I know I'm using the word coin rather loosely here but I see these coins and always wondered how on earth tpg's decide on a grade so I thought I'd see what you guys thought the grade was. Top photo is "front" of slab. Back picture bottom photo. If someone wants to comment on what thought process goes into grade on a "coin" like this at a tpg it would be great.
You know Vic, I've wondered the same thing about grading these types of errors. I would think it ungradeable. I'm going to guess it got 64.
AU Mutilated, new category Not sure how anyone can grade something like this. Kind of makes a joke of the process.
To grade this, wouldn't you simply have to locate the high points and then check then for marks and scuffs and wear? Seems like if they had a process for finding those high points, it could be done, IMO.
That's easy. Anyone who knows anything about grading, knows how to grade this sort of coin. Go ahead, ask all the top dealers and numismatists in the business. Take it around to all the shows and ask the experts. This is known as the Picasso (Guernica) Details grade.
I do not understand how they grade stuff like that, but they do. 64 and it is held that low because of the strike?
Maybe they take an average of all the strikes? I don't know. I can't even count the number of strike it took to make this.
This is probably just rumor, but I've heard that PCGS uses a dartboard numbered 63, 64 & 65. The 65 is in the center ring @ 1/4" diameter. The 64 is in the middle ring @ 4" diameter and the 63 is in the outer ring @ 8" diameter. If the darter hits the wall, missing the entire dart board, it is a "No Grade". Chris
I counted between ten and eleven strikes but it is easier to count them with coin in hand. And this "coin" did get a clean grade, although it is referred to as a fragment
MS-64? I'm with you though, what are they looking at to assign a grade. Maybe we are just thinking too hard, maybe they just look for wear and contact marks.
I have always found the world of collecting errors a bit strange. To me, collecting mistakes just isn't appealing. But to others it is so more power to them if that's what rings their bells. And to a point, I can even understand grading them. If memory serves ten or twelve years there was an article in Coin World where the subject of grading errors was discussed. The same kind of question was asked, how do you grade these ? And there was input from the TPGs. Back then they were talking about coins like this one - - which I found on the web here - http://errorcoins.auctivacommerce.c...Mint-Error-Fantastic-Eye-Appeal-P3105140.aspx It was said that to grade these they judged the part of the coin that was actually struck. That much I can understand, it makes sense. But then they began to go a little further and they were grading blank planchets like those found here - http://www.smalldollars.com/dollar/page21.html - scroll down a bit to see the examples. I mean, I can understand putting the blanks in a slab and certifying them as being genuine blank planchets, but actually grading them ? How do you grade a planchet that has never even been struck ? And if you look at that link above you'll see examples of circulated and MS. Yeah, I know, you can say that the circulated planchet somehow was actually used in circulation and the other one wasn't. But how can you tell ? I mean there is no luster to judge wear because there can be no luster. Luster is only created when the planchet is struck, so if it isn't struck, it can't have any. And breaks in the luster is how you judge wear. And there are no high points because there is nothing - it's a blank. So that, that I have a bit of trouble wrapping my head around. And then they started slabbing these - Now granted, they didn't put a numerical grade on them. I think they realized that would be going just a bit too far. But they do call them uncirculated. What I want to see is one of these that isn't Now, regarding the piece of scrap that got struck, they call it a fragment but that's what it is, a piece of scrap from planchet strip that managed to get into the feeder, how they could grade that, is beyond me. Yeah I know they do it, that is certainly not the only one. And again, I can understand putting in a slab. The TPGs will give their customers what they want and some collectors obviously do want them. And like I said above, more power to them if that's what they like. But grading them ? Sorry, that I just don't understand. And no, I can't even apply the thinking that is applied when grading an off-center strike. With those at least you do have a partial coin that you can look at and actually grade. But grading something like this ? No, I can't even begin to imagine the thought process for that.
He only counted nine strikes and thought I made up the last one or two. And he didn't get enough kitten treats.
