Do you think grading standards have gotten looser over the years ?

The "looser grading standards" debate involves 2 different things happening, IMO.

First....whether a coin is 1 or even 2 grades higher/lower within the same category (AU, MS, etc.). That's a judgement call and I think a 1 grade increment up/down can be tolerated. Whether 2 grades should be by a professional grader with the coin in-hand (as opposed to our GTG with pics) is a different question.

Second.....market grading vs. technical grading. This is really the big one because coins that are MS-63 to MS-65 might go down to AU-58 if you want to be a purist. Even isolated/single points of rub or friction or wear -- and sometimes even bag marks or other contact that imitates rub/friction/wear -- can knock a coin down and offset spectacular eye appeal, luster, etc.

 

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Judgement call for are against...LOL, i have a few coins that fall in to that category and really thinking about resubmitting them to PCGS, probably going to do a tear
down next week on a group of 5 that might give me the best bet for a grade bump.

 

If you look into the history of grading, early on the TPGs and collectors didn't even split the grades up like they do now. Much less + grades.

Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong but a MS coin was a MS 60 or a 65. For a while they didn't even try to divide it up. I upgraded a $5 from a first gen slab that was a 60 into a modern 62 and probably should have been a 63 at least by todays standards. I think many real old slabs, (however many are left that haven't already been upgraded), you could find this situation. The numbers probably lessen by the year.

I hate to even mention it on a public forum, but I think the bargains can be found in ICG and ANACs holders. I think they're trying to do the best job they can and have varying time periods of good/bad/ strict grading. Many "purists" scoff at them not being in the big 3 but I've cracked and crossed enough to see that they can be taken seriously and hold a lot of nice coins.
I have no affiliation and have never submitted to them myself. I just traded an AU-55 13-S Type II buffalo in an ANACs I probably never should have let go but I digress.

Many collectors use them for very nice coins, just because they like the lower costs to grade and/or want better attribution. There may be some questionable stuff you come across but there's plenty of fairly graded nice options too. It will be hard for any company to ever break into the "Top tier club". But, over time reputations can be gained or lost.

 

Didn't the TPGs use 0-70 grading as soon as they started in 1986 (PCGS) and 1987 (NMGC) ?

BEFORE they were around, I believe the old system was 60, 63 (Choice Unc), and 65 (Gem Mint)...maybe 67 (Superb Gem). But that left a big gap between the official numbers. Although now we think we can get it down to 1/2 point increments with PLUS and STAR.

 

Yeah, I think you're right. You just wonder how long it took those old guys at the time to adopt and fully utilize the newer system with the early grading. Might have played a role.

 

I don,t think you can really take a coin that serious in a ANACs or IGC holder, these
TPG are famous for showing up on those 2AM coin shows on a Sunday night...LOL
lessening there overall credibility because these shows are SCAMS ! separating the uninformed from there money

 

What I've bought in their slabs would never show up on the late night shows.