Guess the Assigned Grade--1887 Morgan Dollar PCGS

Well, I saw that one coming a mile away, since you always have a "point" to your threads. First off, I am in the camp that grading standards have loosened some, but not a lot.

Back in the OGH days, I don't think we saw rarity bumps, big bumps for outstanding toning, etc. that we see today. So this coin does not fall in that category of being "special". This is a pretty generic Morgan, so it would probably get graded close to the same way today. It would be given a straight technical grade.

Now, with all that said, posting a coin in an OGH that is properly graded by today's standards, really does not do all that much to prove your point ( even though I mostly agree with it). The reason is, the coin is STILL in an OGH. Those holders have been picked over for years, and anything worth a crackout has already been done.

Now that brings me to my thoughts on gradeflation. It seems to me the crackout game is actually what is responsible for at least half of what is precieved as gradeflation. With the crackout game being was it is, coins seem to always find their way in the highest possible holder, so standards appear looser since a coin may have been submitted 10 times or more to get that 66 grade.

Mike

 

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What Mike said . Paul , in hand would you grade her a high 64 or low 65 ?

 

LOL, just trying to stir the pot a little Mike. Some might argue that this coin was overgraded back in the 90's and we only think it is properly graded because we have adjusted to the loosened standards. My point is that standards have not really changed for generic coins of any series. The changes in standards that people call "loosening" is related to the expansion of market grading principles.

And I agree completely with your opinion on gradeflation. It is the result of the inherent subjectivity in grading where coins that are in between grades will eventually find their way into the higher graded holder as long as their exists a financial incentive to resubmit the coin.

 

It looks fine in an MS65 holder and though I have seen worse in MS65 holders I think it still qualifies for low end. If it were in an MS64 holder, my first thought would be that it is undergraded.

 

Must say these threads have got me thinking . Scary thought I know . But a good thread .