Help me learn to properly grade coins.

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by tlasch, Mar 8, 2011.

  1. tlasch

    tlasch Penny Hoarder & Food Stamp Aficionado

    I have a little thing I want to do here on CT.
    I want to get better at grading coins

    So I am requesting that you post a picture of your coin WITHOUT THE GRADE!!!!
    And allow me time to view the image and provide a grade.

    If I am right let me know. If I am wrong, after three guesses tell me what the real grade was.

    No prizes, just a learning experiment.

    Any and all graded coins welcome, however I prefer US COINS

    So what do ya say, will you help me learn to grade coins?
     
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  3. BUncirculated

    BUncirculated Well-Known Member

    This is a great link for viewing graded coins of different denominations.

    http://www.pcgs.com/Photograde/#

    I'm not trying to brush you off, just giving that link to you as a guide for the different grades of coins as you can study those photos and see what the graders saw when they gave the grades listed for the coins in the photos.

    I'm sure all of us are more than willing to assist you as best we can.

    Another helpful guide is in the beginning of Redbook, on page 9 I believe, is the conditions for each grade level and what to look for. Also each price guide section has a description of what to look for on the particular denomination and strike, for the different grade levels.

    I hope you know it will take more than overnight to learn grading ;)
     
  4. tlasch

    tlasch Penny Hoarder & Food Stamp Aficionado

    true however it ruins the surprise as it tells you the grade when you look at the photo (not trying to shut you down either just been to the PCGS photograde website already)
     
  5. BUncirculated

    BUncirculated Well-Known Member

    True it does show you the grade. That way you can see a MS68 wheatie and look at both sides to see what the graders saw when they graded the coin MS68 ;)

    You also need to understand, that coin grading is highly subjective. What one TPG says is MS66 FBL, another may say MS64 with no FBL. What TPGs grade any coin, is nothing more than their opinion of the grade and should be taken as such.
     
  6. Merc Crazy

    Merc Crazy Bumbling numismatic fool

    Here's a toughie to start you off.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  7. Merc Crazy

    Merc Crazy Bumbling numismatic fool

    And this one is a bit easier..

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  8. dwhiz

    dwhiz Collector Supporter

    1856 rev.jpg Try this one
     

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  9. tlasch

    tlasch Penny Hoarder & Food Stamp Aficionado

    I am probably way off but that's why I am doing this.
    It appears as though the entire luster is gone, the details are still quite fine I can still see the lines in the bell. As well as most some of the lines in the wood on the bell.

    Merc Crazy Is your half dollar coin:
    XF-49??

    Thanks for posting.
     
  10. Merc Crazy

    Merc Crazy Bumbling numismatic fool

    Indeed a good bit off.
     
  11. Merc Crazy

    Merc Crazy Bumbling numismatic fool

    I think an obverse and reverse are necessary here.
     
  12. tlasch

    tlasch Penny Hoarder & Food Stamp Aficionado

    Is your Morgan Dollar PF-687?
     
  13. Merc Crazy

    Merc Crazy Bumbling numismatic fool

    Wow, I wish. :D

    Worth noting that while there may be rare, rare examples of branch mint proofs (Even those are questionable though), all true Morgan proofs were minted in Philly.
     
  14. tlasch

    tlasch Penny Hoarder & Food Stamp Aficionado

    How about VF-34?
     
  15. tlasch

    tlasch Penny Hoarder & Food Stamp Aficionado

    Lol I ment PF-67 but it's proof? It appears as though it is.

    Is it MS-65

    And that's good to know about the proofs because I did not know proof morgans were only minted in Philly
     
  16. Merc Crazy

    Merc Crazy Bumbling numismatic fool

    You're going the wrong way... but that is a really tough coin to grade.
     
  17. BUncirculated

    BUncirculated Well-Known Member

    Half looks like a 64 or 65 hard to see if it's FBL.

    The Morgan I'll guess 65, maybe PL.
     
  18. Merc Crazy

    Merc Crazy Bumbling numismatic fool

    It's not proof, but it carries the PL designation. MS65 is incorrect, though.
     
  19. BUncirculated

    BUncirculated Well-Known Member

    And non-gold would be easier to start with too.
     
  20. coinman0456

    coinman0456 Coin Collector

    There is a thread already devoted to this . Grading coins from pictures.
     
  21. BUncirculated

    BUncirculated Well-Known Member

    But I think the OP wants to learn grading whether from pics or in hand.
     
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