don't trust your grading. If I were a grader, I'd look at your minimum grade, not look at the coin, and say, "Yeah, right!" Just send in the coins and let them grade. They may just give it a grade higher than you expected. If what I say is not true, they why did the not give you the minimum grades you set?

Jonathan >>

My understanding is that the graders don't see the minimum grade. They grade the coin, and only when it's sent over to be slabbed does another employee note that the assigned grade doesn't meet the minimum.
I believe they got the grades they did not out of some type of emotional, puerile reaction on the part of the graders, but because grading is subjective and there is some aspect of the coins that in their opinion didn't merit higher marks. I'm not the type to cry over spilled milk; I realize that's how they game is played. I put them up for conversation and to indicate where PCGS in terms of toughness these days. I just may resubmit a couple of these, though at some point, with the $30 fee, you reach a point of diminishing returns.

keets · August 25, 2006 5:05AM

just so i understand this, you sent in 20 coins with minimums, four were "no grades" and some graded higher than your minimum?? that's called a wash in my book with not really much room for whining. this is really just like a Crossover since you limit the graders, so i'd think anything about 60% would be good.

gyocomgd · August 25, 2006 5:06AM

This 1929, which is really bright and lustrous and well struck to boot, the forum saw as MS65. It was graded MS63.

gyocomgd · August 25, 2006 5:15AM

<< just so i understand this, you sent in 20 coins with minimums, four were "no grades" and some graded higher than your minimum?? that's called a wash in my book with not really much room for whining. this is really just like a Crossover since you limit the graders, so i'd think anything about 60% would be good. >>

No Keets, the four I posted were among 10 that did not meet the minimum grade. All the coins in the submission were certifiable except a 26-D that came back altered surfaces and a 13-D Type 2 that came back cleaned (darned if I can see the cleaning). I made two other gaffes--I cracked out a 17-D in a 62 holder that came back 58, and cracked out a 14-S in MS62 that also came back 58. I doubt I'll ever crack out a 62 again; in Buffalo nickels it's almost synonymous with rub on the high points.

Still, it was close to a wash--a 3-legger I saw as XF came back AU50 (I was stunned, the hip and flank are pretty flat); and another 3-legger I thought may have been cleaned and which I bought for $500 came back VF30. A 1914 came back 64; it has some flat spots and I was hoping for 63. The coins that attained the grades I'd hoped for, I purchased pretty cheap, so a profit is in the offing on those.

An interesting experience really.

Shamika · September 7, 2006 12:12AM

<< Herewith, the world's best MS63 Buffalo nickel: >>

Okay, that's just rediculous!

richardshipp · September 7, 2006 12:53AM

On the Type I, I see a couple of rim hits on the Obv, and the Rev seems clean. If that is a 63, then I'm not sending any buffalos in, they'll go elsewhere.

RW · September 7, 2006 1:15AM

I think I'd like to start collecting MS63 Buffs if that's a 63.

gyocomgd · September 7, 2006 1:21AM

<< On the Type I, I see a couple of rim hits on the Obv, and the Rev seems clean. If that is a 63, then I'm not sending any buffalos in, they'll go elsewhere.

>>

They're stains, not rim hits.

Tonedbuff · September 7, 2006 1:27AM

Its really simple. That 1913 is not an MS63 'cause PCGS says so. Its a nice MS65. PCGS got it wrong. Crack it out and either re-submit, or just keep it. I think you know well what that coin grades at.
By the way, the 1929 could go MS64, but has a legit claim at MS65. Certainly not a 63. Something is just wrong with the grades you recieved. Look up the definitions for an MS63 and show me where that coin has distracting marks or hairlines... here is the definition from PCGS "This grade is usually found with clean fields and distracting marks or hairlines on the devices OR clean devices with distracting marks or hairlines in the fields. The strike and luster can range from mediocre to excellent."

Grades are back. Rather than dwell on the high points...

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