trying to learn grading

Any suggestions..????? I have been trying to seriously get into grading my coins..I was planning on buying Making the Grade, but I was curious if there are other books and/or possibly a web-site that will also help out...my collection is 90% U.S......thanks

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

I would start with 3:

ANA grading guide
Photograde
PCGS guide to grading and counterfeit detection

Recognize each book has slightly different standards....Mike

 

I've found this site a great place to learn grading. You have some of the best in the business at this site. When I see someone asking about a grade on a coin that I collect, I try to grade it without looking at other people's comments. I subsequently compare my thoughts with the other experts. I'm finding that I'm getting closer to the majority as I go along.

 

p.s. The only way you will really learn grading is to see a bunch of graded coins in-hand. You can't really learn all there is from books, IMO. Forums, and grading on pictures, can help, but I think it is a false sense because photos never represent all facets of a coin that are taken into account when grading.

 

thank you for your list...since I don't really know that many people who share my hobby this site has been great...

 

thanks...I have been doing alot of reading and looking on this site....my girl is starting to wonder if I'm cheating..haha

 

Thank you....I know I can't learn everything from books, but I'm sure that like just about anything there are standards and things to look for that are published, and since I read Coin-World, they really advertise the one book, just wanted to get a broader picture of where I should go...and I have a ton of wheat and memorial cents to practice on..

 

ANA Grading guide is a terrific start but nothing beats "hands on", and a little help from your friends here....

 

I am absolutely convinced that the place to START learning how to grade is Heritage. (If you have not already, it is free to join.) There is no other place I know of with as many grades, as many pictures, and as many types and varieties as they have. I am sure leadfoot is right, "I think it is a false sense because photos never represent all facets of a coin that are taken into account when grading." That being said, until you really get your feet wet, you are likely going to be checking yourself with photos, comparing photos, and asking about photos. Once you have got your feet wet enough to know that there are other things going on, THEN you can get the books, and do the in hand thing.

 

Excellent advice....(that coming from a novice)

 

Thank you I will be doing that....I appreciate the advice

 

If that type of learning works well, that is great. Might I offer an alternative, that might help you. It did me when I started looking at Jefferson nickels and trying to grade them. I went to the bank and got about 10 rolls and took all of a certain date/mm out to play with. This was in the late 70s so I forget what year I used.

I then arranged them vertically according to what I saw as grade/wear without assigning numbers, just best to worse. When one looked the same, I moved it to the side of the other. I wanted to get from MS-70 ( haaa, sure) to G ( VG was the worse). It became a challenge to try and complete the vertical line, and I never did even from MS-63. I was hoping to see 55-60 different vertical, but I think ended up with around 36-40. Then working horizontally, I was able after a while to see some differences there, and add another vertical one.

After working at this, it seemed easy to determine from the various grading guides, where the EF45 was and so forth, but even knowing I would not see a EF42, or 41, I still felt much more secure grading them in my hand. I made a card with the major grading points and a sample coin in a 2x2 stapled next to the grade. Although I think I no longer need it as a "cheat sheet", I still have it

I started one with 1944 Lincolns, but ran out of them back then. Maybe I will start one again and see if it is easier now. Anyway, maybe this only wouldn't help many, but it is a different way from trying to memorize photos or desciptions I know that this doesn't account for strikes, EDS compared to LDS, etc., but it might help on learning grading skills.

Jim

 

now this sounds like another great idea.....cheat sheets always help..Coin values does this every month with a different coin, but the majority of them are coins I either don't have(yet) or have very few of so it makes it difficult to go from pics, to coin in hand..I like this

 

There are some great suggestions here. I like desertgem's approach...nothing beats "coin in hand".

I would only add that (imo) it's a good idea to study a series first before attempting any serious grading. "Strike" is an important factor...a 1953 MS65 Franklin struck in San Francisco can appear quite a bit different than one struck in Denver.

 

I bought the book making the grade, and there are some general principals that I think are applicable to grading. One is that the coins high spots are most susceptable to wear (duh), and the other is that the large unbroken areas of the coin, fields, cheecks, things without a lot of detail are more important as regarding dings and bag marks. Since I like commemoratives and my book only covers the most collectable series I have tried to extrapolate the principles.

From all I have learned grading is subjective, and experts can honestly disagree, Investors tend to like the tpgs as they are percieved as a disinterested party, but I have my doubts about that when they have an interest in pleasing customers just as any business does, and the customer that does the most volume tends to be the one you want to keep happiest.

 

Just thought i would chime in on this, Would the same guide lines mentioned
Go for currency?, Would sometimes like to get a better idea of what iam
Buying.....LOl

 

thank you.....That was kindof the way I was going to go....My dad had an interest in lincoln cents and when he died he left me rolls and rolls of circulated & uncirculated coins so I figured that would be a great place to start.....but from what I've been reading here and on sites others have told me about....I think I bit off a big pill...tons and tons of info to learn:rolling:

 

Thank you I appreciate the insight on the book.....