Y'all, Hiya! I have always been interested in coin collecting and have recently finally taken the plunge and started really putting money into the hobby...I figure it's a great way to "put money away" (sorry for the pun...I'm sure I'm not the first to use that one!) while doing something that intrigues me at the same time. I have spent a lot of time reading thru the postings here as well as a bunch of the literature on the topic and as I work to narrow down my interests (because, geez...I like em' all!) I find that I have a number of questions. Since they run the gamut from full-steps vs. non and full-band vs. non to an idea on how the experienced folks on here can help us newbies in learning how to grade to slabbed vs. non-slabbed in regards to investing, would it be better for me to put one question per thread? Am I even in the right place? I've checked the FAQ and did some searches in the forum and didn't really find anything to answer my questions. And, I guess I'll start with one of the big ones that I haven't been able to find a decent answer for. Is there any conventional wisdom one way or the other on collecting one designation over another? For example...Jeff Nickels....from what I have seen there are two primary circulation types out there...those with full steps and those without (the same thing for Roosies with bands). Is it considered more desirable to have a collection of full-steps vs. a mixed set? I've seen the common suggestion that you should get the best you can afford and when trying to apply that logic, I ran into the following kind of scenario: take a 1943-D Jeff 5c. Looking at the Heritage sheets, an MS67 specimen ranges $35-45 while the same coin in MS66-FS ranges $25-35. In this example, which is the better buy? The higher grade but without the full steps or the lower grade with? I'll start with this one and add the next in a bit....thanks for your patience as I stumble along the path of enlightenment!! - adrian
Hi Adrian Welcome to the forum and I will let wiser heads than me answer your questions I know zilch about grading LOL De Orc
Adrian: first, welcome. Second, I would prefer the full steps lower grade to the higher grade. Full steps are hard to get for many dates in the Jeff set, and the higher the grade the higher (exponentially) the price. One of the worst things to happen to the hobby is the explosion of ridiculous grades and idiotic prices for 'grade rarities'. That is (for example, the following prices are made up) a 1917 Lincoln cent in MS 65 may be worth about $10, but in MS-68 it is about $3,000. (the MS 68 price is close to real, as I remember it.) So you have a very common coin made in the millions in a scarce grade. People buy them because they want to have the best, and the challenge of putting together the best sets. But, with that same $3,000 I would rather have a low grade (AG) 1901 S, Barber quarter, THAT is a scarce coin. So, buy the best that you can afford, but don't be silly.
Welcome! I'm with The Other Frank (or whichever one that is ) in terms of grading. One of the key factors that chased me out of coins 20+ years ago was the proliferation of hair-splitting grades of coins-- although as someone said some time ago on this very board, there are only two at a time: mine and yours. (Please, whoever said that, take credit! It's precious.) So be cautious, especially now, and be sure to read as much as you can as well. Very glad to have you!
Welcome aboard! You've come to the right place. To your question about whether to get an MS67 or an MS66 FS, I'd get the MS66 FS. The details will be much sharper and it will have darn near the same amount of marks on it. It's all personal preference though, but on a whole from what I've heard from other collectors, I would venture to say that most would rather have a coin that was well struck vs. a coin that was just a single technical grade higher.
Hello and welcome... I'm not real deep on Nickels, but I might be able to give you some advice on learning about grading... As I'm trying to learn more myself... First, to get you started I would go to you local book store, check out the coin books in the ""Collectables"" section... Theres bound to be two or three different ones... Find one that looks interesting, Read that book several times, then read it again and keep it close by while looking at coins and trying for yourself... Then once you have a certian coin or more pointed question refer to one of these pros here... They can and will teach you a lot... If you have a question on a certian coin, they will want decent hi res Obverse and Reverse pics...
Excellent input y'all! And, I think tcore makes it easy for me....it sounds like the strike is preferential, which makes sense, especially considering the strike clearly affects the value. I have 2 main books by my side....one is the Red Book and the other is the official ANA Grading Standards book. From what I have gathered via lurking, these are good starting points. Any others?
When thinking about the nickels I would have to see photos of both--or best of all hold both in hand. If the MS67 is Blast White and has a nice strike, and the MS66FS is dull and has a dark toning then I would go for the MS67....who knows maybe you could send it back in and it would be graded FS the next time No one can really say what one they would get as far as I'm concerned---a coin can be high graded and dead ugly---and a coin can be low graded and have the best eye appeal a coin could have. Speedy
It almost sounds like diamonds and the 4-C's....cut, carat, color and clarity. Is there such a thing for coins...SLAM? Strike, Luster, Aesthetics, Mintage?
Welcome aboard,Adrian.There are several grading systems that are used by the numismatic trade. Here in New Zealand,we use what is commonly known as the 7 point grading system that uses these as grades; - G.,VG.,F.,VF.,EF.,UNC.,& Proof.Proof isn't strictly a grade as such,but we use the term 'Proof-like' for coins that are better than BU.,but not good enough for Proof. I don't understand the U.S. grading system at all. Although I have been in the trade for 10 years,I know nothing about grading.I just identify the coins & banknotes,then the boss grades them & calls out what grades they are,& I look up the prices in Krause & Pick,& then call them out. Aidan.
