Grading Kennedy's...for Grade and/or Cameo

You might try this link..... http://www.pcgs.com/photograde/#/Kennedy/Grades

 

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Is the market really driven by slabbed coins? I searched eBay and found almost 67,000 sales of Kennedy half dollars since the beginning of the year. A search for PCGS Kennedy's yielded 6700 sales, or about 10%. NGC yielded 5100 sales, or about 7%. ANACS = 190 sales for 0.2%.

 

I don't think so. I think most collectors of this series either collect in 2 X 2s or albums. I would guess-a-mat that less then 3% of collectors have their collections of Kennedy half dollar in slabs. Unless it is a high grade Kennedy, the slabbing cost is more then the coin is worth.

 

And the percentage of people that collect the series at your level of intensity is probably around 0.001%.

I love the coins, but I'm definitely in the 2x2 and album crowd. I've spent many pleasant hours searching through rolls and mint sets.

 

Or maybe you're just wrong, take a couple of articles that thwart common sense, and use it in defense of your ego? Laura Sperber's article has NOTHING to do with TPG grading,per se--it is talking about the products of the US Mint.

 

YES, of course it is. Unless you buy only raw coins, and even the price of them are driven by coins that have been graded by objective experts, not some hobbyist who has an axe to grind against TPGs.

 

Tell us how you really feel!

 

I simply label my self-slabbed holders with AU or MS, gem MS for higher grades and MS* for rainbow toned coins. So I can't be completely wrong after a while I send the MS* and gem MS coins to NGC and keep all others raw. My pics are crappy, too, don't worry

 

Submitting coins is a learning experience... at least for me LOL

 

The question wasn't rhetorical - I was just wondering if it was true. Morgandude suggested the market was driven by slabbed coins, but the market shares, at least on eBay didn't add up to much. Maybe he's right though - maybe market shares don't mean anything. Perhaps the markets for raw and slabbed coins are connected at the hip, despite the percentages. I lack the expertise in coin markets to have an opinion on that.

 

That is why I do not want to waste the money, I think I am close +/- one grade, and that is ok. I can only get better.

Discussing with the wife about buying a coin camera. Something with a manual focus etc. Should be able to get one for $100.



TPG's - Well I do agree that some are over graded. I see some that I have that I too wonder about. It's my only option until I get better educated. Normally I would be wondering why the topic got off of the thread but I have enjoyed reading the TPG argument from both sides, Education to say the least.

 

Some coins are difficult to grade... is that Franklin an FBL or not, well... borderline, is that slider an AU58 or rather MS? What about cameo proofs? Is that Kennedy a CAM- or a regular proof with 'a touch of cameo'?

You were mentioning in your first post that you have a proof Ken and that you're unsure whether it's a CAM or DCAM, right? I would submit it so you'll know the exact grade and if it's a DCAM or not... just for the piece of mind

 

Ah how right you are, except that it will cost me too much to find out for sure. I have PCGS, NGC, ICG, and ANACS slabbed cameo, so I know about what they are. I also have some DCAM's from 1968-70 and also just CAMS so I have a 'fair' idea. Its those SMS coins that get me the hardest. Bag marks aside, they are just hard to be sure especially with the reverses. I know that I have at least one or two DCAM 66 & 67, but that 65 is elusive other than the one I bought.

Looking through my sets, I have found definite CAM pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters also. This was an afterthought but knowing how hard they are to find makes them a bonus!

Maybe one day I will send some in. I have about 25 or so that I would want to send in.

But I also have been warned, do not send them all at one time as the TPG will not grade them all CAM/DCAM so that you would have to re-submit them. I have heard it is a big game but money is at stake so I am sure some of this is true. Either way, that $500 that I would have to spend can be spent on more coins and that is more important for me now.

 

Ok I borrowed a camera to take what I hope are better pictures.. These are better and I think I will be buying a new camera just for coins. Still the Cameo is hard to grasp with a picture.

First the 64 Accented Hair -







And now the 65 SMS....







The 67 SMS Half....





Are these better? Can the cameo be seen? I hope these can better help folks explain the grade. Tell me what issues can be seen with these pictures and how one would come to a conclusion as to grading them.

Thanks for your patience...

 

BY the way, I HATE cats....their hair is everywhere!

 

The early SMS issues are some of my favorite coins in the series - they're just beautiful pieces. I don't think the mint was aiming for cameo contrast on these issues, but nevertheless, you occasionally find some. They aren't rare per se, but the coins with no cameo are far more common.