Market grading...

Just a thought on this. Market grading was invented by ANA. Not so with grading. ANA standards on grading weren't invented. They were rather very carefully observed and categorized benchmarks on levels of wear, or grade. ANA grading standards were aligned on how coins wear. ANA didn't invent how coins wear, or invent grading. But it did invent market grading, which is superficial nonsense. We like the look, it market grades higher. We're impressed with the provenance, it market grades higher. Both those, eye appeal and provenance, are market grading standards. As such, we have a pig, add lipstick, it's not a pig. Market grading tells us whether we got something people want, grading tells us whether it's a pig. All to say, learn to grade, or we don't know whether it's a pig.

 

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eddiespin, posted: "Just a thought on this. Market grading was invented by ANA. Not so with grading. ANA standards on grading weren't invented. They were rather very carefully observed and categorized benchmarks on levels of wear, or grade. ANA grading standards were aligned on how coins wear. ANA didn't invent how coins wear, or invent grading. But it did invent market grading, which is superficial nonsense. We like the look, it market grades higher. We're impressed with the provenance, it market grades higher. Both those, eye appeal and provenance, are market grading standards. As such, we have a pig, add lipstick, it's not a pig. Market grading tells us whether we got something people want, grading tells us whether it's a pig. All to say, learn to grade, or we don't know whether it's a pig."

Nonsense!

A good explanation of some of the things affecting market grading.

 

I see. Eye appeal started with market grading. Good to know.

 

You got that right, Sherlock, very good. You must have noticed in your old Red Book there's no reference to eye appeal influencing the technical grade. I'll bet a lot of us never even noticed that...

 

Well sure it was invented. Nobody graded that way, based on market factors. They asked more money. But that didn't change the grade, it changed the price. Market grading was ANA's half-assed attempt at synthesizing the grade with the price so the TPGs would have an easy go and not be inconvenienced with having to make the calls on the real grades. They've got room now to botch up, courtesy of the ANA. Tell them the coin isn't as pretty as they say, go ahead. Hard to hold them when it's half-assed standards like that. Tell them the provenance doesn't reflect the high status they just bumped-up the grade for. Tell them the cheek and jaw doesn't have separation, there you can hold a grader. But not these market graders.

 

The TPGs do grade a little differently, Doug. You taught me that one quite a while ago.

 

Make horse sense to me.

 

That eye appeal started with market grading, or that ANA invented market grading, or that eye appeal was invented by ANA or eye appeal was invented by market grading?

 

Silly.

 

Exactly what the horse said.

 

I'm surprised at any "old-timers" who don't remember how things were in the 1970's. When the ANA finally got around to publishing a book about "Grading Standards" in 1978 (First Edition 1977) grading was based on: "Our goal was to standardize grading by defining significant DEGREES OF WEAR and establishing guidelines so that the various grades may be easily identified."

Note that it was not until many years later that the COMMERCIAL GRADING done by coin dealers and the "new" TPGS (PCGS) was incorporated into the ANA's Grading Guide!

PS I was there. So my original post stands: The ANA invented NOTHING!

 

I still like, good, better, best. LOL

 

I’m with @Insider the coin dealers and TPGs made market grading; the ANA just followed along.

 

That helped clarify. Thanks.
For a moment there, I was wondering if I read gobbdygobbledness.
truth in editing: added a "." after Thanks.

 

Doug, I'll remind you that the ANA "claimed" to use "Technical" grading when they moved to Colo and started grading coins for a fee after the ANA's Grading Guide was published. Of course they did not use "true" Technical Grading. They had no idea what it was. True (as devised to identify a coin - not value it) Technical Grading was only practiced at the ANA in DC for internal records and then carried over to the first TPGS at the INS Authentication Bureau also in DC.

 

Does a coin automatically make "best" if it's "shinny"? Seems like that qualifier's used a lot, especially on eBay...

 

That is not at all what I recall. I was there.
Insider is in this situation, is recalling a bit more accurately.
One of the strong influences at the time was Julian. Question- did Julian "invent" market grading?
Discounting the influence of Julian, is equal to saying Herman and David Most on the only dealt in green stamps from the 60s to now. D.C in the 60s and 70s (and more accurately Bethesda and Silver Spring) was a magical place for coins and stamp hobbyists.

Nothing was ever too strict for Mr. Hall, in regard to ANA. That is a bit of gobbledygobeldness.

 

Only the hair on the shinny shin shin.