Pretend you are a TPGS grader...

Graders have philosophical choices all day long. They must make many choices to reach a final grade while being fair to the seller, buyer, and the coin itself. Their choices must be consistent (impossible) walking a line bordered by their TPGS and commercial standards. So you be the grader. The image below is a gem WL 50c. It would grade MS-67+ BUT!

Unfortunately, there is a thin scratch on the obverse right through the design. How do you reflect that defect in the grade?

Let's see who can read and follow instructions w/o the thread. We can discuss the image tomorrow but for now - Very IMPORTANT RULES to PLEASE follow or you will screw up this hopefully educational thread and be placed on IGNORE by me until after Easter if I even remember to remove it:

For today, please ONLY PICK A POLL ANSWER without posting any comment in the thread. Please let everyone playing this game make their own mind BECAUSE that's how it works at the TPGS. Tomorrow, all of you can explain your choice.

 

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I'm not good at grading compared to most CT'ers, let alone a professional or vet....but if the scratch wasn't a result of cleaning or gross mishandling, would it HAVE TO mandate or invite a "Details" grade ?

What if the scratch happened as a result of bag movement ? Or even wear and the coin deserves an AU grade ?

 

Whoa...I looked at the picture....is that a "scratch" or a defect in the die ? I thought a scratch would go INTO the coin and that looks like it potrudes ABOVE the device.

Or maybe I'm nuts ?

 

That's a die crack, not a scratch. If grading technically, it shouldn't affect the grade as it is a strike fault. If market grading, it should have maybe a 1 point difference down or so on grade. FWIW, I would buy that coin as the die crack is kind of cool.

 

Agreed, generally. From my understanding of MS grading, I think imperfections on a coin that moves from 70-69-68, etc. should only apply to conditions after striking, ie poor handling, 'bag' marks, etc.

But yeah, the die crack should actually make it more interesting in the marketplace as an error/variety, which I would imagine are comparatively rare for ASEs.

 

Thanks you two!

I just awarded you both the "prize" you deserve - enjoy. BYW, you can finish my game for the members who can read.

 

Looks like a die crack on my phone. I may look at more closely on my lap top when I can.

 

Please put me and leave me on ignore.

Thanks.

 

Scratch? Sure looks like a die crack, along with die artifacts. Not details. This isn’t reading comprehension, it is numismatics. Stop playing word games.

 

LOL, no. There is a very slim to none chance that you may have followed the rules and participated in just this one thread with something useful.

Besides, you have become one of my favorite members since I feel I have a Christian Duty to try to help any folks with "challenges" of any kind.

 

What does BYW mean>

 

This is why I only use the top 3 TPGS the rest don't know a scratch from a crack.

 

Asking us not to bloviate is cruel. But I am suffering in (almost) silence.

 

Aw, what the heck, with all the replies going on I might as well get an iggy too. I was trying to follow the set rule but the cats' out of the bag so to say. If you look beyond the obvious die crack there is a small scratch that doesn't affect me, straight (GEM?) grade...

 

This thread that I spent almost 20 min preparing (gladly in order to provide some hard lessons and possible entertainment for members such as yourself) ONLY to be ruined in a matter of minutes (Actually, usually an expected outcome due to several possible reasons I cannot print.) is typical around here SO I CAN ONLY BE disappointed and not surprised. When posting becomes NO LONGER FUN FOR ME (I'm an EXTREMELY selfish only child with a low tolerance for ) I'll move on to other uses of my time that I also enjoy.)

Of course this is a die break and not a scratch! This "lesson" is posted the way it was to:

1. Get folks to TRUST their own eyes and look closely at images at powers they usually don't use.

2. Teach them not to believe ANYTHING they read on the Internet - regardless of who posts it until you can verify it as true.

3. Learn to follow explicit instructions when the outcome has no important consequences and cannot seriously harm them.

4. Provide a discussion about characteristics on a coin (learn the difference between a DC and Scratch) that affect it's subjective grade.

5. Learn that DC can actually help verify that a coin is in FULL Mint State condition and not a "slider."

@Morgandude11 Perhaps now you'll better understand why I am disappointed by the "word game" part of your post. My teaching methods are much different than most and I believe they produce much better results!

 

Am I the only one who read "Pretend you are a TPGS grader..." and thought "right, no time to deal with comments, need to move on to the next coin"?

 

This is pure arrogance. A learning experience is when people give rationale behind their grading opinions. Just posting a number, and then insulting members who offer supporting details to explain the reason for their opinion is teaching. Being acrimonious, because we won’t play elementary school is presumptuous.

 

Pretend you are a TPG?.... Is that what ICG does daily?

 

Oh boy...

 

Apparently not. If he pulled that garbage at work, he would be long gone from his job. This is a coin board where we SHARE. I have been called out for being dictatorial before by members, and they were correct to do so. This is a group of collectors, not a course on “grading made easy.”

I have had to apologize for being a pompous azz before, for acting like a “know-it-all.” The people who did it were right, as my, or anyone else’s posts are not sacred.