Hi, I have obtained a nice 30 kreuzer Maria Theresien coin, from year 1775, with mintmark IC-FA. Today I'll try to scan this coin and post the pics here, but before that I'd have some questions; This coin is worn quite heavily on one side and is very sharp on the other side, how this kind of coin should be graded? Should it be graded with marking like F/XF...or should it be 'net graded' and think the coin to be on average something like VF ? Anyway, please share your $0.02. -JJ-
It's really a matter of personal preference as I have seen many dealers use both methods. My own preference is for split grading which IMHO more specifically expresses the grader's opinion of the coin.
JJH,that 30 Kreuzer is actually from Galicia & Lodomeria,which are now part of Poland,as opposed to Austria or Hungary. Aidan.
Aidan, you're right. That coin is from Galicia and Lodomeria; by that time (1775) it was part of Austro-Hungarian empire and stayed that way until the end of WWI. -JJ-
Philosophically I prefer the split grade because it conveys the condition of the coin. Practically it will usually sell for the condition of the worse side. Where the better side is of greater interest then it might get net graded.
While I understand your question, given that design I think in this case the coin is pretty evenly worn on both sides. The thing that is misleading is the detail remaining on the shield of the reverse. But the shield design is a low point on the coin and thus would have little or no wear compared to the rest of the coin. But to answer your question, I have never been a fan of split grades myself. I always grade any coin according the worst case.
GDJMSP, now that you mention it, I think you're right. The coin is actually fairly evenly worn down. Shoulders and upper torso of the two creatures, holding the shield, are both quite worn down and those points are the high points of the reverse... In this case, it actually seems that there is no need for net grading or split grading at all. -JJ-
