http://dougsmith.ancients.info/grade.html My old page on grading ancients was based on the theory that the traditional system (G-VG-F-VF-EF) was not suitable for ancient coins without comments on other things that can happen to a coin at the mint and in the millenia that followed. I separated these factors into Conditions of Manufacture and Conditions of Preservation with the line drawn at the point the coin left the mint (possibly in MS grade???). I have made several changes to my grading pages on these two 'Conditions' but have not yet addressed needed changes to the page on standard grading. That one will be harder. I ask anyone interested and willing to proofread the two pages that link from the above ignoring for now the one on standard grading. In addition to errors I may have missed, I would appreciate suggestions on other 'Conditions' that I should have included. One I know is the Condition of Preservation 'Active Bronze Disease' but I do not have a good photo of a heavily diseased coin (I avoid buying them, can you believe?). What else should I not miss? Thanks
Just finished reading them. Could one condition that doesnt look to fall into any catagory listed, unless our opinions differ, deposits. The sometimes copper/sometimes black bumps on silver denarii & antoninianus?
One comment I would make Doug is that I disagree with your VF soft coin grade. To me that coin should be F or gF (soft strike). Typically ancient grades are net graded with major deficiencies noted, and if I received that coin in the mail being graded VF it would immediately be returned. Maybe you could describe how it has the wear of a VF but because of the soft strike it must be downgraded. Or, if you disagree with me, that is ok.
Thank you for posting the link again. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your upgraded ancient grading info.
I do not have any ancients to speak of really in my collection, but I found your site to be an easy and enjoyable read! I hope this will be usefull feedback as a non-ancients collectors opinion of your work.
Thanks,dctjr80. Ancient coins can be a bit imposing to some beginners so my site was made to serve people new to the subject. Experts will bore quickly and go elsewhere. Nothing makes me happier than to hear that someone found the site helpful in their early years in the hobby.
Doug, so did you get enough feedback? Sorry if mine wasn't comprehensive enough, I could do it again if you wanted to give further guidance on what you were looking for for comments. Chris
I am working on a couple more entries but I don't have examples for some things and will probably wait until I get enough pairs to make the update. I have not found any really significant terms that I can illustrate. I'll be looking for a beautiful example of bronze disease dirt cheap. Wish me luck.
