Anyone know what the high points are on the new quarters? Also I know they haven't been out long enough to wear down much but has anyone come up with any grading standards for them yet?
It will be a few years before any wear enough to set any grading standards for a specific release. I would use the obverse to grade them as it is the only side that is consistent. You could post some pics, and get help from folks here who wouldn't be very far from the TPG's standards.
First the hard way: was Get a watchmakers "Arkansas Stone" and VERY GENTLY with VERY LITTLE pressure, push a new quarter a few inches across the stone and look for friction. Coins are much harder than you would think so you may have to increase the pressure or the distance to make the rub but start off small. The easy way: Take a dimond nail file, emery board, extra fine snandpaper, or even your driveway and do the same. Very little pressure or movement to start. The important thing is to keep the contact between the coin and surface FLAT! We don't want to see any change except on the coin's high points. I just thought of something to try, get some wide clear tpe and set the con on it. Carefully remove the coin and see what touched. Make sure to tape the ends of the tape down so that it does not move whe you remove the coin using a pin to lift the edge. I may try this myself to see if my "brain fart" works.
